Anker SOLIX in the UK: Solarbank 4 and what it takes to fit it

Anker's UK online store sells one home solar battery, the Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro, and it is not a plug-in product. Anker's UK page says that "under current UK regulations, this system must be hardwired and installed by a qualified electrician". Anker says the unit is designed with plug-in capability and that it will give further guidance once UK plug-in rules take effect. The plug-in rules in force in Great Britain since 27 August 2026 exclude devices with a battery, so plan on a hard-wired installation. It is on the ENA's type-test register under G98, so in Great Britain your electrician notifies your network operator after fitting it. Anker also sells portable power stations, which power appliances plugged into them. When we checked the ENA register on 24 September 2026, it had no Anker record under the "Plug-in Solar" type.

So the useful question is not "can I plug it in?" but "what will the electrician's work, the paperwork and the SEG position do to the sums?" This page answers that.

What Anker SOLIX sells on its UK store

The register also lists a 5 kW Anker storage inverter under G99, with the model code Anker uses for its Solarbank Max AC on its French site. It was not in Anker's UK store when we checked. Nor were the Anker X1-H hybrid storage inverters that also appear on the register (single-phase 3.68–6 kW and three-phase 5–12 kW); Anker's UK website has pages for its X1 and XE home battery systems, with no online price, and recruits UK installation partners, so those systems come through an installer rather than the store; if one is quoted to you, ask the installer for the UK warranty document.

Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro: the numbers that matter

Anker's datasheet and UK page give:

• 5,024 Wh rated energy, expandable with up to five BP5000 modules to about 30 kWh;
• four MPPTs with up to 5,000 W of solar input (1,250 W per input); an MPPT is a tracker that gets the most power from the panels on that input;
• 800 W output to your home by default, rising to 2,500 W once it is hard-wired and Anker has unlocked it;
• a separate off-grid port of up to 2,500 W for appliances plugged into the battery.

These describe different paths through the unit. Five kilowatts of panel input does not mean five kilowatts reaches your home, and 5,024 Wh is the rated capacity: Anker's UK page does not state usable capacity, so ask for it in writing and compare batteries on that figure.

The output unlock. After installation, Anker asks you to email the electrician's proof of installation. Anker then sends a code that lets you raise the output from 800 W to 2,500 W in the app. Build that step into your timetable.

Sizing. A bigger battery pays only if you have surplus to fill it. In winter, panels may have little to spare, so an expansion module can sit partly empty for months. If your household uses around 2,500 kWh a year and is out during the day, look at your summer export first; if you have an electric car or a heat pump and a time-of-use tariff, charging from cheap overnight electricity may matter more. Our guide to what size solar battery you need explains the method, and our solar battery storage guide covers whether a battery suits your home at all.

Installation and G98: what the electrician does

Anker says the Solarbank 4 must go on a dedicated hard-wired circuit from your distribution board, fitted by a "Part P-registered" electrician (Part P applies in England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own building rules), and lists the MCS, NAPIT and NICEIC registers for finding one. Anker says its own professional installation services are not yet available (they "will be available in the future"), so for now you arrange the electrician yourself.

Anker gives the ENA type-test reference ANKER/19908/V1 for the 2.5 kW UK model. When we checked on 24 September 2026, that record (model AE1032Z1) was marked Compliant, published 6 May 2026, and type-tested to G98. In Great Britain, G98 is a "connect and notify" route: your electrician submits the paperwork to your network operator within 28 days of installation.

There is one catch. Anker says the Solarbank 4 "does not require G99 approval", which is true on its own. But in Great Britain G98 looks at the total inverter output at your home: up to 3.68 kW on a normal single-phase supply. If you already have rooftop solar with a 3 kW inverter, adding 2.5 kW takes you to 5.5 kW, and your network operator must approve the combination under G99 before the battery is connected. Tell your electrician about any existing solar or battery before booking.

Northern Ireland: the record we saw was flagged for G98 in Great Britain, not for G98/NI. If you live in Northern Ireland, ask Anker and NIE Networks which listing applies before buying.

Backup in a power cut: one port, not the house

Anker says that in a power cut the Solarbank 4 switches to off-grid mode within 10 ms and supplies up to 2,500 W to loads on its dedicated off-grid port, until the battery reaches its minimum charge. Anker says backup is available only to loads connected to that port, and lists what it does not support: backup through the on-grid connection, whole-house three-phase backup, or feeding the whole house through a Wieland socket during an outage.

So plan backup around what you can plug into that port: a fridge-freezer, router, a lamp. Check each appliance's start-up power, not just its running power. Never link the off-grid port to a wall socket to feed your wiring; that is dangerous for you and for network engineers. Our guide to solar panels in a power cut covers the options for backing up whole circuits.

SEG, VAT and the real cost

SEG income. The Solarbank 4 can export surplus to the grid once you enable it in the app. In Great Britain, export is paid through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG): licensed suppliers set their own SEG tariffs and conditions, and each needs an installation with MCS or equivalent certification plus a smart meter that records export. An electrician who is not MCS-certified can fit the battery legally, but the installation then won't have the certification SEG tariffs require. If export income matters to you, ask whether the electrician is MCS-certified, and get SEG eligibility confirmed in writing before you buy. Our Smart Export Guarantee guide explains the tariffs.

VAT. Anker's UK store listed the Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro at £1,699 including 20% VAT on its product page on 24 September 2026. Batteries and solar panels are zero-rated until 31 March 2027, then 5% unless the relief is extended, when the same business supplies and fits them in your home. If you buy the unit yourself, the battery carries 20% VAT. The electrician's installation work can still be zero-rated, so check their quote. Include the 20% on the battery when you compare with installer-supplied batteries.

Panels. Anker sells panels for the Solarbank 4, and its UK page links an MCS factory certificate issued to Wuxi Sunket New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., valid from 11 August 2026 to 10 August 2029. The Anker name on a bundle doesn't tell you who makes the panels. Ask for the panel maker and model, and check each panel's voltage and current against the Solarbank's input limits.

Warranty

Anker's datasheet and UK user guide give the Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro a 10-year warranty. Its UK page also mentions a 15-year product lifespan and 10,000 cycles; those are design claims, not warranty terms. Ask for the warranty document itself and check:

• whether the 10 years includes a capacity threshold, and what it is;
• whether the warranty depends on keeping the unit online for updates;
• who pays for removing and refitting a 50 kg unit if it must go back;
• which terms apply to panels, meter and cables bought in the same order.

Keep the invoice, serial numbers and the electrician's certificate together: you may need all three for a claim.

Two contracts, two sets of rights

Buying a Solarbank online and paying an electrician to fit it gives you two separate contracts, and it helps to know which covers what before anything goes wrong.

• The battery. Anker's UK terms name Anker Solix Technology (UK) Ltd., of Watford, as the contracting company for Anker SOLIX products bought on its UK site. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the battery must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. Your claim for a faulty unit is against the seller, which may be a retailer if you bought it elsewhere. Online purchases also carry a 14-day right to cancel from delivery.
• The installation. The electrician is responsible for their work. Ask for the electrical installation certificate, the Building Regulations compliance notice where it applies, and a copy of the G98 notification. If the unit stops working, a fault can be in the battery or the wiring, so agree up front who diagnoses it.

If you'd rather deal with one company for hardware and fitting, compare battery systems that installers supply and fit themselves; Anker's own installation service is not yet available. See our guide to choosing a solar installer.

Our view: the Solarbank 4 E5000 Pro suits homeowners who want a compact, expandable battery with solar inputs and are happy to arrange an electrician. Budget for installation, check your existing inverter capacity against G98, and decide early whether you want SEG income, because that decides who should fit it. If you only want a small solar kit that plugs into a socket, Anker has none on the plug-in register; see our plug-in solar guide.

Anker SOLIX FAQs

Can I plug the Solarbank 4 into a socket?

No. Anker's UK page says the Solarbank 4 must be hard-wired by a qualified electrician under current UK rules. The plug-in route in Great Britain does not cover devices with a battery.

Is Anker SOLIX on the ENA register?

Yes, for the Solarbank 4: Anker gives the reference ANKER/19908/V1, which the register showed as Compliant under G98 when we checked on 24 September 2026. There was no Anker record under the "Plug-in Solar" type.

Will the Solarbank 4 keep my home running in a power cut?

Only the appliances plugged into its off-grid port, up to 2,500 W, while the battery has charge. Anker says backup is available only to loads on that port.

Can I get paid for exporting from a Solarbank?

In Great Britain, to be paid under the Smart Export Guarantee, your installation needs MCS or equivalent certification and you need a supplier's SEG tariff. A system fitted by an electrician without MCS certification won't have that certification, so decide before choosing who fits it.