Evolution of the E-Panel

DC load circuits. I figured that if you had a modern, efficient and reliable inverter, why would
you need so many DC circuits? That notion was somewhat naïve on my part since I had actually
never yet seen a real off-grid installation. Another aspect of the Ananda box was its high cost. It
used a nice class T pull-out fuse for inverter current protection and breakers for all other circuits.
The high cost, I figured, was due to the custom nature of this product as well as low quantities
that have always plagued our industry. It seemed that there should be a code compliant solution
to address the inverter battery over-current protection and disconnect that was affordable. None
existed, so I began designing the Trace DC250, (1994 or 95).
Pulse and Connect Energy
In the late 1990’s, Pulse Energy was formed from the now defunct Ananda Power Technologies.
They changed the color of their circuit breaker box to match the Trace line of inverters. Pulse as
a company did not last long however. A short time later, Connect Energy was formed from the
ashes of Pulse. The products of all three companies are essentially the same, (good stuff). It all
stemmed from Ananda Power Technologies designs of the 1990’s. Building a sound profitable
company in this industry is difficult.
Pulse PC250 Connect Energy PC500
HelioTrope
While I was working on the DC250, Heliotrope came out
with their SOLPAN system. It was very similar to the
Ananda box but eliminated most of the DC load circuits.
The Solpan was meant to be a lower cost alternative to
the Ananda power Center. A basic Solpan system with
inverter breaker and charge controller could be
purchased for as little as $600. Heliotrope was very well
known for their PWM charge controllers at a time when
Trace Engineering was still making relay based
controllers and Ananda used Mercury displacement
relays. Heliotrope was years ahead of everyone else with
their excellent charge controllers. The Solpan breaker
Heliotrope Solpan 30