How to Read Your Solar Monitoring App
Investing in solar is a great step toward reducing your electricity bills and increasing energy independence — but to truly maximise your savings, it’s essential to understand how your system is performing. That’s where your solar monitoring app comes in.
Whether you’re using a Growatt, Fronius, SolarEdge, SigEnergy, Deye, or another platform, this guide will help you make sense of the data and turn numbers into actionable insights.
Why Use a Solar Monitoring App?
A solar monitoring app gives you real-time and historical insights into your system’s performance. It helps you:
✅ See how much electricity your panels are generating
✅ Track how much energy your home is using
✅ Monitor battery charging/discharging (if installed)
✅ Know when you’re importing from or exporting to the grid
✅ Identify system faults or underperformance
✅ Maximise self-consumption and savings
Key Terms to Know
Most apps, regardless of brand, track similar core elements:
☀️ Current Solar Generation (PV)
This is the electricity your panels are generating in real time. Look for a solar icon or a figure labeled “PV Generation” or “Solar Output.”
- Example in Growatt: The “PV” bubble shows real-time generation in kilowatts (kW).
- Example in Fronius Solar.web: Check the “Production” section of the dashboard.
???? Home Energy Consumption (Load)
This shows how much electricity your household is using at any moment. It’s often labeled as “Load” or “Consumption.”
- Deye App: You’ll see a live consumption figure in your system diagram.
- SolarEdge: Displays real-time household load in graphs and flow diagrams.
???? Grid Import/Export
This shows how much energy you’re drawing from (import) or feeding back into (export) the grid.
- SigEnergy: Arrows will show the direction and size of the energy flow.
- Fronius: The app visually indicates whether you’re buying or selling energy.
???? Battery Status (if installed)
If you have a battery, the app will show its charge level, whether it’s charging or discharging, and how much energy is stored.
- Growatt ShinePhone: Shows battery percentage and charging direction.
- SigEnergy: Offers a highly detailed battery dashboard, including forecasted savings.
???? Historical & Daily Data
This helps you track trends and compare performance over time — by day, week, month, or year.
- SolarEdge: Historical charts let you compare past data and identify performance dips.
- Fronius Solar.web: Offers detailed daily and monthly breakdowns.
Understanding the System Flow Chart
Most modern apps include a system flow chart. This visualises the flow of electricity from:
☀️ Solar panels → ???? Your home → ???? Your battery (if installed) → ⚡ The grid
Arrows usually indicate the direction of electricity flow and will help you instantly understand if you’re using solar, exporting excess energy, or relying on the grid.
Extra Features You Might Find
Depending on your system and app setup, you might also see:
- Weather Forecasts: Helps explain dips in solar production.
- Status Alerts: Some apps show Green/Amber/Red icons to reflect system health.
- Virtual Power Plant (VPP) Integration: If you’re in a VPP, your app may show battery dispatch details.
- Cost & Savings Estimations: Some apps allow you to enter your electricity tariff and calculate your savings.
Tips for Using Your Monitoring App Effectively
???? Explore the App
Familiarise yourself with the layout and what each icon or number represents.
???? Track Trends
Compare energy production and consumption daily or monthly to spot performance issues.
⚠️ Check for Data Gaps
Missing data could indicate a Wi-Fi issue or inverter communication fault.
???? Optimise Self-Consumption
Use your app to schedule high-energy appliances (like washing machines) during peak solar hours — typically 11am–3pm.
???? Act on Alerts
If your system flags an error or underperformance, contact us before trying to troubleshoot it yourself.
Final Thoughts: Get the Most From Your Solar
Monitoring your solar system empowers you to be more energy-aware and cost-savvy. Whether you’re tracking real-time performance or reviewing last month’s savings, a little time spent in your solar monitoring app can make a big difference to your bottom line.
Still have questions about your solar app or system performance? Get in touch with the team at Ballarat Solar Panels — we’re always here to help you get the most out of your investment.
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???? Call us or book a consultation online.
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