Service
Heat pump circuits
The electrical side of a heat pump install: the circuit, the disconnect and the capacity to carry it.
Nova Scotia has taken to heat pumps faster than most of the country, and heat pump wiring is now one of the most common reasons a house needs attention at the panel.
What heat pump wiring actually involves
A heat pump needs a dedicated circuit sized to the unit’s nameplate, a disconnect within sight of the outdoor unit, correct conductor sizing for the run, and in a ducted system a separate supply for the air handler. It is straightforward work. It becomes complicated only when the existing service cannot carry it.
The order things should happen in
The mistake we see most often is the heat pump being bought and scheduled before anyone has checked the service. Then the install day arrives, the electrical is not feasible as planned, and everybody is negotiating under time pressure.
If you are getting quotes for a heat pump, it is worth having the electrical capacity confirmed first. It is a short visit and it either removes a risk or tells you about a panel upgrade while you can still plan for it.
Ductless heads against ducted systems
Electrically these are different jobs. A single ductless head is a modest dedicated circuit and rarely troubles a modern service. A multi-head or fully ducted system, with its air handler and backup heat, is one of the largest loads a house can take on, and it is the version that sends services to an upgrade. Know which you are buying before anyone quotes the electrical side.
Working alongside your HVAC contractor
We are happy to coordinate directly with whoever is supplying and installing the unit. Give us the model number and we can size the circuit from the nameplate data before anyone is standing in your driveway.
When the calculation says the service cannot carry it, the next conversation is a panel upgrade. If an EV charger is also coming, size for both at once.
Common questions
My heat pump installer says they handle the electrical. Do they?
Some do and some subcontract it. What matters is that the circuit is installed by a licensed electrician, permitted and inspected. Ask who is pulling the electrical permit, and if the answer is vague, that is worth following up.
Will a heat pump overload my service?
It depends entirely on the unit and on what else is on the service. A single ductless head on a 200 amp service is rarely an issue. A ducted system going into a 100 amp service that already has electric hot water and a range often is. The load calculation is the answer, not a rule of thumb.
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