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Time Business News
3 days ago
- Business
- Time Business News
Trusted Electrical Contractors in San Jose, CA
When it comes to maintaining safety, efficiency, and compliance in homes or commercial spaces, electrical contractors San Jose play a vital role. From panel upgrades and new installations to energy-efficient solutions and emergency repairs, these professionals ensure that San Jose continues to shine—literally and figuratively. San Jose, the heart of Silicon Valley, isn't just about tech companies and startups—it's also a city where infrastructure, including electrical systems, must keep pace with growth. With ever-increasing demands on power supply due to smart technologies, EV charging stations, and solar integration, the importance of having skilled electrical contractors can't be overstated. Whether you're building a new home, remodeling an office, or updating your facility's power systems, an experienced electrical contractor ensures your project runs smoothly and safely. Licensed contractors in San Jose handle a wide range of services: Residential wiring & rewiring Commercial and industrial electrical solutions Lighting design and installation Electrical panel upgrades Backup generators and power management Energy-efficient retrofits EV charger installations In a city as dynamic as San Jose, property owners and business leaders understand that high-quality electrical work isn't optional—it's a requirement. California has some of the strictest building and safety codes in the country. That's why hiring certified electrical contractors San Jose is a smart move. Local professionals are familiar with California Title 24 regulations, permitting requirements, and the latest National Electrical Code (NEC) updates. This knowledge minimizes the risk of violations, fines, or hazards that can arise from DIY or subpar work. Furthermore, reputable contractors in San Jose stay current with eco-friendly innovations such as solar panel integration, energy storage systems, and sustainable lighting. These initiatives are not just trends—they are essential for those looking to reduce energy bills and their carbon footprint. Many older homes in San Jose were built before today's high-energy appliances were even imagined. Upgrading the electrical panel prevents overloads and prepares homes for future needs such as solar panels or electric vehicle chargers. From automated lighting and security to voice-controlled systems, contractors help homeowners install smart solutions that enhance convenience and value. Businesses in downtown San Jose and tech parks alike rely on efficient power systems. Contractors provide services for office build-outs, data centers, and manufacturing facilities. Proper lighting isn't just about visibility—it impacts mood, productivity, and energy use. Contractors design and install efficient lighting systems for homes, offices, and public areas. Power outages, wiring issues, and breaker problems can strike without warning. San Jose contractors offer 24/7 emergency services to quickly restore safety and power. Here are key considerations when selecting a contractor: License & Insurance : Make sure the contractor is state-licensed and insured for liability and workers' comp. : Make sure the contractor is state-licensed and insured for liability and workers' comp. Reputation : Check Google reviews, Yelp ratings, and testimonials. : Check Google reviews, Yelp ratings, and testimonials. Experience : Look for companies that have been serving San Jose for years with a proven track record. : Look for companies that have been serving San Jose for years with a proven track record. Free Estimates : Most trusted contractors provide detailed quotes with no hidden fees. : Most trusted contractors provide detailed quotes with no hidden fees. Warranties: Work should come with a guarantee for quality and peace of mind. Choosing local electrical contractors San Jose means you're working with someone who understands the specific needs and infrastructure of your community. These professionals have experience navigating San Jose's building departments and are often able to expedite permits or inspections. Additionally, local contractors offer quicker response times and more personalized customer service, often relying on word-of-mouth referrals. They are part of your community and are invested in building a long-term relationship. Whether you are planning a remodel, need to upgrade your business's electrical system, or require immediate repairs, hiring skilled and certified electrical contractors San Jose is the key to safe and successful electrical work. From cutting-edge tech installations to traditional wiring services, these experts are instrumental in powering the city's progress. In conclusion, if you're looking for dependable, top-tier electrical services in the San Jose area, turn to Alpha Omega Electric. Our experienced team is committed to delivering safe, high-quality solutions for both residential and commercial clients. At Alpha Omega Electric, we're proud to be among the most trusted electrical contractors San Jose has to offer. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Motor Trend
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
Another Dumb Electrical Code Change Could Ban DIY EV Charger Installs
If the 2026 edition of the National Electrical Code is approved as proposed, it will become illegal in coming years for many U.S. homeowners to install their own EV chargers. The only thing stopping this from happening is a last-chance motion supported by Rivian to strike the clause from the code at the National Fire Protection Association's annual technical meeting on Friday, June 20, 2025. A proposed 2026 National Electrical Code change could make it illegal for homeowners to install their own EV chargers. Rivian and other stakeholders oppose this, fearing it will encourage unsafe workarounds. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next The change stems from a new addition to the 2026 NEC that reads, 'Permanently installed electric vehicle power transfer system equipment shall be installed by qualified persons.' As proposed, the 2026 NEC defines a qualified person in vague terms likely to be interpreted by states and code enforcement departments to mean a licensed electrician. The problem with the proposed language is that making do-it-yourself installations illegal doesn't necessarily stop homeowners from doing their own electrical work. It does guarantee, however, that any EV chargers put in by amateurs will be installed without the appropriate permit and the accompanying safety inspection. On Friday, NFPA members will vote on a motion to erase the qualified person requirement from the 2026 NEC. If that motion fails, the proposed language will become official code. The National Electric Code eventually becomes law when it's adopted by individual states. Legislatures can choose to modify or exclude certain sections (or even ignore the latest edition entirely), but many approve it with few or no changes. The drive to reject the qualified installer provision has public support from Rivian, the Electric Vehicle Charging Association, home-charger company Emporia, and other charging stakeholders. The companies have signed a letter that states, 'To ensure safety the goal should be that homeowners get a local building permit, and have their work inspected. Article 625.4 creates a new barrier to getting such a permit, and has a perverse incentive for the homeowner to lie and say they are installing a receptacle for a non-EV purpose.' The second part of that statement alludes to a back door homeowners could use to permit their EV charger installations in the future. Because there is no qualified person requirement for residential installation of devices such as water heaters and stoves, a DIYer could install a NEMA 14-50 outlet claiming they plan to use it for a welder and then plug in an EV charger after final inspection. The letter signed by Rivian also raises concerns that the above workaround creates a disincentive for hard-wiring EV chargers, which charging experts agree is safer than using plug-in units. Cheap 240-volt outlets are susceptible to overheating, which can start a fire. NFPA members will also decide Friday if the 2026 NEC will incorporate a second change that could make EV charging at home and at public stations less reliable. As we wrote in January, the proposed revisions require a ground-fault circuit interrupter with a five-milliamp trip threshold on every EV charging circuit. This would be in addition to the charge circuit interrupting device already built into every EV charger. On a high-power circuit like an EV charger, the low five-milliamp threshold will lead to frequent (and unnecessary) 'nuisance trips' caused by wet cables or standard charging behavior. Restoring electricity to the charger in these situation will likely require someone to reset the GFCI at the panel, which is often behind a locked door for public chargers. As with the qualified installer requirement, the GFCI addition is being contested at the NFPA annual technical meeting with a motion to remove it. Tesla, Rivian, ChargePoint, EVgo, and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents dozens of automakers and suppliers, have all signed a letter of support for the motion.
New York Times
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
How Hard Is It to Install an EV Charger?
If there's one thing that's most likely to cause a hiccup in a typical charger installation, it's your home's electrical system. One national contractor told me that about 20% of their installations run into electrical complications. Will Shippee, a director at Schneider Electric, said that homes built before the 1970s are the most likely candidates. (Disclosure: The author was previously employed by a subsidiary of Schneider Electric and worked with Shippee on one project.) Here's the issue: Your home gets a limited amount of power from the grid, measured in amperes (amps for short). Older homes, especially if they heat with fossil fuel, may have only 100 amps coming in from the street, and maybe less. Want to know how many amps of electricity your home has to work with? Look for the breaker switch that's set away from the others in your panel — the number tells you what you're working with. In my home, I have 200 amps, which is pretty typical these days, though older homes often have less. Liam McCabe/NYT Wirecutter That's plenty of capacity for lights, gadgets, and a typical suite of major appliances. But things start getting tight once you add modern, high-draw items. A typical Level 2 charger needs 50 or 60 amps alone. Draw too much at once, and you'll trip the entire box. It's an inconvenience at best, but over time, it also becomes a fire-safety issue because breakers are only meant to trip a certain number of times before they lose their ability to trip as needed. The National Electrical Code has a formula to figure out when you're at risk of overloading your panel. Not all electricians pay attention to it, but they're supposed to, and your charger installer might tell you that you need to do something to meet the code. Not sure if you have enough electrical capacity to add an EV charger? An electrician will give you the best answer, but you can get an idea by adding up the numbers on all the double-wide breakers in your box. Here, my EV charger, induction range, dryer, and AC add up to 145 amps — good thing I have 200 amps to work with. Liam McCabe/NYT Wirecutter The traditional fix: Here, you'll upgrade your service connection to the grid. About two-thirds of the experts I've spoken with think this is usually the right path for homes with under 150 amps of service. Haas told me that most of his customers who need a workaround for an EV charger end up going this route, because it gives them freedom to add more high-draw appliances in the future. Service upgrades are never cheap. You'll need to hire an electrician to upgrade your entire panel, and then you need to pay the utility company to run the new connection. It'll likely cost at least a few thousand dollars. I paid $4,500 for this upgrade a few years ago, which is typical for my part of the country. But the costs can go much higher. If you'd need to excavate the service line, especially from under a public sidewalk, the cost can rise well into five figures, according to Shippee and other experts and homeowners I've heard from. 'It depends on your lovely utility,' Shippee said. Your entire neighborhood could also be running short on electrical service and may need broader service upgrades to the wiring and transformers. Stephanie Groll, from the City of Cambridge Department of Transportation in Massachusetts, said she's heard from multiple constituents who have run into this problem when they've tried to apply for a service upgrade. The modern workaround: The other option is a load controller. Broadly, this is a system that monitors your home's energy use and then selectively cuts the power to one or more circuits if you're about to overload the breaker. There are at least a dozen of these that I know of, and each one handles the problem a little differently. Several of them cost less than even a straightforward service upgrade; others save money only if you're facing a seriously pricey service upgrade but offer other advantages. The right choice for your home depends on how crowded your service already is, whether you're willing to have some items turned off at certain times, and how much future-proofing you want. I won't get into all of the nuances, but here are some leads to start to look into: EV chargers with load control: Wallbox, Tesla, and Emporia are popular brands that offer a load controller in their EV chargers, though you might also need to buy a separate power meter to make it work. Still, this is often the most cost-effective option. (The Emporia model we've linked here is more expensive than the model we recommend in our EV charger guide, which does not have a load-control feature. The Tesla model linked here is the same one that we recommend in the guide.) Wallbox, Tesla, and Emporia are popular brands that offer a load controller in their EV chargers, though you might also need to buy a separate power meter to make it work. Still, this is often the most cost-effective option. (The Emporia model we've linked here is more expensive than the model we recommend in our EV charger guide, which does not have a load-control feature. The Tesla model linked here is the same one that we recommend in the guide.) A standalone load-shedding device: I saw one made by Siemens at the International Builders' Show in 2025, though I've spoken to pros who have used similar products made by DCC and other brands. These work like a kill switch for a single circuit — in this case, your EV charger, but it could be anything. An electrician mounts the box next to your main panel, typically for around $1,000 all-in, according to experts I've talked to. I saw one made by Siemens at the International Builders' Show in 2025, though I've spoken to pros who have used similar products made by DCC and other brands. These work like a kill switch for a single circuit — in this case, your EV charger, but it could be anything. An electrician mounts the box next to your main panel, typically for around $1,000 all-in, according to experts I've talked to. Smart breakers: These circuit breakers can slot right into an existing electrical panel, and they're often smarter than standalone load-shedding boxes. Eaton makes one that's purpose-built for EV chargers. Savant has a modular system that can work with most existing panels and offers extra flexibility. These circuit breakers can slot right into an existing electrical panel, and they're often smarter than standalone load-shedding boxes. Eaton makes one that's purpose-built for EV chargers. Savant has a modular system that can work with most existing panels and offers extra flexibility. Smart panels: These are the most expensive kind of load-control systems, typically coming in at around a few thousand dollars after installation. But they offer a measure of elegance and futureproofing that's hard to get with other load controllers because you can control several circuits, not just the EV charger, through an app. A smart panel could be especially useful if you plan to add battery backup to your home, maybe through one of the bidirectional EV charging systems finally making their way into the real world. Lumin makes a sub-panel that lets you manage up to 12 circuits. Schneider Electric's Square D QO Smart Panel works with modules (sourced from Savant) for whichever circuits you'd like to control. On the Span Smart Panel, every circuit is smart by default. None of these are inexpensive, but they might beat the cost of a difficult service upgrade. A hacky alternative: Maybe you don't have the capacity to add a 50- or 60-amp circuit to your home for a typical Level 2 charger, but you could, for example, fit another 30 amps. A slower Level 2 charger is still quick enough to completely recharge almost any EV overnight, and this could be a good way to balance cost savings and charging speed.
WIRED
03-05-2025
- Business
- WIRED
Why Balcony Solar Panels Haven't Taken Off in the US
May 3, 2025 7:00 AM In countries like Germany, balcony-mounted solar panels are all the rage. But from breaker-masking to voltage mismatches, America's grid isn't ready for it—yet. Photograph: Felix Kí¤stle/picture alliance via Getty Images This story originally appeared on Grist and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Raymond Ward wants to see solar panels draped over every balcony in the United States and doesn't understand why that isn't happening. The technology couldn't be easier to use—simply hang one or two panels over a railing and plug them into an outlet. The devices provide up to 800 watts, enough to charge a laptop or power a small fridge. They're popular in Germany, where everyone from renters to climate activists to gadget enthusiasts hail them as a cheap and easy way to generate electricity. Germans had registered more than 780,000 of the devices with the country's utility regulator as of December. They've installed millions more without telling the government. Here in the US, though, there is no market for balcony solar. Ward, a Republican state representative in Utah who learned about the tech last year, wants that to change. The way he sees it, this is an obvious solution to surging power demand. 'You look over there and say, 'Well, that's working,'' he told Grist. 'So what is it that stops us from having it here?' His colleagues agree. Last month, the legislature unanimously passed a bill he sponsored to boost the tech, and Republican governor Spencer Cox signed it. HB 340 exempts portable solar devices from state regulations that require owners of rooftop solar arrays and other power-generating systems to sign an interconnection agreement with their local utility. These deals, and other 'soft costs' like permits, can nearly double the price of going solar. Utah's law marks the nation's first significant step to remove barriers to balcony solar—but bigger obstacles remain. Regulations and standards governing electrical devices haven't kept pace with development of the technology, and it lacks essential approvals required for adoption—including compliance with the National Electrical Code and a product safety standard from Underwriters Laboratories. Nothing about the bill Ward wrote changes that: Utahans still can't install balcony solar because none of the systems have been nationally certified. These challenges will take time and effort to overcome, but they're not insurmountable, advocates of the technology said. Even now, a team of entrepreneurs and research scientists, backed by federal funding, are creating these standards. Their work mirrors what happened in Germany nearly a decade ago, when clean-energy advocates and companies began lobbying the country's electrical certification body to amend safety regulations to legalize balcony solar. In 2017, Verband der Elektrotechnik, or VDE, a German certification body that issues product and safety standards for electrical products, released the first guideline that allowed for balcony solar systems. While such systems existed before VDE took this step, the benchmark it established allowed manufacturers to sell them widely, creating a booming industry. 'Relentless individuals' were key to making that happen, said Christian Ofenheusle, the founder of EmpowerSource, a Berlin-based company that promotes balcony solar. Members of a German solar industry association spent years advocating for the technology and worked with VDE to carve a path toward standardizing balcony solar systems. The initial standard was followed by revised versions in 2018 and 2019 that further outlined technical requirements. The regulatory structure has continued to evolve. Ofenheusle has worked with other advocates to amend grid safety standards, create simple online registration for plug-in devices, and enshrine renters' right to balcony solar. Politicians supported such efforts because they see the tech easing the nation's reliance on Russian natural gas. Cities like Berlin and Munich have provided millions of euros in subsidies to help households buy these systems, and the country is creating a safety standard for batteries that can store the energy for later use. Balcony solar systems feature one or two small photovoltaic panels and a microinverter and generate enough power to charge a laptop or power a small fridge. Photograph:Meanwhile, the United States has yet to take the first step of creating a safety standard for the technology. US electrical guidelines don't account for the possibility of plugging a power-generating device into a household outlet. The nation also operates on a different system that precludes simply copying and pasting Germany's rules. The US grid, for example, operates at 120 volts, while that country's grid operates at 230 volts. Without proper standards, a balcony solar system could pose several hazards. One concern is a phenomenon called breaker masking. Within a home, a single circuit can provide power to several outlets. Each circuit is equipped with a circuit breaker, a safety device within the electrical panel that shuts off power if that circuit is overloaded, which happens when too many appliances try to draw too much electricity at the same time. That prevents overheating or a fire. When a balcony solar device sends power into a circuit while other appliances are drawing power from the circuit, the breaker can't detect that added power supply. If the circuit becomes overloaded—imagine turning on your TV while a space heater is running and you're charging your laptop, all in the same room—the circuit breaker might fail to activate. This was a concern in Germany, so it developed standards that limit balcony solar units to just 800 watts, about half the amount used by a hair dryer. That threshold is considered low enough that even in the country's oldest homes, the wiring can withstand the heating that occurs in even the worst of worst-case scenarios, said Sebastian Müller, chair of the German Balcony Solar Association, a consumer education and advocacy group. As a result, Ofenheusle said there haven't been any cases of breaker masking causing harm. In fact, with millions of the devices installed nationwide, Germany has yet to see any safety issues beyond a few cases where someone tampered with the devices to add a car battery or other unsuitable hardware, he said. Another issue in the US is the lack of a compatible safety device called a ground fault circuit interrupter, or a GFCI. They are typically built into outlets installed near water sources, like a sink, washing machine, or bathtub. They're designed to minimize the risk of electric shock by cutting off power when, for example, a hair dryer falls into a sink. Yet there are no certified GFCI outlets in the US designed for use with devices that consume power, like a blender, and those that generate it, like a balcony solar setup. Germany's equivalent of a GFCI, called a residual current device, can detect bidirectional power flows, said Andreas Schmitz, a mechanical engineer and YouTuber in Germany who makes videos about balcony solar. Some people have raised concerns about the shock risk of touching the metal prongs of a plug after unplugging a balcony solar device. German regulators accounted for that by requiring the microinverter—which converts currents from the panel into electricity fed into the home—shut down immediately in an outage or when it is suddenly unplugged. Most of them already have this feature, but any US standard will likely need to formalize that requirement. The lack of an Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standard is perhaps the biggest obstacle to the adoption of balcony solar. The company certifies the safety of thousands of household electrical products; according to Iowa State University, 'every light bulb, lamp, or outlet purchased in the US usually has a UL symbol and says UL Listed.' This assures customers that the product follows nationally recognized guidelines and can be used without the risk of a fire or shock. While some companies have sold plug-in solar devices in the US without a UL listing, the company's seal of approval typically is a prerequisite for selling products on the wider market. Consumers might be wary of using something that lacks its approval. Utah's new balcony solar policy, for example, specifies that the law applies only to UL-listed products. Achim Ginsberg-Klemmt, vice president of engineering at the plug-in solar startup GismoPower, has been working on creating such a standard for more than a year and a half. In 2023, the Department of Energy awarded his company a grant to work with UL to develop a standard. GismoPower sells a mobile carport with a roof of solar panels and an integrated electric vehicle charger. Unlike rooftop solar, the system doesn't need to be mounted in place but can be rolled onto a driveway and plugged in, generating electricity for the car, house, and the grid. 'We're basically taking rooftop solar to the next level' by making it portable and accessible for renters, Ginsberg-Klemmt said. The product is in use at pilot sites nationwide, though a lack of standardized rules for plug-in solar has forced the company to negotiate interconnection agreements with local utilities—a time-consuming and sometimes costly process. GismoPower's product avoids one of the biggest technical challenges with balcony solar by plugging into a dedicated 240-volt outlet, the kind typically used for dryers. Such an outlet serves a single appliance and uses a dedicated circuit, sidestepping the risk of overloading. But it runs headlong into the same obstacle of lacking a compatible UL standard. Ginsberg-Klemmt is working with researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, other entrepreneurs, and engineers at Underwriters Laboratories to develop such a standard, but it hasn't been easy. 'We have found so many roadblocks,' he told Grist. One major sticking point is that any standard must comply with the National Electrical Code, a set of guidelines for electrical wiring in buildings that does not allow for the installation of plug-in energy systems like balcony solar. The rules are issued by the National Fire Protection Association, a nonprofit trade association, and adopted on a state-by-state basis. The code is updated every three years, with the next iteration due later this year for the 2026 edition. Ginsberg-Klemmt and his working group submitted recommendations for amending the code to allow plug-in solar—and every one of them was rejected in October. Jeff Sargent, the National Fire Protection Association's staff liaison to the National Electrical Code committee, told Grist that this is the first time the organization had received public comments about plug-in solar systems. For now, it cannot consider amendments to allow their use until a compatible ground fault circuit interrupter exists, he said. Once that's available, he said, the association can ensure that outdoor outlets can be safely used for balcony solar. Electrical standards are constantly evolving, and it often takes more than one cycle of code changes to allow for new products, said Sargent. Ginsberg-Klemmt said his group will continue to pursue other avenues to amend the codes. Until that happens, a UL standard for plug-in solar is unlikely to go anywhere. But interest in plug-in energy solutions isn't going away, and decisionmakers will have to adjust to that reality eventually, Ward said. It happened in Germany, where people across the political spectrum have embraced the technology. Ward believes the same thing will happen here. The way he sees it, 'It's just a good thing if you set up a system so people have a way to take care of as much of their own problems as they can.'
Time Business News
25-04-2025
- Time Business News
Key Safety Requirements for Solar Power Systems
Solar power systems provide users with reliable and sustainable energy, but they also come with very specific safety requirements that need to be met before the system can even be turned on. Proper installation, regular maintenance, and correct usage are all crucial to ensuring that a system operates safely and efficiently. Keep reading for a basic overview of some key safety requirements that every solar user should know about. Solar power systems must be installed correctly to prevent electrical hazards, including the risk of fires and system failures. As with any other electrical systems, it's essential to hire a licensed and experienced professional to install your system. The installation must meet local building and electrical codes, as well as national requirements that regulate the installation of these systems. A professional can ensure that the solar panels are securely mounted, your wiring is installed and grounded correctly, and you have a safe connection to the electrical grid. Your solar power system must also be built of only certified and high-quality components to ensure its safety and reliability. Key components like inverters, charge controllers, batteries, and wiring need to meet industry safety standards. You should verify that the equipment being used is certified by organizations like the Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and the National Electrical Code (NEC). Wiring your system properly helps prevent shocks, short circuits, and electrical fires. For solar power systems, wiring is required to be weatherproof for all outdoor connections, and there must be circuit breakers and fuses to prevent overloads in the system. The installer is also required to ensure the security and insulation of all connections. In the event of an emergency or when maintenance is being done on your system, it needs to be able to shut down quickly and completely. The NEC requires systems to have a rapid shutdown ability, allowing the system to de-energize quickly. The disconnect switches must be clearly labeled, and if a battery bank is included, a separate battery disconnect switch needs to be the average solar user doesn't have to worry about verifying their system has met all safety requirements, it's still valuable knowledge to have. This way, when purchasing your Fronius grid-tie inverters and speaking with your installer, you can make knowledgeable and informed decisions about the equipment you use and how your system is installed. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
