You've got solar panels, you've got the monitoring app, and you're staring at graphs and numbers wondering if everything is working properly. This guide explains what each metric means, what to look for, and when to call your installer.
Generation (Production)
This is the total electricity your panels are producing. On a sunny day, a 6.6kW system should produce 25–35 kWh in summer and 15–22 kWh in winter (varies by state). The real-time power reading should peak close to your system's rated capacity around midday (e.g., 5–6kW for a 6.6kW system — it won't hit 6.6kW because of inverter clipping and real-world conditions). If generation seems unusually low on a clear day, you might have a panel issue, shading problem, or inverter fault.
Consumption (Usage)
This shows how much electricity your home is using in total — from solar and grid combined. Average Australian households use 15–20 kWh per day, but this varies hugely. Check for consumption spikes that might indicate a faulty appliance. If your consumption looks steady at, say, 1kW at 3am, something is running that you might not expect.
Export (Feed-in)
Export is the surplus solar energy going back to the grid. You earn a feed-in tariff for this (3–10c/kWh depending on your state and plan). High exports during the day mean you're generating more than you're using — which is fine, but remember you earn much less for exports than you save by self-consuming. If you're exporting a lot, consider shifting loads to daytime or adding a battery.
Self-Consumption Rate
This is the percentage of your solar energy that you use directly, rather than exporting. Aim for 30–40% without a battery, 60–80% with one. A very low self-consumption rate (under 20%) means you're exporting most of your solar at low FiT rates — you could benefit from load shifting or a battery. Our scorecard uses 35% without battery and 70% with battery as standard assumptions.
When Something Looks Wrong
Contact your installer if: daily generation is consistently 30%+ below expected output for your system size and season, the system shows zero production (inverter fault), one panel or string shows significantly lower output than others (panel/wiring issue), or your app shows error codes. Most inverter warranties are 10+ years, and panel warranties are 25 years — don't hesitate to make a claim if performance has degraded.