topic Something isn't adding up. in Solar, Batteries & Electrification

Something isn't adding up.

Robert1234 — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 21:21:05 GMT

After installing a 13.2 kw solar system with a 20 kwh battery. I've been charged an average of $15 daily for electricity since the install, which is higher before installing the solar, and according to my solar monitoring app, my electricity production is higher than my consumption so I should be in credit. Any ideas what is happening? Thanks

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Lester — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 00:02:43 GMT

Robert, something IS probably seriously wrong with your setup.

But it's almost certainly not for AGL to sort at this stage.

You should get onto your solar company / installers asap, and get them to do this investigation / digging, it's THEIR responsibility to make sure everything is right, including all is installed correctly, and all ok with the liaison with your DNSP / metering side of things.

You might have to make sure your retailer is on the ball with this after completion, but usually that is also automatically done by your DNSP, and you should look at the plans / metering ramifications the new setup has with your retailer . . .

Do AGL put you on a TOU plan ? Or leave you on a single rate if that's what the non solr metering was ? Keep any CL you might have had on an electric HWS on the old setup ? Lots of things to consider after solar or solar / battery is on.

Even if you have had dark cloudy total overcast skies and rain since the install, when you might only be producing as little as 5kwh of power a day from the PV, but then your battery setup should have been set up to charge in a low cost tariff, to reuse during peak or such.

I don't think that's your issue, unless they put you on a demand tariff or something.

OR, perhaps it's that recent a setup, that the metering and DNSP / retailer setup hasn't been completed.

My 11.23kw PV produces 35-40kwh on a patchy winters day, 5-10kwh on those really bad rainy winters days, 80kw or so summer, so yours should be powering on unless bad shading is an issue, or it's just wired up wrong !!

And incorrect install / wiring CAN be a common issue.

I have heard of solar companies wiring up so the solar is being ADDED to the usage.

A neighbour just had 14kw of pv and 23kwh batteries.

When completing checks, they found 2 panels were wired in (edit incorrectly), but this is why the installer needs to check systems thoroughly, ensure all is working as it should, so they did it right in the end at install time.

So the installer should be your first urgent point of call.

Good luck with it.

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Robert1234 — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 00:01:43 GMT

Thanks for information. I installed the system last Wednesday 7/8/25 . My lowest production is 21kwh. On a sunny day I'm producing 35kwh. I'm going to get my installer to look at the setup again.

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Lester — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 00:13:10 GMT

It might still be going through the DNSP process, and they need to liaise with AGL, so yes check, see what the installer says, it will possibly be patience for just a little longer.

Where did your $15 daily cost come from ?

Is this via an existing smart meter actual updated amount, or if you were on an old analogue meter it would certainly be an estimate based on past history, and that is generally somewhat overestimated, and in your case irrelevant.

Did you have a digital smart meter already, or an older analogue meter ?

If it was an old analogue meter, it should be going backwards now until a new meter is put on.

(This is great until new meter goes in, as you are basically getting the best result with progressively negative readings, and the net usage charge in reward.)

If you have a digital meter, it was probably one used for usage only, not usage and solar, or it needs to be configured as such for usage and solar by the DNSP, and in this case there is a slight chance it could be adding solar production to usage.

Please let us know here what you find in the end.

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Robert1234 — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 00:40:15 GMT

Hi, the installer changed the smart meter ( I have previously a smart meter too) and my production on my solar app is showing now 9.9kW. The highest I seen previously was 4.8kW. Regarding the $15 daily charge, I'll attach a couple of screenshots for your reference. Thanks.

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Robert1234 — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 00:55:17 GMT

Hi, I forgot to add. Is AGL going to refund me the usage charges since I
installed the Solar system? Thanks

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Lester — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 01:21:43 GMT

47+ kwh for a day ?

Do you think this is normal for your home ?

Was it up around this before solar ?

38c per kwh, that's pretty low, is that on single tariff still ?

Peak here is 53c (13 hours a day), shoulder 25c (solar soak 5 hours).

You FIT is 5c, here 2c.

So, does that usage in your screenshot apply to any of the daily figures in your solar screenshot ?

I hope not because none of your days figures add up there.

Where is your battery making the difference it should be making ?

Does that show on our app ?

Regarding any refund of usage that ultimately should be negated.

It could be totally unrelated to AGL, if a solar company or DNSP responsibility for whatever is happening, they might be the ones to seek compensation from.

For what it's worth, I had a wiring issue after install that casued an approx 25% loss of solar benefit, wasn't picked up (by me eventually) for some months, in the end there was no one that took responsibility.

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Robert1234 — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 06:10:24 GMT

Hi, my last bill 18 Mar 2025 to 15 Jun 2025 (90 days). Average daily consumption was 28.95 kWh.

So 47+ kwh for a day is certainly not normal.

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Robert1234 — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 02:01:36 GMT

Hi, usage on 11 August is showing 42.05 kwh bought from the grid. I have a 13.2kw solar system with a 20.38kw battery setup. Does 42.05 kwh bought from the grid sound right to you? Thanks

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Lester — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 02:26:14 GMT

If your other app bar graph a few posts back is for August, and the usage / solar within that 11th column, then it makes zero sense.

If that other solar app bar graph is right, was about . . .

Usage maybe 19.5kwh ??

Solar perhaps 9.0 kwh ??

Maybe your battery is getting charged and not running the home for some reason ?

Maybe the whole things isn't completely set up with the DNSP or AGL yet ?

All very confusing, best to get that solar company / installer review, no good speculating too much or trying to work it out with missing info about battery comings and goings.

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Robert1234 — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 02:36:55 GMT

Thanks for the reply. Does AGL need to setup things on their end?

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Lester — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 02:53:34 GMT

That's something you shouldn't HAVE to do, your solar people should be doing the whole thing through to completion with DNSP and maybe they or the DNSP works with the retailer.

I did get involved my end with SAPN here in SA, as my installer using a contractor to do that liaising didn't act for a week, so I ade a call and inquired, organised a new meter install.

Was a PITA Robert to have to get involved.

I would follow up with AGL on options you have for a plan.

Do / can you stay on your previous metering / plan type (single tariff or TOU tariff) ?

What is going to suit your usage best ?

Usually with solar and battery, TOU is best, so you can top off if ever needed in poor winter weather (low solar production), or times of higher usage needs . . . shoulder during solar soak is lowest in most cases, you can be producing to the battery and topping off, ready for full battery in peak.

You should be right most (if not all) year with your PV and battery size, but grid support from cheaper tariffs are there if needed.

As said, your solar / battery folk should be able to help you best with why you are getting higher than app readings, if that is all relative, and they should be able to advise status of the install with all other parties like DNSP and maybe AGL.

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Robert1234 — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 03:16:32 GMT

Okay thanks for the advice. I will let you know how it goes.

Re: Something isn't adding up.

JohnAF — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 03:13:22 GMT

No. Unless your battery is doing some kind of forced charge, either manual or programmed.

You should read and try to make sense of your inverter user manual.

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Robert1234 — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 04:34:14 GMT

It's all good now. The electrician changed my smart meter which was faulty.

Re: Something isn't adding up.

Lester — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 22:56:49 GMT

@Robert1234 good to hear !

Very unusual to have a faulty meter, hopefully with a little baseline monitoring, you might be able to get some reimbursement due to excessive usage or lack of solar grid feed in.

You should see your bills drop to almost zero for most (if not all) of the year, depending on what you find now, and perhaps if you can also make some slight usage changes.

If so, there should really be full billing wiped for the period after solar . . . not sure who would be responsible for that, not really AGL's fault being a metering issue, perhaps your DNSP or meter company might spring for it.