Why is my smart meter electricity import usage higher overnight than during the day?

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
September 7, 2022
13 replies
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My usage graph on the web site is showing electricity usage of between 0.7 and 0.11 kwh per half hour overnight between 10.30 pm and 6.30 am. During the day, my usage is as expected, but there are lots of 30 minute times when my usage is zero, so the overnight cannot be appliances that are continually turned on?

I then looked at a time when I was on holiday, and virtually everything in the house was turned off - this was in the summer, so no heating, immersion heater, all pcs and tvs turned off. In this case, I had between 0.5 and 0.7 kwh between 9pm and 5.30 am, and virtually zero during the day?

What could I have that uses electricity overnight but not during the day, or is this not a true reading?

Best answer by nealmurphy

half hourly for 3rd July - on holiday, so nearly everything turned off

half hourly for 2nd Sept - shows higher usage overnight than most of the day. Spikes are reasonable - making tea early morning and mid afternoon, cooking dinner in the evening.

So it’s the solar that’s giving you virtually zero import during the daylight hours and why your baseload is higher overnight (but still low)?

@Tim_OVO can we get @janetbeal some nice badges?

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janetbealAuthor

Rank 2

Thanks - the solar makes sense of why my usage is higher overnight - I should have realised!

The question about when I charge my car - I have a smart charger, so if I am getting solar power it drops the rate to match the solar. If I boost the charge then it has to use electric from the grid. I try to charge during the day when I have solar and let the smart charger do its thing, but sometimes I need to boost so that I get faster charging.

I don’t have the tariff that gives cheaper electricity for car charging overnight as this would be overall more expensive that the Nov 21 fixed rate that I am currently on.

Thanks for all your help.