Is My Solar Working? About
 
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Is your solar pulling its weight?

Enter one day's generation from your inverter app. We compare it with the real sunshine at your postcode that day.

Have an app with daily totals? Use A full day for the most accurate check. Only the inverter screen? Use Right now.

Use a full day's total from the last month, in kWh.

Roof, shade and inverter (more accurate)

Good to know

How much should my solar make each day?

In Perth, a healthy system averages about 4.4 kWh a day for every kW of panels across the year. That's roughly 29 kWh a day for a typical 6.6 kW system.

Expect well above that on clear summer days and well below it in winter. Melbourne averages closer to 3.6 kWh per kW and Sydney about 3.9, so location matters. That's why this check uses the actual sunshine at your postcode rather than an average.

Live in Perth? See month-by-month figures for your suburb in Solar in Perth, suburb by suburb.

Should I use A full day or Right now?

Use A full day if your inverter app or screen shows a daily total in kWh (often labelled Today, E-Today or Daily yield). A whole day smooths out passing clouds, so it's the most accurate check.

Use Right now if all you can see is the live output in kW. It's a quick check that your system is working at all. Try it between 9am and 3pm on a clear day.

Why is my score low?

The usual suspects, roughly in order of how often they happen:

  • Cloud that the weather model missed. Check a few different days before worrying.
  • Dirt and dust, especially after a dry spell or near roads and farms.
  • New shade from a growing tree, a new building or a TV antenna.
  • Export limits. If your network caps what you can send to the grid and your house isn't using much, the inverter turns itself down.
  • Heat. Panels lose a little output on very hot days.
  • A fault, such as a failed panel, a tripped isolator or a tired inverter.

If your score stays under 75 on clear days, it's worth getting a licensed solar installer to take a look.

How do I find my system size?

Look for the panel size in kW on your installation paperwork or in your inverter app. If you have neither, count the panels and use Not sure? Count panels in the check above for an estimate.

Your inverter size is usually printed on a sticker on the side of the inverter. Many homes have more panels than inverter, such as 6.6 kW of panels on a 5 kW inverter. Entering both makes the check more accurate.

How accurate is this?

It's a good guide, not a precise measurement. The sunshine figures come from weather models rather than a sensor on your roof, so a single day can be off, especially when clouds come and go. Checking several days gives you a much clearer picture.

Nothing you enter is stored or shared.