SPAN Smart Panel Installation in San Francisco
See circuit-level energy use, control selected loads, and plan EV charging, heat pumps, solar, or battery storage around one connected electrical platform. Max Electric evaluates the existing service, designs the panel scope, completes the installation, maps circuits, and prepares the system for homeowner handoff.
A smart panel should solve a real electrical or energy-management problem
SPAN replaces the role of a conventional panel while adding circuit-level monitoring, software control, and energy-management functions. It can be a strong fit during electrification or a backup-power project. Some owners also want a clearer view of where electricity goes. The use case comes first.
It is not automatically the best answer for every panel replacement. If the main goal is to remove unsafe obsolete equipment at the lowest practical project cost, a standard modern panel may be enough. If the homeowner wants to coordinate several large loads, understand usage, or manage backup priorities, the smart layer becomes more useful.
More than a panel swap: visibility, control, and a path for future loads
Circuit-level energy data
See how individual circuits contribute to household use instead of relying only on a single utility total.
Load controls
Manage eligible circuits and set priorities through the SPAN Home experience after correct installation and commissioning.
PowerUp planning
Where the design qualifies, SPAN’s energy-management system can coordinate high-power appliances within the service limit.
Battery backup priorities
With compatible storage, homeowners can decide which circuits matter during an outage and adjust priorities as conditions change.
Electrification readiness
Plan the panel around EV charging, induction cooking, heat-pump HVAC, heat-pump water heating, solar, and storage.
Cleaner circuit map
Installation includes disciplined circuit identification and homeowner handoff so the app reflects the actual electrical system.
Max Electric has completed multiple SPAN installations in the Bay Area.
The documented SPAN Smart Panel project portfolio shows installed scope, circuit organization, photographs, and typical site conditions from completed work.
What must be checked before a SPAN panel is ordered
Compatibility matters. The right product configuration depends on the existing service, panel role, circuit count, physical location, utility equipment, and the loads you want to add. Product preference alone does not settle the design.
| Planning item | What we review | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Existing service and panel | Service rating, main or subpanel role, meter arrangement, conductor path, grounding, condition, and available working space. | Determines whether SPAN can replace the current equipment directly or needs a broader service design. |
| Current and future loads | EV charging, HVAC, water heating, cooking, laundry, hot tub, ADU, solar, storage, and other fixed equipment. | Supports load calculations and identifies which circuits may need management. |
| Circuit count and mapping | Number of active circuits, multi-wire branches, subpanels, unlabeled breakers, and circuits that require field verification. | A smart panel is only as useful as the circuit map created during installation. |
| Location and connectivity | Indoor or outdoor conditions, clearances, conduit entry, mounting surface, cellular or internet setup, and homeowner app access. | Affects equipment selection, commissioning, reliability, and finish work. |
| Permit and utility scope | Whether the project is a panel change, service alteration, relocation, or part of a solar, battery, EV, or remodel permit. | Changes the approval path, shutdown planning, inspections, and lead time. |
Choose based on the home’s next decade, not the novelty of the app
Both types distribute electricity. The real difference is whether monitoring, controllable loads, backup coordination, and an energy-management pathway create enough value for this property.
- Choose a standard panel when straightforward replacement and conventional breakers meet the project goals.
- Consider SPAN when circuit data and homeowner controls will be used, not ignored after installation.
- Consider SPAN when several electrification loads must be coordinated and PowerUp feasibility is being evaluated.
- Include solar and battery designers early when the panel is part of a larger energy system.
- Confirm current equipment compatibility, warranty terms, and authorized commissioning requirements before purchase.
SPAN requires authorized installation and commissioning.
SPAN states that its panels must be installed and commissioned by a licensed electrician who has completed the manufacturer’s authorization and training. The final scope also has to follow the approved design, local electrical requirements, permit conditions, and current manufacturer documentation.
From energy goals to a commissioned smart panel
Assess the electrical system
We review the service, panel, circuit count, location, large loads, future projects, and available project documents.
Confirm design and approvals
The panel configuration, load-management strategy, permit path, utility involvement, equipment, and shutdown plan are defined.
Install and map circuits
Existing circuits are transferred deliberately, identified, organized, and checked as the new panel is completed.
Commission and hand off
The installer commissions the system and connects the homeowner to the app. Handoff includes a review of circuit names and core controls.
What changes the price of a SPAN installation
The panel is only one cost component. A useful proposal prices the smart equipment separately from the electrical work. Utility coordination and finish repair should also be visible in the scope.
- Selected SPAN model and related manufacturer equipment
- Main-panel replacement versus downstream panel configuration
- Service size, meter arrangement, relocation, or service-conductor work
- Circuit count, crowded wiring, repairs, and subpanel changes
- Conduit, mounting, wall repair, trenching, or exterior work
- Permit, inspection, PG&E, solar, battery, and EV coordination
- PowerUp design and controlled-load equipment where applicable
- Commissioning, circuit mapping, app setup, and homeowner handoff
Share a clear panel photo, service rating, equipment list, and the reason you want SPAN. That makes the first conversation far more useful than asking for a generic panel-swap price.
SPAN Smart Panel installation FAQ
Can SPAN prevent the need for a 200A service upgrade?
Sometimes a PowerUp design can manage eligible large loads within the existing service limit. It is not a blanket substitute for a service upgrade. The installer must evaluate the service, loads, proposed equipment, user experience, code path, and permit approval for the specific property.
Does SPAN work without the internet?
Core electrical protection does not depend on a homeowner browsing the app. Some connected features, remote visibility, updates, and configuration depend on connectivity. Current manufacturer requirements and backup behavior should be reviewed for the selected product and integrations.
Can SPAN be installed with solar and a home battery?
SPAN is designed to work within solar, storage, and electrification projects, but compatibility and architecture vary by equipment. Bring the solar or battery proposal into the panel assessment so the teams can coordinate the permitted design.
Is SPAN useful if I do not have a battery?
It can be. Circuit-level monitoring and selected load control work without storage. SPAN can also prepare the home for EV charging or heat pumps. If those features are not valuable to the homeowner, a conventional panel may be the better choice.
Will every existing circuit fit into one SPAN panel?
Not necessarily. Circuit count, breaker compatibility, subpanels, multi-wire branches, existing modifications, and the selected SPAN configuration affect the design. The site assessment establishes the circuit plan.
What should I send for an initial SPAN estimate?
Send photos of the panel, meter and service equipment; the main breaker rating; a list of planned EV, HVAC, cooking, water-heating, solar, and battery equipment; and any permit, utility, or contractor documents already available.
Build the smart-panel plan around the home
Start with the equipment and the energy goals. Max Electric will review the existing panel, service capacity, circuit count, proposed electric loads, and connected products before recommending the next design and installation step.
- San Francisco address and existing panel photos
- Main service rating and current circuit count, if known
- Planned EV charger, heat pump, solar, or battery equipment
- Reason for SPAN: monitoring, load management, backup, or electrification