ADU Electrical in San Diego
Complete electrical for accessory dwelling units, from load calculations and panel decisions to final inspection.
A Second Dwelling Deserves First-Rate Power
An ADU is a real home: kitchen, laundry, climate, sometimes an EV charger of its own. The electrical questions are bigger than they look. Does the main service have capacity for a second dwelling? Should the ADU run on a subpanel or its own meter? What does Title 24 require for this design?
Get those answers wrong at the start and they surface at the worst time: mid-construction, or worse, at final inspection. Get them right and the ADU build moves smoothly from trench to occupancy.
Voltwell has wired ADUs across San Diego County and works directly with ADU builders, designers, and owner-builders. We bring the load math, the code knowledge, and the inspection experience so your project does not learn those lessons the hard way.
What’s Included
Subpanel or Separate Service
Honest guidance on the right power architecture for your lot, budget, and long-term plans.
Load Calculation and Service Review
Whether your existing service can support the ADU, answered before plans are finalized.
Trenching and Feeders
Underground feeder runs from the main service to the ADU, coordinated with site work.
Complete Unit Wiring
Kitchen, bath, laundry, lighting, and climate circuits built to current Title 24 requirements.
EV and Future Capacity
Provisions for an ADU-side EV charger or future additions while the trench is open.
Permits and Inspections
Fully permitted, inspected, and documented through to occupancy.
Wired for What Comes Next
ADUs often evolve: a rental today, a family member's home next year, a home office after that. We plan capacity and pathways so the unit can take on an EV charger, mini-split additions, or smart controls without re-trenching the yard.
Our Process
Plan Review and Load Calculation
01
We assess the main service and the ADU's demands together.
Power Architecture
02
Service configuration, panel locations, and feeder routing, priced and planned.
Underground and Rough-In
03
Trenching, feeders, and unit wiring coordinated with your schedule.
Fixtures, devices, and equipment connections completed to spec.
04
Trim and Finish
Inspection and Handoff
05
Final inspection passed, system labeled and documented.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Usually not, but it depends on your goals. A subpanel off the main service is simpler and cheaper. A separate meter can make sense for long-term rentals. We will lay out both paths with real numbers.
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That is the first question we answer. A load calculation tells us whether the existing service has capacity or whether an upgrade belongs in the project budget from day one.
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Yes. We regularly coordinate with ADU builders, designers, and owner-builders, and we are comfortable slotting into an existing construction schedule.
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Yes, and the best time is during construction while the trench is open and the feeder is being sized.
Planning to Add an ADU?
Start with the load calculation. It shapes every electrical decision that follows, and we can run it from your plans.