A solar array is only as good as the wiring behind it. David Williams Electric handles the electrician’s half of residential solar across Howard County — the main-panel interconnection, the AC disconnect, the conductor runs, and the BGE net-metering hookup that turn rooftop panels into power your house can actually use. We don’t install racking or shingle the roof; we make the electrical side pass inspection the first time and stay safe for the next 25 years. Maryland license #11734, 30-plus years on the tools, and a price quoted up front before a single wire is pulled.
The electrical work a Howard County solar job actually needs
Solar installers are good at panels and racking. The part that fails inspection is almost always electrical: how the new array ties into your existing service. That tie-in is what we do. We size and land the interconnection at your main panel, install a code-compliant AC disconnect within sight of the meter where BGE wants it, run the conductors from the inverter location to the panel, and wire the system so it back-feeds cleanly without overloading the busbar.
That last point is the one most homeowners never hear about until permit review. NEC’s 120% rule limits how much solar back-feed a panel can take based on its busbar rating and main breaker. A 100-amp panel in an older Ellicott City home often can’t accept the array a homeowner wants without a main breaker derate, a line-side tap, or a service upgrade. We figure that out before you sign — not after the inspector red-tags it.
BGE interconnection and net metering, done right
Every grid-tied solar home in Howard County connects through BGE, and BGE has its own rules for the disconnect, the meter, and the interconnection paperwork. The utility swaps your meter for a bi-directional one that spins both ways, so the kilowatt-hours your panels send back actually credit your bill under Maryland net metering. If the AC disconnect isn’t accessible and labeled the way BGE specifies, the meter swap stalls and your system sits dark on the roof while you keep paying full retail for power.
We wire the system to clear both the county electrical permit and BGE’s interconnection review the first time. That means proper labeling, a lockable disconnect in the right spot, correct conductor and overcurrent sizing, and a clean handoff so your installer’s commissioning and BGE’s permission-to-operate line up instead of leapfrogging each other for weeks.
Battery-ready and whole-home backup for the western county
Out toward Clarksville, Fulton, Glenwood, and Woodbine, the homes sit on bigger lots with 200-amp services and detached garages — and the buyers there usually want more than bill offset. They want the lights to stay on when a summer storm drops a line on Route 32. That’s a hybrid inverter and a protected subpanel: we wire a backup load center so your well pump, sump, refrigerator, and a few circuits ride through an outage on stored solar instead of the whole house tripping off.
Even if a battery isn’t in this year’s budget, we’ll wire the array battery-ready now — running the conductors and leaving the subpanel provisions in place — so adding storage later is a clean upgrade instead of a teardown. For Columbia and Elkridge homes with newer panels already near capacity, we’ll tell you honestly whether the service can carry it or needs an upgrade first.
Permits, HOAs, and the Howard County paper trail
Howard County requires a separate electrical permit for the solar interconnection, and the inspection is its own visit. We pull that permit, meet the inspector, and handle the corrections if there are any — that’s part of the quoted price, not a surprise line item afterward.
Then there’s the Columbia wrinkle. If your home falls under the Columbia Association and one of its village architectural committees, exterior changes including conduit runs and disconnect placement can draw covenant review. We’ve wired enough Columbia jobs to keep the visible electrical tidy and tucked where it won’t trip up an architectural-review approval. In Ellicott City’s historic district the constraints are different again — older services, less panel headroom, and a premium on keeping the work unobtrusive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you install the solar panels and the roof racking too?
No. We handle the electrical side only — the main-panel interconnection, AC disconnect, conductor runs, net-metering wiring, and any battery or backup subpanel work. The panels, racking, and roof penetrations are your solar installer's scope. Plenty of Howard County homeowners hire us directly when their installer subs out the electrical, or when an existing array needs the wiring corrected to pass inspection.
My panel is only 100 amps. Can I still go solar?
Often yes, but it depends on the math. NEC's 120% rule caps how much solar a panel can back-feed based on its busbar and main breaker. On a 100-amp panel — common in older Ellicott City and central Columbia homes — that may mean derating the main breaker, doing a line-side tap, or upgrading the service. We assess your specific panel and give you the real options and costs up front before any work starts.
Will my system work with BGE net metering?
Yes — that's a core part of the job. We wire the interconnection and AC disconnect to BGE's specifications so the utility can swap in a bi-directional meter and grant permission to operate. Under Maryland net metering, the excess power your panels send to the grid credits your BGE bill. If the disconnect placement or labeling is wrong, BGE holds up the meter swap, so we get it right the first time.
Can you set up battery backup so my house stays powered during an outage?
Yes. We install hybrid/battery-ready inverters with a protected subpanel — a backup load center that keeps essential circuits like the sump, well pump, and refrigerator running on stored solar during a BGE outage. This is popular with Clarksville, Glenwood, and Woodbine homes on larger lots. If a battery isn't in the budget yet, we'll wire the array battery-ready so you can add storage later without redoing the work.
Are you licensed and do I get a price before you start?
Yes to both. David Williams Electric holds Maryland electrician license #11734, with 30-plus years of residential experience. You get an up-front, written price before any wire is pulled — no hourly surprises — and the work is backed by our 100% satisfaction commitment. The Howard County electrical permit and inspection are handled as part of the job.
Serving Howard County
David Williams Electric provides solar installations throughout Howard County, including Columbia, Ellicott City, Elkridge, Clarksville, Fulton, Glenwood, Woodbine. Explore all Howard County electrical services or learn more about solar installations across Maryland. Call (410) 781-4357 for a free, up-front quote.
