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☀️ Solar Panels From an Electrician’s Perspective: What Homeowners Should Know Before Going Solar
- North by Northwest LLC
- Nov 18, 2025
- 2 min read
Solar energy is becoming more popular every year — and for good reason. It can lower utility bills, increase home value, and reduce your carbon footprint. But while the benefits are clear, most homeowners don’t realize just how important the electrical side of solar installation truly is.
Before you commit to adding solar panels to your home, here’s what you should understand from an electrician’s point of view.
⚡ 1. Your Electrical Panel Must Be Ready for Solar
One of the biggest surprises for homeowners is that many older electrical panels cannot support solar system back-feeding.
Solar systems push power into your home, not just out of it. That means your panel must be safely rated to handle additional energy flowing back through the busbar.
You may need:
A panel upgrade (commonly to 200 amps)
A new main breaker
A line-side tap, depending on local code
A licensed electrician can evaluate whether your current panel is solar-ready — and what upgrades, if any, are required.
🧭 2. Solar Interconnection Must Meet Code
Electrical code requires solar systems to be interconnected safely to prevent:
Overloading
Backfeed hazards
Fire risks
Voltage imbalances
A proper interconnection ensures that your solar system:
Automatically shuts off during outages (anti-islanding)
Communicates correctly with your utility
Doesn’t overload branch circuits or the main service
This is one reason why you always want a licensed electrician involved in your solar installation, whether directly or through your solar provider.
🔋 3. Batteries and Backup Systems Change the Game
If you're adding a battery (like Tesla Powerwall or Enphase), the electrical design becomes far more complex.
Electricians must determine:
Which circuits should be backed up
How the battery interfaces with the inverter
Whether a critical load subpanel is needed
How to manage load shifting and surge protection
Backup systems require precise load calculations to avoid tripping breakers or damaging equipment during outages.
🌧️ 4. Solar Requires Proper Grounding and Surge Protection
Solar arrays add new exposure to:
Lightning
Voltage spikes
Ground faults
Outdoor wiring failures
Electricians ensure:
The system is grounded correctly
Conductors are sized and protected properly
Surge protection devices are installed to protect your main panel and inverter
This dramatically extends the lifespan of your solar equipment.
🛠️ 5. Poor Installations Can Cause Long-Term Issues
From an electrical perspective, we see common solar mistakes such as:
Undersized conductors
Overloaded panels
Improper inverter wiring
Unsecured rooftop conduit
Incompatible breakers
These mistakes often surface years later as:
Flickering lights
Tripped breakers
Overheating equipment
Utility rejections during inspections
A quick solar inspection by a licensed electrician can save you major headaches.
☀️ Thinking About Solar? Start With an Electrical Evaluation
Solar panels are an investment — and the electrical infrastructure behind them is the key to safety, performance, and longevity.
At North by Northwest Services, our licensed electricians can:
Inspect your panel for solar readiness
Provide load calculations
Help you plan for batteries or backup systems
Identify safety upgrades before you install solar
📞 Call today for a free electrical evaluation, and make sure your home is ready to go solar the right way — safely, efficiently, and code-compliantly.
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