At Alki Electric, we specialize in helping homeowners navigate the transition to modern energy resilience. We recently completed a unique installation for a customer in West Seattle living in an older Craftsman home. This project demonstrates the Anker SOLIX E10 capability to manage high-draw units and provide a complete whole-home backup system for homes of any age.
Powering Electric Heaters During Seattle Storm Outages
The homeowner originally relied on an Anker C1000 portable unit. While effective for small electronics, it could not support the home electric wall heating units during prolonged winter outages. The goal for this project was a true whole-home backup that could sustain high-draw heating loads through the night. Each E10 inverter provides 7.6kW of continuous power (10 kW peak power), which is essential for maintaining a manageable temperature in a Craftsman home when the grid fails.
Professional Panel Integration and Hardware Setup
We installed a robust configuration designed for high capacity and smart management.
- Core Hardware: 1 Anker SOLIX E10 Inverter with 3 B6000 Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) Batteries (6kWh each, totaling 18kWh of storage capacity).
- Main Panel Migration: We installed the Anker Power Dock as the new main service panel.
- Circuit Strategy: To ensure the system handles high-draw loads without overloading the 10kW peak capacity, we moved the electric wall heaters to the Power Dock. This allows the homeowner to use the Anker app for smart load shedding.
- Subpanel Conversion: The original house panel was converted into a subpanel for the remaining lighter circuits.
As licensed electricians, we handled the full permitting process with the City of Seattle to ensure the installation met all National Electrical Code (NEC) safety standards for residential battery storage.
Extended Resilience with Natural Gas Generator Integration
To prepare for multi-day outages, an Anker SOLIX Smart Generator 5500 is connected to a natural gas hookup. This setup is highly efficient because it uses direct DC charging. By bypassing the energy loss typical of AC-based generators, the system can top off the battery stack more quickly and with less fuel consumption. This provides a multi-layered defense against extended utility failures.
Time-of-Use (TOU) Optimization and Daily Energy Savings
Beyond emergency backup, the Anker SOLIX E10 provides daily value through Time-of-Use optimization. This feature is especially beneficial for residents preparing for the Seattle City Light Time-of-Use rate program, which will introduce variable electricity costs based on the time of day. Using the Anker mobile app, the E10 can be programmed to automatically charge the battery stack during off-peak hours, when rates are lowest. During peak-rate hours, the system discharges to power the home, avoiding expensive draws from the grid. For a home with high energy demands during the winter, this automated management helps lower monthly utility bills while maintaining full battery readiness.
Selecting a Qualified Anker SOLIX Installer in the Seattle Area
Although the Anker SOLIX system was only released a month ago, our team has deep experience with solar and modular battery systems. This expertise ensured a smooth and successful first installation. The vertical design of the E10 system allowed for a clean installation along the basement utility wall, maximizing limited space. The project was so successful that we are already implementing similar setups for other residents in the Puget Sound region.
Whether you are in West Seattle or Port Orchard, if you are looking to protect your home from the next storm season, contact our team at Alki Electric for a consultation.
