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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Swiftwater Electric and Solar

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United States
Friday Harbor, WA
Swiftwater Electric and Solar

Washington based offering solar, batteries, & electrical services. Local and experienced employees

10/29/2026

We use this metric to determine how much battery you will need to keep things going during an outage if you were in the market of buying one. Fun little exercise and knowledge to have for yourself.

10/28/2026

Windstorm season is almost here. Five things to do while the lights are still on:

1. Find your main breaker, and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is.
2. Push the test button on your GFCI outlets.
3. Look up at the line coming into your house. Branches rubbing on it? Better to deal with them now than let the wind do it.
4. On a well? Have a plan for running the pump in an outage.
5. Never backfeed a portable generator through a dryer outlet. It can hurt you or a lineworker. A properly installed interlock is the safe way to do it.

If your panel is a Federal Pacific or Zinsco, or just 30+ years old, it's worth having it looked at before winter.

Questions about your setup? Drop them in the comments and one of our electricians will answer.

10/26/2026

It is a common misconception solar panels have to be on your home. They can be on their own stand (pictured), a garage, or anything on a sunnier part of your property that makes sense.

10/23/2026

Final stage of installing solar, checking the app to see how much power is being generated. Brooks gives St. David's Church in Friday Harbor the green light.

10/21/2026

Is your EV still charging off the 120-volt cord in the garage?

That works fine in August. In January, with the cabin heater running and shorter days, a lot of drivers find they aren't getting a full charge overnight.

A Level 2 charger fixes that. Before we install one, we check the whole picture: Is there room in the panel? Could load management avoid a service upgrade? Does it make sense to plan for solar or a battery at the same time?

We're licensed electricians and a solar company, so it all gets designed as one system instead of a pile of separate projects.

PSE customers can get a discounted Level 2 charger through PSE, and OPALCO members can finance a charger on their electric bill. Ask us what applies at your house.

10/19/2026

There is always uncertainty at the end of the year with solar incentives. At this point, "Net Metering" (being able to bank your energy credits for winter) is still an active program.....but could possibly be going away for 2027.

This is obviously a big deal in NW Washington with our darker winters because with "Net Metering" it really doesn't matter due to our very long summer days accruing all that solar energy to get through winter.

In other words, if you are considering solar, this is a very good time to inquire to see if you should move forward before the clock strikes 2027.

Give us a call, we would be happy to do an off site estimate for you: (360) 622-7376

10/14/2026

Battery or generator? Why not both?

On rural properties where outages can last for days, one of our favorite setups is a FranklinWH battery and a Kohler generator working together.

Here's how it plays out:

The power goes out. The battery carries the house silently and automatically. Nobody has to go out in the rain to start anything.
If the outage outlasts the battery, the generator starts, runs the house and recharges the battery at the same time.
Once the battery is full, the generator shuts off and the battery takes over again.

Generators are happiest running steady near their efficient load, not idling along chasing every light switch. Run this way, you burn less fuel, put on fewer hours and do less maintenance.

Off-grid cell sites have worked this way for years.

On a well, a long gravel road or the end of the line? Let's talk about which setup fits your place

09/30/2026

October is here, and ithe days are getting shorter, the temperatures are dropping, and we’re spending more time at home.

It’s a great time to start thinking about how your home can make better use of the energy available to it. Solar panels can produce electricity even on cloudy days, although output varies with sunlight and weather. With the latest forecast though, it looks like October will have a considerable amount of sunshine!

If you’ve been considering solar for your home, fall is a good time to learn more, evaluate your roof, and see what options make sense for your property.

From the San Juan Islands to Skagit County and throughout Northwest Washington, we’re here to help homeowners understand their solar options.

Let’s put your roof to work.
(360) 622-7376

09/27/2026

With over 6K views on YouTube, the hot topic of "Ground Mounts Vs. Roof Mounts" continues to be our most popular video!
Check it out to see which method is right for you.

Address

Friday Harbor, WA

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

https://www.swiftwaterelectricandsolar.com/facebook

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