Solar-Ready & A/C Electrical Preparation for Colorado Homes
Panel capacity, dedicated circuits and pre-piping so a future solar array, battery, air conditioner or heat pump lands on a service that can actually accept it.
Why solar and HVAC quotes stall at the panel
Solar interconnection has to obey the busbar rating in your existing panel. A 100-amp panel, a full busbar or a main breaker with no headroom for backfeed holds up the installation no matter how good the array design is — and homeowners usually find out after the contract is signed.
Adding air conditioning, or replacing a furnace with a heat pump, hits the same wall. The condenser needs a dedicated circuit sized to its nameplate, a disconnect within sight of the unit, and a panel with room to carry it. A 100-amp service built for a gas furnace and a swamp cooler often has nothing left.
- 100-amp services that cannot accept a meaningful backfeed
- Panels with no remaining breaker spaces for a solar disconnect
- Busbar ratings that fail the interconnection calculation
- First-time central air, heat pump conversions and mini-split zones
- Battery plans that need a protected-loads subpanel
What solar-ready preparation includes
We run a load calculation, confirm what your service can accept, then lay out the work: a panel upgrade if the busbar cannot carry the backfeed, breaker space and a rated disconnect location, grounding brought current, and conduit pre-piped to the inverter while walls and attics are still accessible.
Where a battery is on the horizon, we plan for the protected-loads subpanel now, because retrofitting one later means opening the same walls twice.
- Panel or service upgrade sized for planned backfeed
- Breaker space and disconnect location planned to code
- Conduit and pull strings run to the inverter or array location
- Grounding and bonding verified and corrected
- Battery and protected-loads planning where relevant
What we install for A/C, heat pumps and mini-splits
We size the circuit from the equipment nameplate rather than a rule of thumb, run the conductors and conduit, set the outdoor disconnect at the correct clearance and land it on a properly rated breaker. If the panel lacks room or capacity, that is quoted as part of the same job.
We work to the HVAC contractor's timeline so the electrical is finished and inspected when their crew arrives. If walls are already open for a remodel, running the circuit now costs a fraction of retrofitting it through finished drywall later.
- Correctly sized conductors, breaker and overcurrent protection
- Weatherproof outdoor disconnect with proper working clearance
- Whip and connection coordinated with the mechanical crew
- Mini-split and ductless zone circuits, one per outdoor unit
- Panel capacity check and upgrade quoted only if the math requires it
What we do and what we do not
We prepare the electrical service. We do not sell, design or install solar arrays or HVAC equipment, and we are not paid by anyone who does. If your service is already fine for the array or condenser you are considering, we will tell you that.
Our process
How an EPO power ready prep job runs
- 01
Talk through the plan
Array size, inverter type, battery scope or HVAC nameplate data all change the electrical answer.
- 02
Load calculation and panel review
We check busbar rating, main breaker, breaker spaces and grounding against the interconnection or circuit math.
- 03
Written scope and price
Only the work the plan actually requires, priced fixed and in writing.
- 04
Permitted preparation work
Upgrade, breaker space, disconnect provision, dedicated circuits and conduit pre-piping completed and inspected.
- 05
Hand-off
You get the panel details and photos your solar or HVAC contractor will ask for, and their crew arrives to finished, inspected work.
Pricing
What moves the price on this job
We quote after seeing the equipment, because these details change the number more than anything else.
- Whether a service upgrade is required for the backfeed or the new load
- Distance and route from the panel to the inverter or outdoor unit
- Battery and protected-loads subpanel scope
- Finished-wall routing versus open-wall access
- Grounding electrode corrections on older homes
- Permit and inspection fees
Still deciding?
The fastest way to get a real answer for your home is to have a tech open the panel. The on-site estimate is free, and you leave with a written price for power ready prep.
Want the long version first? Read 100 vs 200 Amp Service: What Your Home Actually Needs.
Monthly payments available through Hearth
Prequalifying takes about a minute and uses a soft credit check, so checking does not affect your credit score. Or read how financing works.
Financing provided by third-party lenders through Hearth, NMLS #1628533. Not a commitment to lend.
FAQ
Common questions about this job
Do I need a 200-amp service for solar?
Not always. It depends on your array size, your busbar rating and the interconnection method. Plenty of well-sized 200-amp panels take solar with no work at all, and some 100-amp services can with a smaller array or a supply-side connection.
Should I upgrade before or after signing a solar contract?
Before, if you can. Knowing your electrical scope up front keeps it out of the solar change-order process and lets you compare prices calmly.
Do you install solar panels?
No. We handle the panel, service and conduit preparation, and we work alongside whichever solar contractor you choose.
What is pre-piping?
Running the conduit, and often a pull string, from the panel to where the inverter or array will land, while the path is still accessible. It saves opening finished walls later.
Search every question we get asked on the full FAQ page.
Where we work
Solar-Ready & HVAC Electrical Preparation across the Front Range
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