After your solar is installed in Perth: a 30-day checklist

Installation day is exciting. Your panels are on the roof, the inverter is running, and you can see generation on the monitoring app. But there are several important steps to take in the first 30 days to confirm your system is working correctly, that your Synergy account is set up properly for DEBS, and that you have a baseline record for future reference.

Day 1: at handover, confirm these items with your installer

Before the installer's crew leaves, confirm the following:

Documentation received:

• [ ] Network Connection Notice (NCN) copy — the formal approval from Western Power for your system
• [ ] Certificate of Compliance Electrical Work (CCEW) — the safety certification from the licensed electrician
• [ ] Inverter manual and setup documentation
• [ ] Monitoring platform credentials (app login, monitoring link, or access code)
• [ ] STC (Small-scale Technology Certificate) assignment form — confirms you've assigned the STCs to your installer in exchange for the upfront discount
• [ ] Panel specifications sheets and serial numbers (ideally a list by roof position)
• [ ] Installer's CEC accreditation number and contact details

System operation confirmed:

• [ ] Inverter is operational and showing generation during daylight hours
• [ ] Monitoring app shows live generation from all arrays/strings
• [ ] Any existing appliances re-energised and working normally after switchboard work
• [ ] Hot water system, air conditioning, and pool pump (if applicable) still working as expected
• [ ] Switchboard labelled correctly with solar disconnect/isolator clearly marked

If the inverter is showing fault codes or the monitoring shows unexpectedly low generation (less than ~70% of expected output on a sunny day), ask the installer to investigate before they leave.

Week 1: monitoring setup and baseline

Set up monitoring alerts: Most inverter monitoring platforms (Fronius Solar.web, Sungrow iSolarCloud, Goodwe SEMS, Enphase Enlighten) allow you to set alerts for:

• Generation below a threshold (e.g., less than expected for a sunny day)
• Inverter fault codes
• Zero generation during daylight hours

Enable these so you're notified if the system stops working without you noticing.

Record your first week's generation: Note your daily generation for the first clear days after installation. A rough benchmark for Perth:

• A north-facing 6.6kW system in summer: 28–40 kWh/day on a clear day
• A north-facing 10kW system in summer: 40–60 kWh/day on a clear day

Significant deviation from these ranges on clear days may indicate a wiring issue, inverter fault, or panel problem. Don't panic — one low day from cloud cover is normal. A persistent 20%+ shortfall on clear days warrants a call to your installer.

Week 2: check Synergy account for DEBS registration

DEBS (Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme) credits start from the date your meter is changed to accommodate solar, not from installation day. There can be a 2–6 week gap between installation and meter changeover.

How to check:

1. Log in to your Synergy account at synergy.net.au
2. Your billing page should show "export meter" or similar notation when the meter changeover has been processed
3. After changeover, your Synergy bills will show DEBS credits as negative line items (Super Off-Peak and/or Off-Peak credits)

If DEBS hasn't started after 4 weeks: Contact Synergy (not Western Power) and ask about the status of your export meter connection. This is sometimes a queue issue; Synergy can advise on the expected timeline.

Week 3: review your first partial Synergy bill

If your billing cycle started recently, you may receive a partial bill or estimate covering the period before and during solar installation. This can look confusing. Key things to check:

• Supply charge ($1.28/day approximately): unchanged by solar — you pay this regardless of how much you generate
• Import charges (units at A1 rate 33.26c/kWh): should reduce once solar is generating and DEBS starts
• DEBS credit line items: appear as negative values once export metering is active
  • Super Off-Peak credit: 10c/kWh for exports 9am–3pm
  • Off-Peak credit: 2c/kWh for exports at other times

If you're billed for full A1 consumption with no DEBS credits and it's been more than 4 weeks since installation, follow up with Synergy.

Days 14–30: establish a generation baseline

After your first full fortnight of data, note your:

• Average daily generation (kWh/day) for the month
• Typical peak output (kW) on a clear summer day
• Average export percentage (your monitoring platform may show this)

Store this baseline somewhere accessible (a note in your phone, a spreadsheet, or print a monitoring report). In 12 months, you'll use this baseline to assess whether your system has degraded unexpectedly. A 5–10% output drop from year 1 baseline to year 2 on comparable weather days is worth investigating; 2–3% is within normal degradation range.

Month 1: complete handover actions

Register any warranties directly with manufacturers: Some panel and inverter manufacturers request direct warranty registration (separate from your installer's records). Check:

• Inverter manufacturer warranty registration (Fronius, Sungrow, Goodwe, etc. — their websites usually have a form)
• Panel manufacturer registration (Q CELLS, Longi, Jinko, REC — less common to require direct registration, but check the documentation)

File your documentation: Store the following in a known location (physical folder or scanned to cloud):

• NCN copy
• CCEW certificate
• Installer contact details and quote/contract
• STC assignment form
• Panel serial numbers
• Inverter serial number and model
• Monitoring login credentials

If you sell the property in 5 years, the new buyer will ask for this documentation and its presence or absence affects the perceived value of the solar system.

The first 30 days after solar installation are about confirming the system is generating as expected, that DEBS is registered on your Synergy account, and that you have a documentation baseline for the 25-year life of the system. The main risk in this period is a meter changeover delay holding up DEBS credits — follow up with Synergy if it hasn't started by week 4.