[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 159 (Friday, August 15, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 48054-48083]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18576]
[[Page 48053]]
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Part III
Department of Energy
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10 CFR Part 430
Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Battery Chargers and
External Power Supplies (Standby Mode and Off Mode) and for Multiple-
Voltage External Power Supplies; Proposed Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 159 / Friday, August 15, 2008 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 48054]]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 430
[Docket No. EERE-2008-BT-TP-0004]
RIN 1904-AB75
Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Battery Chargers
and External Power Supplies (Standby Mode and Off Mode) and for
Multiple-Voltage External Power Supplies
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking and public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to amend its test
procedures for battery chargers and external power supplies to include
provisions for measuring standby mode and off mode energy consumption,
as directed by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. DOE
also proposes to add a test procedure for measuring the energy
consumption of multiple-voltage external power supplies. In addition,
DOE proposes to make revisions to the single-voltage external power
supply test procedure. DOE also proposes to extend the current
certification reporting requirements to the Class A external power
supplies for which Congress established energy efficiency standards in
the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Finally, DOE
announces a public meeting to receive comment on this proposal and the
issues presented in this notice.
DATES: DOE will hold a public meeting in Washington, DC, on Friday,
September 12, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to discuss the test procedure
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR). DOE must receive requests to
speak at this public meeting no later than 4 p.m., Friday, August 29,
2008. DOE must receive a signed original and an electronic copy of
statements to be given at the public meeting no later than 4 p.m.,
Friday, September 5, 2008.
DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding the NOPR
(proposed rule) until October 29, 2008. See section IV, ``Public
Participation,'' of this proposed rule for details.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of
Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 1E-245, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585-0121. (Please note that foreign nationals
participating in the public meeting are subject to advance security
screening procedures which may take up to 30 days. If a foreign
national wishes to participate in the workshop, please inform DOE as
soon as possible by contacting Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-2945 so
that the necessary procedures can be completed.)
Any comments submitted must identify the NOPR on Test Procedures
for Battery Chargers and External Power Supplies, and provide the
docket number EERE-2008-BT-TP-0004 and/or Regulation Identifier Number
(RIN) 1904-AB75. Comments may be submitted using any of the following
methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: [email protected]. Include the docket
number EERE-2008-BT-TP-0004 and/or RIN 1904-AB75 in the subject line of
the message.
Postal Mail: Mrs. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of
Energy, Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-2J, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Please submit one
signed paper original.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Mrs. Brenda Edwards, U.S.
Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, 6th Floor, 950
L'Enfant Plaza, SW., Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (202) 586-2945.
Please submit one signed paper original.
For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional
information on the rulemaking process, see section IV, ``Public
Participation,'' of this document.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, visit the U.S. Department of Energy, 6th Floor, 950
L'Enfant Plaza, SW., Washington, DC 20024, (202) 586-2945, between 9
a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Please
call Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-2945 for additional information
about visiting the Resource Room.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Victor Petrolati, U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies Program, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington,
DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-4549. E-mail:
[email protected].
Ms. Francine Pinto or Mr. Michael Kido, U.S. Department of Energy,
Office of the General Counsel, GC-72, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585. Telephone: (202) 586-9507. E-mail:
[email protected] or [email protected].
For information on how to submit or review public comments and on
how to participate in the public meeting, contact Ms. Brenda Edwards,
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy, Building Technologies Program, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-2945. E-mail:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background and Legal Authority
II. Summary of the Proposal
A. Standby Mode and Off Mode
B. Multiple-Voltage External Power Supplies
C. External Power Supply Definitions
D. Single-Voltage External Power Supply Test Procedure
Amendments
E. Switch-Selectable Single-Voltage External Power Supplies
F. Submission of Certification Test Data to DOE
III. Discussion
A. Standby Mode and Off Mode
1. Battery Chargers
i. Definitions
ii. Test Method
2. External Power Supplies
i. Definitions
ii. Test Method
B. Multiple-Voltage External Power Supplies
1. Test Apparatus and General Instructions
i. Measurement Resolution and Uncertainty
ii. AC Source Voltage Requirement
iii. AC Source Distortion Requirement
iv. Test Lead Loss Measurement
2. Test Measurement
i. Power Measurement Stability Requirement
ii. Loading Conditions
iii. Proportional Allocation
iv. Minimum Output Current Requirement
v. No-Load Mode Testing
C. External Power Supply Test Procedure Definitions
1. Revisions to Existing Definitions
2. New Definitions
D. Single-Voltage External Power Supply Test Procedure
Amendments
1. Measurement Resolution and Uncertainty
2. AC Source Voltage Requirement
3. AC Source Distortion Requirement
4. Test Lead Loss Measurement
5. Power Measurement Stability Requirement
E. Switch-Selectable Voltage External Power Supplies
F. Submission of Certification Test Data to DOE
1. Background
i. Definition of ``Basic Model''
ii. Definition of ``Covered Product''
iii. Sampling Plan
iv. Test Procedures
v. Enforcement Provisions
2. Alternative Reporting Methodology Under Consideration
IV. Public Participation
A. Attendance at Public Meeting
[[Page 48055]]
B. Procedure for Submitting Requests to Speak
C. Conduct of Public Meeting
D. Submission of Comments
E. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Comment
1. Standby Mode and Off Mode
2. Definitions in the Test Procedures
3. Measurement Resolution and Uncertainty
4. AC Source Voltage Requirements
5. Test Lead Loss Measurement
6. Power Measurement Stability Requirements
7. Loading Conditions for Multiple-Voltage External Power
Supplies
8. Single-Voltage External Power Supply Test Procedure
9. Switch-Selectable Single-Voltage External Power Supplies
10. Submission of Certification Test Data to DOE
V. Procedural Issues and Regulatory Review
A. Review Under Executive Order 12866
B. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act
C. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction Act
D. Review Under the National Environmental Policy Act
E. Review Under Executive Order 13132
F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
G. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
H. Review Under the Treasury and General Government
Appropriations Act, 1999
I. Review Under Executive Order 12630
J. Review Under the Treasury and General Government
Appropriations Act, 2001
K. Review Under Executive Order 13211
L. Review Under Section 32 of the Federal Energy Administration
Act of 1974
VI. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
I. Background and Legal Authority
Title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) (42
U.S.C. 6291, et seq.) sets forth a variety of provisions designed to
improve energy efficiency. Part A of Title III (42 U.S.C. 6291-6309)
establishes the ``Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products
Other Than Automobiles.'' The consumer and commercial products
currently subject to this program (hereinafter referred to as ``covered
products'') include battery chargers and external power supplies
(collectively referred to as ``BCEPS''). Manufacturers of covered
products are required to use the relevant DOE test procedures to
certify compliance with the energy conservation standards adopted under
EPCA. The statutory provisions of particular relevance to today's
notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) are discussed immediately below.
Section 323(b) of EPCA authorizes DOE to amend or establish new
test procedures as appropriate for each of the covered products. (42
U.S.C. 6293(b)) This section provides that ``[a]ny test procedures
prescribed or amended under this section shall be reasonably designed
to produce test results which measure energy efficiency, energy use,
water use (in the case of showerheads, faucets, water closets and
urinals), or estimated annual operating cost of a covered product
during a representative average use cycle or period of use, as
determined by the Secretary [of Energy], and shall not be unduly
burdensome to conduct.'' (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3)) In addition, EPCA
states that DOE ``shall determine, in the rulemaking carried out with
respect to prescribing such procedure, to what extent, if any, the
proposed test procedure would alter the measured energy efficiency,
measured energy use, or measured water use of any covered product as
determined under the existing test procedure.'' (42 U.S.C. 6293(e)(1))
Of particular relevance to the present rulemaking, section 135 of
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT), Public Law 109-58, amended
sections 321 and 325 of EPCA by providing definitions for battery
chargers and external power supplies and directing the Secretary to
prescribe ``definitions and test procedures for the power use of
battery chargers and external power supplies.'' (42 U.S.C.
6295(u)(1)(A)) DOE complied with this requirement by publishing the
test procedure final rule, 71 FR 71340, on December 8, 2006, which
included definitions and test procedures for battery chargers and
external power supplies. DOE codified a test procedure for battery
chargers in Appendix Y to subpart B of part 430 in Title 10 of the Code
of Federal Regulations (CFR) (``Uniform Test Method for Measuring the
Energy Consumption of Battery Chargers'') (hereinafter referred to as
``Appendix Y'') and a test procedure for external power supplies in
Appendix Z to subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 (``Uniform Test Method for
Measuring the Energy Consumption of External Power Supplies'')
(hereinafter referred to as ``Appendix Z'').
DOE published a subsequent notice of public meeting and
availability of documentation for public review on December 29, 2006.
71 FR 78389. This public meeting was called a ``Scoping Workshop'' and
focused on DOE's plans for developing energy conservation standards for
battery chargers and external power supplies. The Scoping Workshop was
held at DOE's Forrestal Building in Washington, DC, on January 24,
2007. Information pertaining to the Scoping Workshop is available at
http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/residential/battery_external.html .
On December 19, 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act of
2007 (EISA), Public Law 110-140, amended sections 321, 323, and 325 of
EPCA with regard to external power supplies and battery chargers.
Section 301 of EISA amended section 321 of EPCA, by modifying some of
the definitions pertaining to external power supplies. EPACT had
amended EPCA to define an external power supply as ``an external power
supply circuit that is used to convert household electric current into
DC current or lower-voltage AC current to operate a consumer product''
\1\ (42 U.S.C. 6291(36)(A)) but section 301 of EISA further amended
this definition by creating a subset of external power supplies called
Class A External Power Supplies. EISA defined this subset as those
external power supplies that, in addition to meeting several other
requirements common to all external power supplies,\2\ are ``able to
convert to only 1 AC or DC output voltage at a time'' and that have
``nameplate output power that is less than or equal to 250 watts.'' (42
U.S.C. 6291(36)(C)(i)) Section 301 also amended EPCA to establish
minimum standards for these products, effective July 1, 2008, see 42
U.S.C. 6295(u)(3)(A), and directed DOE to publish a final rule by July
1, 2011 to determine whether these energy conservation standards for
external power supplies should be amended. (42 U.S.C. 6295(u)(3)(D))
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\1\ The terms ``AC'' and ``DC'' refer to the polarity (i.e.,
direction) and amplitude of current and voltage associated with
electrical power. For example, mains power, that which is found in a
household wall socket, is alternating current, or ``AC'', and it
varies in amplitude and reverses polarity. In contrast, the power
supplied by a battery or solar cell is direct current, or ``DC,''
which is constant in both amplitude and polarity.
\2\ The full EISA definition of a class A external power supply
includes a device that ``(I) is designed to convert line voltage AC
input into lower voltage AC or DC output; (II) is able to convert to
only 1 AC or DC output voltage at a time; (III) is sold with, or
intended to be used with, a separate end-use product that
constitutes the primary load; (IV) is contained in a separate
physical enclosure from the end-use product; (V) is connected to the
end-use product via a removable or hard-wired male/female electrical
connection, cable, cord, or other wiring; and (VI) has nameplate
output power that is less than or equal to 250 watts.'' (42 U.S.C.
6291(36)(C)(i))
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Further, section 309 of EISA amended EPCA by directing DOE to issue
a final rule by July 1, 2011 that prescribes energy conservation
standards for battery chargers or classes of battery chargers or
determine that no energy conservation standard is technologically
feasible and economically justified for battery chargers. (42 U.S.C.
6295(u)(1)(E)(i)(II)) DOE plans to bundle this battery charger
rulemaking proceeding with the requirement to evaluate amendments to
the energy conservation standards for external
[[Page 48056]]
power supplies mentioned above, since both must be completed by July 1,
2011. See EISA, section 301(c).
In addition, section 309 of EISA amended section 325(u)(1)(E) of
EPCA, instructing DOE to issue ``a final rule that determines whether
energy conservation standards shall be issued for external power
supplies or classes of external power supplies.'' (42 U.S.C.
6295(u)(1)(E)(i)(I)) DOE, however, cannot conduct a determination
analysis on whether it should issue conservation standards for a
product for which standards have already been set by Congress in
section 301(c) of EISA (i.e., Class A external power supplies).
Furthermore, section 325(u)(1)(E) of EPCA, as amended by EISA, directs
DOE to complete this determination analysis ``No later than 2 years
after the date of enactment of this subsection.'' (42 U.S.C.
6295(u)(1)(E)(I)) This subsection, however, is a result of EPACT, which
was signed into law on August 8, 2005. Interpreting this subsection
strictly as amended by EISA would place the determination analysis
final rule issue date on August 8, 2007, almost four months prior to
the passage of EISA.
To resolve these inconsistencies, DOE interprets the ``date of
enactment of this subsection'' (42 U.S.C. 6295(u)(1)(E)(I)) as the date
of passage of EISA, namely December 19, 2007. In this context, DOE
interprets sections 301 and 309 of EISA jointly as a requirement to
determine, by December 19, 2009, whether energy conservation standards
shall be issued for non-Class A external power supplies. Examples of
non-Class A external power supplies include those with a nameplate
output power rating greater than 250 watts (W) and those able to
convert to more than one AC or DC output voltage at the same time
(i.e., multiple-voltage external power supplies). These non-Class A
external power supplies appear to constitute a significant group of
products, powering applications such as radio transceivers, video game
consoles, and printers. Although the current DOE external power supply
test procedure (Appendix Z) can test high-power external power
supplies, it cannot accommodate external power supplies that convert to
more than one output voltage simultaneously. Therefore, in today's
notice, DOE proposes to amend its test procedure to allow for the
testing of multiple-voltage external power supplies.
EISA also amended section 325 of EPCA to establish definitions for
active mode, standby mode, and off mode and directs DOE to amend its
existing test procedures by December 31, 2008 for both battery chargers
and external power supplies to measure the energy consumed in standby
mode and off mode. See EISA, section 310. It also authorizes the
Department to amend, by rule, any of the definitions for active,
standby, and off mode so long as the Department takes into
consideration the most current versions of Standards 62301 (``Household
Electrical Appliances--Measurement of Standby Power'') and 62087
(``Methods of Measurement for the Power Consumption of Audio, Video and
Related Equipment'') of the International Electrotechnical Commission
(IEC). (See EPCA Sec. 325(gg)(2)(A) and 42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(2)(A)).
Consistent with this authority, today's NOPR proposes amended
definitions for these terms that take into consideration IEC Standards
62031 and 62087 and adapt the definitions to how consumers use battery
chargers and external power supplies.
Finally, in light of Congress's establishment of energy efficiency
standards for Class A external power supplies, DOE proposes to extend
the certification reporting requirements of 42 U.S.C. 6296, which are
promulgated at 10 CFR 430.62, to cover these products. This extension
is consistent with current requirements for manufacturers of covered
products and would continue to use the existing requirements and form
found in 10 CFR part 430, subpart F, appendix A.\3\
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\3\ The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously
approved the collection of this information on September 27, 2007.
See Notice of Office of Management and Budget Action, OMB Control
No. 1910-1400, available at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. The supporting statement accompanying DOE's request for an
extension of its clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act to
collect this information identifies the potential inclusion of
additional respondents as a result of changes introduced by the
Energy Policy Act of 2005. See DOE Supporting Statement for
Paperwork Reduction Act Submission, OMB Control Number 1910-1400
(May 31, 2007). Battery charger and external power supply
manufacturers were part of this new group of potential respondents.
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DOE plans to publish a final rule by December 31, 2008, the
statutory deadline for a final rule amending the test procedure, to
measure energy consumption in off mode and standby mode for battery
chargers and external power supplies. (42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(2)(B))
Because of this deadline, the sections of this proposal concerning
standby mode and off mode are of highest priority. If commenters
clearly indicate that further evaluation of the other issues presented
in this NOPR is needed, these issues will be addressed in a separate
rulemaking. This approach would avoid delaying the standby mode and off
mode test procedure final rule.
For each of the various items discussed below, DOE invites
stakeholder comments on these proposed amendments to the Department's
test procedures.
II. Summary of the Proposal
In this NOPR, DOE proposes to modify the current test procedures
for battery chargers and external power supplies to achieve the
following objectives:
(1) Address the statutory requirement to expand test procedures to
incorporate measurement of standby mode and off mode energy
consumption;
(2) Expand the external power supply test procedure to accommodate
certain non-Class A external power supplies that DOE will evaluate in
the determination analysis;
(3) Revise and adopt definitions pertaining to testing of external
power supplies for increased clarity;
(4) Incorporate certain technical changes and clarifications to the
test procedure for single-voltage external power supplies to improve
the accuracy and practicability of the test procedure; and
(5) Incorporate requirements for the submission of certification
test data pertaining to external power supplies subject to minimum
efficiency standards effective July 1, 2008.
Table 1 lists the sections of 10 CFR part 430 affected by the
amendments proposed in this NOPR. The left column in Table 1 cites the
locations in the CFR where DOE proposes changes, which are listed in
the right column.
Table 1--Summary of Changes Proposed in This NOPR and Affected Sections
of 10 CFR Part 430
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Summary of proposed
Existing section in 10 CFR part 430 modifications
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Section 430.22 of subpart B--Reference Inserts new technical
Sources. references.
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[[Page 48057]]
Section 430.23 of subpart B--Test Modifies `(aa) battery
procedures for the measurement of charger' and `(bb) external
energy and water consumption. power supply' to include
energy consumption in standby
mode and off mode.
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Appendix Y to subpart B of part 430--
Uniform Test Method for Measuring the
Energy Consumption of Battery
Chargers:
1. Scope........................... No change.
2. Definitions..................... Modifies the
definition for standby mode.
3. Test Apparatus and General Inserts a definition
Instructions. for off mode.
4. Test Measurement................ No change.
Inserts procedures to
measure energy consumption in
standby mode and off mode.
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Appendix Z to subpart B of part 430--
Uniform Test Method for Measuring the
Energy Consumption of External Power
Supplies:
1. Scope........................... Modifies scope to
encompass all types of energy
consumption of external power
supplies.
2. Definitions..................... Modifies existing
definitions for:
[cir] Active mode.
[cir] Active mode efficiency.
[cir] No-load mode.
[cir] Total harmonic
distortion.
[cir] True power factor.
Inserts new
definitions for:
[cir] Active power.
[cir] Ambient temperature.
[cir] Apparent power.
[cir] Instantaneous power.
[cir] Minimum output current.
[cir] Multiple-voltage
external power supply.
[cir] Nameplate input
frequency.
[cir] Nameplate input
voltage.
[cir] Nameplate output
current.
[cir] Nameplate output power.
[cir] Nameplate output
voltage.
[cir] Off mode.
[cir] Output bus.
[cir] Standby mode.
[cir] Switch-selectable
single-voltage external power
supply.
[cir] Unit under test.
3. Test Apparatus and General Divides section 3 into
Instructions. 3(a) for single-voltage EPSs
and 3(b) for multiple-voltage
EPSs.
Maintains the existing
test procedure for single-
voltage EPSs in 3(a).
[cir] Considers adopting
slightly revised requirements
in 3(a), to be consistent with
proposal in 3(b).
Inserts 3(b) for
multiple-voltage external
power supplies with
requirements based on other
established test procedures.
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4. Test Measurement................ Demarcates 4(a) for
single-voltage external power
supplies.
[cir] Maintains existing
procedure for active mode and
standby mode measurements.
[cir] Inserts new procedure for
measuring off mode.
Inserts 4(b) for
multiple-voltage external
power supplies.
[cir] Inserts new procedures
for measuring active mode,
standby mode, and off mode.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 430.62 of subpart F--Submission Inserts submission
of Data. requirement for active mode
efficiency and no-load power
consumption data for Class A
external power supplies.
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In developing today's proposed test procedure amendments, DOE
examined IEC Standard 62301 \4\ and the ENERGY STAR test procedures for
battery charging systems,\5\ external power supplies,\6\ and internal
power supplies.\7\
[[Page 48058]]
These industry references were either statutorily mandated (as in the
case of IEC Standard 62301), or were developed in a publicly-
consultative process and adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) for the purpose of testing performance characteristics of
these same products to determine their qualification for the ENERGY
STAR program. Consistent with EISA's requirements, DOE also considered
the requirements of IEC Standard 62087, which addresses the methods to
measure the power consumption of audio, video and related equipment.
Since this IEC Standard focuses only on audio, video, and related
equipment that tends to incorporate internal power supplies, DOE found
the scope of IEC Standard 62087 to be too narrow for the purposes of
evaluating standby mode and off mode test procedures for battery
chargers and external power supplies, which are used with a large
variety of products beyond audio and video equipment, such as
telecommunications devices and computers. DOE therefore concludes that
this standard's provisions are not germane in assisting the Department
with developing standby mode and off mode test procedures for the
products covered in today's NOPR. As to Standard 62301 and the ENERGY
STAR test procedures, DOE considered the impact of each proposed change
to ensure that these revisions would not result in test procedures that
are unduly burdensome to conduct.
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\4\ IEC 62301 ``Household Electrical Appliances--Measurement of
Standby Power,'' International Electrotechnical Commission, First
edition, June 2005.
\5\ ``Test Methodology for Determining the Energy Performance of
Battery Charging Systems,'' Environmental Protection Agency,
December 2005.
\6\ ``Test Method for Calculating the Energy Efficiency of
Single-Voltage External Ac-Dc and Ac-Ac Power Supplies,'' California
Energy Commission Public Interest Energy Research Program, August
11, 2004.
\7\ ``Proposed Test Protocol for Calculating the Energy
Efficiency of Internal Ac-Dc Power Supplies,'' Revision 6.2,
California Energy Commission Public Interest Energy Research
Program, November 2007.
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DOE also examined whether the proposed amendments to its test
procedures would significantly change the measured power consumption or
efficiency of the battery charger or external power supply. This issue
is particularly important for external power supplies because EISA
amended section 325 of EPCA to establish minimum efficiency standards
for external power supplies that took effect on July 1, 2008. As
explained in greater detail later, DOE believes that today's proposed
amendments neither alter the measured energy efficiency of the tested
products nor do they add any additional burden on the industry to
implement because the proposed changes only provide additional
clarifications to the test procedures for devices that have an on-off
switch. Thus, DOE proposes to amend its test procedures in the manner
discussed in the following sections.
DOE welcomes comments on all aspects of this proposal.
A. Standby Mode and Off Mode
Section 310 of EISA amended section 325(gg) of EPCA by directing
DOE to amend its test procedures to incorporate a measure of standby
mode and off mode energy consumption if feasible. (42 U.S.C.
6295(gg)(2)) Section 310 also inserted definitions for off mode and
standby mode, which affected EPCA sections 325(gg)(1)(A)(ii) and (iii).
These definitions, however, as fully explained in the later discussion,
do not apply appropriately to all battery chargers and external power
supplies. For instance, under the definition for standby mode for
battery chargers, it is unclear whether a battery charger is in standby
mode when a thermal sensor triggers a cooling fan. Consequently, these
definitions would create confusion in how certain features contained in
these products should be treated during testing.
In today's notice, DOE proposes to (1) adapt the definitions of
standby mode and off mode that would more appropriately apply to
battery chargers and external power supplies, and (2) revise the test
procedures for battery chargers and external power supplies to measure
standby mode and off mode energy consumption.
For battery chargers, DOE proposes to define standby mode as the
condition in which the charger is connected to the main electricity
supply and no battery is installed in the charger. For external power
supplies, DOE proposes to define standby mode as the condition in which
the power supply is connected to the main electricity supply and the
output is not connected to any consumer product. Additionally, if the
battery charger or external power supply has any on-off switches, DOE
proposes that all switches be turned on during the measurement of
energy consumption in standby mode.
For off mode, DOE proposes that this condition apply only to
battery chargers and external power supplies equipped with on-off
switches. For these products, DOE proposes that off mode power
consumption be measured as the power consumed while all switches are
turned off. A detailed discussion of the proposed definitions and test
procedures for standby and off mode follows in section III.A, below.
B. Multiple-Voltage External Power Supplies
Section 309 of EISA amended section 325 of EPCA to direct DOE to
conduct a determination analysis for external power supplies not
subject to the Class A external power supply standard. This broad group
includes external power supplies with multiple simultaneous outputs at
more than one voltage. DOE is not aware of any existing test procedure
developed specifically to measure the efficiency or energy consumption
of multiple-voltage external power supplies. To help in developing such
a procedure, DOE reviewed related test procedures currently in use. As
a result, today's proposed rule is based on two California Energy
Commission (CEC) test procedures, the ``Test Method for Calculating the
Energy Efficiency of Single-Voltage External Ac-Dc and Ac-Ac Power
Supplies,'' August 11, 2004 (hereinafter called the ``CEC EPS Test
Procedure''), and the ``Proposed Test Protocol for Calculating the
Energy Efficiency of Internal Ac-Dc Power Supplies, Revision 6.2,''
November 2007 (hereinafter called the ``CEC IPS Test Procedure'').
DOE's proposed amendment follows the structure of the CEC EPS Test
Procedure but incorporates language addressing test methods from both
CEC test procedures. As part of this amendment, DOE is also proposing
new language necessary for testing multiple-voltage external power
supplies and certain test method changes to improve the overall
accuracy and practicability of the procedure. Incorporating this
amendment into the external power supply test procedure would enable
DOE to evaluate power consumption for multiple-voltage external power
supplies in all modes of operation: Active mode, no-load mode (i.e.,
``standby mode''), and off mode. A detailed discussion of DOE's
proposed test procedure for multiple-voltage external power supplies
can be found in section III.B, below.
C. External Power Supply Definitions
In light of the EISA amendments to EPCA, DOE reviewed the relevant
portions of 10 CFR part 430 and determined that amending some of the
definitions in part 430 would help improve the clarity of the external
power supply test procedure. To achieve this goal, DOE proposes to
update certain definitions in Appendix Z based on CEC's test procedures
for external and internal power supplies, IEC Standard 62301, Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 1515-2000,\8\
and IEEE Standard 100.\9\ More specifically, DOE
[[Page 48059]]
proposes modifications to the current definitions of ``active mode,''
``active mode efficiency,'' ``no-load mode,'' ``total harmonic
distortion,'' and ``true power factor.'' In addition, today's notice
proposes to add definitions for ``active power,'' ``ambient
temperature,'' ``apparent power,'' ``instantaneous power,'' ``minimum
output current,'' ``multiple-voltage external power supply,''
``nameplate input frequency,'' ``nameplate input voltage,'' ``nameplate
output current,'' ``nameplate output power,'' ``nameplate output
voltage,'' ``off mode,'' ``output bus,'' ``switch-selectable single-
voltage external power supply,'' ``standby mode,'' and ``unit under
test.'' A detailed discussion of these proposed modified and new
definitions follows in section III.C, below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ IEEE 1515-2000. ``IEEE Recommended Practice for Electronic
Power Subsystems: Parameter Definitions, Test Conditions, and Test
Methods,'' Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. March
2000.
\9\ IEEE 100. ``The IEEE Standard Dictionary of Electrical and
Electronics Terms'' Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers. Sixth Edition, 1999.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D. Single-Voltage External Power Supply Test Procedure Amendments
DOE is also considering making limited changes to the test
procedure for single-voltage external power supplies. Specifically, DOE
would revise the test conditions (section 3 of Appendix Z) to account
for the limitations of test equipment and laboratory conditions. DOE
believes that these changes would reduce the testing burden and would
not negatively affect the accuracy or repeatability of measurement
results. DOE is also considering making a revision to the test
measurement procedure (section 4 of Appendix Z) to amend the test
measurements to require increased stability before conducting power
measurements. Increased stability before conducting power measurements
will enhance the accuracy and repeatability of the measurements.
Specific descriptions of the changes under consideration, as well as
additional discussion, can be found in section III.D, below.
E. Switch-Selectable Single-Voltage External Power Supplies
Finally, DOE proposes to clarify in today's notice the method by
which single-voltage external power supplies that incorporate a switch-
selectable output voltage should be tested because the scope of the
current test procedure includes switch-selectable EPSs, but the test
procedure does not sufficiently specify how to test them. For these
external power supplies, DOE proposes that testing be conducted twice:
First with the output voltage set to the minimum voltage and second
with the output voltage set to the maximum voltage. Under DOE's
proposed procedure, an external power supply with a switch-selectable
output voltage would be considered in compliance with an energy
efficiency standard when it meets or exceeds the minimum requirements
at both its lowest and highest selectable output voltages.
DOE proposes this approach for two reasons. First, the efficiency
of a switch-selectable external power supply is highest at the highest
output voltage setting and lowest at the lowest setting. Measuring the
efficiency at the two voltage extremes bounds the range of possible
efficiencies of the device such that the efficiency at any other
voltage setting would fall between these two measurements. Second, this
proposal is consistent with how other countries, including New Zealand
and Australia,\10\ are considering requiring the testing of switch-
selectable single-voltage external power supplies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ DOE is not aware of any other countries that specifically
address the testing of switch-selectable external power supplies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
F. Submission of Certification Test Data to DOE
As part of the overall national regulatory program, manufacturers
of covered and regulated products must report to DOE that the products
they manufacture are in compliance with the applicable energy
conservation standards. EISA established standards for Class A external
power supplies that took effect on July 1, 2008. Given that
development, DOE must now establish the certification and enforcement
procedures that manufacturers of these covered products would follow.
DOE proposed certification and enforcement procedures for battery
chargers and external power supplies on July 25, 2006. 71 FR 42178.
While some of the provisions from that proposal remain pending, DOE
finalized two aspects of that NOPR on December 8, 2006: (1) Definitions
in 10 CFR 430.2 of ``basic model'' and ``covered product'' as they
apply to battery chargers and external power supplies and (2) test
procedures for measuring the energy efficiency of battery chargers
(Appendix Y) and external power supplies (Appendix Z). 71 FR 71340.
Also in the July 25, 2006 notice, DOE proposed a sampling plan for
battery chargers and external power supplies to be codified under 10
CFR 430.24, ``Units to be tested.'' 71 FR at 42204. The sampling plan
would provide manufacturers with guidance on selecting units from their
production run of covered products, to test those samples and
demonstrate compliance with the new standard.
EISA amended section 325(u) of EPCA by establishing minimum
efficiency standards for ``Class A'' external power supplies. (42
U.S.C. 6295(u)(6)) Previously, DOE had no reporting requirements for
either battery chargers or external power supplies since there was no
Federal standard in place for either product because EPACT's amendments
(Pub. L. 109-58, section 135(c)(4)) to EPCA directed DOE only to
determine whether to adopt energy conservation standards for battery
chargers and external power supplies. Consistent with the EISA
amendment and the requirements already contained in 10 CFR part 430,
DOE proposes that manufacturers of Class A external power supplies
report the active mode efficiency (as a percentage) and the no-load
mode power consumption (in watts) of these products to DOE. This
proposal is discussed further in section III.F.
III. Discussion
As noted above, Congressional directives and the need to
incorporate definitions used in test procedures to improve the current
test procedures employed by DOE serve as the primary reasons for this
NOPR. Each element that DOE proposes to modify in today's notice to
satisfy the new statutory requirements from EISA is discussed in detail
below.
A. Standby Mode and Off Mode
DOE developed today's proposed amendments to the battery charger
and external power supply test procedures to satisfy the standby mode
and off mode requirements in EPCA, as amended by EISA. Section 310(3)
of EISA amended section 325 of EPCA by inserting new subsection (gg)
(42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)) to require that DOE amend its test procedures for
battery chargers and external power supplies to include measurements of
standby mode and off mode energy consumption. Congress authorized DOE
to amend these definitions so long as the Department took into
consideration the most current versions of IEC standards 62301 and
62087 when amending the definitions. DOE test procedures are based on
CEC and ENERGY STAR test procedures, both of which reference IEC 62301.
Thus, in addition to directly considering IEC 62301, DOE also
considered the standard indirectly, as parts of it were used in other
test procedures. Section 310(3) also provided definitions of off mode
and standby mode that modified EPCA sections 325(gg)(1)(A)(ii) and
(iii). As is explained later below, these definitions, however, are not
appropriate when applied to battery
[[Page 48060]]
chargers and external power supplies because of potential confusion in
how to treat particular features that may be contained in these
products.
Under EISA, DOE is required to amend its test procedures to measure
standby mode and off mode for both battery chargers and external power
supplies by December 31, 2008. Consequently, consistent with the
authority granted by Congress, DOE is modifying the definitions for
these terms and the proposed amendments in this notice would (1) adopt
appropriate definitions of standby mode and off mode that provide a
better fit for these products, and (2) revise the test methods for
measuring energy consumption in these two modes as needed to
incorporate them into DOE's test procedures. These proposed revisions
to the test procedures would apply to both battery chargers and
external power supplies and are discussed below.
1. Battery Chargers
DOE adopted a test procedure for battery chargers (Appendix Y) in a
final rule published on December 8, 2006. 71 FR at 71368. DOE's test
procedure measures the energy consumed by battery chargers in battery
maintenance mode and standby mode (also called no-load mode) and
combines these two measured quantities into a single energy ratio.
Although both the current DOE test procedure and EISA define the term
``standby mode'' in the context of battery chargers, as discussed
below, the definitions are different. Furthermore, applying the
definition of ``off mode'' contained in EISA to battery chargers
requires modification to ensure that all modes of battery charger use
are tested by DOE's test procedure. The revisions proposed in today's
notice would help ensure that DOE's test procedures sufficiently cover
the appropriate elements of both modes of use. Accordingly, DOE
proposes to revise the definitions of standby mode and off mode as
applied to battery chargers.
i. Definitions
Standby Mode
In its 2006 final rule, DOE defined ``standby mode'' as ``the mode
of operation when the battery charger is connected to the main
electricity supply and the battery is not connected to the charger.''
71 FR at 71368. In layman's terms, standby mode is the state of an
appliance when it is not performing its primary function--in the case
of battery chargers, that function would be maintaining a fully charged
battery or recharging a discharged battery. This definition was adapted
from the December 2005 ENERGY STAR Eligibility Criteria for Products
with Battery Charging Systems, which defines standby mode, in part, as
``the condition in which no battery is present in the charger, or where
the battery is integral to a product, the product is not attached to
the charger, but the charger is plugged in and drawing power.'' The
ENERGY STAR definition also notes that standby mode ``represents the
lowest power consumption mode which cannot be switched off (influenced)
by the user and that may persist for an indefinite time when an
appliance is connected to the main electricity supply and used in
accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.'' This part of the
definition is derived from the definition of standby power found in IEC
Standard 62301.\11\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\11\ IEC Standard 62301 defines standby power as the ``lowest
power consumption mode which cannot be switched off (influenced) by
the user and that may persist for an indefinite time when an
appliance is connected to the main electricity supply and used in
accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.'' IEC Standard
62301, section 3.1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In contrast, section 310(3) of EISA defined ``standby mode'' as
the condition in which an energy-using product--(I) is connected to
a main power source; and (II) offers 1 or more of the following
user-oriented or protective functions: (aa) To facilitate the
activation or deactivation of other functions (including active
mode) by remote switch (including remote control), internal sensor,
or timer. (bb) Continuous functions, including information or status
displays (including clocks) or sensor-based functions.
DOE believes that Congress drafted this definition to be applicable
to a diverse population of energy-using appliances and equipment,
including clothes washers and microwave ovens, as well as battery
chargers and external power supplies.
However, after carefully examining this definition and considering
its impact with respect to battery chargers, DOE believes that applying
this definition without modification to these products would be
problematic because it would create confusion in how certain features
contained in these products should be treated during testing. For
instance, under this definition, it is unclear whether a battery
indicator light would constitute a user-oriented function or a status
display. Similarly, the definition provides no guidance as to whether a
cooling fan would constitute a protective function or a sensor-based
function if triggered by a thermal sensor. Such ambiguities would
create confusion among the public, including manufacturers, in
understanding the scope of coverage of these definitions and in
determining which product designs would be affected by these
definitions.
Because of the vagueness of this definition, DOE is concerned about
problems that both the public and the industry would likely encounter
if the EISA definition of standby mode were adopted verbatim for
battery chargers. Therefore, DOE is exercising its authority under
section 325 of EPCA, as amended by section 310(3) of EISA, to amend the
definitions of the modes, as they apply to this particular product, by
rule. (EPCA 325(gg)(1)(B); 42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(1)(B)) In so doing, DOE
has considered IEC Standard 62301 in revising the definition of standby
mode by reviewing the standard and incorporating appropriate parts of
IEC 62301 into the proposed amendments.
In today's notice, DOE proposes inserting the following definition
of ``standby mode'' for battery chargers into Appendix Y, section 2.j:
``the condition in which (1) the battery charger is connected to the
main electricity supply; (2) the battery is not connected to the
charger; and (3) for battery chargers with manual on-off switches, all
switches are turned on.'' DOE believes this definition is appropriate
because it provides clarity of application to test technicians and is
consistent with the IEC Standard 62301 and ENERGY STAR definitions of
standby mode.
In proposing a procedure to incorporate standby mode, which section
310 of EISA directed DOE to include in its energy efficiency
evaluation, DOE examined its current procedure, which is based on the
ENERGY STAR test procedure. The ENERGY STAR test procedure focuses on
measuring the energy used during standby mode and battery maintenance
mode, which means that DOE's current battery charger procedure already
accounts for energy consumption in standby mode and satisfies section
310 of EISA. As a result, today's proposal satisfies the conditions set
by Congress that permit the Secretary to modify this definition to make
it applicable to battery chargers. DOE's proposal also clarifies how to
measure energy consumption for battery chargers that incorporate on-off
switches and is consistent with the IEC Standard 62301 and ENERGY STAR
definitions of standby mode for this product.
DOE understands that there are at least three types of battery-
charged consumer products: (1) Those that are stand-alone chargers
which operate with removable batteries such as professional power tools
and certain digital cameras;
[[Page 48061]]
(2) those that have the battery affixed into the product so that it is
not removed for charging such as an electric toothbrush or hand-held
vacuum cleaner; and (3) those that incorporate all the charging
circuitry and battery into the product and have only a detachable power
cord. For a product with a non-detachable battery (category 2, above)
to be placed into standby mode according to the above proposed
definition, the product itself must be disconnected from the portion of
the charger apparatus connected to the main electricity supply (i.e.,
the wall socket) to ensure that the battery is disconnected from the
charger. For example, to place a cordless telephone in standby mode,
one would remove the handset (which contains the battery) from its
charging cradle while keeping the cradle connected to the main
electricity supply. This example of standby mode for this product would
still be appropriate even if some of the battery charging circuitry
resided in the telephone handset (instead of the cradle), because that
standby mode would represent a typical use scenario for a consumer. The
end user would continue to operate the device in the same manner,
regardless of whether the charging circuit is located in the product or
its charging cradle.
In instances where all of the charging and power conversion
circuitry resides in the product (category 3, above), the product is
connected to the main electricity supply by a detachable AC power cord.
During standby mode, the AC power cord is the only part of this battery
charging system that would remain connected to the main electricity
supply. By itself, the cord consumes no power; therefore, the standby
mode power consumption for this category of products would be zero
watts. In the case of consumer products for which all of the charging
and power conversion circuitry resides in the product, and where the AC
power cord is not detachable, no component of the product remains
connected to the main electricity supply during standby mode. Thus,
standby mode power consumption is undefined or inapplicable to this
group of products. However, DOE is not concerned about this exclusion
of permanently corded non-removable battery operated products from any
standby mode power consumption standard, because it believes very few
or no current products feature both a non-detachable battery and non-
detachable AC power cord. Further, DOE believes that this category will
not grow in the future because a non-detachable AC power cord decreases
the portability of a consumer product by adding bulk and weight, which
makes it unlikely that this product category will be accepted by
consumers.
Off Mode
Section 310 of EISA defines ``off mode'' as ``the condition in
which an energy-using product--(I) is connected to a main power source;
and (II) is not providing any standby or active function.'' DOE has not
previously defined ``off mode'' for battery chargers, but today's
notice proposes an alternative definition for this term as it applies
to battery chargers. As previously noted, DOE is proposing to amend the
definitions contained in section 325 of EPCA, as amended by section
310(3) of EISA (42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(1)(B)) under the authority granted
to DOE by Congress.
DOE's current test procedure for battery chargers measures inactive
energy consumption when there is no battery inserted into the charger
and the charger is still connected to the main electricity supply. DOE
understands that some chargers incorporate manual on-off switches
(i.e., those activated by the user) and can thereby achieve an even
lower state of inactive energy consumption. For these products, the
switches may conflict with the ENERGY STAR and IEC Standard 62301
definitions of standby mode, which both state that standby mode is the
lowest-power consumption mode. This is because in some cases, the
switches will reduce the power consumption to zero, but in other cases,
there may still be some power consumption, depending on how the
switches are incorporated into the circuit of the battery charger. For
this reason, DOE proposes to interpret ``off mode'' as applicable only
to battery chargers with switches that are in the off position. Thus,
in today's notice, DOE proposes inserting the following definition of
``off mode'' for battery chargers into Appendix Y, section 2.i:
Off mode means the condition, applicable only to units having
manual on-off switches, in which the battery charger is (1)
connected to the main electricity supply, (2) is not connected to
the battery, and (3) all switches are turned off.
DOE believes that this definition is appropriate because it
satisfies the requirements of EISA that DOE measure energy consumption
in inactive modes (in this case, off mode), provides clarity of
application to laboratory technicians, and is consistent with the
``standby mode'' definition used by IEC Standard 62301 and ENERGY STAR.
As discussed earlier, DOE understands that there are at least three
types of battery-charged consumer products: (1) Those that are stand-
alone chargers which operate with removable batteries; (2) those that
have the battery affixed into the product so that it is not removed for
charging; and (3) those that incorporate all the charging circuitry and
battery into the product and have only a detachable power cord. For
those products that incorporate a non-detachable battery and those that
incorporate a non-detachable battery and non-detachable AC power cord,
DOE proposes that the off mode definition not apply to any of these
battery chargers that incorporate an on-off switch because the battery
cannot be disconnected from the charger. DOE is not concerned that the
exclusion of these devices will constitute a loophole in the regulation
because consumer products with non-detachable batteries and AC power
cords (e.g., certain uninterruptible power supplies) spend most of
their time in battery maintenance mode.\12\ Also, DOE's battery charger
test procedure already measures the power consumption in battery
maintenance mode.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ Battery maintenance mode is defined as ``the mode of
operation when the battery charger is connected to the main
electricity supply and the battery is fully charged, but is still
connected to the charger.'' Appendix Y to Subpart B of Part 430,
Section 2(e).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ii. Test Method
As discussed above, DOE previously codified a test procedure based
on ENERGY STAR's procedure for measuring the standby mode and battery-
maintenance mode energy consumption of battery chargers. 71 FR at
71368. Section 323 of EPCA, as amended by section 310 of EISA, directs
DOE to develop test procedures for the measurement of standby mode and
off mode energy consumption for battery chargers by December 31, 2008.
DOE believes that its existing test procedure already incorporates a
method under which standby mode and off mode energy consumption can be
measured and proposes minor revisions in today's notice to improve the
clarity and applicability of this test procedure to standby mode and
off mode. Section 3 of Appendix Y, which covers test apparatus and
general instructions, does not require modification, since no changes
are necessary to the required test apparatus.
In section 4 of Appendix Y, DOE proposes to add a new subsection
``(c) Standby-Mode and Off-Mode Power Consumption Measurement.'' This
subsection would describe the manner
[[Page 48062]]
in which to measure standby mode and off mode energy consumption
separately. To measure standby mode, DOE proposes that users ``conduct
a measurement of standby power consumption while the battery charger is
connected to the power source.'' Specifically, the proposed subsection
(c) would require the user to
[r]emove the battery from the charger and record the power (i.e.,
watts) consumed as the time series integral of the power consumed
over a one-hour test period, divided by the period of measurement.
If the battery charger has manual switches, all must be turned on
for the duration of the standby mode test.
This language is based largely on the test measurement language
incorporated by reference in section 4 of Appendix Y for Inactive Mode
Energy Consumption, which refers to section 5, ``Determining BCS Energy
Ratio,'' of the EPA's Test Methodology for Determining the Energy
Performance of Battery Charging Systems (December 2005). Section 5 of
the EPA battery charger test procedure, subsection 5.1, step 3,
provides guidance to users for measuring power consumed when the
battery is removed from the charger. In that step, EPA's procedure
instructs the user to remove the battery from the charger while
continuing to measure standby power. The procedure provides two options
in this regard--a full test for 12 hours or an abbreviated test for 1
hour.
In today's notice, DOE proposes language for the measurement of
standby mode energy consumption based on the abbreviated test, which
directs technicians as follows: ``Measure energy used for a period of
not less than 1 hour. Energy use may be measured as a time series
integral of power. * * * '' In other words, technicians would measure
the cumulative energy consumed in standby mode over a defined period of
time: E = [int]P [middot] dt, where E is energy, P is power, and t is
time. DOE believes that the abbreviated test, which gathers data for
one hour, would provide sufficiently accurate results for determining
the power consumption of battery chargers without a battery installed
because the time period is sufficient enough to permit the vast
majority of battery chargers to stabilize and any power consumption in
standby mode to be easily measured. DOE recognizes, however, the
possibility that measurements conducted over a one hour period of
battery chargers with low-frequency, pulsed operation in standby mode
may not be representative of the energy consumption of these types of
commonly used devices. Because of this potential limitation, DOE is
particularly interested in comments that address increased required
testing times beyond one hour up to a maximum of 12 hours.
For off mode, DOE proposes virtually identical test procedure
language, changing only the requirement that if the battery charger has
any switches, that those switches should be turned off. For this test
procedure as well, DOE invites comment on the required duration of 1
hour of data collection, and other appropriate durations, including
those between 1 hour and 12 hours.
For both modes, DOE proposes to include language based on the
ENERGY STAR test procedure that clarifies the testing conditions for
measuring the no-battery mode. Similar to the discussion in section
III.A.1.i above, DOE's proposal would rely on an approach for standby
and off mode similar to the one proposed above for battery chargers.
As discussed above, standby mode and off mode may also apply to
products with non-detachable batteries. If the product uses a cradle
and/or adapter for power conversion and charging, then only that part
of the system will remain connected to the main electricity supply, and
standby and off mode power consumption will equal that of the cradle
and/or adapter. If the product contains integrated power conversion and
charging circuitry but is powered through a detachable AC power cord,
then only the cord will remain connected to mains AC power supply, and
standby and off mode power consumption will equal that of the AC power
cord (i.e., zero watts). If the product contains integrated power
conversion and charging circuitry but is powered through a non-
detachable AC power cord, then no part of the system will remain
connected to mains, and standby and off mode power consumption are not
applicable.
2. External Power Supplies
DOE adopted a test procedure for external power supplies (Appendix
Z) in a final rule published on December 8, 2006. 71 FR at 71368. DOE's
test procedure measures the energy consumed by external power supplies
in both active mode and no-load mode. However, the test procedure does
not define the terms ``standby mode'' or ``off mode,'' although it does
define ``no-load mode'' as ``the mode of operation when the external
power supply is connected to the main electricity supply and the output
is not connected to a load.'' 10 CFR 430, subpart B, Appendix Z, 2.c.
i. Definitions
DOE reviewed the definitions for standby mode and off mode in
section 325 of EPCA, as amended by section 310 of EISA and found that
the broad language used in the definitions might make these terms
confusing or result in misapplication of the test procedure when
measuring the energy consumed in these two modes. Furthermore, the
statute provides no guidance on how to handle external power supplies
that incorporate on-off switches. Therefore, DOE proposes to revise the
definitions of standby mode and off mode as they apply to external
power supplies to help clarify their application and provide this
necessary guidance (i.e., some external power supplies are sold today
with on-off switches). DOE also proposes a method by which
manufacturers can measure the energy consumed in these two modes that
is based on the approach already followed for measuring no-load-mode
energy consumption in the EPS Test Procedure.
Standby Mode, No-Load Mode
Because of the broad coverage of section 325 of EPCA, as amended by
section 310(3) of EISA, and for the reasons cited in the battery
chargers discussion above, DOE is concerned about problems that might
arise if it were to adopt the language of the EISA definition of
standby mode verbatim and apply it to external power supplies. In light
of this situation, and consistent with Congressional directives to the
Department, DOE is exercising its authority under section 325 of EPCA,
as amended by EISA, to amend the definitions of the modes as they apply
to this product, by rule, while considering IEC 62301. (42 U.S.C.
6295(gg)(1)(B) (as amended by EISA))
Additionally, since DOE does not currently have a definition of
standby mode for external power supplies, DOE is proposing to
incorporate a definition for this term into DOE's regulations in
Appendix Z, section 2.s. The definition would provide that standby mode
would mean ``the condition in which the external power supply is in no-
load mode and, for external power supplies with on-off switches, all
switches are turned on.'' DOE is also proposing to modify the
definition of the term ``no-load mode'' to take into account multiple-
voltage external power supplies. DOE's proposed definition for no-load
mode in Appendix Z, section 2.n is ``the mode of operation when an
external power supply is connected to the main electricity supply and
the output is (or `all outputs are' for a multiple-voltage external
power supply) not connected to a load (or `loads' for a multiple-
voltage external power supply).'' This definition is based on the no-
load mode definition in the CEC EPS
[[Page 48063]]
Test Procedure, which references IEC 62301. Thus, DOE's proposed
definition reflects its consideration of IEC 62301. These definitions
satisfy sections 321 and 325 of EPCA, as amended by sections 301 and
310 of EISA, provide clarity on testing external power supplies
(including those with switches), and are consistent with IEC 62301's
and ENERGY STAR's definition of standby mode.
The external power supply test procedure that DOE adopted in the
December 2006 final rule, which is based on the ENERGY STAR test
procedure, incorporated a measurement of no-load mode. DOE's current
test procedure already accounts for the energy consumption in one of
the inactive modes that the Secretary is directed to consider under
section 325 of EPCA, as amended by section 310 of EISA. DOE's proposed
definition of standby mode is consistent with the existing no-load mode
definition in the CFR and the definition of standby mode in EPCA, while
also providing clarity on the measurement of standby mode energy
consumption for external power supplies that incorporate on-off
switches. DOE's proposed definition is also consistent with the ENERGY
STAR definition of no-load mode (and, by extension, standby mode) for
this product.
Off Mode
As discussed in section III.A.1.i of this notice on battery
chargers, section 310(3) of EISA amended EPCA to define ``off mode'' as
``the condition in which an energy-using product--(I) is connected to a
main power source; and (II) is not providing any standby or active mode
function.'' (42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(1)(A)(ii)) DOE has not previously
defined ``off mode'' for external power supplies, and is unaware of any
definitions or test procedures that measure off mode for external power
supplies. Furthermore, similar to battery chargers, the definition
Congress included in EISA, lacks specificity and instruction on the
measurement of energy consumption in off mode for external power
supplies. To address this issue, under the authority Congress granted
to the Department under EISA, DOE is proposing a definition for off
mode as applied to external power supplies. (42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(1)(B))
As with battery chargers, external power supplies can also
incorporate on-off switches and may achieve a lower state of energy
consumption than in standby mode. After considering IEC 62301, DOE
believes that this lower state of energy consumption could conflict
with the IEC Standard 62301 definition of ``standby mode,'' which
states that standby mode is ``the lowest power consumption mode.'' See
IEC Standard 62301 at section 3.2. The conflict could arise depending
on where the on-off switch is placed in the EPS circuit: when the
switch is set to the ``off'' position the EPS may or may not continue
to consume power. For instance, if the switch interrupts the output on
the secondary side of the EPS, then the EPS would continue to consume
power when attached to mains and switched off. For this reason, DOE
proposes to treat external power supplies with on-off switches turned
off as being in off mode. Thus, in today's NOPR, DOE proposes to define
``off mode'' for external power supplies in Appendix Z, Section 2.o as:
the condition, applicable only to units having on-off switches, in
which the external power supply is (1) connected to the main
electricity supply, (2) the output is not connected to any load, and
(3) all switches are turned off.
As with DOE's proposed battery charger definition for off mode, DOE
believes this proposed definition satisfies Congress's directives that
DOE provide a means to measure energy consumption in inactive modes and
is consistent with the IEC Standard 62301 definition of standby mode.
ii. Test Method
Prior to the enactment of EISA, DOE promulgated a test procedure
regulation addressing sections 3 and 4 of Appendix Z for external power
supplies that relied on the CEC EPS test procedures, which in turn,
incorporated a means to measure the no-load energy mode. See 71 FR at
71368. Section 310 of EISA directs DOE to develop additional test
procedures to cover standby mode and off mode energy consumption for
external power supplies by December 31, 2008. See EPCA Section 325(gg).
DOE reviewed its existing test procedure, and believes that Appendix Z
already incorporates an appropriate method under which standby mode and
off mode energy consumption can be measured. Consequently, a new test
procedure is not required to comply with section 325(gg) of EPCA.
However, DOE is making minor revisions to improve the clarity and
applicability of this test procedure to the standby and off modes.
Section 3 of Appendix Z (``Test Apparatus and General
Instructions'') requires no modification, because the external power
supply test set-up does not need changing to comply with the amended
requirements provided by EISA.
To section 4 of Appendix Z (``Test Measurement''), DOE proposes
several modifications. In addition to testing requirements for standby
mode and off mode, the proposed amendments require the Department to
accommodate testing of multiple-voltage external power supplies and
switch-selectable single-voltage external power supplies. To avoid
confusion, DOE proposes to create separate standby mode and off mode
test methods for single-voltage versus multiple-voltage external power
supplies within two new subsections in section 4, with one addressing
single-voltage testing requirements and the other addressing multiple-
voltage testing requirements.
For single-voltage external power supplies, DOE proposes to specify
in Appendix Z that standby mode measurements ``shall conform to the
requirements specified in section 5, `Measurement Approach' of the
CEC's `Test Method for Calculating the Energy Efficiency of Single-
Voltage External AC-DC and AC-AC Power Supplies,' August 11, 2004,
(Incorporated by reference, see 10 CFR Part 430.22).'' The only
difference between the proposed amended test method and the one DOE
previously adopted is the definition of standby mode, which, under the
proposal, would require measurement with all on-off switches turned on.
For off mode measurement of single-voltage external power supplies,
DOE also proposes test procedure language that is virtually identical
to language DOE adopted in the December 2006 final rule specifying the
no-load mode measurement. DOE's proposed regulatory text for Appendix
Z, section 4(a)(ii) provides that during off mode, all on-off switches
on the external power supply must be switched off and the technician
need only measure Loading Condition 5 (no-load mode). For standby mode
and off mode measurements of multiple-voltage external power supplies,
DOE proposes to incorporate a no-load mode measurement in the multiple-
voltage external power supply section. This proposal parallels the
approach DOE is proposing for single-voltage power supplies.
Manufacturers would be required to conduct a power consumption
measurement with all on-off switches turned on and attribute the power
consumption to standby mode. Manufacturers would then conduct the no-
load mode measurement again with all switches turned off and attribute
that power consumption to off mode. DOE believes that this approach is
reasonable, not excessively burdensome to manufacturers, and will
result in accurate, repeatable results.
[[Page 48064]]
B. Multiple-Voltage External Power Supplies
Section 325 of EPCA, as amended by section 309 of EISA, directs DOE
to promulgate by December 19, 2009 a final rule determining whether
energy conservation standards shall be issued for external power
supplies or classes of them. Currently, these classes consist of Class
A and non-Class A external power supplies. Under Section 301 of EISA,
Congress required that Class A power supplies meet specifically
prescribed standards that became effective on July 1, 2008. The
Department is examining the possibility of developing standards for the
remaining non-Class A external power supplies that are not covered by
these statutorily-mandated standards.
Multiple-voltage external power supplies (i.e., external power
supplies that provide more than one output voltage simultaneously) have
the highest shipments and widest range of consumer product applications
of the external power supplies that fall outside of Class A. Because it
must develop test procedures prior to developing a particular
efficiency standard for a product, DOE reviewed numerous test
procedures to help develop a standardized test procedure to apply to
these products. Currently, DOE is unaware of any test procedure
developed for measuring the efficiency of multiple-voltage external
power supplies. However, DOE did identify two test procedures, the
components of which may serve as a basis for a new test procedure.
These procedures are the EPS and IPS test procedures developed by the
CEC.
These test procedures meet many of the needs of a multiple-voltage
external power supply test procedure. For example, the CEC IPS Test
Procedure prescribes methods for safely dividing the test load between
the multiple simultaneous outputs of a multiple-voltage power
converter, while the CEC EPS Test Procedure contains loading conditions
that more appropriately represent the various products powered by
multiple-voltage external power supplies. The CEC EPS Test Procedure
also contains measurement conditions for standby mode and warm-up times
that DOE believes to be appropriate for testing multiple-voltage
external power supplies because of their similarity to single-voltage
external power supplies with respect to loads and construction, which
result in similar standby mode conditions and warm-up times,
respectively.
Furthermore, the CEC EPS Test Procedure already forms the basis for
the DOE (single-voltage) external power supply test procedure and both
the CEC EPS and IPS test procedures have been adopted by ENERGY STAR
programs for external power supplies and personal computers,
respectively. More broadly, industry uses the CEC IPS Test Procedure to
test compliance with the 80 Plus voluntary efficiency guidelines \13\
for internal power supplies, while the CEC EPS Test Procedure is widely
recognized and forms the basis for voluntary and mandatory external
power supply regulations in Australia, Canada, China, the European
Union, Israel, Korea, and New Zealand.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ 80 PLUS is a program funded by utility companies that is
designed to integrate more energy-efficient power supplies into
desktop computers and servers. Among its various activities, the
program assigns labels to distinguish between different levels of
efficiency achieved by products. For more information on this
program, please see http://www.80plus.org.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Multiple-voltage external power supplies share features of both
single-voltage external power supplies and multiple-voltage internal
power supplies, and the CEC EPS and IPS Test Procedures complement each
other in matters regarding the testing of multiple-voltage external
power supplies. Because of their widespread use and acceptance, as well
as their applicability to multiple-voltage external power supplies, DOE
is proposing to incorporate sections from both the CEC EPS and IPS Test
Procedures into its new multiple-voltage test procedure.
The multiple-voltage external power supply test procedure DOE is
proposing in today's NOPR generally follows the structure of the CEC
EPS Test Procedure and maintains the order in which the test set-up
requirements and test method are presented. As the CEC EPS Test
Procedure (incorporated by reference into Appendix Z) explains, the
tested unit is placed in a standard test room and connected to
calibrated metering equipment with a certain measurement uncertainty
and resolution. The unit is then supplied with power from a regulated
AC source, and all of its output busses are loaded so that the unit is
delivering its nameplate output power. Following set-up of the test
apparatus, the unit is allowed to warm up and stabilize, and its input
and total output power are measured. The load conditions are then
adjusted and the measurements repeated.
Even though the test set-up and measurement are based on the CEC
EPS Test Procedure, the particulars are supplemented by details from
the CEC IPS Test Procedure, as necessary. In sections where neither
test procedure had appropriate language or instruction, DOE proposes
its own language to provide guidance and clarity, and to ensure that
consistent test results are obtained without excessive test burden.
Some of the details in this proposed test procedure represent what DOE
believes are improvements over the test conditions and apparatus set-up
instructions in the CEC EPS Test Procedure. These changes seek to
maintain (or improve) measurement accuracy and repeatability while
avoiding excessive testing burdens and acknowledging the limitations of
commercially available test equipment.
While the changes proposed in this section apply to the multiple-
voltage external power supply test procedure, DOE is also considering
similar amendments to the single-voltage external power supply test
procedure. These include changes to (1) the measurement resolution and
uncertainty requirement, (2) the AC source voltage requirement, (3) the
AC source distortion requirement, (4) test-lead loss measurement, and
(5) the power measurement stability requirement. DOE considers these
test condition modifications, incorporated into today's proposed
amendment for multiple-voltage external power supplies, to be
improvements over the particular test conditions used in the current
(single-voltage) test procedure. DOE is therefore also considering
adopting these changes to the single-voltage external power supply test
procedure. This means that DOE could adopt the same revised test
conditions for both single- and multiple-voltage external power
supplies. These modifications are discussed in greater detail in
section III.D below in the context of single-voltage external power
supply testing.
1. Test Apparatus and General Instructions
Although the proposed multiple-voltage test procedure is based in
large part on the CEC EPS Test Procedure, DOE proposes to make changes
to several aspects of the test setup in order to reduce testing burden
and/or improve testing accuracy. These changes consist primarily of the
elements outlined below.
i. Measurement Resolution and Uncertainty
The first test condition change incorporated into the proposed
amendment concerns power-measurement accuracy. The CEC EPS Test
Procedure requires power-measurement equipment to have a resolution
greater than or equal to 0.01
[[Page 48065]]
watts (W) for active power measurements (CEC EPS Test Procedure section
4.b), while the CEC IPS Test Procedure allows for lower resolution when
measuring higher power levels (CEC IPS Test Procedure section 5.5). The
resolution for power-measurement equipment in the CEC IPS Test
Procedures has three ranges, depending on the magnitude of the wattage
being measured. This approach is identical to that used in IEC Standard
62301,which serves as the industry reference document for standby power
measurements.
According to DOE calculations, this three-tiered power-measurement
equipment resolution requirement would result in, at most, a 0.5
percent error over the range of power measurements where the two
resolution requirements differ, namely above 10 W. Because this error
is significantly less than the 2 percent error due to measurement
uncertainty permitted by the proposed amendment, discussed in detail
below, DOE does not believe the proposed requirement will impact
efficiency measurement. It will, however, significantly decrease the
burden on testing laboratories, as they would no longer require
equipment with 0.01 W resolution at power levels greater than 100 W, to
comply with the requirements of the test procedure. In turn, this
permits the use of cheaper and more readily available equipment for
testing. DOE therefore proposes to adopt the three-tier power-
measurement equipment resolution requirements, namely: (1) 0.01 W or
better for measurements of 10 W or less; (2) 0.1 W or better for
measurements of greater than 10 W up to 100 W; and (3) 1 W or better
for measurements of greater than 100 W.
The proposed amendment would impose uncertainty requirements on the
power measurement, which have also been drawn from section 5.5 of the
CEC IPS Test Procedure, which requires that ``[m]easurements of power
of 0.5 W or greater shall be made with an uncertainty of less than or
equal to 2 percent at the 95 percent confidence level,'' while
``[m]easurements of power of less than 0.5 W shall be made with an
uncertainty of less than or equal to 0.01 W at the 95 percent
confidence level.'' These uncertainty requirements are equivalent to
those in the current DOE test procedure, with the addition of an
explicit confidence qualifier. This qualifier, which is necessary when
expressing uncertainty in measurement, is the 95 percent confidence
level customarily employed in experimental work, which accounts for
errors that fall within two standard deviations of the mean of a normal
distribution. The proposed uncertainty requirements are also equivalent
to those used in the IEC Standard 62301 test method and their adoption
would complete the test procedure and make it consistent with standard
engineering practice.
Furthermore, unlike the CEC test procedures, the proposed amendment
is explicit regarding the calibration required of the instruments used
to measure the power. The proposed amendment requires the instruments
to be calibrated in accordance with either American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) and National Conference of Standards Laboratories
(NCSL) Standard Z540.1 \14\ or International Standards Organization
(ISO) and IEC Standard 17025,\15\ two standards in wide use by
calibration laboratories. Although there are differences in scope and
stringency between the two standards, both address calibration
laboratory competency and traceability of calibration measurements to
national standards. Finally, the proposed amendment requires the
instrument to be within its calibration period, as specified on a dated
label or certificate of calibration.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\14\ ANSI/NCSL Z540.1. ``Calibration Laboratories and Measuring
and Test Equipment--General Requirements,'' American National
Standards Institute. 1994.
\15\ ISO/IEC 17025. ``General Requirements for the Competence of
Testing and Calibration Laboratories.'' International
Electrotechnical Commission. May 2005.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ii. AC Source Voltage Requirement
The second test condition change DOE is proposing would apply to
the input voltage source. The CEC EPS Test Procedure requires that
``[t]he input voltage source * * * be capable of delivering at least 10
times the nameplate input power of the unit under test (as is specified
in IEEE Standard 1515-2000).'' (CEC EPS Test Procedure section 4.e) The
IEEE standard does not require the input voltage source to be capable
of delivering 10 times the nameplate input power of the unit under
test, but rather recommends it ``[a]s a rule of thumb.'' (IEEE Standard
1515-2000 section B.2.1) Furthermore, a requirement of 10 times greater
output power may be difficult to meet when testing high-wattage power
supplies. For example, testing a 250 W external power supply would
require a 2.5 kilowatt source, capable of delivering 21.7 amperes at
115 V. A current this high exceeds the 20 amperes typically provided by
commercial distribution wiring and would require non-standard circuit
breakers, wires, and outlets, which would reduce the practicability of
testing without an appreciable benefit in measuring energy efficiency.
Finally, despite its stringency in regard to output power, this
requirement may not ensure an ideal voltage source for units under test
that have a low power factor (i.e., units that draw significant
reactive power in addition to their (active) nameplate input power). As
a result, DOE proposes to adopt CEC IPS Test Procedure, section 5.2, by
recommending an AC source output power that is 10 times greater where
practicable and specifying that the AC source voltage remain within 1
percent of 115 volts. This latter voltage requirement can be achieved
by using an AC voltage regulator, even if the line voltage varies by
more than 10 percent.
iii. AC Source Distortion Requirement
In addition to the amplitude of the AC source voltage waveform, AC
voltage regulators can also control its distortion, which describes how
closely the waveform approaches the ideal (i.e., a sine wave). AC
source voltage distortion is caused by the nonlinear current waveform
the power supply under test, as well as other loads connected to mains,
impose on the impedance of the source. The interaction between the two
can result in a decrease in the peak AC source voltage due to heavier
load on the AC source near the waveform peaks, which is observable as
``flat-topping'' of the AC voltage waveform. This lengthens the time
that the rectifier diodes are conducting and consequently reduces the
peak current during conduction. The net effect is a slight decrease in
losses in the input filter, rectifier diodes, and bulk capacitor. While
these components are minor contributors to the total losses, severe
flat-topping will slightly improve the supply's overall efficiency.
Existing power supply test procedures therefore limit the permitted AC
source distortion to ensure consistent measurement results.
The specifications of commercially available AC voltage regulators
that DOE has examined can, at best, ensure a total harmonic distortion
(THD) of the AC source voltage waveform below 3 percent. DOE is
concerned about this issue because the existing DOE external power
supply test procedure in Appendix Z, as well as the CEC EPS and IPS
Test Procedures and IEC Standard 62301, all require an AC source
voltage with a THD below 2 percent.
One method of achieving an AC source-voltage THD below 2 percent is
using an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that generates its own AC
voltage and current waveforms from batteries. DOE is concerned that UPS
equipment
[[Page 48066]]
is not intended for this purpose and is therefore not commonly found in
testing laboratories. After carefully considering this issue, DOE does
not believe that relaxing the upper limit of the THD requirement from 2
to 3 percent will noticeably affect the measurement accuracy of no-load
power or active-mode efficiency. Therefore, to decrease the testing
burden, DOE proposes to require 3 percent THD in the multiple-voltage
external power supply test procedure. DOE is also, however, considering
the adoption of the more stringent, and more difficult to meet, 2
percent requirement in the final rule for this test procedure, for
harmonization with the CEC EPS and IPS test procedures. The Department
is particularly interested in commenter views regarding the proposed
THD requirements. Commenters should present the Department with an
explanation and data supporting whichever option they believe should
apply.
iv. Test Lead Loss Measurement
Although errors in measurement can occur due to the resistance of
the test leads (i.e., wires) used to connect the unit under test to the
measurement equipment, these errors can be minimized by adhering to
correct laboratory practice. Nonetheless, section 5.4 of the CEC IPS
Test Procedure requires that testing laboratories explicitly account
for test-lead losses. In today's notice, DOE proposes to adopt this
same requirement to quantify losses in test leads. DOE also proposes to
require testing laboratories to follow Table B.2 in Appendix B of IEEE
Standard 1515-2000 when selecting the wire gauge of the test leads.
Whereas the previous requirement seeks to account and correct for
measurement errors due to test lead losses, this proposed requirement
is preventative because it seeks to minimize these losses by requiring
the selection of appropriate gauge wire.
DOE believes that these requirements will not significantly add to
the testing burden, since testing laboratories routinely calculate test
lead losses. The only additional burden would be documenting test lead
losses, which would involve a calculation of, and a correction for,
voltage drops across the test leads. These requirements are consistent
with the CEC IPS Test Procedure and would result in more accurate and
repeatable efficiency measurements. In addition to comments on this
particular proposal, DOE is interested in alternate testing approaches
that would ensure that lead losses are insignificant or otherwise
accounted.
2. Test Measurement
The test measurement method for external power supplies and battery
chargers in today's proposed rule is based on the requirements
presented in the CEC EPS and IPS Test Procedures. In preparing DOE's
proposed test measurement method, departures from the two CEC-developed
test procedures were sometimes necessary because of the particular
requirements of multiple-voltage external power supplies. These
departures are mostly superficial and the proposed test measurement
method otherwise remains consistent with the requirements of the CEC
EPS and IPS Test Procedures. The specific elements of DOE's proposal
are discussed below.
i. Power Measurement Stability Requirement
Before measuring the energy consumption of the external power
supply in active and standby mode, both the CEC EPS and IPS Test
Procedures require that the unit under test warm up and its input AC
power stabilize. These test procedures conflict, however, regarding the
time required for initial warm-up, the time for the power supply to
stabilize following a change from one loading condition to another, and
the stability criterion for accurate measurement. Each of these
differences is explained below.
Initial Warm-up
Because the operation of electronic components varies with
temperature, power supplies must be allowed to operate under full load
for a period of time long enough such that all their components reach a
steady temperature. Until this happens, a power supply will exhibit
variation in its input and output conditions (also known as ``thermal
transients''), even as the load remains constant.
The CEC EPS Test Procedure requires 30 minutes for initial warm-up,
whereas the CEC IPS Test Procedure requires 15 minutes. Although the
time the thermal transients need to settle will vary from one unit
under test to the next, the warm-up times of external power supplies
will generally be longer than those of internal power supplies, because
external power supplies do not have a cooling fan or vents in the
enclosure that promote convection like internal power supplies do.
Because of these differences, DOE is proposing to use a 30-minute warm-
up time for multiple-voltage external power supplies but with no
specific settling time when changing between loading conditions.
Stabilizing Time
Because an EPS unit under test will dissipate varying amounts of
power at each loading condition, its internal components will change
temperature when transitioning from one load condition to the next.
Since these temperature changes lead to thermal transients that affect
efficiency, both the CEC EPS and IPS Test Procedures require a period
of temperature stabilization before taking a measurement. However, DOE
believes that the 15-minute period recommended by the CEC IPS Test
Procedure may impose an unnecessary burden on the testing laboratory,
since, typically, the inputs and outputs of external power supply that
DOE tested tended to stabilize within 5 minutes. In light of this
concern, DOE is proposing to follow the CEC EPS Test Procedure by
permitting measurement as soon as the AC input power drawn by the unit
under test stabilizes.
Stability Criterion
However, the CEC EPS and IPS Test Procedures use different
stability criteria. The CEC EPS Test Procedure requires a change in the
AC input power of less than 5 percent over 5 minutes, whereas the CEC
IPS Test Procedure requires a change of less than 1 percent. DOE
believes that permitting a 5-percent variation in the AC input power
might compromise the quality of the efficiency measurement, given that
the proposal limits uncertainty in power measurements to 2 percent (at
the 95 percent confidence level) in paragraph III.B.1.i, above.
However, this same uncertainty limit may make stability to within 1
percent difficult to achieve. Consequently, DOE is proposing that if 1-
percent stability cannot be achieved, the testing laboratory may
calculate average power over a 5-minute period through mathematical
integration, which is consistent with IEC Standard 62301.\16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\16\ DOE is also proposing to amend the single-voltage test
procedure to include this stricter requirement on power supply
stability, as discussed in section III.D.5 of this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ii. Loading Conditions
Using elements of the CEC EPS and IPS procedures, DOE proposes a
hybrid loading condition that would be used to measure the energy
efficiency of multiple-voltage external power supplies. Because the
efficiency of a power supply is a function of load current, a test
procedure must specify loading conditions to make the results
[[Page 48067]]
comparable and representative of actual usage. Section 4.3 of the CEC
IPS Test Procedure requires that the unit under test be tested at 100,
50, 20 percent, and, in some cases, 10 percent of full load. The 100,
50, and 20 percent loading represent the current draw of a computer
operating at full, medium, and light load, respectively, while the 10-
percent loading condition represents the scenario where the internal
power supply operates redundantly as part of a pair of power supplies
in a server application.
The CEC IPS loading conditions presented above represent specific
operating modes of a computer, and may not reflect the typical loads
presented by the wider range of applications powered by multiple-
voltage external power supplies. Because of these differences, DOE
proposes instead that multiple-voltage external power supply loading
conditions be based on the same ones used in DOE's current (single-
voltage) external power supply test procedure, which is based on the
CEC EPS test procedure. Specifically, the loads DOE proposes to use are
100, 75, 50, and 25 percent of full load. These loading conditions are
accepted by industry as representative of the loads presented by the
wider range of consumer products beyond computers. Like the current
single-voltage test procedure, the proposed amendment also requires the
reported efficiency to equal the simple average of the four
efficiencies measured at each loading point (i.e., 100, 75, 50, and 25
percent of full load).
iii. Proportional Allocation
DOE investigated several approaches to loading the outputs of a
multiple-voltage external power supply. For example, DOE considered the
possibility of testing each output bus independently of the others, by
loading each bus sequentially to 100, 75, 50, and 25 percent of its
nameplate output current while leaving the others unloaded. However,
this approach is unacceptable for two reasons. First, even when an
output bus is loaded to 100 percent of its nameplate output current,
the output power (output current multiplied by voltage) delivered by
the bus will be much smaller than the nameplate output power of the
power supply as a whole. Because certain components in the power supply
will not be operating near their maximum rated power, they are likely
to remain cool, so any losses in efficiency caused by internal heating
will not be captured by this approach. Second, many multiple-output
power supplies place restrictions on the minimum output current, which
can prevent one output from operating while others remain unloaded,
possibly invalidating the measurement.
Comparing the differences between single and multiple-voltage
external power supplies helps to highlight the practical considerations
DOE is weighing in its proposal. For this discussion, the DC output of
a single-voltage external power supply can be fully characterized by
three parameters: Output voltage, output current, and their product,
output power. Because each parameter can be calculated from the other
two, only two are typically listed on the power supply nameplate:
voltage and current, or voltage and power.
Loading a single-voltage power supply for measuring efficiency
begins with reading the output current listed on the nameplate, or if
not listed, calculating it by dividing the nameplate output power by
the output voltage. A test load connected to the output of the power
supply is then adjusted such that the power supply produces an output
of 100, 75, 50, and 25 percent of this nameplate current. At each
loading condition, the output power into the load is divided by the
input power into the external power supply to calculate the efficiency.
By comparison, loading multiple-voltage power supplies is more
complicated because they feature multiple outputs capable of delivering
power to a load (termed ``output busses'' to distinguish them from non-
power outputs used in some systems for communication between the power
supply and the load). In addition to the nameplate output power of the
power supply, the test method must take into account the parameters
that characterize each output bus: Nameplate output voltage and current
or power. To load a multiple-voltage external power supply to 100, 75,
50, and 25 percent of full load while operating within the
specifications of the output busses and the power supply as a whole,
DOE proposes to use a loading method termed ``proportional
allocation.''
The ``proportional allocation'' method, which is found in section
6.1.1 of the CEC IPS Test Procedure, requires all output busses to be
simultaneously loaded to, in sequence, 100, 75, 50, and 25 percent of
their individual nameplate output currents. These loads are scaled (or
``derated'') so as not to exceed the nameplate output power of the
power supply as a whole. The derating process is explained below.
As mentioned previously, each output bus of a multiple-voltage
power supply is characterized by a nameplate output voltage and
current, which, when multiplied together, result in the nameplate
output power of the bus. Additionally, the power supply as a whole has
its own nameplate output power, which may differ from the sum of the
bus nameplate output powers. If the nameplate output power were smaller
than the sum, and each output bus were loaded to 100 percent of its
nameplate output currents, the busses' combined output power would
exceed the supply's nameplate output power, forcing the integrated
safety circuitry to shut the device down, rendering any efficiency
measurement invalid. The proportional allocation method in the proposed
amendment would require the testing technician to derate the load
currents for each bus so that the sum of their output powers does not
exceed the nameplate output power of the power supply. This method
would permit a valid measurement to be conducted even in the above case
where the sum of the output bus nameplate output powers exceeds the
nameplate output power of the supply.
Prior to loading the output busses and conducting measurements, a
derating factor is calculated by dividing the nameplate output power of
the supply by the sum of the bus nameplate output powers. If the
derating factor is greater than or equal to 1, the sum of the bus
nameplate output powers is smaller than the nameplate output power of
the supply. The power output by the busses at 100 percent of their
nameplate output current will not exceed the nameplate output power of
the supply, so no derating is necessary. Efficiency testing is
conducted while simultaneously loading all the busses sequentially to
100, 75, 50, and 25 percent of their nameplate output currents. If, on
the other hand, the derating factor is less than 1, the sum of the bus
nameplate output powers is greater than the nameplate output power of
the supply. The power output by the busses at 100 percent of their
nameplate output current will exceed the nameplate output power of the
power supply. To prevent the power supply from shutting down during
testing, due to excessive output power, derating is necessary.
Efficiency testing would be conducted while simultaneously loading all
the busses sequentially to 100, 75, 50, and 25 percent of their
nameplate output currents, multiplied by the derating factor.
iv. Minimum Output Current Requirement
DOE is aware of many multiple-voltage external power supply
specifications that require a certain
[[Page 48068]]
minimum output current on one or more of the output busses. In a few of
the external power supplies DOE examined, the minimum output current
for one bus is greater than the 25 percent of nameplate current
required for testing under proposed Loading Condition 1 (i.e., 100
percent of derated nameplate output current). Although the power supply
may still operate, it may not be able to regulate the output voltage of
the affected bus, which would cause the output voltage to fall outside
of the nameplate value.
Although it is possible to conduct measurements disregarding output
voltage, DOE does not believe that this will result in a meaningful
measurement of efficiency, since a power supply in typical usage is
unlikely to operate outside its specified current range. Therefore, to
address this situation, DOE proposes to include in its test procedure
for multiple-voltage external power supplies procedures that are
consistent with section 4.3 of the IPS Test Procedure. Specifically,
DOE's proposed procedure would require the laboratory technician to
continue increasing the load current for each affected output until it
equals the minimum output current and to measure the input and output
power only when the external power supply is operating within its
specifications.
v. No-Load Mode Testing
In addition to requiring measurements under the four active mode
loading conditions, the proposed amendment also requires measurement at
0 percent load, i.e., the standby or no-load mode. The proposed
amendment follows the current DOE test procedure rather than the
standby mode definition and measurement method of the CEC IPS Test
Procedure, which involves placing the power supply into a low-power
mode by using an external control signal. While the CEC IPS approach
may work for some multiple-voltage external power supplies, most of the
multiple-voltage external power supplies DOE examined do not have any
control inputs or explicit low-power modes. The proposed amendment
therefore would require standby mode energy consumption testing under
the same conditions as the existing DOE single-voltage external power
supply test procedure, which would make the no-load condition
applicable to all multiple-voltage external power supplies.
C. External Power Supply Test Procedure Definitions
In reviewing Appendix Z, DOE found that some of its existing test
procedure definitions differ slightly from the ones stakeholders
currently use, while other terms were undefined and may have caused
confusion. To address the problem, today's notice proposes
modifications to the definitions of ``active mode,'' ``active-mode
efficiency,'' ``no-load mode,'' ``total harmonic distortion,'' and
``true power factor.'' In addition, DOE proposes new definitions for
the terms ``active power,'' ``ambient temperature,'' ``apparent
power,'' ``instantaneous power,'' ``minimum output current,''
``multiple-voltage external power supply,'' ``nameplate input
frequency,'' ``nameplate input voltage,'' ``nameplate output current,''
``nameplate output power,'' ``nameplate output voltage,'' ``off mode,''
``output bus,'' ``standby mode,'' ``switch-selectable single-voltage
external power supply,'' and ``unit under test.'' By amending these
definitions and incorporating new ones, DOE aims to improve the clarity
and utility of its test procedure for external power supplies. The new
definitions of ``standby mode'' and ``off mode'' are discussed above in
section III.A.2.i. While DOE is not proposing changes to the
definitions for ``single-voltage AC-AC power supply'' and ``single-
voltage AC-DC power supply'', they are included with the proposed
amendments to Section 2 of Appendix Z because their numbering would
change within the section.
1. Revisions to Existing Definitions
In December 2006, DOE codified definitions for technical terms used
in the test procedure for external power supplies. 71 FR at 71368. In a
recent review of the definitions of these same terms in IEEE Standard
1515-2000, IEEE Standard 100, and the CEC EPS and IPS Test Procedures,
DOE found differences between its definitions and those used in these
technical documents. If DOE's proposed test procedure for multiple-
voltage external power supplies is adopted in the final rule, some of
DOE's terms will require modification or additions to permit testing of
multiple-voltage units.
To address these issues, DOE proposes to make the following changes
to the Appendix Z definitions: (1) Modify the definition of ``active
mode'' to encompass multiple-voltage external power supplies; (2) add a
citation to IEEE Standard 1515-2000 to the ``active-mode efficiency''
definition; (3) modify the definition of ``no-load mode'' to apply to
multiple-voltage external power supplies; and (4) revise the
definitions of ``total harmonic distortion'' and ``true power factor''
to be consistent with IEEE Standard 1515-2000.
Within the proposed change to ``active mode'' described above, DOE
also proposes a minor revision to the definition to make it consistent
with the definition of ``active mode'' contained in section 321 of
EPCA, as amended by section 301(a)(1)(B) of EISA. This definition
reads: ``The term `active mode' means the mode of operation when an
external power supply is connected to the main electricity supply and
the output is connected to a load.'' Except for the use of the verb
``is'' rather than ``means'' immediately following the words ``active
mode'', this definition is identical to the definition DOE codified in
its December 2006 final rule. In today's notice, DOE proposes to
replace ``is'' with ``means'' to conform the proposed definition to the
EISA amendments. DOE also proposes to insert two parenthetical
statements to make the definition of ``active mode'' applicable to
multiple-voltage external power supplies, which have more than one
output. This proposed change is necessitated by DOE's desire to provide
adequate test procedures covering multiple-voltage power supplies. The
proposed definition for ``active mode efficiency'' to be inserted in
Appendix Z to Subpart B of Part 430, Section 2.a. would read as
follows:
Active mode means the mode of operation when the external power
supply is connected to the main electricity supply and the output is
(or ``all outputs are'' for a multiple-voltage external power
supply) connected to a load (or ``loads'' for a multiple-voltage
external power supply).
DOE also proposes amending the definition of ``active mode
efficiency'' in Section 2.b of Appendix Z to include a reference to
section 4.3.1.1 of IEEE Standard 1515-2000, which the CEC EPS Test
Procedure references. DOE believes it appropriate to reference IEEE
Standard 1515-2000 because it provides a formula for calculating the
efficiency that applies to external power supplies with one or more
outputs. DOE's proposed revised definition of ``active mode
efficiency'' would make it more consistent with the CEC EPS definition.
The only difference remaining between the definitions of ``active mode
efficiency'' used in the DOE external power supply and the CEC EPS test
procedures is that the CEC definition states that output power is AC or
DC and input power is AC. DOE is not proposing to include this
statement about the type of input or output power in its definition
because DOE does not consider it to be crucial to the definition.
[[Page 48069]]
DOE also proposes to revise the definition of ``no-load mode'' to
make it applicable to multiple-voltage external power supplies by
inserting parenthetical statements that change specific statements in
the definition from singular to plural to account for the fact that
multiple-voltage external power supplies have more than one output.
Notwithstanding these revisions, the language of the ``no-load mode''
definition is the same as the language DOE codified in its December
2006 final rule (71 FR at 71368) and contained in section 321 of EPCA,
as amended by section 301(a)(1)(A) of EISA. Section III.A.2.i above
discusses the definition as it relates to ``no-load mode.''
Additionally, DOE proposes revising the definition of ``total
harmonic distortion'' to make it consistent with the definitions of
total harmonic distortion contained in the IEEE Standard 1515-2000 and
the CEC IPS Test Procedure. DOE's current definition, also codified in
the December 2006 test procedure final rule (71 FR at 71368), describes
total harmonic distortion in general terms but does not include a
mathematical equation, which would enhance the clarity of the
definition. DOE found in its recent review of definitions used by IEEE
Standard 1515-2000 and the CEC EPS and IPS Test Procedures all include
an equation in helping to define total harmonic distortion. Therefore,
to ensure consistency and uniformity with these other definitions, DOE
proposes to add an equation to the definition of total harmonic
distortion.
Further, the proposed DOE definition for total harmonic distortion
includes all harmonic components up to and including the nth harmonic,
which is consistent with IEEE Standard 1515-2000 and the CEC IPS Test
Procedure. However, in practice, the measurement of total harmonic
distortion is limited to harmonics up to and including the 13th
harmonic. This limitation is due to the CEC EPS Test Procedure
referenced in section 3 of Appendix Z that the ``THD of the supply
voltage * * * shall not exceed 2%, up to and including the 13th
harmonic.'' Thus, although the proposed DOE definition is more
expansive than the definition contained in the CEC EPS Test Procedure,
barring any other variables, the proposed test method incorporates
limits that would yield the same measured results as the IEEE and IPS
test methods. Accordingly, DOE believes that this revision will improve
the clarity of the definition and align it with the industry's
definitions of total harmonic distortion. DOE's proposed definition for
THD would be inserted in Appendix Z, Section 2.u. and read as follows:
Total harmonic distortion, expressed as a percent, is the RMS
value of an AC signal after the fundamental component is removed and
interharmonic components are ignored, divided by the RMS value of
the fundamental component. THD of current is defined as:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP15AU08.004
where In is the RMS value of the nth harmonic of the current signal.
Finally, DOE proposes revising the definition of ``true power
factor'' in 10 CFR Part 430 by adding a statement to incorporate the
effects of distortion and displacement. This statement clarifies that
``true power factor'' should account for both components of power
factor-distortion and displacement. Distortion refers to harmonic
components that prevent the current waveform from being a perfect sine
wave; displacement refers to a phase shift between the current and
voltage waveforms. DOE believes that adding this statement to the
definition of true power factor would remove any ambiguity of its
interpretation. This proposed change would also allow DOE to align its
definition with the definitions in the EPS Test Procedure, IEEE
Standard 1515-2000, and IEEE Standard 100, all of which include this
statement. The revised definition, which incorporates the effects of
both distortion and displacement, would if adopted, be inserted into
Appendix Z, Section 2.v. and read as follows:
True power factor (PF) is the ratio of the active power (P)
consumed in watts to the apparent power (S), drawn in volt-amperes.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP15AU08.005
2. New Definitions
Although the December 2006 final rule included numerous definitions
related to battery charger and external power supply energy efficiency
ratings, it did not define some terms that were omitted from the
external power supply test procedure or common electrical engineering
terms. DOE is concerned, however, that not clarifying these terms could
lead to confusion or inconsistency in how the test procedure is
applied. Accordingly, DOE is proposing to incorporate these new terms
and definitions in section 2--``Definitions''--of Appendix Z.
Specifically, DOE proposes to define separately ``active power''
and ``apparent power,'' which were previously defined within the
definition of ``true power factor.'' DOE is also proposing definitions
for ``ambient temperature'' and ``unit under test'' that are consistent
with IEEE Standard 1515-2000. The Department is also proposing to
define the terms ``minimum output current,'' ``multiple-voltage
external power supply,'' and ``output bus,'' which are used in the
context of the multiple-voltage external power supply test procedure.
Additionally, DOE is proposing definitions of ``instantaneous power,''
``nameplate input frequency,'' ``nameplate input voltage,'' ``nameplate
output current,'' ``nameplate output power,'' and ``nameplate output
voltage'' that are consistent with definitions in the CEC EPS Test
Procedure. Finally, DOE proposes to add a definition for ``switch-
selectable single-voltage external power supply'' similar to one under
consideration by other countries. These proposed definitions are
detailed below.
Active Power
DOE proposes to define the term ``active power'' in its external
power supply test procedure using the CEC EPS Test Procedure definition
and including a reference to IEEE Standard 1515-2000. DOE has inserted
a citation to IEEE Standard 1515-2000 because the IEEE definition
contains a formula that could be helpful in explaining how voltage and
current should be multiplied and integrated to determine active power.
DOE is not proposing to include the IEEE Standard 1515-2000 equation in
its definition because this equation is not part of the CEC EPS Test
Procedure. DOE believes that its proposed definition for ``active
power'' harmonizes with existing industry definitions and adds clarity
to DOE's test procedure. The proposed definition, which would replace
the definition
[[Page 48070]]
currently in Appendix Z, section 2.c., would read as follows:
Active power means the RMS\17\ value of the instantaneous power
taken over one period. (See IEEE Standard 1515-2000).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\17\ RMS stands for ``Root Mean Square'' and is the square root
of the average of the squares of a set of numbers (in this case,
measured levels of instantaneous power consumption).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ambient Temperature
The proposed definition for ``ambient temperature'' is the same as
the definition in the CEC EPS Test Procedure, IEEE Standard 1515-2000,
and IEEE Standard 100, except that DOE uses the phrase ``unit under
test,'' while the EPS Test Procedure simply uses the acronym ``UUT,''
and the IEEE Standard 100 definition uses the phrase ``object under
consideration.'' While these are minor language differences, it is
clear that in all cases the definitions are referring to the external
power supply being tested and are otherwise substantially identical to
each other. DOE believes that its proposed definition, which is exactly
the same as IEEE Standard 1515-2000, aligns with the industry
definitions of ambient temperature and clarifies the external power
supply test procedure. Accordingly, DOE's proposed definition for
ambient temperature would be inserted into Appendix Z, Section 2.d. and
read as follows:
Ambient temperature means the temperature of the ambient air
immediately surrounding the unit under test.
Apparent Power
DOE proposes to use the same definition for ``apparent power'' in
its test procedure as the one found in the CEC EPS Test Procedure, IEEE
Standard 1515-2000, and IEEE Standard 100. All three definitions
specify that apparent power is the product of RMS voltage and RMS
current. IEEE Standard 100 also describes how to calculate RMS voltage
and RMS current. DOE believes that its proposed definition, which would
be inserted in Appendix Z, Section 2.e. and be defined as ``the product
of RMS voltage and RMS current,'' aligns with existing industry
definitions of apparent power and clarifies the external power supply
test procedure.
Instantaneous Power
DOE proposes to include and define the term ``instantaneous power''
in its test procedure. The proposed definition adopts the language from
the CEC EPS Test Procedure definition verbatim and represents the
product of the instantaneous voltage and instantaneous current at a
port (the terminal pair of a load). DOE believes that the CEC EPS Test
Procedure definition is accurate and complete, and its adoption would
help clarify this term for any users of the DOE test procedure. In
addition, DOE cannot conceive of any reason why this definition would
not be applicable to both single-voltage and multiple-voltage external
power supplies. For all of these reasons, DOE proposes to define
instantaneous power in Appendix Z, Section 2.f. as follows:
Instantaneous power means the product of the instantaneous
voltage and instantaneous current at a port (the terminal pair of a
load).
Minimum Output Current
DOE's proposed definition for minimum output current would describe
this term precisely and clarify the external power supply test
procedure, which uses the term minimum output current to specify the
loading conditions for multiple-voltage units. DOE is proposing to
define this term in Appendix Z, Section 2.g. as follows:
Minimum output current means the minimum current that must be
drawn from an output bus for an external power supply to operate
within its specifications.
Multiple-Voltage External Power Supply
DOE proposes to define the term ``multiple-voltage external power
supply'' in its test procedure. As discussed in section III.B, DOE
proposes to incorporate into its test procedure a method that
manufacturers can use to test and report on the efficiency of a
multiple-voltage external power supply. The proposed definition is
based on the language used in the CEC EPS Test Procedure for single-
voltage external power, adapted to multiple-voltage units with more
than one output. DOE believes that its proposed definition is accurate
and complete, and its adoption would help to clarify this term for any
users of the DOE test procedure. Accordingly, DOE is proposing to
define this term in Appendix Z, Section 2.h. as follows:
Multiple-voltage external power supply means an external power
supply that is designed to convert line voltage AC input into more
than one simultaneous lower-voltage output.
Nameplate Input Frequency, Input Voltage, Output Current, Output Power,
and Output Voltage
DOE proposes to define the terms ``nameplate input frequency,''
``nameplate input voltage,'' ``nameplate output current,'' ``nameplate
output power,'' and ``nameplate output voltage'' in its test procedure.
These terms all refer to the manufacturers' ratings affixed to the
outside of the case of an external power supply denoting the maximum or
typical input and output parameters. The proposed DOE definitions are
consistent with the CEC EPS Test Procedure definitions but more
concise. DOE found in its review of definitions that the CEC EPS Test
Procedure definitions included illustrative language or examples, which
DOE believes extraneous to its purposes. Accordingly, DOE is proposing
to define these terms in Appendix Z, Sections 2.i-2.m as follows:
i. Nameplate input frequency means the AC input frequency of the
power supply as specified on the manufacturer's label on the power
supply housing.
j. Nameplate input voltage means the AC input voltage of the
power supply as specified on the manufacturer's label on the power
supply housing.
k. Nameplate output current means the current output of the
power supply as specified on the manufacturer's label on the power
supply housing (either DC or AC).
l. Nameplate output power means the power output of the power
supply as specified on the manufacturer's label on the power supply
housing.
m. Nameplate output voltage means the voltage output of the
power supply as specified on the manufacturer's label on the power
supply housing (either DC or AC).
Output Bus
DOE proposes to define the term ``output bus'' in its test
procedure for external power supplies. An output bus is physically
composed of output wires from the power supply that are able to deliver
power to a load. DOE proposes to define this term in Appendix Z,
Section 2.p. as follows:
Output bus means any of the outputs of the power supply, to
which loads can be connected and from which power can be drawn, as
opposed to signal connections used for communication.
Switch-Selectable Single-Voltage External Power Supply
Since this rulemaking proposes a test method under which
manufacturers would test and state the efficiency of their switch-
selectable single-voltage external power supplies, DOE also proposes to
include and define in its test procedure the term ``switch-selectable
single-voltage external power supply.'' DOE seeks to clarify the
distinction between a ``switch-selectable single-voltage power
supply,'' which provides only one of several output voltages at a time,
and a ``multiple-voltage external power supply,'' which provides
multiple voltages simultaneously. DOE's proposed definition for this
term is based on a draft Australian/New Zealand standards
[[Page 48071]]
document and, if adopted, would help harmonize its usage. Accordingly,
DOE is proposing to define this term in Appendix Z, Section 2.t. as
follows:
Switch-selectable single-voltage external power supply means a
single-voltage AC-AC or AC-DC power supply that allows users to
choose from more than one output voltage.
Unit Under Test
Finally, DOE proposes to define the term ``unit under test'' in its
external power supply test procedure. The proposed definition into
Appendix Z to Subpart B of Part 430, Section 2.w states that the unit
under test means ``the external power supply being tested.'' Since the
unit under test in this test procedure always applies to the external
power supply being tested, DOE's proposed definition is consistent with
how this term is interpreted by industry when using the external power
supply test procedure.
DOE welcomes stakeholder comments on all of the proposed
definitions for the external power supply test procedure.
D. Single-Voltage External Power Supply Test Procedure Amendments
During the development of the test procedure for multiple-voltage
external power supplies, DOE found areas for improvement in its
existing (single-voltage) external power supply test procedure codified
in Appendix Z. To improve the existing (single-voltage) external power
supply test procedure, DOE is weighing the incorporation of a number of
changes to Appendix Z. These changes would involve sections 3 and 4 and
would, among other things, help tighten the testing requirements to
help improve the accuracy of test results.
Specifically, DOE is considering four changes to the Test Apparatus
and General Instructions (section 3 of Appendix Z): (1) Adopting the
same three-step resolution requirement for equipment at powers greater
than 10 W; (2) replacing the requirement on AC input voltage source
output power with a requirement that the AC source voltage remain
within 1 percent of 115 volts; (3) loosening the AC source voltage THD
requirement from less than or equal to 2 percent to less than or equal
to 3 percent; and (4) requiring full accounting of losses associated
with the test leads. These proposed changes are designed to improve the
existing test conditions and clarify the test procedure instructions.
A further change to section 4 of Appendix Z would tighten the
stability requirement for power measurement from 5 percent to 1
percent, yielding more repeatable and accurate test results. DOE
specifically requests stakeholder comments on the possibility of
amending some of the same requirements in its single-voltage external
power supply test procedure as are proposed in section III.B above for
multiple-voltage external power supplies (section III.B).
DOE believes that incorporating the proposed changes for multiple-
voltage external power supplies into the single-voltage test procedure
would improve the accuracy and repeatability of measurements and, on
the whole, ease the testing burden on manufacturers. However, while DOE
believes that the proposed amendments for multiple-voltage EPSs are
both reasonable and appropriate, DOE is also concerned about departures
from the CEC EPS Test Procedure (single-voltage) requirements, which
have been adopted internationally. Consequently, DOE is not proposing
revised regulatory text for single-voltage EPSs, but is considering
whether to revise the current test procedure in the manner described in
the sections that follow. Stakeholder comments are sought on this issue
to help DOE decide whether to incorporate these revisions in the final
rule. As discussed in the following sections, DOE is considering
amending the single-voltage test procedure, regarding measurement
resolution and uncertainty, AC source voltage requirements, AC source
distortion requirements, test lead loss measurements, and power
measurement stability requirements. DOE is requesting comments on these
changes under consideration.
1. Measurement Resolution and Uncertainty
The Test Apparatus and General Instructions section (section 3 of
Appendix Z) of the DOE power supply test procedure references the CEC
EPS Test Procedure, which sets out in section 4.b a requirement that
all power measurements shall be made with a measurement resolution of
0.01 W or better. As discussed in section III.B.1.i above, this
requirement would likely be burdensome and not result in significant
gains in measurement accuracy. This measurement resolution requirement
is also in conflict with IEC Standard 62301, which incorporates the
aforementioned three-tiered approach for measurement resolution. To
address this difference between the DOE test procedure and IEC Standard
62301, DOE is considering adopting the IEC 62301 approach by amending
the single-voltage external power supply test procedure in section 3(a)
of Appendix Z to include the following resolution requirement for power
measurements: (1) 0.01 W or better for measurements of 10 W or less,
(2) 0.1 W or better for measurements of greater than 10 W up to 100 W,
and (3) 1 W or better for measurements of greater than 100 W.
Similarly, the CEC IPS Test Procedure qualifies its measurement
uncertainty requirements by including confidence levels, which are
missing both from the CEC EPS and DOE single-voltage test procedure.
Adopting these confidence levels would complete the single-voltage test
procedure and align it with general engineering practice and IEC
Standard 62301.
2. AC Source Voltage Requirement
The Test Apparatus and General Instructions section of the DOE test
procedure (section 3 of Appendix Z) references the CEC EPS Test
Procedure, which sets a requirement in section 4.e that the AC source
voltage have an output power 10 times greater than the nameplate output
power of the unit under test. As discussed in section III.B.1.ii above,
this requirement may be burdensome for testing laboratories and may not
guarantee a constant voltage in cases of significant reactive power
draw due to a unit under test with a low power factor. DOE is therefore
considering amending its single-voltage external power supply test
procedure in section 3(a) of Appendix Z to include a requirement that
the AC source voltage not deviate by more than 1 percent from its
nominal value, achievable with an AC voltage regulator and, where
practicable, the input voltage source be capable of delivering at least
10 times the nameplate input power of the unit under test (as
recommended by IEEE Standard 1515-2000).
3. AC Source Distortion Requirement
The Test Apparatus and General Instructions section of the DOE test
procedure (section 3 of Appendix Z) references the CEC EPS Test
Procedure, which includes a requirement in section 4.e that the AC
source have a THD of less than 2 percent. As discussed in section
III.B.1.iii of this notice, this requirement may be burdensome, since
the specifications of common laboratory-grade AC regulators that DOE
has reviewed can only guarantee a THD of less than 3 percent, not 2
percent. DOE is therefore considering amending the single-voltage
external power supply test in section 3(a) of Appendix Z procedure to
include a requirement that the AC source THD be no greater than 3
percent, consistent with DOE's proposal for multiple-voltage external
power supplies.
[[Page 48072]]
4. Test Lead Loss Measurement
The Test Apparatus and General Instructions section of the DOE test
procedure (section 3 of Appendix Z) references the CEC EPS Test
Procedure, which sets a requirement that the test apparatus use leads
with ``large gauge and short length.'' CEC EPS Test Procedure, section
4.f. As discussed in section III.B.1.iv, this requirement does not
fully account for, or explicitly limit, the error that may be
introduced into the measurements due to test lead resistance. DOE is
therefore considering following the approach used in the CEC IPS Test
Procedure by amending the single-voltage external power supply test
procedure in section 3(a) of Appendix Z to include a requirement that
the testing laboratory account for and document the losses in the test
leads.
5. Power Measurement Stability Requirement
The Test Measurement section of the DOE test procedure (section 4
of Appendix Z) references the CEC EPS Test Procedure, which sets a
requirement in section 5.d that the AC input power into the unit under
test must not drift by more than 5 percent from the maximum value
observed when conducting instantaneous measurements. As discussed in
section III.B.2.i, DOE believes that this 5-percent stability
requirement is not stringent enough and could introduce some error into
the efficiency measurement.
To address this issue, DOE is considering adopting part of the
procedures presented in the CEC IPS Test Procedure by amending the
requirements in the single-voltage external power supply test procedure
in section 4(a) of Appendix Z to require a 1-percent stability
criterion, while retaining provisions for the calculation of average
power through integration when that stability requirement cannot be
met.
E. Switch-Selectable Voltage External Power Supplies
In reviewing the DOE test procedure (Appendix Z), DOE noted that it
does not explain to manufacturers how they should test and rate
external power supplies that incorporate a switch that enables users to
vary the output voltage of the unit under test. To remedy this gap, DOE
proposes that external power supplies with a switch-selectable output
voltage shall be tested at the maximum and minimum voltage setting.
Under this proposal, an external power supply with a switch-selectable
output voltage would be considered in compliance with an energy
efficiency standard if it meets or exceeds the minimum requirements at
both its lowest and highest selectable output voltage. Conducting both
tests makes DOE's procedures consistent with those of the ENERGY STAR
\18\ and Australian and New Zealand \19\ external power supply
efficiency programs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\18\ ``ENERGY STAR[supreg] Program Requirements for Single
Voltage-voltage External Ac-Dc and Ac-Ac Power Supplies Eligibility
Criteria (Version 2.0),'' Final Draft, February 19, 2008.
\19\ AS/NZS 4665.2, ``Minimum Energy Performance Standards
(MEPS) Requirements,'' Draft.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
F. Submission of Certification Test Data to DOE
Manufacturers of covered and regulated products must file
documentation with DOE to certify that the products they are
distributing into commerce in the United States are compliant with the
Federal energy conservation standards. EISA modified EPCA by
establishing standards for Class A external power supplies, including
minimum active-mode efficiency and maximum no-load power consumption.
In prescribing these standards, Congress effectively extended the pre-
existing certification requirements to apply to Class A external power
supplies. Consequently, DOE is including these products in the
requirements of 10 CFR part 430.
1. Background
In its July 2006 NOPR, DOE had proposed several components of the
certification and enforcement procedure for both battery chargers and
external power supplies, including definitions of ``basic model'' and
``covered product,'' a sampling plan, and test procedures. 71 FR at
42178. In December 2006, DOE codified some of the measures proposed in
the July 2006 NOPR, including modifications to the definitions of
``basic model'' and ``covered product'' and the test procedures. 71 FR
at 71340.
In the following section, DOE provides a summary review and several
cross-references to its actions with respect to the certification and
enforcement provisions for battery chargers and external power
supplies.
i. Definition of ``Basic Model''
In its December 2006 Final Rule, DOE codified amendments to the
definition of ``basic model'' in 10 CFR 430.2 to make it applicable to
battery chargers and external power supplies. 71 FR at 71365. These
amendments to the definition of a basic model establish how this term
applies to these two products. The basic model concept is important
because it represents the level at which manufacturers must demonstrate
that they comply with any Federal regulation. By including discussion
of this term in today's NOPR, DOE is not re-opening and revising the
definitions of basic model for battery chargers or external power
supplies. Instead, DOE is including this discussion to facilitate
stakeholder interpretation of how this term, previously defined,
applies to these two products.
The codified language adopted in December 2006 concerning the basic
model definitions for battery chargers and external power supplies read
as follows:
Basic model means all units of a given type of covered product
(or class thereof) manufactured by one manufacturer and--
* * * * *
(25) With respect to battery chargers, which have electrical
characteristics that are essentially identical, and which do not
have any different physical or functional characteristics that
affect energy consumption.
(26) With respect to external power supplies, which have
electrical characteristics that are essentially identical, and which
do not have any different physical or functional characteristics
that affect energy consumption.
As previously discussed, EISA established energy conservation
standards for Class A external power supplies. Starting on the
effective date of that standard, manufacturers are required to track
the efficiency of their designs and certify compliance at the basic
model level. The phrase ``any different physical or functional
characteristics that affect energy consumption'' means that any
modification for a particular product which changes the efficiency
becomes a new basic model. In other words, three 50 W power supplies
having similar electrical design characteristics but having 8 V, 18 V
and 40 V outputs would be classified as three different basic models
because the functional characteristic of output voltage will affect
efficiency. Similarly, three 50 W power supplies having exactly the
same electrical design characteristics but having a 4 foot, 6 foot, and
8 foot output cords would be classified as three different basic models
because this physical characteristic affects energy consumption. In
essence, if an EPS manufacturer creates a custom design to fulfill an
order from a customer, that design would represent a new basic model if
any modification to that design affects the energy consumption of the
device.
[[Page 48073]]
ii. Definition of ``Covered Product''
In its December 2006 Final Rule, DOE codified an amendment to the
definition of ``covered product'' in 10 CFR 430.2 to clarify that the
term applies to a ``battery charger'' and an ``external power supply.''
71 FR at 71366. Following that amendment, the definition of a covered
product reads as follows:
Covered product means a consumer product: (1) Of a type
specified in section 322 of the Act, or (2) That is a ceiling fan,
ceiling fan light kit, medium base compact fluorescent lamp,
dehumidifier, battery charger, external power supply, or torchiere.
iii. Sampling Plan
DOE is in the process of completing and publishing its Final Rule
to address those items that were not addressed in the December 2006
final rule. These items include codifying the sampling plans that were
proposed in July 2006, including one each for battery chargers and
external power supplies. The sampling plan determines the number of
units of each basic model a manufacturer must test as the basis for
rating the model and determining whether it complies with an applicable
Federal standard.
The sampling plans follow the same approach as for other regulated
products listed in 10 CFR Part 430. When proposing these sampling plans
for battery chargers and external power supplies, DOE considered four
factors: (1) Minimizing manufacturers' testing time and costs; (2)
assuring compatibility with other sampling plans the Department has
promulgated; (3) providing a highly statistically valid probability
that basic models that are tested meet applicable energy conservation
standards; and (4) providing a highly statistically valid probability
that a manufacturer preliminarily found to be in noncompliance will
actually be in noncompliance.
In the July 2006 NOPR, DOE proposed the following rule language
with respect to the sampling plan for battery chargers (71 FR at
42204):
(aa) For each basic model of battery charger selected for
testing, a sample of sufficient size shall be selected at random and
tested to ensure that--(1) Any represented value of the estimated
nonactive energy ratio or other measure of energy consumption of a
basic model for which consumers would favor lower values shall be no
less than the higher of: (i) The mean of the sample, or (ii) The
upper 97.5 percent confidence limit of the true mean divided by
1.05, and (2) Any represented value of the estimated nonactive
energy ratio or other measure of energy consumption of a basic model
for which consumers would favor higher values shall be no greater
than the lower of: (i) The mean of the sample, or (ii) The lower
97.5 percent confidence limit of the true mean divided by 0.95.
In the July 2006 NOPR, DOE proposed the following rule language
with respect to the sampling plan for external power supplies (71 FR at
42204):
(bb) For each basic model of external power supply selected for
testing, a sample of sufficient size shall be selected at random and
tested to ensure that--(1) Any represented value of the estimated
energy consumption of a basic model for which consumers would favor
lower values shall be no less than the higher of: (i) The mean of
the sample, or (ii) The upper 97.5 percent confidence limit of the
true mean divided by 1.05, and (2) Any represented value of the
estimated energy consumption of a basic model for which consumers
would favor higher values shall be no greater than the lower of: (i)
The mean of the sample, or (ii) The lower 97.5 percent confidence
limit of the true mean divided by 0.95.
iv. Test Procedures
In the December 2006 Final Rule, DOE codified two test procedures
for measuring the performance of battery chargers and external power
supplies. 71 FR at 71366 and 71368. These same test procedures are
discussed extensively in this Federal Register notice, as DOE is
proposing modifications to the test procedures for both products. The
two test procedures are codified in Appendices Y and Z.
DOE anticipates that, like most other regulated products,
manufacturers will test and certify their own products as being
compliant with any national regulatory standard. Some manufacturers may
choose to outsource this testing to a third-party test facility that is
certified for efficiency measurements of battery chargers and external
power supplies; however, DOE does not require independent test lab
results. Rather, DOE does accept test reports from manufacturers if (1)
their in-house testing facilities are capable of complying with all the
requirements of DOE's test procedures, including equipment tolerances
and accuracy requirements, and (2) the technicians conducting the
testing on the unit under test follow the test procedure methodology
exactly.
v. Enforcement Provisions
Once DOE has adopted the sampling requirements for battery chargers
and external power supplies at the conclusion of this rulemaking, each
product will automatically become subject to the existing certification
and enforcement provisions in 10 CFR part 430. These provisions include
section 430.62 for certification, and sections 430.61, 430.71, 430.72,
430.73, and 430.74 for enforcement. DOE discussed the applicability of
the enforcement provisions in its July 2006 NOPR. 71 FR at 42191-42195.
The required certification report would be submitted for all basic
models of a covered product, limited currently to Class A external
power supplies, and shall include for each basic model the product
type, product class, the manufacturer's name, the private labeler's
name(s) (if applicable), the manufacturer's model number(s), and the
active-mode efficiency and no-load-mode power consumption of that basic
model. As discussed in sections II.E and III.E of today's notice, DOE
is proposing that manufacturers of Class A external power supplies
incorporating a switch-selectable output voltage report the measured
active-mode efficiency and no-load-mode power consumption at the lowest
and highest selectable output voltages.
2. Alternative Reporting Methodology Under Consideration
DOE's standard certification reporting procedure requires
manufacturers to report on the efficiency or energy or water
consumption of each basic model of a covered product. As discussed in
section III.F.1.i, a basic model constitutes those designs that have no
differentiating electrical, physical, or functional features that
affect energy consumption. For external power supplies, DOE understands
that many of these devices are custom-built to OEM specifications.
These custom designs often incorporate customer-specified features or
performance criteria that impact the energy consumption of the power
supply and establish the design as a new and unique basic model.
Therefore, due to the way in which external power supplies are
specified and manufactured, customized designs will virtually always be
a different basic model. DOE understands that some manufacturers could
produce significant numbers of basic models each year and is concerned
that by applying the standard certification and reporting requirements
as found in 10 CFR part 430, it may be placing significant burden on
manufacturers.
While manufacturers would be required to report to DOE on each
basic model manufactured, DOE is also considering allowing
manufacturers to choose an alternative approach to certification
reporting which may alleviate some manufacturer burden. DOE may adopt
this alternative approach in the final rule if DOE concludes that this
alternative approach would reduce manufacturer testing and
[[Page 48074]]
reporting burden while ensuring compliance with the mandatory
standards.
DOE's alternative approach is based on how the Environmental
Protection Agency allows for reporting and certification of
``families'' of external power supplies in the ENERGY STAR program. In
this approach, manufacturers establish design families, which are
groups of basic models that have the same wattage rating, input
voltage(s), and fundamental electrical circuit design, but which have
different output voltages. For example, a design family may consist of
five EPSs, all rated at 20 W, but having output voltages ranging from 5
V through 40 V. In the ENERGY STAR program, manufacturers may choose to
certify only the highest and lowest rated voltage within that design
family, and then certify compliance on all basic models within that
group if both models are in compliance. Manufacturers are still held
responsible for the individual compliance of all basic models within
certified design families.
DOE's main concern about allowing manufacturers to establish a
``design family'' approach to certifying groups of basic models is that
manufacturers could change the wire gauge and potentially the length of
the output cable. Due to the fact that the resistance of output wire
can contribute to approximately 10 to 20 percent of the total losses
incurred by an external power supply, DOE is concerned that
manufacturers may use particular output wires to qualify the highest
and lowest voltage EPS in a design family, and then use output wires
with higher losses for the interim voltages, which may cause one or
more of those basic models to be non-compliant. For this reason, like
EPA, DOE would require manufacturers who may choose this so-called
alternative approach to certify compliance of all basic models, even if
they are only reporting on a limited subset within a design family.
DOE is considering this alternative approach because (1)
manufacturers would still be held accountable for the compliance of all
basic models manufactured or imported; (2) it offers a means by which
reporting burden on manufacturers could be reduced; and (3) DOE
believes that the external power supply market dynamics (i.e., how
orders are placed and fulfilled) may warrant this approach. DOE invites
stakeholder comment on this alternative approach for reducing
manufacturer burden when reporting on the compliance of basic models
produced.
DOE provided a suggested format for the compliance statement and
certification report in Appendix A to Subpart F of part 430--Compliance
Statement and Certification Report, which was published in a final rule
in March 1998 (63 FR 13321).\20\ These reporting requirements are
consistent with requirements and burdens placed on manufacturers of
other covered and regulated products. DOE is also providing
stakeholders the suggested format below in Figure III.1.
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BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
[[Page 48075]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP15AU08.000
BILLING CODE 6450-01-C
[[Page 48076]]
IV. Public Participation
A. Attendance at Public Meeting
The time and date of the public meeting are listed in the DATES
section at the beginning of this NOPR. The public meeting will be held
at the U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 1E-245, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. To attend the
public meeting, please notify Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-2945.
(Please note that foreign nationals participating in the public meeting
are subject to advance security screening procedures which may take up
to 30 days. If a foreign national wishes to participate in the
workshop, please inform DOE as soon as possible by contacting Ms.
Brenda Edwards at the number above so that the necessary procedures can
be completed.)
B. Procedure for Submitting Requests To Speak
Any person who has an interest in the topics addressed in this
notice, or who is a representative of a group or class of persons that
has an interest in these issues, may request an opportunity to make an
oral presentation at the public meeting. Such persons may hand deliver
requests to speak to the address shown in the ADDRESSES section at the
beginning of this notice between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays. Requests may also be sent by mail or
e-mail to: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building
Technologies Program, 6th Floor, 950 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., Washington,
DC 20024, or [email protected]. Persons who wish to speak
should include in their request a computer diskette or CD in
WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF, or text (ASCII) file format that
briefly describes the nature of their interest in this rulemaking and
the topics they wish to discuss. This person should also provide a
daytime telephone number where he or she can be reached. DOE requests
that those persons who are scheduled to speak submit a copy of their
statements at least two weeks prior to the public meeting. DOE may
permit any person who cannot supply an advance copy of this statement
to participate if that person has made alternative arrangements with
the Building Technologies Program in advance. When necessary, the
request to give an oral presentation should ask for such alternative
arrangements.
C. Conduct of Public Meeting
DOE will designate a DOE official to preside at the public meeting
and may also employ a professional facilitator to aid discussion. The
public meeting will be conducted in an informal conference style. The
meeting will not be a judicial or evidentiary public hearing, but DOE
will conduct it in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553 and section 336 of EPCA
(42 U.S.C. 6306). There shall be no discussion of proprietary
information, costs or prices, market share, or other commercial matters
regulated by U.S. antitrust laws.
DOE reserves the right to schedule the order of presentations and
to establish the procedures governing the conduct of the public
meeting. A court reporter will record the proceedings and prepare a
transcript.
At the public meeting, DOE will provide an opportunity to
stakeholders to present summaries of any comments they submitted to DOE
before the public meeting, and encourage all interested parties to
share their views on issues affecting this rulemaking. Each participant
may present a prepared general statement (within time limits determined
by DOE) before the discussion of specific topics. Other participants
may comment on any general statements. After the completion of all
prepared statements, participants may clarify their statements and
comment on statements made by others. Participants should be prepared
to answer questions from DOE and other participants. Department
representatives may also ask questions about other matters relevant to
this rulemaking. The official conducting the public meeting will accept
additional comments or questions from those attending as time permits.
The presiding official will announce any further procedural rules or
modification of procedures needed for the proper conduct of the public
meeting.
DOE will make the entire record of this proposed rulemaking,
including the transcript from the public meeting, available for
inspection at the U.S. Department of Energy, 6th Floor, 950 L'Enfant
Plaza, SW., Washington, DC 20024, (202) 586-9127, between 9 a.m. and 4
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. A copy of the
transcript will be posted online.
D. Submission of Comments
DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this
notice, the proceeding of the public meeting, or any aspect of the
rulemaking no later than the date provided at the beginning of this
notice. Comments, data, and information submitted to DOE's e-mail
address for this rulemaking should be provided in WordPerfect,
Microsoft Word, PDF, or text (ASCII) file format. Stakeholders should
avoid the use of special characters or any form of encryption, and
wherever possible, comments should include the electronic signature of
the author. Absent an electronic signature, comments submitted
electronically must be followed and authenticated by submitting a
signed original paper document to the address provided at the beginning
of this notice. Comments, data, and information submitted to DOE by
mail or hand delivery/courier should include one signed original paper
copy. No telefacsimiles (faxes) will be accepted.
According to 10 CFR 1004.11, any person submitting information that
he or she believes to be confidential and exempt by law from public
disclosure should submit two copies: one copy of the document including
all the information believed to be confidential, and one copy of the
document with the information believed to be confidential deleted. DOE
will make its own determination as to the confidential status of the
information and treat it according to its determination.
Factors of interest to DOE when evaluating requests to treat
submitted information as confidential include (1) a description of the
items; (2) whether and why such items are customarily treated as
confidential within the industry; (3) whether the information is
generally known or available from public sources; (4) whether the
information has previously been made available to others without
obligation concerning its confidentiality; (5) an explanation of the
competitive injury to the submitting person which would result from
public disclosure; (6) a date after which such information might no
longer be considered confidential; and (7) why disclosure of the
information would be contrary to the public interest.
After the public meeting and the expiration of the period for
submission of written statements, DOE will begin conducting the
analyses as discussed at the public meeting and reviewing the comments
received.
E. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Comment
Comments are welcome on all aspects of this rulemaking. However,
DOE is particularly interested in receiving comments and views of
interested parties concerning the following issues:
1. Standby Mode and Off Mode
DOE invites stakeholder comments on the proposed approach for
defining
[[Page 48077]]
standby mode and off mode for both battery chargers and external power
supplies. DOE also invites comment on the proposed test methods for
measuring standby mode and off mode energy consumption for external
power supplies, including whether the duration of the measurement is
sufficiently long. (See section III.A.)
2. Definitions in the Test Procedures
DOE proposes to revise certain existing definitions and to add
several new definitions to harmonize with ENERGY STAR test procedures
and enhance the clarity and transparency of DOE's test procedure. DOE
also proposes some new definitions that are necessary for the multiple-
voltage external power supply test procedure proposed in today's
notice. DOE invites comments from stakeholders on all the definitions
proposed in today's notice. (See section III.C.)
3. Measurement Resolution and Uncertainty
DOE seeks comment on its proposal to allow measurement resolution
to scale with the magnitude of power measured, which would make DOE's
test procedure consistent with IEC Standard 62301. More specifically,
DOE proposes changing the measurement equipment minimum resolution to
0.1 watts for measurements taken that are greater than 10 watts up to
100 watts and 1 watt for measurements taken that are greater than 100
watts. In making this change, the DOE proposal maintains a resolution
of 0.5 percent or better at all times. DOE proposes to fully qualify
the uncertainty of measurement specification by requiring a 95-percent
confidence level on the measurement resolution requirements. DOE
invites comments from stakeholders on this proposed change, and any
possible impacts of these changes on testing burden and measurement
accuracy. (See sections III.B.1.i and III.D.1.)
4. AC Source Voltage Requirements
DOE seeks comments on the proposed changes to the specification
regarding regulation and harmonic distortion of the AC input voltage
source. In particular, DOE welcomes comments on the impacts of the
changes on the testing burden or measurement accuracy and
repeatability. (See sections III.B.1.ii, III.B.1.iii, III.D.2 and
III.D.3.)
5. Test Lead Loss Measurement
DOE seeks comments on the proposed requirement that the testing
laboratory explicitly account for losses due to the test leads. In
particular, DOE invites comments on the impacts of this requirement on
measurement accuracy and testing burden. (See sections III.B.1.iv and
III.D.4.)
6. Power Measurement Stability Requirements
DOE invites stakeholder comments on its proposed requirements that
measured power stabilization to within 1 percent before measurements
are recorded. The proposal allows for average measurements in case
sufficient stability cannot be achieved. DOE welcomes comments on the
impacts of this proposal on testing burden and measurement accuracy and
repeatability. (See sections III.B.2.i and III.D.5.)
7. Loading Conditions for Multiple-Voltage External Power Supplies
DOE seeks comments on all issues pertaining to loading of multiple-
voltage external power supplies. In particular, DOE invites comments on
the nominal loading conditions (100 percent, 75 percent, 50 percent,
and 25 percent of nameplate output current), the proportional
allocation method for derating load currents, possible further
adjustments to loading conditions due to minimum output current
requirements, and no-load mode testing requirements. (See section
III.B.2.)
8. Single-Voltage External Power Supply Test Procedure
DOE seeks comments on the changes under consideration to the
single-voltage external power supply test procedure, specifically
whether these changes would improve the accuracy and repeatability of
measurements, bringing the test procedure more in line with current
industry standards and test methods. (See section III.D.)
9. Switch-Selectable Single-Voltage External Power Supplies
DOE invites comments on its proposed method for testing switch-
selectable single-voltage external power supplies. In particular, DOE
welcomes comments on its proposal for testing such units at both their
highest and lowest voltage settings, and requiring they meet
appropriate standards at both settings. (See section III.E.)
10. Submission of Certification Test Data to DOE
DOE seeks comment on whether manufacturers should be required to
file paperwork on every basic model or whether they should be allowed
to form ``design families'' and only certify the highest and lowest
voltage design within each family (while still being held accountable
for compliance of all basic models within that family). (See section
III.F.)
V. Procedural Issues and Regulatory Review
A. Review Under Executive Order 12866
This proposed rule has been determined to be not a ``significant
regulatory action'' under section 3(f)(1) of Executive Order 12866,
``Regulatory Planning and Review.'' 58 FR 51735 (October 4, 1993).
Accordingly, OMB did not review this document.
B. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., as amended by
the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996)
requires preparation of an initial regulatory flexibility analysis for
any rule that by law must be proposed for public comment, unless the
Department certifies that the rule, if promulgated, will have no
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
A regulatory flexibility analysis examines the impact of the rule on
small entities and considers alternative ways of reducing negative
impacts. Also, as required by Executive Order 13272, ``Proper
Consideration of Small Entities in Agency Rulemaking,'' 67 FR 53461
(August 16, 2002), DOE published procedures and policies on February
19, 2003, to ensure that the potential impacts of its rules on small
entities are properly considered during the DOE rulemaking process. 68
FR 7990. DOE has made its procedures and policies available on the
Office of the General Counsel's Web site: http://www.gc.doe.gov.
EPACT amended EPCA to incorporate into DOE's energy conservation
program certain additional consumer products and commercial and
industrial equipment, including battery chargers and external power
supplies. With regard to these products, EPCA, as amended by EPACT,
directed DOE to codify relevant definitions and test procedures, hold a
Scoping Workshop public meeting to discuss DOE's plans for developing
energy conservation standards, and finally, conduct a determination
analysis on the feasibility of standards. On December 8, 2006, DOE
published definitions and test procedures for battery chargers and
external power supplies in the Federal Register. 71 FR 71340. Today,
DOE proposes amendments to some of these definitions and test
procedures in compliance with EPCA, as amended by EISA.
[[Page 48078]]
DOE reviewed today's proposed rule under the provisions of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act and the policies and procedures published on
February 19, 2003. As part of this rulemaking, DOE examined the
existing compliance costs already borne by manufacturers and compared
them to the revised compliance costs due to the proposed amendments in
this NOPR, namely, the adoption of test procedures for multiple-voltage
external power supplies and the measurement of energy consumption of
battery chargers and external power supplies during standby and off-
mode, amendments to the current single-voltage external power supply
test procedure, and reporting requirements for Class A external power
supplies.
The proposed amendments to the single-voltage test procedure are
based on tests commonly used by industry and would, in some respects,
reduce testing costs by introducing changes designed to ensure testing
repeatability and practicability. Regarding the reporting requirements
for Class A external power supplies, since manufacturers would
routinely need to test their products to ensure that they comply with
the new standards set forth in EISA, the submission of a single page
certifying compliance with those standards would not likely increase
manufacturer costs significantly.
Accordingly, DOE does not find that the revisions proposed in this
document would result in any significant increase in testing or
compliance costs and tentatively concludes and certifies that this
rulemaking would not impose a significant impact on a substantial
number of small businesses manufacturing covered battery chargers and
external power supplies. Accordingly, DOE has not prepared a regulatory
flexibility analysis for this rulemaking. DOE's certification and
supporting statement of factual basis will be provided to the Chief
Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 605(b).
C. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction Act
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3500 et
seq.), a person is not required to respond to a collection of
information by a Federal agency unless the collection displays a valid
OMB control number. This NOPR would not impose any new information or
recordkeeping requirements, since it does not change the existing
manufacturer certification and reporting requirements adopted in DOE's
December 8, 2006, final rule. Accordingly, no OMB clearance is required
under the PRA.
D. Review Under the National Environmental Policy Act
In this proposed rule, DOE proposes test procedure amendments that
it expects will be used to develop and implement future energy
conservation standards for battery chargers and external power
supplies. DOE has determined that this rule falls into a class of
actions that are categorically excluded from review under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) (NEPA) and
DOE's implementing regulations at 10 CFR part 1021. Specifically, the
rule is covered by Categorical Exclusion A5, for rulemakings that
interpret or amend an existing rule without changing the environmental
effect, as set forth in DOE's NEPA regulations in Appendix A to Subpart
D, 10 CFR part 1021. Today's proposed rule will not affect the amount,
quality or distribution of energy usage, and, therefore, will not
result in any environmental impacts. Accordingly, neither an
environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement is
required.
E. Review Under Executive Order 13132
Executive Order 13132, ``Federalism,'' 64 FR 43255 (August 4,
1999), imposes certain requirements on agencies formulating and
implementing policies or regulations that preempt State law or that
have Federalism implications. The Executive Order requires agencies to
examine the constitutional and statutory authority supporting any
action that would limit the policymaking discretion of the States and
to carefully assess the necessity for such actions. The Executive Order
also requires agencies to have an accountable process to ensure
meaningful and timely input by State and local officials in developing
regulatory policies that have Federalism implications. On March 14,
2000, DOE published a statement of policy describing the
intergovernmental consultation process it will follow in developing
such regulations. 65 FR 13735. DOE examined this proposed rule and
determined that it does not have a substantial direct effect on the
States, on the relationship between the national government and the
States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the
various levels of government. Accordingly, Executive Order 13132
requires no further action.
F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
With respect to the review of existing regulations and the
promulgation of new regulations, section 3(a) of Executive Order 12988,
``Civil Justice Reform,'' 61 FR 4729 (February 7, 1996), imposes on
Federal agencies the duty to adhere to the following requirements: (1)
Eliminate drafting errors and ambiguity; (2) write regulations to
minimize litigation; (3) provide a clear legal standard for affected
conduct rather than a general standard and promote simplification and
burden reduction. Section 3(b) of Executive Order 12988 specifically
requires, among other things, that Executive agencies make every
reasonable effort to ensure that the regulation (1) clearly specifies
the preemptive effect, if any; (2) clearly specifies any effect on
existing Federal law or regulation; (3) provides a clear legal standard
for affected; (4) specifies the retroactive effect, if any; (5)
adequately defines key terms; and (6) addresses other important issues
affecting clarity and general draftsmanship under any guidelines issued
by the Attorney General. Section 3(c) of Executive Order 12988 requires
Executive agencies to review regulations in light of applicable
standards in sections 3(a) and 3(b) to determine whether they are met
or it is unreasonable to meet one or more of them. DOE has completed
the required review and determined that, to the extent permitted by
law, this rulemaking meets the relevant standards of Executive Order
12988.
G. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) (Pub.
L. No. 104-4, codified at 2 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) generally requires
Federal agencies to examine closely the impacts of regulatory actions
on State, local, or Tribal governments. Subsection 101(5) of Title I of
that law defines a Federal intergovernmental mandate to include a
regulation that would impose upon State, local, or Tribal governments
an enforceable duty, except a condition of Federal assistance or a duty
arising from participating in a voluntary Federal program. Title II of
that law requires each Federal agency to assess the effects of Federal
regulatory actions on State, local, and Tribal governments, in the
aggregate, or the private sector, other than to the extent such actions
merely incorporate requirements specifically set forth in a statute.
Section 202 of the title requires a Federal agency to perform as
detailed assessment of the anticipated costs and benefits of any rule
that includes a Federal mandate which may result in costs State, local,
or Tribal governments, or the private sector of $100 million or more in
any
[[Page 48079]]
one year (adjusted annually for inflation). 2 U.S.C. 1532(a) and (b).
Section 204 of that title requires each agency that proposed a rule
containing a significant Federal intergovernmental mandate to develop
an effective process for obtaining meaningful and timely input by
elected officers of State, local, and Tribal governments. 2 U.S.C.
1534. On March 18, 1997, DOE published a statement of policy on its
process for intergovernmental consultation under UMRA (62 FR 12820)
(also available at http://www.gc.doe.gov). Today's proposed rule would
amend the definitions and test procedures that would be used in
measuring the energy efficiency of battery chargers and external power
supplies. The proposed rule would not result in the expenditure of $100
million or more in any year. Accordingly, no assessment or analysis is
required under the UMRA.
H. Review Under the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act,
1999
Section 654 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations
Act, 1999 (Pub. L. 105-277) requires Federal agencies to issue a Family
Policymaking Assessment for any rule that may affect family well-being.
Today's proposed rule to amend DOE test procedures would not have any
impact on the autonomy or integrity of the family as an institution.
Accordingly, DOE has concluded that it is unnecessary to prepare a
Family Policymaking Assessment.
I. Review Under Executive Order 12630
Pursuant to Executive Order 12630, ``Governmental Actions and
Interference with Constitutionally Protected Property Rights,'' 53 FR
8859 (March 18, 1988), DOE has determined that this rule would not
result in any takings that might require compensation under the Fifth
Amendment to the United States Constitution.
J. Review Under the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act,
2001
Section 515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations
Act, 2001 (Pub. L. 106-554, codified at 44 U.S.C. 3516 note) provides
for agencies to review most disseminations of information to the public
under information quality guidelines established by each agency under
general guidelines issued by OMB. OMB's guidelines were published at 67
FR 8452 (February 22, 2002), and DOE's guidelines were published at 67
FR 62446 (October 7, 2002). DOE has reviewed today's proposed rule
under the OMB and DOE guidelines and has concluded that it is
consistent with applicable policies in those guidelines.
K. Review Under Executive Order 13211
Executive Order 13211, ``Actions Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use,'' 66 FR 28355
(May 22, 2001), requires Federal agencies to prepare and submit to OMB
a Statement of Energy Effects for any proposed significant energy
action. A ``significant energy action'' is defined as any action by an
agency that promulgated a final rule or is expected to lead to
promulgation of a final rule, and that (1) is a significant regulatory
action under Executive Order 12866, or any successor order; and (2) is
likely to have a significant adverse effect on the supply,
distribution, or use of energy; or (3) is designated by the
Administrator of OIRA as a significant energy action. For any proposed
significant energy action, the agency must give a detailed statement of
any adverse effects on energy supply, distribution, or use should the
proposal be implemented, and reasonable alternatives to the action and
their expected benefits on energy supply, distribution, and use.
Because this rulemaking is not expected to be a significant regulatory
action under E.O. 12866; would not have a significant adverse effect on
the supply, distribution, or use of energy; and has not been designated
a significant energy action by the Administrator of OIRA, DOE has
tentatively determined that this rule is not a significant energy
action. Accordingly, DOE has not prepared a Statement of Energy Effects
for this rulemaking.
L. Review Under Section 32 of the Federal Energy Administration Act of
1974
Under section 301 of the Department of Energy Organization Act
(Pub. L. 95-91), the Department of Energy must comply with section 32
of the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275), as
amended by the Federal Energy Administration Authorization Act of 1977
(Pub. L. 95-70). 15 U.S.C. 788. Section 32 provides that where a
proposed rule authorizes or requires use of commercial standards, the
NOPR must inform the public of the use and background of such
standards. In addition, section 32(c) requires DOE to consult with the
Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FTC concerning the impact of the
commercial or industry standards on competition.
The rule proposed in this notice incorporates testing methods
contained in the following commercial standards: (1) CEC 2007 Appliance
Efficiency Regulations, Section 1604(u)(1) that directly cites ``Test
Method for Calculating the Energy Efficiency of Single-Voltage External
AC-DC and AC-AC Power Supplies,'' (2) IEEE Std 1515-2000, ``IEEE
Recommended Practice for Electronic Power Subsystems: Parameter
Definitions, Test Conditions, and Test Methods,'' and (3) IEC Standard
62301 ``Household electrical appliances--Measurement of standby
power.'' DOE has evaluated these revised standards and is unable to
conclude whether they fully comply with the requirements of section
32(b) of the Federal Energy Administration Act, (i.e., that they were
developed in a manner that fully provides for public participation,
comment, and review). DOE will consult with the Attorney General and
the Chairman of the FTC concerning the impact of these test procedures
on competition of requiring use of methods contained in these standards
to test battery chargers and external power supplies.
VI. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
The Secretary of Energy has approved publication of this proposed
rule.
List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 430
Administrative practice and procedure, Confidential business
information, Energy conservation, Household appliances, Imports,
Intergovernmental relations, Small businesses.
Issued in Washington, DC, on August 1, 2008.
Alexander A. Karsner,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, DOE proposes to amend 10
CFR part 430 as follows:
PART 430--ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM FOR CONSUMER PRODUCTS
1. The authority citation for part 430 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6291-6309; 28 U.S.C. 2461 note.
2. In Sec. 430.22 add new paragraphs (b)(1)9, (b)(4)3, (b)(4)4,
(b)(4)5, (b)(11)2 and (b)(12) to read as follows:
Sec. 430.22 Reference sources.
* * * * *
(b) * * *
(1) * * *
9. ANSI/NCSL Z540.1-1994, ``Calibration Laboratories and
[[Page 48080]]
Measuring and Test Equipment--General Requirements.''
* * * * *
(4) * * *
3. IEC 62301, ``Household electrical appliances--Measurement of
standby power,'' Edition 1.
4. IEC 60050, ``International Electrotechnical Vocabulary.''
5. ISO/IEC 17025, ``General requirements for the competence of
testing and calibration laboratories'' (2005).
* * * * *
(11) * * *
2. ``Proposed Test Protocol for Calculating the Energy Efficiency
of Internal AC-DC Power Supplies, Revision 6.2,'' November 2007.
(12) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., 3
Park Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, N.Y., 10016-5997, (212) 419-7900.
1. IEEE Standard 1515-2000, ``Standardizing specification
language.''
2. IEEE 100, ``Authoritative Dictionary of IEEE Standards Terms,''
Seventh Edition.
3. In Sec. 430.23 revise paragraphs (aa) and (bb) to read as
follows:
Sec. 430.23 Test procedures for the measurement of energy and water
consumption.
* * * * *
(aa) Battery Chargers. The energy consumption of a battery charger,
expressed as the nonactive energy ratio, shall be measured in
accordance with section 4(a) of Appendix Y of this subpart. The energy
consumption of a battery charger in standby mode and off mode shall be
measured in accordance with section 4(c) of Appendix Y of this subpart.
(bb) External Power Supplies. The energy consumption of an external
power supply, including active-mode efficiency in a percentage and the
no-load-, off-, and standby mode energy consumption levels in watts,
shall be measured in accordance with section 4 of Appendix Z of this
subpart.
4. Appendix Y to Subpart B of Part 430 is amended by:
a. Revising paragraph 2(i); and
b. Adding new paragraphs 2(j), 4(c) and 4(d).
The revisions and additions read as follows:
Appendix Y to Subpart B of Part 430--Uniform Test Method for Measuring
the Energy Consumption of Battery Chargers
1. Scope: * * *
2. Definitions:
* * * * *
i. Off Mode is the condition, for battery chargers with manual
on-off switches, in which the battery charger is (1) connected to
the main electricity supply, (2) is not connected to the battery,
and (3) all switches are turned off.
j. Standby Mode (also No-Load Mode) means the condition in which
(1) the battery charger is connected to the main electricity supply,
(2) the battery is not connected to the charger, and (3) for battery
chargers with manual on-off switches, all switches are turned on.
* * * * *
4. Test Measurement:
* * * * *
(c) Standby Mode Energy Consumption Measurement. Conduct a
measurement of standby power consumption while the battery charger
is connected to the power source. Remove the battery from the
charger and record the power (i.e., watts) consumed as the time
series integral of the power consumed over a one-hour test period,
divided by the period of measurement. If the battery charger has
manual switches, all must be turned on for the duration of the
standby mode test.
Standby mode may also apply to products with non-detachable
batteries. If the product uses a cradle and/or adapter for power
conversion and charging, then only that part of the system will
remain connected to the main electricity supply, and standby mode
power consumption will equal that of the cradle and/or adapter. If
the product contains integrated power conversion and charging
circuitry but is powered through a detachable AC power cord, then
only the cord will remain connected to mains, and standby mode power
consumption will equal that of the AC power cord (i.e., zero watts).
If the product contains integrated power conversion and charging
circuitry but is powered through a non-detachable AC power cord,
then no part of the system will remain connected to mains and
standby mode power consumption is not applicable.
(d) Off Mode Energy Consumption Measurement. If the battery
charger has manual switches, record a measurement of off mode energy
consumption while the battery charger is connected to the power
source. Remove the battery from the charger and record the power
(i.e., watts) consumed as the time series integral of the power
consumed over a one-hour test period, divided by the period of
measurement, with all switches turned off. If the battery charger
does not have manual switches, record that the off mode measurement
is not applicable to this product.
Off mode may also apply to products with non-detachable
batteries. If the product uses a cradle and/or adapter for power
conversion and charging, then only that part of the system will
remain connected to the main electricity supply, and off mode power
consumption will equal that of the cradle and/or adapter. If the
product contains integrated power conversion and charging circuitry
but is powered through a detachable AC power cord, then only the
cord will remain connected to mains, and off mode power consumption
will equal that of the AC power cord (i.e., zero watts). If the
product contains integrated power conversion and charging circuitry
but is powered through a non-detachable AC power cord, then no part
of the system will remain connected to mains and off mode power
consumption is not applicable.
5. Appendix Z to Subpart B of Part 430 is amended by:
a. Revising paragraphs 1 and 2;
b. Revising paragraph 3 by adding after the introductory heading
``3. Test Apparatus and General Instructions'' a paragraph designation
``(a) Single-Voltage External Power Supply'';
c. Adding a new paragraph 3 (b); and
d. Revising paragraph 4.
The revisions and additions read as follows:
Appendix Z to Subpart B of Part 430--Uniform Test Method for Measuring
the Energy Consumption of External Power Supplies
1. Scope: This appendix covers the test requirements used to
measure energy consumption of external power supplies.
2. Definitions: The following definitions are for the purposes
of understanding terminology associated with the test method for
measuring external power supply energy consumption.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For clarity on any other terminology used in the test
method, please refer to IEC 60050 or IEEE Standard 100.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
a. Active mode means the mode of operation when the external
power supply is connected to the main electricity supply and the
output is (or ``all outputs are'' for a multiple-voltage external
power supply) connected to a load (or ``loads'' for a multiple-
voltage external power supply).
b. Active mode efficiency is the ratio, expressed as a
percentage, of the total real output power produced by a power
supply to the real input power required to produce it. (See IEEE
Standard 1515-2000, 4.3.1.1.)
c. Active power (also real power) (P) means the root-mean-square
(RMS) value of the instantaneous power taken over one period. (See
IEEE Standard 1515-2000.)
d. Ambient temperature means the temperature of the ambient air
immediately surrounding the unit under test.
e. Apparent power (S) is the product of RMS voltage and RMS
current (VA).
f. Instantaneous power means the product of the instantaneous
voltage and instantaneous current at a port (the terminal pair of a
load).
g. Minimum output current means the minimum current that must be
drawn from an output bus for an external power supply to operate
within its specifications.
h. Multiple-voltage external power supply means an external
power supply that is designed to convert line voltage AC input into
more than one simultaneous lower-voltage output.
i. Nameplate input frequency means the AC input frequency of the
power supply as specified on the manufacturer's label on the power
supply housing.
j. Nameplate input voltage means the AC input voltage of the
power supply as specified on the manufacturer's label on the power
supply housing.
[[Page 48081]]
k. Nameplate output current means the current output of the
power supply as specified on the manufacturer's label on the power
supply housing (either DC or AC).
l. Nameplate output power means the power output of the power
supply as specified on the manufacturer's label on the power supply
housing.
m. Nameplate output voltage means the voltage output of the
power supply as specified on the manufacturer's label on the power
supply housing (either DC or AC).
n. No-load mode means the mode of operation when an external
power supply is connected to the main electricity supply and the
output is (or ``all outputs are'' for a multiple-voltage external
power supply) not connected to a load (or ``loads'' for a multiple-
voltage external power supply).
o. Off mode is the condition, applicable only to units having
on-off switches, in which the external power supply is (1) connected
to the main electricity supply, (2) the output is not connected to
any load, and (3) all switches are turned off.
p. Output bus means any of the outputs of the power supply to
which loads can be connected and from which power can be drawn, as
opposed to signal connections used for communication.
q. Single-voltage external AC-AC power supply means an external
power supply that is designed to convert line voltage AC input into
lower voltage AC output and is able to convert to only one AC output
voltage at a time.
r. Single-voltage external AC-DC power supply means an external
power supply that is designed to convert line voltage AC input into
lower-voltage DC output and is able to convert to only one DC output
voltage at a time.
s. Standby mode means the condition in which the external power
supply is in no-load mode and, for external power supplies with on-
off switches, all switches are turned on.
t. Switch-selectable single voltage external power supply means
a single-voltage AC-AC or AC-DC power supply that allows users to
choose from more than one output voltage.
u. Total harmonic distortion, expressed as a percent, is the RMS
value of an AC signal after the fundamental component is removed and
interharmonic components are ignored, divided by the RMS value of
the fundamental component. THD of current is defined as:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP15AU08.001
where In is the RMS value of the nth harmonic of the current signal.
v. True power factor (PF) is the ratio of the active power (P)
consumed in watts to the apparent power (S), drawn in volt-amperes.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP15AU08.002
This definition of power factor includes the effect of both
distortion and displacement.
w. Unit under test is the external power supply being tested.
3. Test Apparatus and General Instructions
(a) Single-Voltage External Power Supply. * * *
(b) Multiple-Voltage External Power Supply. Unless otherwise
specified, measurements shall be made under test conditions and with
equipment specified below.
(i) Measuring equipment. Power measurements shall be made with a
voltmeter and ammeter (for output power measurements) or power
analyzer (for input power measurements), calibrated in accordance
with ANSI/NCSL Standard Z540.1 or ISO/IEC Standard 17025 and within
the calibration period as specified by an accompanying dated
calibration certificate or label. Measurements of power of 0.5 W or
greater shall be made with an uncertainty of less than or equal to 2
percent at the 95-percent confidence level. Measurements of power of
less than 0.5 W shall be made with an uncertainty of less than or
equal to 0.01 W at the 95-percent confidence level. The power
measurement instrument shall have a resolution of:
(A) 0.01 W or better for power measurements of 10 W or less;
(B) 0.1 W or better for power measurements of greater than 10 W
up to 100 W;
(C) 1 W or better for power measurements of greater than 100 W.
(ii) Test room. The tests shall be conducted in a room that has
an air speed within 0.1 m of the unit under test of <= 0.5 m/s, and
the ambient temperature shall be maintained at 23 [deg]C 5 [deg]C throughout the test, as specified in IEC Standard
62301. There shall be no intentional cooling of the unit under test
by use of separately powered fans, air conditioners, or heat sinks.
The unit under test shall be tested on a thermally non-conductive
surface. Products intended for outdoor use may be tested at
additional temperatures, provided those are in addition to the
conditions specified above and are noted in a separate section on
the test report.
(iii) Input AC reference source. An AC reference source shall be
used to provide input voltage to the unit under test. The input to
the unit under test shall be the specified voltage 1
percent and the specified frequency 1 percent, as
specified in IEC Standard 62301. The unit under test shall be tested
at the following voltage and frequency combination: 115 V at 60 Hz.
If testing under this condition is not possible, or if voltage and/
or frequency ranges are not specified by the manufacturer (or the
nameplate value is unclear), the unit under test shall not be
tested.
The input voltage source shall be capable of delivering at least
10 times the nameplate input power of the unit under test where
practicable (as recommended by IEEE Standard 1515-2000). The input
voltage source shall be deemed inadequate and a different voltage
source shall be used if the input voltage varies at any point during
the test by more than 1 percent of the specified source
voltage for the test.
Regardless of the AC source type, the THD of the supply voltage
when supplying the unit under test in the specified mode shall not
exceed 3 percent, up to and including the 13th harmonic, as
specified in IEC Standard 62301. The peak value of the test voltage
shall be within 1.34 and 1.49 times its RMS value as specified in
IEC Standard 62301.
(iv) Test leads. Appropriate wires must be selected for wiring
connections depending on the maximum current carried by and the
length of the conductor, in accordance with Table B.2 in Annex B of
IEEE Standard 1515-2000. The voltage drop across the conductor
carrying the current must be added to or subtracted from the input
and output voltage measurements if these measurements of the unit
under test are not taken directly at the connector pins of the unit
under test.
4. Test Measurement
(a) Single-Voltage External Power Supply
(i) Standby Mode and Active Mode Measurement--The measurement of
standby mode (also no load-mode) energy consumption and active-mode
efficiency shall conform to the requirements specified in section 5,
``Measurement Approach'' of the CEC's ``Test Method for Calculating
the Energy Efficiency of Single-Voltage External AC-DC and AC-AC
Power Supplies,'' August 11, 2004 (incorporated by reference, see
Sec. 430.22). Switch-selectable single-voltage external power
supplies shall be tested twice, once at the highest nameplate output
voltage and once at the lowest.
(ii) Off-Mode Measurement--If the external power supply unit
under test incorporates on-off switches, the unit under test shall
be placed in off mode, and its power consumption in off mode
measured and recorded. The measurement of the off mode energy
consumption shall conform to the requirements specified in section
5, ``Measurement Approach,'' of the CEC's ``Test Method for
Calculating the Energy Efficiency of Single-Voltage External AC-DC
and AC-AC Power Supplies,'' August 11, 2004 (incorporated by
reference, see Sec. 430.22), except that in section 5.a,
``Preparing UUT [Unit Under Test] for Test,'' the built-in switches
shall be placed in the ``off'' position for the measurement. The
only loading condition that will be measured for off mode is
``Loading Condition 5.'' Switch-selectable single-voltage external
power supplies shall have their off mode power consumption measured
twice, once at the highest nameplate output voltage and once at the
lowest.
(b) Multiple-Voltage External Power Supply--Power supplies that
are packaged for consumer use to power a product must be
[[Page 48082]]
tested with the output cord packaged with the unit for sale to the
consumer, which is considered part of the unit under test. There are
two options for connecting metering equipment to the output of this
type of power supply: Cut the cord immediately adjacent to the
output connector, or attach leads and measure the efficiency from
the output connector itself. If the power supply is attached
directly to the product that it is powering, cut the cord
immediately adjacent to the powered product and connect output
measurement probes at that point. The tests should be conducted on
the sets of output wires that constitute the output busses. If the
product has additional wires, these should be left electrically
disconnected unless they are necessary for controlling the product.
In this case, the manufacturer shall supply a connection diagram or
test jig that will allow the testing laboratory to put the unit
under test into active mode.
(i) Standby-Mode and Active-Mode Measurement--The measurement of
the multiple-voltage external power supply standby-mode (also no-
load-mode) energy consumption and active-mode efficiency shall be as
follows:
(A) Loading conditions and testing sequence. If the unit under
test has on-off switches, all switches shall be placed in the ``on''
position. Loading criteria for multiple-voltage external power
supplies shall be based on nameplate output current and not on
nameplate output power because output voltage might not remain
constant.
The unit under test shall operate at 100 percent of nameplate
current output for at least 30 minutes immediately before conducting
efficiency measurements.
After this warm-up period, the technician shall monitor AC input
power for a period of 5 minutes to assess the stability of the unit
under test. If the power level does not drift by more than 1 percent
from the maximum value observed, the unit under test can be
considered stable and measurements can be recorded at the end of the
5-minute period. Measurements at subsequent loading conditions,
listed in Table 1, can then be conducted under the same 5-minute
stability guidelines. Only one warm-up period of 30 minutes is
required for each unit under test at the beginning of the test
procedure.
If AC input power is not stable over a 5-minute period, the
technician shall follow the guidelines established by IEC Standard
62301 for measuring average power or accumulated energy over time
for both input and output.
The unit under test shall be tested at the loading conditions
listed in Table 1, derated per the proportional allocation method
presented in the following section.
Table 1--Loading Conditions for Unit Under Test
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loading Condition 1............... 100% of Derated Nameplate Output
Current 2%.
Loading Condition 2............... 75% of Derated Nameplate Output
Current 2%.
Loading Condition 3............... 50% of Derated Nameplate Output
Current 2%.
Loading Condition 4............... 25% of Derated Nameplate Output
Current 2%.
Loading Condition 5............... 0%.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Input and output power measurements shall be conducted in
sequence from Loading Condition 1 to Loading Condition 4, as
indicated in Table 1. For Loading Condition 5, the unit under test
shall be placed in no-load mode, any additional signal connections
to the unit under test shall be disconnected, and input power shall
be measured.
(B) Proportional allocation method for loading multiple-voltage
external power supplies. For power supplies with multiple voltage
busses, defining consistent loading criteria is difficult because
each bus has its own nameplate output current. The sum of the power
dissipated by each bus loaded to its nameplate output current may
exceed the overall nameplate output power of the power supply. The
following proportional allocation method must be used to provide
consistent loading guidelines for multiple-voltage external power
supplies. For additional explanation, please refer to section 6.1.1
of the California Energy Commission's ``Proposed Test Protocol for
Calculating the Energy Efficiency of Internal AC-DC Power Supplies
Revision 6.2,'' November 2007.
Assume a multiple-voltage power supply with N output busses, and
nameplate output voltages V1, . . . ,VN, corresponding output
current ratings I1, . . . ,IN, and a nameplate output power P.
Calculate the derating factor D by dividing the power supply
nameplate output power P by the sum of the nameplate output powers
of the individual output busses, equal to the product of bus
nameplate output voltage and current IiVi, as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP15AU08.003
If D >= 1, then loading every bus to its nameplate output
current does not exceed the overall nameplate output power for the
power supply. In this case, each output bus will simply be loaded to
the percentages of its nameplate output current listed in Table 1.
However, if D < 1, it is an indication that loading each bus to its
nameplate output current will exceed the overall nameplate output
power for the power supply. In this case, and at each loading
condition, each output bus will be loaded to the appropriate
percentage of its nameplate output current listed in Table 1,
multiplied by the derating factor D.
(C) Minimum output current requirements. Depending on their
application, some multiple-voltage power supplies may require a
minimum output current for each output bus of the power supply for
correct operation. In these cases, ensure that the load current for
each output at Loading Condition 4 in Table 1 is greater than the
minimum output current requirement. Thus, if the test method's
calculated load current for a given voltage bus is smaller than the
minimum output current requirement, the minimum output current must
be used to load the bus. This load current shall be properly
recorded in any test report.
(D) Test loads. Active loads such as electronic loads or passive
loads such as rheostats used for efficiency testing of the unit
under test shall be able to maintain the required current loading
set point for each output voltage within an accuracy of
0.5 percent. If electronic load banks are used, their settings
should be adjusted such that they provide a constant current load to
the unit under test.
(E) Efficiency calculation. Efficiency shall be calculated by
dividing the measured active output power of the unit under test at
a given loading condition by the active AC input power measured at
that loading condition. Average efficiency shall also be calculated
and reported as the arithmetic mean of the efficiency values
calculated at Loading Conditions 1, 2, 3, and 4 in Table 1.
(F) Power consumption calculation. Power consumption of the unit
under test at Loading Conditions 1, 2, 3, and 4 is the difference
between the active output power at that Loading Condition and the
active AC input power at that Loading Condition. The power
consumption of Loading Condition 5 (no-load) is equal to the AC
active input power at that Loading Condition.
(ii) Off-Mode Measurement--If the multiple-voltage external
power supply unit under test incorporates any on-off switches, the
unit under test shall be placed in off mode, and its power
consumption in off mode measured and recorded. The measurement of
the off mode energy consumption shall conform to the requirements
specified above in subparagraph (4)(b)(i) of this appendix, except
that all built-in switches shall be placed in the off position for
the measurement. Note that the only loading condition that will be
measured for off mode is ``Loading Condition 5'' paragraph (A),
``Loading conditions and testing sequence.''
6. In Sec. 430.62 add and reserve paragraphs (a)(4)(xviii) through
(xxii) and add new paragraph (a)(4)(xxiii) to read as follows:
Sec. 430.62 Submission of data.
(a) * * *
(4) * * *
(xviii)-(xxii) [Reserved]
(xxiii) External power supplies, the active-mode efficiency
percentage and no-load mode watts. For external power supplies with
switch-selectable output voltage, the active-mode efficiency
[[Page 48083]]
percentage and no-load mode watts at the lowest and highest selectable
output voltage.
[FR Doc. E8-18576 Filed 8-14-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P