Energy Solutions · Smart Panels

Smart Electrical Panels for Seattle & Eastside Homes

A smart panel replaces or upgrades your breaker box with circuit-level monitoring and control. For most homes, it is also the easiest way to add solar, battery backup, or EV charging without a full electrical service upgrade.

Phase 1

What a Smart Panel Actually Does

A standard breaker box just distributes power and trips when something goes wrong. A smart panel adds a layer of monitoring and control on top of that. Through a companion app, you can see real-time and historical power use down to the individual circuit, not just your home’s total draw.

That circuit-level visibility is what makes the rest possible. Once a panel knows exactly how much power each circuit is using, it can prioritize which circuits stay on during an outage, shift EV charging to off-peak hours, or direct solar production where it is most useful, all automatically.

Phase 2

Comparing the Major Smart Panel Brands

The three brands homeowners in our service area ask about most are SPAN, Lumin, and Schneider Electric’s Square D Energy Center. They take different approaches, so the right one depends on your panel, your budget, and how much control you actually want.

Phase 3

Pairing a Smart Panel With Solar and Battery Storage

Solar panels generate power, but a smart panel is what decides how that power gets used. Without one, excess solar production either charges a battery on a fixed schedule or gets sold back to the grid at whatever rate your utility offers. With one, the panel can prioritize powering your home directly from solar first, then route anything left over to a battery or an EV, and only pull from the grid when both are insufficient.

During an outage, the same intelligence extends your battery’s runtime by shedding non-essential circuits automatically, so backup power lasts for what actually matters instead of running everything at once until the battery is empty.

Phase 4

Full Replacement or Add-On: Which Fits Your Home

Not every home needs a full panel replacement. If your existing panel has enough capacity and you mainly want monitoring and backup prioritization, an add-on system is usually faster and cheaper to install. If you are planning solar, a battery, and EV charging together, or your panel is older and near capacity, a full replacement tends to pay for itself in avoided upgrade costs.

We run a load calculation as part of every assessment, so the recommendation is based on your actual panel and circuits rather than a guess.

Common Questions

What is a smart electrical panel?

A smart electrical panel is a breaker box with built-in circuit-level monitoring and control, managed through a phone app. It shows real-time and historical power use by circuit and can automatically prioritize power during an outage or coordinate with solar, battery, and EV charging.

Do I need to replace my whole panel, or can I add smart features to my existing one?

Both options exist. SPAN and Schneider’s Square D Energy Center are full panel replacements, while Lumin installs alongside your existing panel. Which one fits depends on your panel’s condition and how much control you want.

Can a smart panel help me avoid a full electrical service upgrade?

Often, yes. By managing load across existing circuits, a smart panel can free up capacity for a new EV charger or battery without increasing your home’s total electrical service, which is usually the most expensive part of a traditional upgrade.

Does a smart panel work with solar and battery storage?

Yes. A smart panel can prioritize powering your home from solar production first, direct excess to a battery or EV, and manage which circuits stay powered during an outage to extend your battery’s runtime.

Is a permit required for smart panel installation?

Yes, a local permit is required, and the work must be done by a licensed electrician under Washington electrical code (RCW 19.28), the same as any other panel work. We handle permitting and inspection as part of every install.

How much does a smart electrical panel cost?

Full replacements like SPAN typically run $6,500 to $10,000 installed. Add-on options like Lumin cost less since there is no panel swap involved. We provide a fixed-price quote after assessing your panel and goals. Get a Free Quote →