Generate

Solar arrays, roof or ground mount, sized for high-country sun and snow.

Solar installation

Residential and commercial solar, grid-tied or off-grid, on the roof or on a ground mount.

High-country solar has to handle conditions that Phoenix systems never see: heavy snow on the racking, sub-zero mornings that push panel voltage up, lightning on the monsoon ridges, and long winters with a low sun. We design around all of that, from string sizing and racking to conduit runs and labeling, and we handle the permit and the APS interconnection paperwork on grid-tied jobs.

Grid-tied rooftop systems on APS
Ground-mount arrays for acreage and cabins
Commercial solar for shops, lodging and businesses
Cold-weather string sizing and snow-load-rated racking
Rapid shutdown, labeling and clean conduit runs

Ask about solar installation

Grid-tied upgrades

Upgrade, expand or repair an existing solar system and its connection to the grid.

Older solar systems often need new inverters, added panels, a battery, or a panel upgrade to accept more solar. We look at what you have, tell you plainly what is worth keeping, and take care of the interconnection changes with the utility.

Inverter replacement and upgrades
System expansions
Adding storage to grid-tied solar
Main panel and busbar upgrades to accept solar
Troubleshooting underperforming systems

Ask about grid-tied upgrades

Store

Battery banks and inverters that carry you through outages and long nights.

Energy storage systems

Battery backup for grid-tied homes and businesses: keep critical loads running when APS goes dark.

Snowstorms, monsoon lightning and wildfire-season Public Safety Power Shutoffs can all leave the high country without power. A battery system, paired with solar or on its own, keeps your well pump, furnace blower, refrigeration and lights on. We help you pick which loads to back up, then install and commission the system to code.

Whole-home or critical-loads backup
Add batteries to an existing solar system
Lithium (LiFePO4) battery racks and cabinets
Backup-loads subpanels
Outage-ready setup and walkthrough

Ask about energy storage systems

Off-grid solutions

Complete off-grid power for cabins, homesteads and properties beyond the line.

Plenty of property around Williams, Valle and the Grand Canyon sits miles from the nearest power line. An off-grid system has to be honest about winter: short days, snow on the panels and batteries that dislike the cold. We size the array, battery bank, inverter and backup generator together so the system keeps up in January, not just in June.

Load audits and winter-first system sizing
Inverter/charger and battery bank installs
Generator integration and auto-start
Retrofits and upgrades of older off-grid systems
Battery placement planned for freezing temperatures

Ask about off-grid solutions

Generators, EV & rural power

Generator hookups, EV chargers, well pumps, heat tape and long runs to outbuildings.

Rural high-country property comes with its own list: a well pump that must not freeze, heat tape on exposed lines, a long feeder to a barn or shop, a generator for when the storms roll in, and an EV charger for the drive to Flagstaff. These are standard jobs for a CR-11 electrical contractor; ask us about yours.

Generator inlets, interlocks and transfer switches
Level 2 EV charger circuits
Well pump and pressure-tank circuits
Heat tape and freeze-protection circuits
Feeders to shops, barns and outbuildings

Ask about generators, ev & rural power

Protect

Surge protection, grounding, and smoke and CO alarms.

Fire/life-safety systems

Smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms, surge protection and grounding that protect people and equipment.

Life safety is part of being fortified. Wood stoves, propane appliances and long winters make working smoke and CO alarms essential, and monsoon lightning makes surge protection and solid grounding worth every dollar. Tell us what your building needs and we will scope it.

Hardwired, interconnected smoke and CO alarms
Whole-home surge protection
Grounding and bonding corrections
Lightning-season protection for solar equipment
Commercial life-safety coordination

Ask about fire/life-safety systems

Distribute

Panels, service upgrades, smart load monitoring and the wiring behind the walls.

Panels & smart load monitoring

Main panel and service upgrades, subpanels, and smart panels that show where your power goes.

Knowing where your power goes is the first step in any solar, battery or off-grid plan. Smart panels and load monitors show each circuit in real time, and some can shed loads automatically during an outage. When a panel is full, failing or outdated, we replace it and the service equipment the right way.

Smart panel and circuit-level load monitoring
Main panel and service upgrades
Subpanels for shops, garages and additions
Replacing outdated or failing panels
Load calculations for new solar, EV or heat-pump loads

Ask about panels & smart load monitoring

Repairs & retrofits

Troubleshooting, repairs and retrofits for homes, cabins and commercial buildings.

From a breaker that keeps tripping to a cabin wired decades ago, we find the real problem and fix it properly. Retrofits bring older wiring, lighting and equipment up to date without tearing the place apart.

Electrical troubleshooting and repairs
Lighting and fixture retrofits
Outlet, GFCI and AFCI updates
Older cabin and home rewiring
Commercial repairs and tenant improvements

Ask about repairs & retrofits

New construction

Complete electrical for new homes, cabins, shops and commercial buildings, solar-ready from day one.

Building new is the cheapest time to plan for solar, batteries, EV charging and a generator. We wire residential and commercial new construction and plan the conduit, panel space and equipment walls so the next upgrade is easy.

Residential and commercial new builds
Temporary power and service installs
Solar-ready and battery-ready planning
Shops, garages and outbuildings
Coordination with builders and inspectors

Ask about new construction

Designed for the high country

What changes above 6,000 feet.

Snow load

High-country design snow loads are far above the Phoenix area's. Racking, attachments and ground mounts are specified for them, and layouts let snow slide off.

Deep cold

Panel voltage climbs on sub-zero mornings, and lithium batteries shouldn't charge while frozen. Strings and battery locations are planned for the coldest night of the year.

Monsoon lightning

From mid-June into September, afternoon storms bring lightning to the ridges. Surge protection on both the DC and AC sides, plus solid grounding, is standard.

Wildfire season

In extreme fire weather, APS may shut off power in high-risk forest areas. Battery backup or a properly connected generator keeps wells, heat and refrigeration running.

Licensed for the whole job

One contractor from the array to the panel.

Fortified Solar & Electric holds AZ ROC 362023, CR-11 Electrical, a dual license covering residential and commercial electrical work. Solar, storage and conventional electrical work are all handled by the same licensed team.

Sparks, smoke or a burning smell? If it's safe, turn off the breaker or the main, then call (928) 221-0639. If there's fire or smoke, get out and call 911. Stay clear of any downed line and call APS or your utility.

Generate. Store. Protect. Distribute.