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We’re getting a lot more calls these days from homeowners around Fort Myers who’ve bought their first electric vehicle — Teslas, Rivians, Ford Lightnings — and are realizing something: their homes weren’t built for this much power.
A lot of houses here still run on 100-amp service panels from the 1960s or 70s. Back then, “high load” meant a window AC and maybe a hair dryer. Now? You’ve got central air, a pool pump, a water heater, and an EV that wants to pull 40 amps overnight.
If that sounds like your setup, don’t worry. You don’t always need a full electrical overhaul. What you do need is proper load management — and that’s something we handle all the time at Coharbor Electric.
We love older Florida homes. They’ve got thick walls, terrazzo floors, and that old-school craftsmanship you don’t see anymore. But electrically, they’re behind the times.
Here’s the issue: most homes built before the 1980s were designed around 60- to 100-amp service. That worked when power demands were lower. Now, even without an EV, some homes already push the limits — AC, fridge, washer, dryer, and a few modern gadgets can easily hit those numbers.
Add an EV charger that wants 40 or 50 amps? That’s like plugging in another air conditioner full-time. The panel and wiring have to handle that load without tripping or overheating.
We’ve seen older homes around McGregor, Cypress Lake, and Iona running panels that are maxed out before the EV charger even enters the picture.
That’s where smart load management systems come in.
If your panel is still original from the 60s or 70s, this guide to 150A vs 200A panels explains how service size affects what your home can safely handle once you add an EV.
Load management is exactly what it sounds like — it’s how your home “balances” power so you don’t overload the system.
Think of it like a traffic cop for electricity. Instead of every device trying to draw power at once, a load management system decides which loads get priority.
Here’s how it usually works:
You plug in your EV.
The system senses how much total current your home is using.
If there’s enough room, the charger runs at full speed.
If the AC or water heater kicks on, the system automatically reduces charging speed to keep you under your service limit.
You still charge your car — just smarter, not harder.
The beauty of this setup is that it lets older homes add EV chargers without upgrading to 200 amps right away.
When folks call us about adding an EV charger, the first thing they usually say is, “I guess I need a new panel.” And sometimes that’s true. If your panel’s rusted, overloaded, or unsafe, upgrading it is the right move.
But if your panel’s in decent shape and you’re just running out of space, a load management system can be a great alternative.
We’ve installed these systems all over Fort Myers — especially in older neighborhoods near Whiskey Creek and Tanglewood. Some of those homes had no room for another breaker, but we used smart load controls to make it work safely.
That’s the key: managing what’s there before spending thousands on a full service upgrade.
There are a few ways to make this work, depending on your home’s setup:
Smart Splitters:
These are devices that share an existing circuit between two heavy loads — say your water heater and your EV charger. When the water heater’s on, the charger pauses. When it’s off, charging resumes. No overload, no tripped breakers.
Dynamic Load Controllers:
These monitor the total load on your service and throttle charging automatically to stay within limits. You’ll still charge your car overnight, just at a slightly slower rate if other big appliances are running.
Smart Panels:
These are full replacements for traditional breaker panels. They track energy use across the whole home and can shift power intelligently between circuits. If you’re planning long-term upgrades, this is the most future-proof solution.
We’ve installed all three types — and what’s best depends on your home’s wiring, service size, and goals.
Once you understand how smart splitters and controllers work, this breakdown of level 1 vs level 2 chargers shows how different charging speeds impact your panel load and overnight charging in Fort Myers homes.
Every home’s different, so we don’t walk in with a one-size-fits-all answer.
When someone calls about EV charging, here’s our process:
Evaluate the panel. We check amperage, breaker space, and connection conditions.
Calculate load capacity. We total up all the big draws — HVAC, water heater, oven, pool pump, etc.
See what’s left. If your house can handle the extra current, great. If not, we plan a load management setup.
Install safely and cleanly. We handle the wiring, breakers, permits, and city inspection so you’re good to go.
Sometimes, the fix is as simple as a smart load-sharing device. Other times, it’s a panel upgrade with load management built in. Either way, we size it right for your actual usage — not a guess.
If you’re curious what’s happening behind the scenes when we “run the numbers,” this primer on load calculations walks through how we total up big draws so your EV charger doesn’t push an older system too far.
We recently worked on a 1974 home off McGregor Boulevard. The owners had just bought an EV and wanted a 240-volt charger in the garage.
Their panel was original — 100 amps, no room left for new breakers. We ran the numbers and found the HVAC and range used most of the load during peak hours. Instead of replacing the whole service, we installed a smart load management unit that shared the circuit between the EV and the dryer.
Now, when the dryer’s on, the car pauses charging automatically. As soon as it’s done, the EV kicks back on. No tripping breakers, no manual switching.
It saved them about $3,000 compared to a full panel upgrade, and they’re charging safely every night.
Even if you’re not ready for an EV yet, it’s worth thinking about. The way things are going, every Florida driveway’s going to have a plug-in at some point.
If you’re upgrading your panel, adding solar, or doing other electrical work now, it’s smart to plan ahead. Leave room for a 240V circuit. Consider a 200-amp service upgrade if your home’s still on 100. Add surge protection while you’re at it.
Future-proofing now costs a lot less than retrofitting later.
If this has you thinking about panels, wiring, and future projects beyond the EV, our Fort Myers-focused upgrades FAQ answers common questions about what to upgrade first and how to phase the work.
If you’ve got solar panels, you already understand load management — your system’s balancing generation and demand every second. But even solar homes need proper EV circuit planning.
We make sure your EV charger’s on the right circuit and that your panel can handle both the solar backfeed and charging load safely. We’ve seen homeowners try to add a charger into the same subpanel as solar, and it never ends well.
You don’t always need to rip out your electrical system to charge an EV safely in an older Fort Myers home. You just need to manage what you’ve got wisely.
Load management systems make that possible — cleanly, safely, and affordably.
If you’re thinking about adding an EV charger and aren’t sure what your panel can handle, don’t guess.
👉 Call Coharbor Electric today to schedule a load evaluation. We’ll check your setup, run the numbers, and help you decide whether you need a panel upgrade or if a smart load management system can do the job.
We make EV charging simple, safe, and built for Fort Myers homes — old or new.
SERVICE AREA
Serving Southwest Florida including: Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral, and more...
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Serving SWFL customers for 13+ years. Licensed and Insured throughout Florida.
EC13004475. EC13012422.
At Coharbor Electric, this is what to expect when entrusting us with fixing your electrical issues.
The first step is to get all the information we will need so that we can correctly assess the problem or situation. The photos or videos you send will be sent directly to the electrician.
Once our electrician has the info he needs, we will dispatch one in the next available spot–armed with expertise, equipment, and the parts he’ll most likely need.
Our Promise is to to You is to perform the job completely, efficiently, and to the Florida electrical code standards. We are committed to fair and honest pricing.
We offer flat rate pricing for service calls, so you always know the price up front. Simple to understand. Flat-rate fixed price so you can be confident you’ll get what paid for.
As a Florida homeowner, you have an endless list of choices for electrical contractors to hire…some great, some good, some bad.
At Coharbor Electric, our benchmark is to be “great”. If you decide to hire us for your electrical service, here’s what you can expect from our electricians: