Tesla Solar Graph Data Unavailable [How To Fix It]


Having Issues with Tesla Solar App Graph Data Unavailable

It seems there is a lot of chatter on the internet and Tesla’s forums about the Tesla Solar App not working or not providing the system’s usage data or graphs. With page after page of complaints from Tesla users, it is clear that this is a widespread problem that requires clarification and a solution.

Terms like inverters, firmware updates, and gateways keep appearing, adding confusion to an already frustrating situation. If you are having this problem, there are some steps you can take to perform diagnostics on your app to improve the graphs and data.

The Tesla Solar app should be a helpful tool for users to keep track of their solar system and its performance. However, when the app is not functioning correctly, it becomes useless. Luckily, there are ways to get the app up and running again without having to reach out to customer service. Read on to find out how to troubleshoot your Tesla Solar app issues and get it showing the graphs and data correctly.

» MORE: How To Use The Tesla Solar App Without Powerwall

What is the Tesla Solar App Supposed to Do?

The Tesla Solar App is available for customers who have purchased and installed a Tesla Powerwall and solar panels. After installation and account set up, you can download the Tesla Solar app. This app accesses your solar system’s performance. If you only have the solar panels and not the Powerwalls, the app’s functionality is limited.

The Tesla Solar app gives you real-time information on the energy usage of your solar system and any alerts on power outages. The app tells you how much energy your system is producing. If the app is working, you will see a graph with the typical peaks for high solar production in the afternoon and valleys for low-sun production hours. This information can be incredibly useful when the app is operating correctly.

The Tesla Solar app can be accessed on a mobile device, not a desktop. Normally if there is any trouble with the app itself, you would want to follow the same guidelines for troubleshooting common problems that you use with other apps, including:

  • Logging all the way out of the app and logging back in
  • Powering your phone all the way off and back on
  • Deleting and reinstalling the app

The My Home screen allows for real-time monitoring of your solar energy production. This is where a Tesla Solar user will see graphs of energy production and usage. The most important thing to remember is that only the Powerwall system provides all data to the app. If you just have the solar panels, do not expect data and graphs to display.

» MORE: Powerwall Troubleshooting – Tesla Powerwall Not Working?

Fix Common Problems with the Tesla Solar App

You have powered on and off your system multiple times. You have uninstalled and reinstalled your Tesla app. You have spent countless hours researching the issue with your app on the Tesla website and forums. After all of your research and effort, you are still not seeing the usage data and graphs the Tesla Solar app is supposed to be providing.

As frustrating as this process is, it is good to take a step back and read all of the information in one place. Below is a compiled list of steps you may or may not have tried to fix this problem.

  • Check your equipment — Check both your Tesla equipment and your phone.
  • Make sure your Tesla app is set up correctly — Ensure proper settings and permissions.
  • Troubleshoot with Tesla instructions — There may be Tesla support for this very issue somewhere online.
  • Consider potential internal issues at Tesla — The issue could be a problem on the company’s end, unrelated to your equipment.
  • Diagnose potential external issues — Is something external affecting the app or its connection to your equipment?
  • Check data on a different device — Is data being gathered at all? Use a non-Tesla app to find out.
  • Call Tesla customer service — If all else fails, see if they can help you.

Even if you have tried some of the steps listed above, this list may bring you some rationality to this frustrating process or offer you a new idea to try.

It may have taken you a lot of time to research, order, and install your Tesla Solar system. Many users like you have experienced several speed bumps in their installation process. If you have completed the process, congratulations. Unfortunately, now you are contending with the app not displaying usage data or graphs.

Data is received from the Powerwall when the gateway communicates with the inverter. So, most problems start with bad communication between the gateway and the inverter. Communication from the power company to your system can also cause issues if you are still on-grid.

If the gateway and inverter are working properly, you may need to consider the following ways to get your app back up and functioning again. Some of these steps are basic, but again, it is nice to have this information all in one place, so you do not spend hours researching the issue or leading to dead ends.

Check Your Equipment

The Tesla Solar app is available for customers who have purchased and installed a Tesla Powerwall. Powerwalls already have a monitoring system built-in. If you have purchased the solar panels, but not the Powerwalls, the app will not show the data and graphs that you see in the app overview and tutorials online.

  • If you do not have a Powerwall, you will need to have a PowerBlaster consumption monitor device installed in your main electrical panel when the rest of the system is installed.
  • You will know if you have a PowerBlaster if you see a dedicated and labeled breaker in your main electrical panel.
  • If you do not have a PowerBlaster or Powerwall, you will not see any energy usage or graphs on the app.

This could be a simple solution to your problem.

Make Sure Your Tesla App is Set Up Correctly

Correctly setting up the Tesla Solar app is the first step to making sure your system’s data is transferred and reported to your app. First, turn on the notifications if you did not accept them in the initial setup. This way, if you notice important notifications suddenly stop, it may be a sign that data from your system is not being transferred to the app.

  • The reliability of the data reported in the Tesla Solar app depends on your internet connection.
  • Data is not reported in real-time. There is a small lag in the transfer from the system to the app.
  • A slow, intermittent internet connection or using a cellular connection will cause slowdowns in data reporting or no data reporting altogether.

Another thing to consider is whether or not you had a Tesla installer or a third-party installer of your system. Third-party installers can certainly do the job correctly, but be aware that something may have gone wrong in the initial setup that is affecting the data reporting if you used a third-party installer.

During the installation, and if you are using a third-party installer, make sure you speak with the electrician about the proper communication wiring going from the system into your home. You may need to have the electrician come back and check the wiring after the installation to make sure the wiring was installed correctly.

» MORE: A Quick Reference Tesla Solar Troubleshooting Guide

Improve Communication Between the Gateway and Inverter

As mentioned previously, the data that is sent to the app comes from the communication of energy usage between the gateway and the inverter in Powerwall systems. If there is an issue with your app, more than likely, it is an issue between the gateway and the inverter.

  • First, make sure the gateway and inverter are running properly.
  • Make sure you are not getting any signals, such as a red blinking light that indicates malfunctioning.
  • This may be as basic as powering on and off your system for a period of time, or it may require a Tesla representative to come to check out the system to make sure it is working correctly.

Make sure the gateway box is close to or within sight of the inverter, so the radio communication between the two can function smoothly. Moving the gateway as close to the inverter as possible will help improve the communication between the two and may help improve the data collection on your app.

Troubleshoot with Tesla Instructions

If you have problems with the graph data on your Tesla Solar app, more than likely, you have already tried the basic steps to fix this problem on the Tesla support website. However, I have listed the common troubleshooting steps Tesla lists on their website to give everyone one information resource for users who like all the research in one place. Running through these steps again may help solve the issue.

Before you start troubleshooting your system, remember you must have a Tesla Powerwall to receive any usage data to the Tesla Solar app.

If you choose to call Tesla directly, be ready for standard diagnosis instructions such as powering the system on and off, and if that does not work, trying to power up and down for a longer period of time. Make sure you are near your system when you call. You can also make sure your firmware and software do not require any updates.

Internal Issues at Tesla

Unfortunately, the data reporting issues may have nothing to do with your system but with Tesla. Users reported little response from Tesla customer service, and when they did, the advice was less than helpful. More than one user said Tesla did not have their system’s serial number entered correctly, which caused the data reporting issues.

Many people have experienced long phone wait times, no email response, or canned answers such as waiting 24 hours after rebooting the system to see if the problem fixes itself. Less than helpful, this advice has left many users moving to third-party monitoring systems that can be added to the Tesla Solar systems.

One person in the Tesla forum spoke to a Tesla representative who said the issue was with the Tesla data cloud. Oftentimes internal computer issues with Tesla will shut down data reporting. In cases like this, this problem should be fixed by Tesla, and you do not have to complete any fixes to your system.

» MORE: The Tesla Solar Gateway Explained

Diagnose External Issues

One Tesla Solar customer experienced trouble with the Tesla Solar app, only to find out that external forces were causing issues with the system. Sometimes the inverter showed it was in fault mode. A technician came to look at the system and discovered a squirrel had been chewing at the soy-coated panel wires, causing service disruptions.

Although this is a random and funny story, it illustrates the many factors, even ones not commonly diagnosed, that could be causing issues with the data and graphs you are not seeing on the Tesla Solar App.

If you have gone through the basic diagnostic steps to fix the issue or have spent several hours on the phone with Tesla, it may be a good idea to escalate the issue to Tesla and ask for someone to come out to the house to inspect that the system is running properly, including a thorough inspection of the outside panels.

Find a Non-Tesla App to Monitor Your Energy Usage

Over the pages of comments I read through in the Tesla forum, I have learned this issue of not receiving usage data on the Tesla Solar app has been going on for at least two years. This frustrating issue has led many Tesla Solar users to find an alternative to using the Tesla Solar app.

Monitoring systems purchased from outside manufacturers seem to solve most of the usage data collection and reporting features often found using the Tesla Solar app. These systems are not complicated. It is like installing a Nest or Arlo security camera system that is separate from your wired-in home security wall and window system.

One example is the IoTaWatt system. The IoTaWatt system uses a passive sensor, or current transformer, that is clipped around one of the insulated valves and measures each circuit. The system then uses a wall transformer to convert the local voltage to a standard voltage to determine how much energy is used and when it is used the most.

Monitoring systems like these can be used on other appliances besides the Tesla Solar system, and most can transfer the data to data collection databases that other apps and analytic tools use to report the wattage usage to you. Just make sure that whichever system you choose is fully certified and compliant with FCC regulations.

» MORE: Tesla Solar Warranty Explained [In Plain English]

Make the Customer Service Call Productive

So many Tesla Solar users have experienced frustrating phone calls with Tesla customer service. Some users have called several times to discuss the app issues or reported long wait times. However, there are some customers who had good experiences fixing the app with customer service.

  1. First, if you want a response, call, do not email. You want to speak to a representative directly.
  2. When you do speak to someone, give them the credit they deserve. More often than not, they want to fix your problems. A good attitude is more productive.
  3. Be patient with the representative, and follow the instructions they give you.
  4. Be open to their suggestions and advice.
  5. Stand next to the system to answer any questions. You do not want to be running from place to place or struggling to find the information the representative needs to diagnose and fix the problems.

 It might be easy to lose your cool over the phone after you have spent so much time trying to fix the issue yourself, or you have already contacted Tesla several times. Patience is the key to making the call go smoothly and efficiently.

Oftentimes they will ask you to power on and off the system, and I know you have probably already done this step several times before calling. But, they may have you try something you have not considered, and the powering on and off step has to happen first before they give you further instructions.

Summary

The Tesla Solar system is a big investment of your money and time. You have spent hours researching the system and months of installation time. Now that your system is producing energy, you cannot get the app to send you any data or graphs on your usage. The process has been frustrating.

After reading through the Tesla support forums, I found several complaints of data and graphs not showing up on the app. There was little information leading me to one solution or even all of the answers to fix the issue, but I did bring together all of the possible ways people like you have tried to fix the issue.

There are some simple and more time-consuming ways to fix the data and graph issue with the app. You might decide to quit the app and use a separate monitoring system. Whatever you decide, hopefully, more information like this and from other users will reach Tesla, so they can start improving the performance of the app.

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Greg

The articles here on ThatTeslaChannel.com are created by Greg, a Tesla vehicle and Tesla solar expert with nearly half a decade of hands-on experience. The information on this site is fact-checked and tested in-person to ensure the best possible level of accuracy.

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