Managing an Off-Grid System During Extended Cloudy Weather
A practical plan for balancing daily loads, battery reserves and generator availability when solar is low.
Several cloudy days can use stored energy faster than the solar system replaces it. Start managing demand early, using the reserve and generator settings specified for your installation.
Make a daily check
- Look at the battery level in the morning and again before evening.
- Check how much solar is being produced and whether the battery is actually charging.
- Review active alarms and confirm the monitoring data is current.
- Compare the trend over several days, rather than relying on a single reading.
A battery percentage has different implications on different systems. Use your MyEnergy handover limits; do not use another customer's reserve or generator-start percentage.
Reduce demand before the battery becomes low
Postpone discretionary loads such as EV charging, pool equipment and workshop jobs. Schedule necessary high-demand tasks for periods of useful solar production and avoid running them together. Check for pumps, heaters or other appliances running longer than expected.
Plan a lower overnight load so energy remains available for lighting, refrigeration, communications and essential water supply.
Keep the generator available
Where fitted, check fuel availability, servicing status, alarms and that normal automatic operation is enabled. Do not bypass controls or alter start thresholds. If the generator is unavailable, reduce loads and contact MyEnergy before the battery reaches its low reserve.
See How Automatic Generator Start Works and generator starting checks.
When to ask for help
Contact MyEnergy if the battery keeps falling while the generator is running, charging stops unexpectedly, an alarm remains active or the system shuts down. Do not repeatedly restart a deeply discharged system or connect an external charger.
If low reserves or long generator runs have become routine, ask us to review your load profile and system capacity. See Seasonal Differences in Solar Production.
Need help?
Submit a MyEnergy support request, email support@myenergysolar.com.au or call 1300 706 870, option 3. Include your site address, the time of the issue, battery percentage and any alarm photos.