Even more power and capacity: Anker Solix Solarbank 4 Pro review

Like the previous generation, the fourth version also features an emergency power outlet that can operate independently of the grid. This allows individual devices drawing up to 2,500 W to be powered even during a power outage. With support from the grid, up to 3,600 W is possible. In several practical tests, the UPS function kicked in within a few milliseconds, ensuring a largely uninterrupted power supply. 

There are also several other changes that stand out compared with the Solarbank 3 Pro. In addition to the higher weight of around 50 kg, Anker Solix has changed the connection cable. It connects to the system using a different plug and is also thicker, meaning it is better equipped to handle up to 2,500 W. The manufacturer has also integrated a display into the front, similar to what we saw on the Solarbank AC Max this past spring. This is convenient because important data such as PV yield, grid feed-in, and battery charge level can be viewed directly on the Solarbank.

If you want to take full advantage of the Anker Solix Solarbank 4 Pro, you will need a qualified electrician to connect it via a Wieland outlet (matching cable not included; sold separately) and register it as a PV system. Otherwise, the steps are no different from the simple installation of a balcony power plant with a Schuko outlet.

First, the Solarbank 4 Pro must be carried to the installation site, which is a truly Herculean task given its weight of 50 kg. Two people are recommended. If it is installed together with one or more additional batteries, the main unit must also be lifted onto them. The connectors on the bottom and top must interlock.

After this strenuous task, the usual steps follow, such as connecting the system to the power grid and the solar panels. You will also need to connect it to the app and your home Wi-Fi network. The app guides you through the process well, so we did not encounter any problems during our test. Which brings us directly to the next topic.

The Anker app is the control center for the Solarbank. It has become increasingly comprehensive over the past few years. At its core, however, nothing has changed. Various modes are available for controlling the system and its power feed-in, which we briefly introduce and explain below:

• Smart Mode: This is the most comprehensive mode. In addition to measuring household consumption via a compatible smart meter, it also takes dynamic electricity prices into account. The AI mode initially learns usage patterns and then seeks to maximize savings.
• Self-Consumption: This is the classic mode for households with a smart meter but without a dynamic electricity rate. The system adjusts power feed-in in real time to match the household’s electricity consumption.
• Custom Mode: This mode lets users create flexible schedules to adapt power feed-in to their routines. It is suitable for households without a smart meter. Discharging and charging can be configured in half-hour intervals and 50-W increments.
• Time-of-Use: This mode takes peak and off-peak prices into account, charging during off-peak periods and discharging during peak periods.
• Dynamic Rate: This mode takes a dynamic electricity rate into account, discharging when prices are high and charging when electricity costs are low.

Of course, the Solarbank 4 Pro is most useful when paired with a smart meter. The new second-generation Anker Solix Smart Meter, which is now half as wide as its predecessor, is not the only compatible option. Anyone already using a Shelly Smart Meter or an everHome tracker can also connect it to the Solarbank. For our test, we tried a Shelly Pro 3 EM in addition to Anker’s solution, and it also worked without any issues.

In addition to setup and control, the Anker app is, of course, also used to view and analyze statistics. As usual, it provides significantly more information than the new display on the device itself. In addition to PV yield, the app provides detailed figures for household consumption, battery charge level, and electricity drawn from or fed into the grid—by day, week, month, and year. It also provides an energy balance showing where the generated energy went (home, storage, or grid) and how much money has already been saved based on the electricity price entered beforehand.

Once the red tape involved in installation, registration, insurance, and so on has been dealt with—which, of course, entails costs that make the purchase more expensive—the output of up to 2,500 W is sufficient to cover a large portion of the household load throughout the day. Additional electricity must be drawn from the grid only for a few high-power appliances or when several of them are running at the same time—which should ideally be avoided :-)—provided sufficient PV power is available. On sunny summer days, near-total self-sufficiency is therefore possible if enough panels are connected—in our test setup, seven panels totaling approximately 3.2 kWp. However, based on our test observations, the system could start operating a little earlier and continue generating a little later than it does, especially compared with some competitors. In other words, it could operate more effectively in low-light conditions.

In addition to the various modes for different use cases, the fast response to the smart meter’s readings stood out positively in our test. The system generally fed only a few watts too much or too little into the home grid. Consequently, with a sufficient battery charge and feed-in power, very little electricity was drawn from or fed into the utility grid and thus given away unnecessarily (zero feed-in).

We were able to test the AI mode only to a limited extent because we did not have a dynamic electricity rate. However, our initial impressions are quite positive. Those who want to maximize their savings can have the battery charge automatically and intelligently when electricity prices are low. With a conventional electricity rate without dynamic pricing, however, this makes no sense because the electricity purchased for this purpose always costs the same. It is therefore generally better to purchase it only when needed rather than temporarily storing it with slight losses (see the next section), except for disaster and power-outage preparedness.