App shows a recent estimated usage ?

[Lester]

I've been using the website based app since we went solar and had the new smart meter installed.

I noticed today when looking at the fresh update and Sundays figures, it was noted that this was 'Estimated'.

To date I haven't seen this before, thought the smart meters were next day accurate . . . I'm wondering if others get this from time to time too, and why it might be ?

It could be that Sunday was our highest solar input (71.5kwh) in the nearly one month since the new solar was properly turned on, and the usual 'High feed in' notation was not present when hovering over the day on the graph . . . The high feed in notation has also dropped off the previous high feed in days (several of them) that have popped up in the past on those few full sunny days we've had here in SA through Dec.

The 'High usage' still appears on last Thursday figures (this is from EV charging), but previous couple of those have also dropped off in the notations.

It could be that the notations when hovering cursor just disappears after a week or so, and those are just an alert of sorts for users when checking figures (?).

The AGL app and SAPN usage figures show the same within a 'point something' of a kwh.

[Xander-AGL]

Hi @Lester thank you for reaching out.

I'm going to message you privately for some more details regarding this.

Kind regards,
Xander

[Lester]

Thanks Xander, as per my reply to your private message, the next day this was normal on the graph, and I think it was the usage figure was slightly adjusted in value.

So it seems to be a bit of a temporary thing if people see this on their usage graph, a bit of a glitch in the matrix.

[Lester]

I was asked to mark this solved if it was a completed inquiry.

Unfortunately I don't completely consider it solved, having messaged Xander back to say the estimated had changed to confirmed figures after 24 hrs more or so.

I replied them that I felt it was some sort of glitch where the smart meter couldn't finalise figures in the usual next day time.

Yesterdays figures were not marked unusually, and inputted to my spreadsheet as usual . . . this morning they had been changed very mildly (and extra 0.0something minor adjustment), so I feel one needs to check figures back several days now and then to see if changed.

Bear in mind I am only monitoring daily temporarily until things settled down a bit with solar and new smart meters, so I fully understand our solar behaviour, and timings of the new meters, then I will go to weekly checks.

I will take the AGL site readings a few days after weekly close to get figures and keep an eye on them for the past week until I can trust them matching my solar app figures.

[matt_f1]

Did you get a response? I have found the same thing. I have very high estimate usage for 1 day, every other day is actual usage. I add the usage up (including the 1 day estimate which is very high for an estimate) for the billing period and it's been included in my bill for the period. My bill says it is an actual meter reading, and not estimated - even though one day usage is estimate. I'd suggest that if 1 day is an estimate the entire bill should be an estimate.

AGL could be doing this to a lot of people and ripping lots of people off. What can we do about it?

[Lester]

Hi @matt_f1 

Yes, it's hard to work out what's really owed even having the interval data, it requires a complex spreadsheet to allot all the intervals, group and sub total, at what rate is applied, total, and compare to a bill now.

Putting ones trust in any commercial enterprise without factual basis is not something I want to do either.

If your estimate really stands out above and beyond normal, then they should look at it and adjust to a more reasonable figure if already billed.

It might only be a few $, but as you say to what . . . maybe 100,000 customers (?) and it can make a bit of a windfall for a retailer.

(Just googled AGL electricity customers in Australia, and it says 4.3 million, not sure how many would be electricity customers of that, but I'm guessing a great majority.)

My issues were all solved from that period of time, and right up to last Monday 27th, when all my data reading went to estimates once again ! 😕

My AGL data download shows the data from that Monday from 1330 = 8 days, up to now (last data to end yesterday) as estimated, while electricity supplier SAPN data downloads show actual reading to the end of yesterday, so for some reason AGL is not presenting this data correctly on their data download.

I haven't tried to corelate the 5 min interval data SAPN uses, the the 30 min intervals for data AGL format, too hard, but AGL daily kwh doesn't appear to match my daily recording of totals.

Unfortunately David here on the forum has moved on, he was a great contact that helped me greatly to solve this previously.

I have earlier today emailed a contact he gave me to follow up with if any further issues, so will see if this can be fixed (again).

Will see if this can be resolved once again.

[NeilC]

@matt_f1 @Lester 

On the 25th May 24 I had an estimated usage day of 10.96kw and only 0.36kW of solar generated.

SA Power Networks reported 3.5kW used and 15.9kw exported for the same day.

My download file from AGL reported only .098kW used and no solar generated.

For the next two days I had no updates on the AGL web site then the Web page and the AGL download file reported 3.49kW used (actually 3.485kW) and 15.90 (actually 15.902kW).

At the time I did create a document in the event that the error continued.

Now the file that AGL supplies does not contain all the information that comes off the meter and is cut down to only show the info that is required by the user.

The actual file includes more important data such as any errors that have incurred, these are shown in AGL file with the Quality flag and shown the the SA Power Network files as 400 lines.

The data that is used to calculate your actual billing uses the 5min data if available, but your meter transmits both the 30min and 5min data. AGL only supplies you with the 30min data.

The end result is that any errors are corrected and I have never seen a smart meter bill that is more than about 4 cents different than my calculated bill.

I have now corrected this in my calculations and my bill calculation matches the AGL bill exactly.

By the way 5th June today, the AGL download file only shows data up to 23:30 on the 3rd June from that time up to Midnight on the 4th only 0.000 is shown as usage and has a quality flag of M. (MISSED, but not true as the data has not been produced for AGL yet)

Maybe later on today (possibly around 1500) I may see the file change its date stamp and it will be updated. However I no longer read the download file daily as I am spending more time on the road in my caravan.

Hope this helps.

[matt_f1]

Thanks @NeilC. I am looking in the AGL data - See 18th May on usage in images. The total reflects this on the bill. I know it's not much but this is not the first time this has happened. I know it's not much $ but I don't think the estimate on 18 May should be charged. Should I try follow this up with someone or am I wrong to think I've been overcharged?

[NeilC]

@matt_f1 @Lester 

Single rate tariff is easy.

Bill states $75.69 for usage and supply charge so add 10% for gst so usage $75.69 times 110% or $83.26.

Feed in states 300kWh at $50.28 and 503.7778kWh at $35.78 (credit) for $80.38

So your Bill for the month $2.88.

You forgot to show that, so your account now should show $29.21 - $2.88  or $26.33 (Credit)

If I was you I would engage a Kings Counsel to fight that your school did not teach you simple maths.

Now go back and do the same screen print for the same billing period and also show your final billing amount.

You are saying its not much, I think my $2.88 is the final amount for your bill.

Lets see the final bill amount, with a single tariff its easy as I just stated.

[matt_f1]

Thanks @NeilC, I don't dispute the total. I dispute how it was calculated with 18 May being an estimate. If it were not an estimate I'd say I would not have a $2.88 bill.