Most Requested
Panel Upgrades & Service Replacement
Federal Pacific, Zinsco, fuse boxes pulled and replaced with a modern 200A breaker panel in a single day.
Licensed in
4 states
MA · NH · ME · VT
Master licensed
Since 2010
15+ years of installs
Google rating
5.0 / 5
5 verified reviews
Based in
Leominster, MA
Serving New England
The problem
If your panel was installed before 1990, it is almost certainly flagged by every modern home inspector and insurance underwriter — and it is capping every electrical decision you can make for the rest of the house.
Federal Pacific Stab-Lok, Zinsco, and pre-1960s screw-in fuse boxes are the three big ones. Federal Pacific panels are documented as failing to trip under overload — a known fire hazard. Zinsco panels weld their breakers shut over time. Pre-war fuse boxes can't carry the load of a single modern kitchen. None of them will pass a 200A service upgrade, none will support EV charging, induction cooking, or a heat pump, and most homeowner policies will refuse to underwrite the home if they are still in place.
“We don’t hand off jobs to strangers. Every breaker, every outlet, every permit — that’s us.”
Documented work
Recent panel upgrades.
Federal Pacific Stab-Lok — known to fail under overload. Pulled and replaced under permit. 
Same home after: 200A breaker panel, surge protection, every circuit labeled. 
Pre-war screw-in fuse box. Can't carry the load of a single modern kitchen. 
Basement install — clean conduit runs, surge SPD top-left, labeled bus. 
Leviton smart-panel upgrade — per-circuit monitoring and solar-ready interconnect. 
Labeled bus with solar interconnect breaker sized to current output.
Why Northern
What you’re actually paying for.
Hot-cutover experience
Utility coordination on every project. Power off only during the swap window, not for the full install day.
Documented at completion
Every panel photographed at close-out. Insurance carriers and real-estate buyers see the finished work, not a verbal description.
Surge protection included
Type 2 whole-panel SPD installed alongside the new panel. Protects sensitive electronics from grid spikes, no add-on charge.
Smart-panel ready
If you want per-circuit monitoring, load shedding, or solar interconnect, we spec and install Span or Leviton smart panels under the same permit.
Implementation
What the day looks like.
The bulk of residential panel upgrades run on a tight one-day schedule. We coordinate the utility cutover at the start of the morning, drop power, pull the old panel, mount the new 200A breaker panel — typically Square D QO or Eaton CH series depending on availability — and transfer every existing circuit. New surge protection lands at the same time. By mid-afternoon every circuit is labeled to code and the utility is reconnected.
Bonded in MA, NH, ME, VT. General liability carried on every project. Proof of insurance and license available on request.
Frequently asked
The questions that come up before booking.
Will my power be off all day?
No. Utility coordination means power drops only during the cutover window — typically 2-4 hours mid-day. The rest of the install happens with power back on.
Do I need to pull the permit myself?
No. We pull the permit in your town the morning of the install, coordinate the inspection at close-out, and hand you a copy of the signed permit for your records.
Will the new panel pass insurance underwriting?
Yes. A modern 200A panel with surge protection and a town-signed inspection clears every insurance carrier we've worked with. We provide photos and the inspection card for your file.
Can I add an EV charger or generator transfer switch at the same time?
Yes — and it's the most efficient time to do it. Both can be wired in under the same permit. We'll scope it on the same visit.
What about an outside service feeder or new meter base?
If your weatherhead, SE cable, or meter base also needs replacing, it's quoted as part of the service entrance package. We don't recommend replacing the panel without also addressing the feed if it's old.
Begin a project
Ready for panel upgrades?
Send a quick note through the intake form, or call directly. On-site walk-throughs scheduled within the week.