How San Jose Homeowners Almost Spent $50,000 to Lower Their Electric Bill (Luckily, It Didn’t Happen)

This story started as a routine EV charger job in San Jose, and it ended with a homeowner’s electric bill dropping to about a third of what it had been. Along the way, the homeowners nearly spent around $50,000 on solar panels and batteries to fix a problem that solar would never have fixed.

It started with a burned EV charger

The San Jose homeowners called HAXX to replace their EV charger. The original charger had been installed by unlicensed electricians, without a permit, and both the outlet and the wire feeding it had burned.

We did the job the right way: HAXX pulled a permit and installed a new EV charger to code. But while we were working in the electrical panel, something else came up.

A $1,200 to $1,800 electric bill, every month

While we were on site, the homeowners mentioned that their electric bill was very high. The house isn’t especially large, about 2,200 square feet, with a pool. Still, no matter the month or the season, they were paying $1,200 to $1,800 a month for electricity.

That number didn’t sit right with us. Our first thought was the old EV charger: with everything burned, maybe power was being lost somewhere in that circuit.

What we found behind the panel cover

When we went to put the panel cover back on, we noticed that one of the large 200-amp service conductors, the main wires feeding the whole panel, was pressed tightly against the side of the panel. We decided to move it away from the metal. When we did, we found a hole in its insulation.

We put a multimeter probe into the hole. Depending on how much pressure was on that spot, the meter read anywhere from 38 to 120 volts from that conductor. A main service wire with damaged insulation, pressed against a metal panel, is a serious hazard, and it needed to be repaired right away.

The repair

When we opened up the damaged spot, the conductor was melted inside. We cut out about two inches of the damaged wire.

To reconnect the conductor, we used a Polaris insulated connector, a connector made specifically for joining two large wires like this one.

The result: a bill about three times lower

These homeowners are among our regular customers, like most of the people we work for. It has now been about a year since the repair, and the clients told us that their electric bill has dropped to about one third of what it was before.

The $50,000 plot twist

Here’s the part that surprised us most. Because of their high bills, the homeowners had already signed a contract with a solar company to install solar panels and batteries, a project of around $50,000.

But even licensed contractors make mistakes. The solar company’s measurements weren’t done professionally, and the project couldn’t move forward. The panels sat in their garage for a whole year, waiting to be installed. In the end, the clients were able to cancel the contract and get all of their money back.

Solar can be a great investment. But if something in your electrical system is wrong, solar panels won’t fix it. They would only have covered up the real problem.

Lessons for homeowners

• Use licensed electricians and pull permits. The burned EV charger was installed without a license or a permit. Permitted work gets inspected.
• Pay attention to your bill. If your bill stays very high all year, regardless of season, it’s worth asking why before you spend money on a big upgrade.
• Have the panel checked. Damaged wiring inside a panel is hard to spot and dangerous. A licensed electrician should look at it.
• Get a second opinion on big projects. Before a large solar, battery or panel upgrade, make sure the existing system has been properly evaluated.

Frequently asked questions

Worried about your panel or your electric bill? Call HAXX Heating, Air & Electrical at (408) 901-8315 or book online.