AC3 LLC · Licensed East Bay Electrician
Heat Pump Installation & Rebates: The Electrical Side, Hercules to Oakland
Getting a heat pump? Before it can run, your home needs a dedicated circuit, an outdoor disconnect and enough panel capacity. AC3 LLC is a licensed electrician based in Hercules, and we handle that electrical side: the heat pump circuit, the 30 amp service disconnect and liquidtight whip, the load calculation, and a panel or 200 amp service upgrade if your home needs one.
We don't sell or set the heat pump itself. We work alongside your HVAC installer so the equipment is ready to start up and the job passes city inspection. Below you'll also find the PG&E and California heat pump rebates available right now.
Call 510-224-5795What a Heat Pump Needs Electrically
A heat pump usually replaces a gas furnace or water heater, so it adds a brand-new electric load. For a typical install, AC3 LLC provides:
- A dedicated heat pump circuit. A 240V circuit sized to the outdoor unit's nameplate (minimum circuit ampacity and maximum breaker size), run from your panel with a new 2-pole breaker.
- A 30 amp outdoor service disconnect. Code requires a disconnect within sight of the outdoor unit so it can be shut off safely for service. Many residential heat pumps use a 30 amp disconnect; larger systems may need 60 amp. We size it to the equipment.
- A liquidtight whip. The short run of flexible, weather-tight conduit from the disconnect to the unit. It handles vibration and keeps water out of the connection.
- Indoor unit and accessory circuits where the system calls for them, such as an air handler with backup electric heat, or a 240V or 120V circuit for a heat pump water heater.
- Panel capacity and a load calculation. We confirm there is room for the breaker and that your service can carry the new load.
Panel Capacity: Why Heat Pumps Often Mean a 200 Amp Upgrade
Many East Bay homes from Richmond to Berkeley still have 60 or 100 amp service and panels with no open spaces. A heat pump, especially alongside a heat pump water heater, EV charger or induction range, can push a small service past what the load calculation allows. That is why a heat pump project often turns into a 200 amp panel upgrade.
- Your home has 60 or 100 amp service, or a full panel packed with tandem breakers.
- You still have a fuse box or an older panel like Zinsco, Federal Pacific or Challenger.
- Your insurance company flagged your panel.
- You plan to add an EV charger, induction range or electric dryer too.
It is not always required. In some homes a SPAN smart panel or PG&E's PanelBoost (see rebates below) can manage loads so you can avoid a service upgrade. The load calculation tells us which fits. When a meter/main upgrade is needed, we build it to PG&E Greenbook requirements and coordinate with PG&E.
Recent Job: Heat Pump Disconnect in Tara Hills, Pinole
On November 3, 2026, AC3 LLC completed the electrical for a new heat pump in Tara Hills, Pinole. We installed a 30 amp service disconnect for the heat pump, fed through metal conduit and a junction box, with a liquidtight whip to the equipment connection, working alongside the homeowner's HVAC installer.
Pinole homeowners: the City of Pinole PEER program and MCE heat pump rebates may apply to projects like this, and Pinole is currently offering no-cost permits for heat pump projects through March 2027 or until funds run out. See the rebate table below.
What AC3 LLC Does, Step by Step
- 1 Site visit and panel check. We look at your panel, service and where the outdoor unit will go. Share the heat pump model or spec sheet from your HVAC installer.
- 2 Load calculation. We run a code load calculation with the heat pump added.
- 3 Clear written quote. Just a circuit and disconnect, or a panel or 200 amp service upgrade, explained plainly.
- 4 City permit. We pull the electrical permit with your city, or with Contra Costa County for unincorporated areas like El Sobrante and Tara Hills.
- 5 Electrical work. Dedicated circuit, breaker, disconnect and liquidtight whip, plus any panel or service work, all labeled.
- 6 Inspection and hand-off. We meet the inspector and coordinate with your HVAC installer for connection and start-up.
Planning a heat pump? Get the electrical checked first.
Call 510-224-5795Heat Pump Rebates for PG&E Customers (Contra Costa & Alameda)
Here is where heat pump incentives stand in November 2026. The large statewide programs are fully reserved, but several PG&E, MCE and local programs are open.
Amounts change; we'll help confirm eligibility. Rebate programs open, close and change amounts often. The table reflects the official program pages as checked November 4, 2026. Most programs must be reserved before work starts and many require a contractor enrolled in that program. AC3 LLC does the electrical side, so ask your HVAC installer which rebates they are enrolled in. We'll supply the finaled permit, itemized invoice and photos a program asks for. You can also check the Switch Is On incentive finder.
| Program | Amount | Who qualifies | How it is applied | Status (Nov 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG&E PanelBoost
Free PanelBoost smart-panel hardware (meter-mounted, 16 breaker spaces) so a heat pump can be added without a full panel upgrade |
Hardware at no cost; you pay the electrician for installation, permit and appliance connection | Active PG&E residential customer; own a single-family/detached home and pay the bill; 150A service or smaller, or a panel upgrade need verified by a licensed electrician | Program coordinates the install with a licensed electrician | Listed on PG&E site |
| PG&E service upgrade for added load
When a heat pump needs a bigger service, PG&E covers certain utility-side facilities (e.g. transformer, metering, service conductors) under its line/service allowance rules; an advance may be required |
Case by case, not automatically free | PG&E customers adding load or upgrading a panel | You or your electrician apply in PG&E's Your Projects portal | Active |
| PG&E Electrify My Block
Neighborhood program: heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction and more |
Up to $35,000 in electric appliances, no cost to residents | Only blocks selected by PG&E in select Contra Costa County neighborhoods | Program's own contractors install | Interest form open; selection required |
| PG&E Energy Savings Assistance (ESA)
No-cost upgrades, which can include heat pump water heaters |
No cost | Income-qualified households (PG&E income guidelines) | Apply to PG&E; program installs | Active |
| PG&E Alternative Energy Program
Funding to switch gas appliances to electric, including heat pumps and required panel/service upgrades |
Not published (set per project) | By PG&E invitation only | PG&E-managed | Invitation only |
| MCE heat pump rebates
Heat pump water heater and heat pump HVAC rebates |
HPWH $3,000 (or $5,000 ultra-low-GWP); HVAC up to $400 per 500 sq ft | MCE customers (Hercules, Pinole, San Pablo, Richmond, El Cerrito and unincorporated West County are MCE areas); no retroactive projects | Contractor-applied: MCE participating contractor must install and file | Active |
| City of Pinole PEER
Pinole-only rebates, stackable with MCE |
Heat pump HVAC up to $3,000; HPWH up to $3,000; panel upgrade up to $1,000 (up to $500 if the upgrade goes above 100A) | Pinole properties; heat pump must replace a gas appliance; reservation before work; finaled permit required | Homeowner reserves and submits; licensed contractor installs | Open Mar 4 to Dec 31, 2026 or until funds run out |
| BayREN EASE Home (replaced Home+)
Weatherization (insulation, duct sealing) with 80% covered; helps apply for other heat pump rebates |
Your share capped at 20% of program measures; heat pump equipment generally paid by you | PG&E customers, single-family built before 2010, income at or under 120% AMI | BayREN contractors | Active. BayREN Home+ retired Oct 18, 2024 |
| TECH Clean California
State heat pump HVAC and HPWH incentives |
n/a | n/a | Contractor-applied | Fully reserved statewide since Nov 14, 2025 (only a San Fernando Valley pilot is open) |
| HEEHRA (CEC, federal IRA rebate)
Income-qualified heat pump HVAC rebate |
Was up to $8,000 (<80% AMI) or $4,000 (80-150% AMI) | Income-qualified | Contractor-applied (TECH/HEEHRA contractor) | Closed: single-family fully reserved Feb 24, 2026; waitlist closed Jul 17, 2026 |
| California Energy-Smart Homes
Whole-home electrification incentives |
n/a | n/a | Contractor-applied | 2026 funding fully subscribed (as of April 2026) |
| Golden State Rebates
Retail heat pump water heater instant rebates |
n/a | n/a | Retailer | Ended |
| Federal 25C tax credit
30% heat pump tax credit (was up to $2,000/yr) |
$0 for 2026 installs | Only property placed in service by Dec 31, 2025 (claimed on 2025 return) | Homeowner on tax return | Terminated for property placed in service after Dec 31, 2025 (Public Law 119-21) |
Heat Pump Equipment We Wire For
Generic examples of the heat pump equipment types we provide circuits and disconnects for. These are stock photos, not AC3 LLC jobs.
Photo: Tony Webster / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Generic example, not an AC3 job.
Photo: Alexarje / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Generic example, not an AC3 job.
Photo: Shixart1985 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Generic example, not an AC3 job.
Photo: Shixart1985 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Generic example, not an AC3 job.
Photo: Alf van Beem / Wikimedia Commons, CC0. Generic example, not an AC3 job.
Photo: ENERGY.GOV / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain. Generic example, not an AC3 job.
Heat Pump Electrical Service Area
AC3 LLC wires heat pumps across West Contra Costa County and the inner East Bay:
- Hercules
- Pinole
- Tara Hills
- El Sobrante
- San Pablo
- Richmond
- El Cerrito
- Kensington
- Albany
- Berkeley
- Oakland
Whether you need a heat pump circuit in Hercules, a 30 amp disconnect in Pinole or Tara Hills, a 200 amp panel upgrade for a heat pump in Richmond, El Cerrito or San Pablo, or heat pump wiring in El Sobrante, Kensington, Albany, Berkeley or Oakland, we know the local building departments. El Sobrante, Tara Hills and Kensington permits go through Contra Costa County.
Homeowners rate us highly: see our 98% 5-star reviews on Yelp. Watch our job videos.
Heat Pump Installation & Rebates FAQ
Does AC3 LLC install the heat pump itself?
No. AC3 LLC handles the electrical side of a heat pump project: the dedicated circuit, the 30 amp (or properly sized) outdoor disconnect and liquidtight whip, a panel capacity check and load calculation, and a panel replacement or 200 amp service upgrade if needed. We work alongside your HVAC installer, who sets and starts up the equipment.
Do I need a 200 amp panel upgrade for a heat pump?
Not always. Many homes can add a heat pump with a new dedicated circuit. Older homes with 60 or 100 amp service, or full panels, often need a 200 amp upgrade, especially when an EV charger, induction range or heat pump water heater is also planned. A load calculation tells us which applies to your home.
What size disconnect does a heat pump need?
The disconnect is sized to the equipment's nameplate ratings. Many residential heat pumps use a 30 amp disconnect, like the one on our recent Tara Hills, Pinole job, but larger systems may need a 60 amp disconnect. It must be within sight of the outdoor unit.
What is a liquidtight whip?
It is the short flexible, weather-tight conduit that runs from the outdoor disconnect to the heat pump's electrical connection. It lets the unit vibrate and be serviced without stressing the wiring, and keeps water out.
What heat pump rebates are available in Contra Costa and Alameda counties right now?
As of November 2026, the big statewide programs (TECH Clean California, HEEHRA) are fully reserved. Options that are open include MCE heat pump rebates for MCE customers, the City of Pinole PEER rebate, PG&E PanelBoost for eligible homes, PG&E Energy Savings Assistance for income-qualified households, and Electrify My Block in selected Contra Costa neighborhoods. Amounts change, so we'll help confirm eligibility.
Can I still get the federal heat pump tax credit?
No, not for new installs. The federal 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit does not apply to property placed in service after December 31, 2025, under Public Law 119-21 (2025). A heat pump placed in service by then could be claimed on a 2025 return.
What warranty comes with the work?
Equipment carries the manufacturer's warranty. AC3 LLC does not offer a separate labor warranty.
Getting a Heat Pump? Call AC3 LLC First.
Talk to Ken about your heat pump plans. We'll check your panel, run the load calculation and help you sort out which rebates may apply.
510-224-5795Call or text, email allcurrents@gmail.com, or use our contact page.
Serving Hercules, Pinole, Tara Hills, El Sobrante, San Pablo, Richmond, El Cerrito, Kensington, Albany, Berkeley & Oakland
