Older San Lorenzo Valley cabins + homes. PSPS country. Long service runs. Generator + battery work is the norm here.
Felton sits in the San Lorenzo Valley — wooded, mountainous, served by long PG&E service runs that go down more often than the coastal cities. The housing is a mix: older cabins from the early-to-mid 1900s, mid-century homes built when the valley was developed for second homes, and newer custom homes in the surrounding hills.
Two defining electrical realities in Felton: (1) PSPS shutoffs are routine — PG&E powers down the valley aggressively during fire risk windows, sometimes for days at a time. (2) Long service runs from the road to the house mean voltage drop is a real engineering consideration for new circuits + EV chargers.
Most Felton homes need generator OR battery backup. We do a lot of both — whole-home generators with propane fuel + automatic transfer switches, and increasingly battery storage installations (Powerwall, FranklinWH, Enphase IQ) for customers who don't want the generator-maintenance burden.
Permits go through Santa Cruz County Planning (Felton is unincorporated). Simple permits are often same- or next-day; more complex scopes can take longer — we pull the permit and give you the realistic timeline with your quote.
Most common Felton job. We coordinate with propane providers + ATS install + transfer switch setup.
Increasing demand in Felton. Battery is quieter + lower-maintenance than a generator. We design for the customer's load + PSPS duration.
Specific Felton engineering. Voltage drop matters; we size accordingly.
Old valley housing. K&T + fuse-box-era electrical needs comprehensive rewire.
“Thank you to the Sunrise Electrical Contracting team for updating the new main electrical system on my mom's home after the storm damaged the power lines and home equipment this winter… They replaced Main Service Upgrade Overhead, and added a Sub-Panel Install/Replacement Outdoors… the team of Branden, Jimmy, Ian, and Tylor worked long hours during the storm for a few days to get us up and running again before the next storm arrived.”
“Sunrise Electrical rewired our house, replacing the old knob-and-tube wiring with seamless, safe, and up-to-code wiring at a very reasonable price. They were incredibly efficient, worked cleanly, and addressed all our questions and concerns with care. We can't recommend them highly enough!”
“Branden & his experienced crew installed a Level 2 electric charger together with an extra 240v outlet in our Live Oak garage. They were informed, congenial, & professional and their work was timely and permitted as required by the County. (The cost of the County permit was 53% of the entire project cost — no 5 stars for the County.) I highly recommend Sunrise Electrical!”
Felton is unincorporated Santa Cruz County. Permits go through County Planning. Simple permits are often same- or next-day; more complex scopes can take longer — we pull the permit and give you the realistic timeline with your quote. PSPS sometimes affects inspection scheduling; we plan around it.
Sunrise serves Santa Cruz County — Davenport to Pajaro Dunes. Free inspections anywhere on this map; emergency calls answered day or night, anywhere in it; the 20-year guarantee everywhere we work.
Serving Felton since 2022. Book online, call, or start with a free whole-home inspection — anywhere in the valley.