Electrical Guides From the Field
Marc Reeves · July 27, 2026
I would guess nine out of every ten panels I open have at least one breaker labeled wrong, and about half have labels that are flatly useless—”misc,” “??,” or a room that got renovated a decade ago. A mislabeled panel is not just an inconvenience; it is a real safety issue when someone needs to … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 24, 2026
Space heaters cause a disproportionate share of the electrical fires I get called out to investigate, and it is almost never the heater itself that fails first — it is the circuit underneath it. A typical 1,500-watt space heater draws close to 12.5 amps continuously, and on an older 15-amp circuit that is already carrying … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 15, 2026
Every time I get a call about connecting a portable generator to a house, the same question comes up: do I need a transfer switch, or is an interlock kit good enough? Both do the same core job of preventing backfeed into the utility lines—which is the thing that kills lineworkers—but they get there differently, … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 7, 2026
Why Federal Pacific and Zinsco Panels Are a Hard No In my years of doing this work, I’ve opened a lot of electrical panels expecting something routine. More often than I’d like, I find myself staring at Federal Pacific or Zinsco equipment — and my first instinct is always the same: replace it immediately. This … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 4, 2026
Last August, I got a call from a homeowner in my area who was completely stumped. Her kitchen lights dimmed every time the microwave kicked on. Her garage door opener had started acting sluggish. Her HVAC unit tripped the breaker twice in one week. She thought her appliances were dying. I knew immediately — after … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 2, 2026
Last summer, a homeowner called me in a panic. Her contractor had quoted $4,800 for a main panel upgrade. A second contractor said she only needed a subpanel for $1,200. She had no idea who to believe — and honestly, that confusion is more common than you’d think. Understanding subpanel vs main panel upgrade cost … Read more