Electrical Service is the connection between the external wires coming from the street and the internal wires that energize your home. The service panel is the center point of your entire electrical system, connecting every outlet, switch and fixture to your house’s main power source. It’s important to understand how the panel works so you can safely operate and perform any electrical repairs.
Electric Service can be divided into two components: supply and delivery. The supply component is associated with high-voltage transmission facilities and electric power plants, while the delivery component consists of lower-voltage distribution facilities that transport electricity within your electric utility company’s service territory to your home or business. You buy the delivery component from your electric utility, but you can choose a competitive supplier to provide the supply component.
An Overhead Electricity Connection
The overhead line that connects the power lines from the utility to the electrical service at your structure is called the Service Drop. This line may be composed of three separate conductors or a triplex cable with two hotlines and one neutral. Each of the hotlines carries 120 volts, and if they are connected together at the service point, 240 volts will be present.
Once the Service Drop is connected to the service riser or meter base at your building, the overhead electrical conductors are then considered the Service Entrance Conductors (SER). Often, these will be of a single strand of aluminum, but they can also be copper. These wires are then connected to your meter and the electrical service panel in your home.
Your home’s electrical service panel contains a series of circuit breakers with small toggle levers that control individual branch circuits within your house. The breaker box is usually metal and has a door that can be opened to reveal the breaker slots. Each slot is numbered, and each circuit breaker has its own corresponding fuse. You can add more circuits to the breaker box as long as you have spaces available and your existing wiring is up to code.
It is very important to be aware that you must not use tools near the exposed electric service panel, especially screwdrivers, wire cutters, wire strippers or pliers. Even the most innocuous looking tool can cause an electrical shock if it makes contact with parts of the service panel that are carrying current. Touching these areas could result in a serious injury or death.
Whether you’re planning a new installation, upgrading your lighting design or expanding your electrical services, our team of experienced professionals is ready to assist you. We’re here to help make the process as painless and cost-effective as possible, so that you can be confident in your electrical services.
We appreciate the work of the men and women who respond to outages in our neighborhoods. They are truly some of society’s unsung heroes, working in the rain and freezing cold to restore your service and keep you safe.