Your roofer or solar company mounts the panels. Connecting that array to your panel safely, passing inspection, and getting BGE to switch your meter to net metering is electrical work, and that is what David Williams handles. With 30-plus years wiring homes from Westminster out to the bigger lots in Taneytown and Manchester, he does the interconnection side right the first time, with the price agreed before the work starts.
What an electrician actually does on a solar install
A solar project has two halves. One crew handles the roof: the racking, the panels, the flashing. The electrical tie-in is a separate trade, and on a lot of Carroll County jobs it is the part that holds up the inspection. That is the work David Williams does as a licensed Maryland electrician, holding license #11734.
On a typical residential job that means landing the array onto your main panel within the NEC 120% busbar rule, setting an exterior AC disconnect where BGE and the county inspector can reach it, running the conductors from the inverter location to the panel, and wiring the net-metering connection so your meter reads both directions. If your panel is already near its limit, which is common in older Westminster and Hampstead farmhouses still running a 100-amp service, he will tell you up front whether a line-side tap or a service upgrade is the cleaner path before anyone is on the roof.
Backup power that actually matters out here
Carroll County loses power differently than the towns closer to Baltimore. Storms come through the open farmland around Taneytown and Manchester, lines run longer to reach properties on acreage, and an outage that is a 20-minute nuisance in a Columbia townhouse can mean your well pump is dead for the afternoon. If you are on a private well, no power means no water, no toilets, and on a working property no stock tanks filling either.
Standard grid-tied solar shuts off during an outage for lineworker safety, so the panels on your roof do nothing while the lights are out. If keeping the well and the essentials running matters to you, David wires a hybrid or battery-ready inverter feeding a protected backup subpanel. The well pump, the fridge, a few circuits, and the furnace blower stay on battery when BGE goes down, and the rest of the house waits. He sizes that subpanel around what you genuinely need to keep running, not a sales sheet.
Getting BGE net metering wired correctly
BGE is the utility for every town David serves in Carroll County, and their net-metering interconnection has specific requirements: a visible, lockable AC disconnect, correct labeling at the meter and panel, and an inspection sign-off before they will swap you to a bidirectional meter. Wire it wrong and the project stalls while paperwork bounces back, with the panels sitting idle on your roof the whole time.
David has done these tie-ins across Eldersburg, Sykesville, and Mount Airy and knows what the inspector and BGE are each going to look for. He builds the disconnect, labeling, and conductor runs to pass the first time so you are exporting to the grid and earning credits sooner.
Up-front pricing and a guarantee on the work
You get the price before the work starts. No hourly meter running while you wonder what the final number will be, no surprise line items after the inspection. David walks the job, looks at your existing service, and quotes the electrical scope as a fixed number you approve first.
Every job is backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If something is not right, he comes back and makes it right. After 30-plus years working in homes across Carroll County, that reputation is the reason most of his work comes from neighbors passing his name along.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you install the solar panels themselves?
No. The panels, racking, and roof work are handled by your solar or roofing contractor. David Williams handles the electrical side: main-panel interconnection, the AC disconnect, conductor runs, net-metering wiring with BGE, and any battery or backup subpanel. Many homeowners hire him directly to do the tie-in their solar company subcontracts out anyway.
My Westminster farmhouse only has a 100-amp panel. Can it still take solar?
Often yes, but it depends on your loads and how the array is connected. The NEC 120% rule limits how much you can back-feed onto an existing busbar. On a smaller older service David will check whether a line-side connection works or whether a service upgrade makes more sense, and he will tell you the honest answer before you commit to anything.
Will my solar keep the lights on when BGE goes out?
Not on its own. A standard grid-tied system shuts down during an outage by design. To keep your well pump, fridge, and key circuits running when the power drops, you need a battery or hybrid inverter feeding a protected backup subpanel, which David wires as part of the job. He sizes it around the circuits you actually need during an outage.
Which towns do you cover for solar electrical work?
David works throughout Carroll County: Westminster, Eldersburg, Sykesville, Mount Airy, Hampstead, Taneytown, and Manchester, plus the surrounding rural properties. BGE is the utility across this whole area, so the net-metering process is the same wherever you are in the county.
How does the pricing work?
You get a fixed quote for the electrical scope before any work begins, so there are no hourly surprises. David reviews your existing service and the array details, then gives you a number to approve. The work is covered by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Serving Carroll County
David Williams Electric provides solar installations throughout Carroll County, including Westminster, Eldersburg, Sykesville, Mount Airy, Hampstead, Taneytown, Manchester. Explore all Carroll County electrical services or learn more about solar installations across Maryland. Call (410) 781-4357 for a free, up-front quote.
