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[Federal Register: October 10, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 195)]
[Proposed Rules]               
[Page 59410-59411]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10oc06-18]                         

========================================================================
Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

========================================================================



[[Page 59410]]



DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

[Docket No. EE-RM/TP-02-002]
RIN 1904-AB55

 
Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure 
for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps; Correction

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Proposed Rule; technical correction and reopening of comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: A notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), to amend the 
Department of Energy (DOE) test procedures for residential central air 
conditioners and heat pumps, was published in the Federal Register on 
July 20, 2006. The Department has identified two errors in that 
proposed rulemaking and this notice corrects those errors and reopens 
the comment period.

DATES: DOE will accept comments until November 9, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Raymond, Project Manager, Test 
Procedures for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps, 
Docket No. EE-RM/TP-02-002, 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 
Number: (202) 586-9611, e-mail: Michael.Raymond@ee.doe.gov;
    Francine Pinto, Esq., U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the 
General Counsel, GC-72, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20585-0121, (202) 586-9507, e-mail: Francine.Pinto@hq.doe.gov

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    A notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), to amend the DOE test 
procedures for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps, was 
published in the Federal Register on July 20, 2006. (71 FR 41320) DOE 
has become aware that two corrections need to be made:
    (1) An amendment to section 3.1.4.1.1 of the regulatory language of 
the test procedure, which was omitted in the NOPR. The NOPR amendments 
to section 3.1.4.1.1 of the test procedure in Appendix M include only a 
change to the title and to Table 2. In addition, the introductory text 
and paragraph (a) of section 3.1.4.1.1 are revised, as set forth below; 
and
    (2) An amendment to section 3.1.4.4.3 of the regulatory language of 
the test procedure, which was omitted in the NOPR. Discussion of these 
changes was included in the preamble to the July 20, 2006, NOPR.
    The comment period originally was scheduled to end on September 18, 
2006. The Department will accept comments for 30 days following 
publication of this notice. The extension was announced at the August 
23, 2006, public meeting.
    Corrections: In FR Doc. 06-6320 appearing on page 41319 in the 
Federal Register dated July 20, 2006, the following corrections are 
made:
    1. On page 41338, first column, in Part 430, Energy Conservation 
Program for Consumer Products, Appendix M, amendatory instruction 5.c.2 
is corrected to read as follows:
    ``Section 3.1.4.1.1 title, introductory text, paragraph (a) and 
Table 2 to paragraph (c) is revised to read as set forth below.''
    2. On page 41338, first column, in Part 430, Energy Conservation 
Program for Consumer Products, Appendix M, a new amendatory instruction 
5.c.3 is added and the remaining amendatory instructions for 5.c are 
renumbered accordingly. The new instruction reads as follows:
    ``Section 3.1.4.4.3 is revised to read as set forth below.''
    The revisions and additions read as follows:

Appendix M [Corrected]

3. Testing Procedures
* * * * *
    3.1.4.1.1 Cooling Full-Load Air Volume Rate for Ducted Units.
    The manufacturer must specify the Cooling Full-load Air Volume 
Rate. Use this value as long as the following two requirements are 
satisfied. First, when conducting the A or A2 Test 
(exclusively), the measured air volume rate, when divided by the 
measured indoor air-side total cooling capacity must not exceed 37.5 
cubic feet per minute of standard air (scfm) per 1000 Btu/h. If this 
ratio is exceeded, reduce the air volume rate until this ratio is 
equaled. Use this reduced air volume rate for all tests that call for 
using the Cooling Full-load Air Volume Rate. The second requirement is 
as follows:
    a. For ducted units that are tested with a fixed-speed, multi-
speed, or variable-speed variable-air-volume-rate indoor fan installed. 
The second requirement applies exclusively to the A or A2 
Test and is met as follows.
    1. Achieve the Cooling Full-load Air Volume Rate, determined in 
accordance with the previous paragraph;
    2. Measure the external static pressure;
    3. If this pressure is equal to or greater than the applicable 
minimum external static pressure cited in Table 2, the second 
requirement is satisfied. Use the current air volume rate for all tests 
that require the Cooling Full-load Air Volume Rate.
    4. If the Table 2 minimum is not equaled or exceeded,
    4a. Reduce the air volume rate until the applicable Table 2 minimum 
is equaled or
    4b. Until the measured air volume rate equals 95 percent of the air 
volume rate from step 1, whichever occurs first.
    5. If the conditions of step 4a occur first, the second 
requirement is satisfied. Use the step 4a reduced air volume 
rate for all tests that require the Cooling Full-load Air Volume Rate.
    6. If the conditions of step 4b occur first, make an 
incremental change to the set-up of the indoor fan (e.g., next highest 
fan motor pin setting, next highest fan motor speed) and repeat the 
evaluation process beginning at above step 1. If the indoor 
fan set-up cannot be further changed, reduce the air volume rate until 
the applicable Table 2 minimum is equaled. Use the reduced air volume 
rate for all tests that require the Cooling Full-load Air Volume Rate.
* * * * *

[[Page 59411]]

    c. * * *
    Table 2. * * *
* * * * *
    3.1.4.4.3 Ducted heating-only heat pumps. The manufacturer must 
specify the Heating Full-load Air Volume Rate. Use this value when the 
following two requirements are satisfied. First, when conducting the H1 
and H12 Test (exclusively), the measured air volume rate, 
when divided by the measured indoor air-side total heating capacity, 
must not exceed 37.5 cubic feet per minute of standard air (scfm) per 
1000 Btu/h. If this ratio is exceeded, reduce the air volume rate until 
this ratio is equaled. Use this reduced air volume rate for all tests 
of heating-only heat pumps that call for the Heating Full-load Air 
Volume Rate. The second requirement is as follows:
    a. For heating-only heat pumps that are tested with a fixed-speed, 
multi-speed, or variable-speed variable-air-volume-rate indoor fan 
installed. The second requirement applies exclusively to the H1 or 
H12 Test and is met as follows.
    1. Achieve the Heating Full-load Air Volume Rate, determined in 
accordance with the paragraph a. of this section;
    2. Measure the external static pressure;
    3. If this pressure is equal to or greater than the Table 2 minimum 
external static pressure that applies given the heating-only heat 
pump's rated heating capacity, the second requirement is satisfied. Use 
the current air volume rate for all tests that require the Heating 
Full-load Air Volume Rate.
    4. If the Table 2 minimum is not equaled or exceeded,
    4a. Reduce the air volume rate until the applicable Table 2 minimum 
is equaled or
    4b. Until the measured air volume rate equals 95 percent of the air 
volume rate from step 1, whichever occurs first.
    5. If the conditions of step 4a occurs first, the second 
requirement is satisfied. Use the step 4a reduced air volume 
rate for all tests that require the Heating Full-load Air Volume Rate.
    6. If the conditions of step 4b occur first, make an 
incremental change to the set-up of the indoor fan (e.g., next highest 
fan motor pin setting, next highest fan motor speed) and repeat the 
evaluation process beginning at above step 1. If the indoor 
fan set-up cannot be further changed, reduce the air volume rate until 
the applicable Table 2 minimum is equaled. Use the reduced air volume 
rate for all tests that require the Heating Full-load Air Volume Rate.
* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 29, 2006.
Alexander A. Karsner,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. E6-16648 Filed 10-6-06; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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