What Are Traditional Electrical Panels?

Traditional electrical panels, or breaker boxes, are the electrical backbone of most homes. They take power from the grid and distribute it to circuits throughout your home. When a circuit gets overloaded, a breaker trips to protect your home from electrical damage. 

This system has worked reliably for decades but comes with significant limitations -  it’s a backbone without a brain. Traditional panels don’t provide insight into how much energy your home is using and they offer limited control over your home’s power. Circuits can be manually switched on or off at the panel, which in the Northern Los Angeles County and Ventura County areas are often located outdoors and lack proper labeling to know what breaker controls what electricity in your home.

Introducing the SPAN Panel: A Smarter Solution

Imagine having a panel that doesn’t just distribute power but also gives you real-time control and insights. That’s the SPAN panel. It’s a modern upgrade designed for the way we live today, integrating seamlessly with solar panels, batteries, and smart home systems.

With a SPAN panel, you can:

• Monitor your home’s energy use in real-time.

• Control circuits directly from your smartphone.

• Prioritize essential circuits during an outage.

For example, during a power outage, you could use the SPAN app to keep your refrigerator and Wi-Fi powered while turning off non-essential circuits like outdoor lighting.

Key Differences Between Traditional and SPAN Panels

1. Energy Monitoring

Traditional panels don’t tell you anything about your energy use. If your bills are high, you’re left guessing. Is it the air conditioner? The pool pump? Who knows?

SPAN panels, on the other hand, give you a detailed breakdown of where your energy is going. Think of it like a fitness tracker for your home’s electricity. It’s not just about saving money (though it helps with that); it’s about making informed choices. You’ll know if your washer and dryer are using more power than they should or if leaving all the lights on is driving up your costs.

2. Smart Home Integration

Traditional panels aren’t designed to work with smart home systems. If you want to automate your home’s energy use, you’re out of luck.

SPAN panels are built for the smart home era. They integrate with platforms like Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit. This means you can control your panel with voice commands or through your smart home app. For example, you can schedule certain circuits to turn off when you’re not home, saving energy automatically.

3. Outage Management

In an outage, a traditional panel leaves you in the dark—literally. You’re at the mercy of the utility company to restore power.

A SPAN panel gives you options. If you have solar panels or a backup battery, you can prioritize critical circuits like your refrigerator, medical devices, or even an EV charger. You can even have precise control to set different prioritizations at different battery power levels. For example, when your home battery is full you could continue to run all electricity in your house as normal. If your battery level drops to 50% you might want to shut off power to less critical circuits like unnecessary lights or accessory appliances. And if the battery level drops below 25% you might want to reserve power for only the most critical circuits. The SPAN panel can manage all this completely automatically based on your personal settimgs. This can be a lifesaver during long outages.

4. Installation and Cost

Traditional panels are cheaper upfront, typically costing between $5,000 and $10,000 including installation. [learn more about the cost of panel upgrades here]. SPAN panels are more expensive, starting around $5,000. However, the long-term savings and added convenience can make SPAN worth the investment.

Who Should Consider a SPAN Panel?

Not every home needs a SPAN panel, but here are some situations where it’s a perfect fit:

1. You Have Solar Panels A SPAN panel works seamlessly with solar energy systems, helping you monitor production and manage power storage. It ensures you’re getting the most out of your renewable energy investment.

2. You Own an Electric Vehicle EVs require a lot of power to charge. With a SPAN panel, you can schedule charging during off-peak hours or prioritize your charger during an outage.

3. You’re Building a Smart Home If you’re already investing in smart home devices, a SPAN panel can tie everything together. It’s the ultimate upgrade for a connected, energy-efficient home.

4. You Live in an Outage-Prone Area For homeowners in areas like Ventura County, where wildfires and high winds can cause frequent outages, a SPAN panel provides peace of mind by ensuring critical systems stay powered.

Why CPN Electric Recommends SPAN Panels

At CPN Electric, we believe in solutions that truly benefit our clients. We’ve installed both traditional and SPAN panels across the San Fernando Valley, Northern Los Angeles County, and Ventura County. Here’s why we often recommend SPAN:

1. Custom Solutions: Every home is unique, and SPAN panels allow us to tailor energy management to fit your lifestyle.

2. Future-Proofing: As homes get smarter and energy demands increase, SPAN panels ensure your electrical system is ready for what’s next.

3. Reliability: With advanced diagnostics and real-time monitoring, SPAN panels reduce the risk of unexpected outages or costly repairs.

Making the Right Choice

Choosing between a traditional and a SPAN panel comes down to your needs, budget, and goals for your home. If you want a basic, cost-effective solution, a traditional panel will do the job. But if you’re ready to embrace smarter, more efficient energy management, a SPAN panel is the way to go.

At CPN Electric, we’re here to help you navigate this decision. Whether you’re upgrading an old panel, installing solar, or just planning for the future, we’ll guide you every step of the way. Ready to get started? Fill out our form here to receive a link that will guide you through uploading information and photos that will allow us to provide you a more accurate quote personalized to your needs. 

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