Largo is about 5 miles up the road from our shop at 6248 Seminole Blvd, so a lot of the service upgrades we do are on streets we drive every week. Most start the same way: a 1960s or ’70s house that still has its original 100-amp or 150-amp service, and an owner who wants to add an EV charger, a pool heater or a bigger AC. Keywest Lights & Electric (EC#13014717) runs the load numbers, files with the City of Largo or Pinellas County, and books the meter work with Duke Energy.
Call (727) 476-7079 or request a service upgrade assessment. Office 7 AM–5 PM, weekend service, 24/7 emergency calls.
Start with what’s actually wrong
Not every Largo house that “needs more power” needs a new service. A good example is a 1975 Largo home where another company had quoted to replace every panel in the house. The 4-point report told a different story: the panels had the capacity, and the real problems were a corroded outdoor panel plus a short list of flagged items. We fixed those in one day. Read the Largo 4-point case study →
We bring that same habit to service upgrades. You see the load calculation before you see a recommendation.
Why the original service runs out
Largo has about 82,600 residents and a median home built in 1978 (Census ACS 2020–2024). The single-family streets off Belcher, Starkey, Clearwater-Largo and Indian Rocks Road were mostly built between the 1960s and early ’80s, when a house had one window unit or a modest central system, a gas or electric range, and not much else on 240 volts. Since then, the same houses have picked up:
- heat pumps or larger central AC, sometimes plus a mini-split in a converted garage
- pool pumps, heaters and spas
- one or two Level 2 EV chargers
- Florida rooms and additions
- induction cooking and double wall ovens
- electric tank or heat-pump water heaters running alongside the dryer
If your main breaker trips on summer evenings, the lights dip when the compressor kicks on, or an insurer’s inspector calls the service undersized, it’s worth a look.
Three ways the math can come out
- Keep the service, replace the panel. When the amperage is adequate but the panel is worn, corroded or a recalled brand, a panel upgrade in Largo is the honest fix.
- Manage the load instead. A load-managed EV charger, or a SPAN smart panel in Seminole and Largo running SPAN PowerUp™, can pause or slow big loads so the house stays inside its rating, which can sometimes avoid a utility service upgrade.^ We’re a SPAN Authorized Installer.
- Upgrade the service. New meter socket, service-entrance conductors, main disconnect, grounding and bonding, and usually a new panel, with Duke Energy pulling and resetting the meter. Old Federal Pacific or Zinsco equipment usually tips the decision this way.
Charging a car is the most common trigger right now. See EV charger installation in Largo for how we size the circuit.
Things we run into on Largo houses
Meter and panel on the outside wall. Lots of Largo homes have both mounted side by side outdoors. Decades of humidity and sideways rain rust the cans, lugs and breakers. Replacement gear goes in with the right outdoor rating and proper sealing.
Overhead drops off a back easement. Older blocks often get power from a pole along the rear lot line, which means a new mast and weatherhead when the service size changes. Newer subdivisions are typically underground. Duke owns the drop or lateral and the meter; the mast, weatherhead, meter socket and everything inside the house are the owner’s.
Manufactured homes. Power usually comes from a pedestal on the lot, with its own code rules for service equipment and feeders, and park rules on top. Tell us the setup and we’ll explain what applies before anything is quoted.
Villas and condos. The meter bank generally belongs to the association. If a unit needs more capacity, we review the feeder and meter center with the manager first.
Flood hazard areas. Low-lying parts of town, including areas along McKay Creek and other drainage channels, sit in FEMA flood zones. After the 2024 hurricanes, the City of Largo put damaged homes in flood hazard areas through its substantial damage assessment process; if a project crosses the 50% threshold, electrical equipment may have to be raised. We check the parcel before quoting.
Storm prep. If a standby generator is on your list, plan its transfer switch while the service is already being replaced. See generator installation and hookups.
Permits and Duke Energy
- City of Largo: permits are filed through the Largo Civic Access Portal (LCAP), and contractors must be registered with the city. Building Services is at City Hall, 201 Highland Ave.
- Unincorporated addresses such as Ridgecrest and other county pockets around Largo: Pinellas County.
- Utility: Duke Energy Florida. We notify Duke before the meter seal is broken, and Duke reconnects once the inspection passes.
Skipping the permit on service work can come back during an insurance claim or a sale.
Your quote will list
- meter socket and service equipment to Duke and code requirements
- mast and weatherhead on overhead services
- new panel, Good (ABB) or Best (Siemens), with each circuit tested and labeled
- whole-house surge protection, which Florida’s adopted electrical code requires when dwelling service equipment is replaced (about surge protection)
- grounding and bonding brought to current code
- the permit, inspection and Duke disconnect/reconnect
Timeline
After a site visit, you get the load calculation and an itemized quote; we don’t give service upgrade prices over the phone. Once you approve, we file the permit, schedule Duke, and do the install, which usually keeps the power off for part of one day. The inspector signs off, Duke restores service, and you get a labeled circuit directory.
Rentals and landlords
Close to four in ten Largo homes are renter-occupied. Owners get permitted work, a passed inspection and a written scope that an insurer or property manager can file. We schedule around tenants, and a Member Care Plan can cover more than one property.
Warranty, financing and hours
Workmanship is covered for 3 years, or 5 years for Member Care Plan members. Financing available through Acorn Finance, subject to credit approval, and checking your options won’t affect your credit score. Office hours are 7 AM–5 PM, plus weekend service and 24/7 emergency calls.
We’ve been in business since 2010 as a woman-owned, family-run electrical contractor, Home Depot preferred, bondable to $1M with projects up to $2M. Solar and battery systems are installed by our licensed partner installers; we handle the electrical work and manage the project.
Largo service upgrade FAQ
What does a service upgrade cost in Largo? It varies with overhead or underground service, the meter socket and panel, grounding work, and whether the City of Largo or Pinellas County issues the permit. You get an itemized quote after a site visit.
Will I need 200 amps? Plenty of Largo homes with central AC, a pool and an EV end up there. Some don’t. The load calculation decides, and we show it to you.
Can I get an EV charger without upgrading? Often. A load-managed charger or a SPAN panel with SPAN PowerUp can keep the home under its service rating. PowerUp requires qualification and enrollment, and results are site-specific.
How long is the power off? Usually part of one day. Duke handles the disconnect and reconnect, and we coordinate the timing and tell you ahead of time.
Do you work on manufactured homes and condos? Yes, with some extra homework. Condo meter centers belong to the association, and manufactured homes carry their own code requirements and park rules. Call and describe the setup.
Who issues the permit? The City of Largo through LCAP inside city limits; Pinellas County for unincorporated addresses. We pull it either way.
Largo homeowners and landlords: call (727) 476-7079 or request an assessment.
^ Requires qualification and enrollment in SPAN PowerUp to avoid a utility service upgrade. Results are site-specific. SPAN® and SPAN PowerUp™ are trademarks of Span.IO, Inc. Keywest Lights & Electric is an independent SPAN Authorized Installer.
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