Happy July, Coldstream!
I’m Robb Lacey with Unity and Light Electrical Services. We’re a full-service electrical company, but our specialty is putting things where you didn’t have them before—pot lights, new outlets, smoke alarms, and more.
Every year, homeowners add new electrical loads to their homes: hot tubs, heat pumps, EV chargers, and solar systems. It raises an important question:
How much electrical load can your home actually handle?
Two Ways to Find Out
Traditionally, we perform a CEC Section 8 load calculation. We add up your home’s fixed electrical loads, factor in the square footage, apply demand factors, and determine the maximum load your service can safely support.
The challenge is that every family uses electricity differently, so the calculation doesn’t always reflect real-world usage.
A better picture often comes from your actual power consumption. By downloading your hourly usage report from MyHydro, we can see how much electricity your household really uses. Most families use only a fraction of their available 100A or 200A service capacity, meaning an EV charger or heat pump can often be added without issue.
However, some homes already operate near capacity. In those cases, adding another major load may require a service upgrade.
Should You Upgrade Anyway?
It depends on your future plans.
If you’re thinking about building a shop, adding a legal suite, or planning other major projects, a 200-amp service upgrade may be worth considering. A typical upgrade includes a new meter base, service conductors, main panel, and breakers. It can also increase resale value and help future-proof your home.
If you’re only adding one appliance, such as an EV charger, a load assessment is often the most cost-effective option. It tells you exactly how much capacity you have without the expense of a full upgrade.
A Third Option: Load Management
If your calculated load is too high for that new addition, a Load Management System may allow you to stay code-compliant without upgrading to 200 amps. However, it only works if your home’s calculated load remains within the capacity of the existing service.
Find Your BC Hydro Usage Report
Log in to MyHydro, select View Detailed Consumption, then use the Data Download Centre to download 12 months of hourly usage data. Bring that report to us, and we’ll help you understand your options.
Whether you’re planning an upgrade, installing new equipment, or considering a backup generator, we’re here to help.
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