Make your home solar-ready — and keep the lights on.
Solar only pays off if it's connected right. As a Tesla Certified Installer and licensed C-10, Astral makes your panel solar-ready, installs a Tesla Powerwall or home battery, and interconnects it all safely (per NEC 705.12) so an outage doesn't leave you in the dark.
Licensed C-10 #1114918 · Permitted & inspected · Financing available
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The electrical side of solar nobody explains
Panels on the roof are only half the job. What happens at your panel decides whether your solar is safe, legal — and able to grow.
Your panel sets the limit
Code (NEC 705.12) caps how much solar a panel can accept based on its size. A small panel chokes your system.
Solar on an old panel
An array back-fed into an obsolete Zinsco/Federal Pacific panel is a real safety and compliance problem.
Battery = true backup
Solar alone shuts off in an outage. A battery + transfer setup keeps your essentials — or your whole home — running.
Room to expand
Adding panels or a battery later? A solar-ready service means you plug in instead of upgrading twice.
Clean interconnection
Line-side taps, backfeed breakers, labeling and inspection — done right so it passes and stays safe.
Protect the investment
Solar is a big spend. The electrical work is what makes it actually deliver — and keeps your warranty intact.
The 120% rule — how much solar your panel can take
This one code rule decides how big a system your home can accept. Here's the math, side by side:
The 120% rule · NEC 705.12
How much solar your panel can actually take
Add solar and your panel now has two power sources feeding it: the grid (through your main breaker) and your solar (through its back-feed breaker). So the busbar doesn't overload, code caps the two together:
≈ 3.8 kW of solar — barely a small system, and no room for a battery.
≈ 7.7 kW of solar — plus room for a battery.
That's why a small or old panel chokes your solar — it forces a workaround or a second upgrade later. A solar-ready 200A service gives you the busbar headroom and breaker space to add real solar and a battery, cleanly and to code.
Ask about a SPAN smart panel
As a SPAN-certified installer, Astral can set you up with a smart panel — circuit-level control, solar and battery ready, and whole-home backup that lasts longer during an outage.
Get my solar-ready quote →
What's included
Solar-ready panel
Busbar headroom, breaker space and a sized main so solar and a battery interconnect within code.
Tesla Powerwall & battery
Tesla Powerwall and home battery setups (Tesla Certified Installer) so essentials — or the whole house — ride through outages.
Safe interconnection
Backfeed breakers, line-side taps and labeling done to NEC 705.12 — inspected and clean.
Hazard removal
Replace obsolete panels your solar never should have been tied into.
Permits & utility
Permitted and coordinated with PG&E for a compliant, on-the-record install.
Your own portal
Track your quote, photos and project with a private ID + PIN.
How it works
Clear at every step, from first look to final inspection.
Assessment
We review your panel, existing solar and goals — and run the numbers on capacity.
Upfront plan
A clear scope and price: solar-ready panel, interconnection, battery — and any rebates.
Permitted install
We upgrade the service if needed, interconnect safely, and coordinate the utility.
Inspection + backup
Inspected, tested, and your backup power ready. All documented in your portal.
First, know where your home stands.
Before any work, get your home's Electrical Score: snap a few photos, answer a short survey, and a licensed C-10 electrician grades your system 0 to 100. Create yours for $29, credited back if you move forward.
Get my Electrical Score, $29 →Questions, answered
What does 'solar-ready' actually mean?▾
A solar-ready panel has enough busbar capacity to accept your solar's back-feed within code (the NEC 705.12 '120% rule'), dedicated breaker space for solar and a future battery, a properly sized main, and a clean, labeled connection point an inspector will pass.
Why can't I just add solar to my current panel?▾
Because of the 120% rule: your main breaker plus the solar breaker can't exceed 120% of the busbar rating. On a 100A panel that often leaves room for only a tiny system and no battery. A larger, solar-ready service fixes it.
Do I need a battery, or is solar enough?▾
Solar alone shuts down during a grid outage for safety. If you want power when the grid is down, you need a battery and a transfer setup. We size it to your must-run loads or your whole home.
How much does a Tesla Powerwall cost in California?▾
Installed turnkey, one Tesla Powerwall 3 with the Backup Gateway typically runs $13,000–$18,000, and each additional Powerwall about $8,500–$11,000 — the exact number depends on your panel work, how many you need, and permitting. As a Tesla Certified Installer and licensed C-10 we give you an upfront price; our Powerwall cost guide and backup-sizing calculator break down what drives it.
Can you fix solar that was installed on an old panel?▾
Yes. We replace the obsolete/hazardous panel with a solar-ready service and re-interconnect your existing array safely and to code — protecting the investment you already made.
Do you handle permits and the utility?▾
Always. Every install is permitted with your city and coordinated with PG&E, then inspected.
Or call a licensed electrician now: (650) 562-8594