Solar performance and monitoring

Generation is only half the story

A solar system can be producing well while much of its output is exported and the building buys electricity later. PhiSaver can monitor solar alongside building circuits, helping you understand both production and how it aligns with demand.

With the relevant circuits included, you can review solar production, grid imports and exports, and the equipment using electricity during the day. This makes the relationship between generation and consumption much clearer than either total alone.

Find the mismatch

• Check whether hot water and pumps run before sunrise or after useful solar production has ended.
• Look for regular exports while flexible loads operate at other times.
• Review unexpected gaps or reductions in generation and arrange investigation where needed.
• Compare patterns across days and seasons, allowing for weather and changing building use.

PhiSaver’s club case studies include sites with pumps running on grid electricity while solar is exported later in the day. They also identify apparent solar outages that merit attention. These are distinct opportunities: first confirm that generation is working, then improve how the building uses it.

Act on the pattern

Where operating requirements allow, move flexible loads into the production window and check the result in the monitoring data. A timer change may be worth assessing before adding more panels or storage. Avoid shifting essential services without checking their required operating schedule.

Reports and configured alerts can draw attention to changes in operation. A low-production reading is a reason to investigate, not a diagnosis on its own: weather, shading, equipment and monitoring connectivity all need consideration.

Keep the improvement visible

Track on-site solar use and grid electricity after the change. For multiple buildings, an aggregated view can help identify which sites need a closer look while retaining the circuit-level detail needed to explain the result.