What a heat pump needs from your electrical system

Heat pumps move heat instead of making it, so they use less electricity than old electric heaters. They still need a solid circuit. The wiring side of a heat pump job has four parts: the circuit, the disconnect, the panel room and the permit.

The circuit

A heat pump is a 240-volt appliance. Its nameplate lists two numbers the electrician uses:

• Minimum circuit ampacity (MCA): the smallest wire the circuit can use.
• Maximum overcurrent protection (MOCP): the largest breaker allowed.

The electrician picks a breaker no bigger than the MOCP and a wire that fits the MCA. Common results:

Equipment	Typical 240-volt circuit
Ductless mini-split, one room	15 to 30 amps
Ducted heat pump, 2 to 5 tons	20 to 60 amps
Heat pump water heater	30 amps (some models use a 120-volt, 20-amp outlet)
Electric backup heat strips	Own breaker, sized from the air handler label

Sizes depend on the exact model. Get the nameplate before the circuit is run. A 30 amp copper circuit uses 10 gauge wire, and a 50 or 60 amp circuit uses a heavier wire and conduit, which affects cost.

The disconnect

Code calls for a disconnect within sight of the outdoor unit. It is usually a small box on the wall next to the condenser. Some units come with a disconnect, but most jobs add one. It lets a technician cut power at the unit without going back to the panel.

Room in the panel

This is where the swing is. Replace an old electric furnace or a big A/C with a heat pump and the load often stays flat or drops. Add a heat pump to a house that has gas heat and the new load is real, especially with backup heat strips.

The electrician checks this with a load calculation. Three outcomes:

1. Room to spare. Add the circuit. No panel work.
2. Tight. A load manager or a small subpanel solves it. See EV charger load management for how managers work, since they apply to other loads too.
3. Not enough. A 200 amp panel upgrade is the usual fix. That runs $2,500 to $4,500 in a typical SoCal range as of October 2026.

Other planned loads count too. If an EV charger, induction range or heat pump water heater are all coming, read electrification order of operations before you decide what to size for.

Heat pump water heaters

A heat pump water heater needs its own circuit and space. California’s electric-ready rules for new single-family homes show the two usual setups. Within 3 feet of the heater, a dedicated 125-volt, 20-amp receptacle is used. Farther away, a dedicated 240-volt, 30-amp branch circuit is used. Both come with a reserved space in the panel and a condensate drain. Those rules apply to new construction that installs gas appliances, not to retrofits, but they show what the equipment commonly wants.

Dryers (240 volts, 30 amps) and cooktops (240 volts, 50 amps) follow the same electric-ready pattern. See the heat pump and appliance circuits hub.

Permits and inspection

Expect two permits: an electrical permit for the circuit and disconnect, and a mechanical permit for the equipment. Inspectors check wire size, breaker, disconnect and bonding. Ask the HVAC company and the electrician who pulls each permit. The permits guide covers the basics.

What the electrical side costs

A new heat pump or 240-volt appliance circuit runs about $1,500 to $6,000 in a typical SoCal range as of October 2026 (a desk estimate; see the heat pump circuit cost page). The high end is panel work. The equipment and HVAC labor are priced separately.

What moves the number:

• distance from the panel to the unit
• wire size and whether conduit is needed
• stucco, slab or attic runs
• whether the panel needs breaker space or an upgrade

Rebates and rates

Riverside Public Utilities lists $750 per ton for an electric heat pump on matched equipment of 15.2 SEER or higher, apply within 90 days, subject to funds. Most other city utilities have their own programs, so check yours with the utility rebate finder.

State heat pump incentives from TECH Clean California and the state’s HEEHRA program were listed as waitlisted when this guide was checked, so confirm with the program before you plan around them. SCE’s TOU-D-PRIME rate is open to customers who attest to an EV, a home battery or an electric heat pump, with a 4 to 9 p.m. peak every day. Rates change, so compare plans before switching.

Before you buy

1. Get the model and its nameplate numbers.
2. Photograph your panel label and open breaker spaces. See how to read your panel.
3. Ask the electrician for a load calculation result, not a guess.
4. Ask who pulls the electrical and mechanical permits.