Licensed electricianFamily-owned in Greeneville, TN
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Electrical guide · GPM Electrical
You probably need a panel upgrade if breakers trip often, the panel feels warm or smells like something burning, lights dim when appliances start, or your panel is a fuse box or an old brand like Federal Pacific or Zinsco. Needing more power for a new addition, shop, or charger is another common reason. Any one of these is worth having an electrician look at. A few of them mean you should call today.
An occasional trip when you run a space heater and a microwave on the same circuit is normal. Constant tripping, tripping on lightly used circuits, or a main breaker that trips are not. They suggest the panel, a breaker, or the wiring is struggling. Our guide on why a breaker keeps tripping walks through the causes.
A panel cover that is warm to the touch, a faint burning smell, a buzzing or crackling sound, or brown and black marks around a breaker all point to a loose connection or an overheating part. This is the sign we take most seriously. If you see or smell any of it, turn off what you safely can and call right away.
If the lights dip when the air conditioner, dryer, or well pump starts, the system may be at its limit or have a loose connection somewhere. Sometimes the cause is on the utility side, so it is worth asking neighbors whether they see the same thing. If it is only your house, have it checked.
Screw-in fuses are a sign that the panel is decades old. Panels made by Federal Pacific Electric and Zinsco have a long history of problems, which we cover in our guide to Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels. If your home still has a fuse box, read about converting a fuse box to a breaker panel.
Water getting into a panel is serious. So are rust streaks, a cover that does not sit right, or wires that look cooked. Mobile homes and outdoor panels are more exposed, and so are older panels in damp basements or garages. Do not open the cover yourself. If you can see the problem from the outside, call.
When every slot is full, and the next step is doubling breakers or stacking new loads on old circuits, it is time to plan. The same goes for a new addition, a detached garage, a workshop, an electric dryer, or a car charger. Adding a large load to a panel that was already working hard is how small problems turn into big ones.
There is no single age at which a panel fails, and a well-made panel can last decades. But many Greeneville homes were built in the 1940s through 1970s, and the electrical systems in them were designed for far fewer devices. If nobody has looked at yours in a long time, or you are buying an older house, a quick evaluation is cheap insurance.
In one Greeneville house from the 1970s, a dryer breaker kept popping. When the panel was opened, we found arcing behind the main breaker. The panel was replaced. The dryer was not the problem. Repeated tripping is easy to ignore, and it can be the first sign of something serious.
A panel upgrade means replacing the panel, and sometimes the meter base and service wires, so your home can safely carry its load. We start by looking at what you have and what you plan to add. Where a permit and inspection are required, that is part of the job. We explain it all before work begins and price it up front. You can read more on our electrical panel upgrade page.
Safety note: The inside of a panel stays energized even when you flip the main breaker, because the wires coming from the utility are always live. Please leave the cover on.
Talk to Nick directly
(423) 620-2283Same-day service when the schedule allows. You get the price before any work begins.
Questions
Straight answers about pricing and how we work. Don’t see your question? Call Nick.
Look at the label on the panel door or cover. The brand name is usually printed there. If you are not sure, take a photo and call us. We can usually tell you from the picture.
No. Your usage sets your bill, not the size of the panel. A bigger panel only means the home can carry more at once.
Many are done in a day. We will tell you the likely window when we give you the price.
Often. Requirements depend on the city and county, and we confirm what applies at your address before scheduling.
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