ENERGY STAR® Program Requirements

Product Specification for Residential 

Refrigerators, Freezers, and Refrigerator-Freezers

Final Draft Test Method to Validate 

Demand Response

Rev. March-2013

ENERGY STAR Final Draft Test Method to Validate Demand Response (Rev. March-2013) Page 1 of 5

1 1 OVERVIEW

2 The following test method shall be used for determining product compliance with requirements for 

3 Demand Response (DR) functionality in the ENERGY STAR Eligibility Criteria for Connected 

4 Refrigerators, Freezers, and Refrigerator-Freezers.

5 2 APPLICABILITY

6 This test method is applicable to refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers intending to meet the 

7 Connected appliance requirements in the ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Program Requirements.

8 3 DEFINITIONS

9 Unless otherwise specified, all terms used in this document are consistent with the definitions in the 

10 ENERGY STAR Eligibility Criteria for Residential Refrigerators and Freezers Version 5.0 and in the DOE 

11 Test Procedure in 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B, Appendix A and Appendix B (DOE Test Procedure).

12 A) Utility Equivalent Communication Device: Device capable of communicating with the connected 

13 appliance and emulating signals sent from a utility. It will be controlled by the technician and will allow 

14 the technician to deliver the Delay Appliance Load and Temporary Appliance Load Reduction signals. 

15 B) Communication Module (Appliance): A built-in or external device that enables appliance bi-directional 

16 communication with the Utility Equivalent Communication Device. 

17 C) Connected Signal Simulation Hardware: Self-contained or Power Computer (PC) based hardware 

18 that will allow the operator to execute necessary communications and commands and receive 

19 necessary feedback from the Unit Under Test (UUT).

20 D) Consumer Override: The capability for an end-user to cancel a product’s response to a DR signal. 

21 E) Signals: Communications to a connected product that provide information or indicate that it should 

22 modify its operation. Signals include, but are not limited to, Delay Appliance Load (DAL), Temporary 

23 Appliance Load Reduction (TALR), and time-based pricing. 

24 F) Delay Appliance Load Capability: Capability of an appliance to reduce its average energy input over a 

25 specified time period. The delay load command provides the start time and duration of the delay load 

26 time period.

27 G) Temporary Appliance Load Reduction Capability: Capability of an appliance to reduce its average 

28 energy input over a short specified time period. The temporary load reduction command provides the

29 start time and duration of the temporary load reduction time period.

30 H) Acronyms:

31 • DR: Demand Response

32 • DAL: Delay Appliance Load
ENERGY STAR Final Draft Test Method to Validate Demand Response (Rev. March-2013) Page 2 of 5

33 • TALR: Temporary Appliance Load Reduction

34 • Wh: Watt Hours

35 • W: Watts

36 • UUT: Unit Under Test

37 4 TEST REQUIREMENTS

38 Unless otherwise specified, all test conditions and requirements shall be identical to 10 CFR Part 430, 

39 Subpart B, Appendices A or B, Section 2. 

40 5 PRE-TEST UUT CONFIGURATION

41 5.1 General Configuration

42 The UUT shall be set up as described in 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B, Appendices A or B, Section 3.

43 5.2 Communication Setup 

44 The communication device shall be set up in accordance with manufacturer installation instructions. The

45 communication device setup described below applies only to the Demand Response tests in Sections 7 

46 and 8. 

47 A) Connect the Communication Module to the Utility Equivalent Communication Device via wired or 

48 wireless connection depending on the module’s capability. A wireless connection is preferred if both 

49 are available.

50 B) Ensure that the module is properly connected, secured according to manufacturer instructions, and 

51 can both receive and send data to the Utility Equivalent Communication Device.

52 5.3 UUT Steady State Stabilization

53 A) All compartment temperature controls shall be set at their median position, as described for the “first 

54 test” in 10 CFR 430, Subpart B, Appendix A or Appendix B, Section 3.2.1.

55 B) Prior to the start of testing, the UUT shall be stabilized according to 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B, 

56 Appendix A Section 2.9 or Appendix B Section 2.7.

57 C) The ice maker shall be on with harvesting inoperative, as described in Section 2.2 of the DOE Test 

58 Procedure. The ice maker shall remain in this inoperative state throughout testing unless otherwise 

59 specified.

60 D) If the UUT is equipped with an automatic ice maker, water line installation is required in accordance 

61 with the printed instructions supplied with the cabinet or water line for the Ice Maker Deferral test.

62 6 BASELINE ENERGY CONSUMPTION

63 6.1 DOE Baseline

64 A) Measure the energy consumption, EP1, in Wh, and length of time, T1, in minutes, as described in 

65 Section 4.1 of the DOE Test Procedure. Conduct the test at the median temperature set point, as 

66 described in Section 3.2.1 of the DOE Test Procedure, with the anti-sweat heater switch, if present, in 

67 the “off” position. EP1 and T1 shall be represented in the DR calculations by EPBL and TBL.

68 B) If the UUT has automatic defrost as specified in Section 4.2 of the DOE Test Procedure, and does not 

69 require the use of the two part test described in Sections 4.2.1 through 4.2.3:
ENERGY STAR Final Draft Test Method to Validate Demand Response (Rev. March-2013) Page 3 of 5

70 1) Select a stable test period consistent with that of the first part test of a Long-time Automatic 

71 Defrost unit as described in Section 4.2.1 of the DOE Test Procedure.

72 2) Identify the energy consumed during the selected test period, EPAD, in Wh, and the duration of 

73 the selected test period,TAD, in minutes. EPAD and TAD shall be represented in the DR calculations 

74 by EPBL and TBL.

75 7 DELAY APPLIANCE LOAD (DAL) TEST 

76 All connected features and network modes must be setup and enabled per Section 5.2, and the anti77 sweat heater switch, if present, must be in the “off” position, during the Delay Appliance Load Test. As 

78 specified in the ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Residential Refrigerators and Freezers 

79 Version 5.0, only one of the following tests in Section 7 are required for complying with Delay Appliance 

80 Load requirements.

81 7.1 Delay Appliance Load Test - Ice Maker Deferral

82 A) Activate the ice maker harvest capabilities.

83 B) Ensure that the ice maker is properly activated through the successful production of ice.

84 C) Once ice making operations are activated, empty the ice bin, if necessary, and initiate a four-hour 

85 DAL signal.

86 D) Ensure that all ice maker operations are deferred beyond the test period by confirming the ice bin is 

87 empty at the end of the four-hour test period.

88 E) Verify no precool cycle (as defined in Section 4.2.1.1 of the DOE Test Procedure) occurs and the

89 defrost heater is off during the entire duration of the four-hour DAL test period.

90 F) For the remainder of testing, return the ice maker to its inoperative state as described in Section 

91 5.3.C and empty the ice bin if ice is present.

92 7.2 Delay Appliance Load Test - Percent Reduction

93 A) Initiate a four-hour DAL signal within five minutes after the start of a compressor on cycle.

94 B) Measure and record the energy consumption, EPDL, during the four-hour DAL test period.

95 C) Verify no precool cycle occurs and the defrost heater is off during the entire duration of the four-hour 

96 DAL test period. 

97 8 TEMPORARY APPLIANCE LOAD REDUCTION (TALR) TEST 

98 All connected features and network modes must be setup and enabled per Section 5.2, and the anti99 sweat heater switch, if present, must be in the “off” position, during the Temporary Appliance Load 

100 Reduction Test.

101 8.1 Temporary Appliance Load Reduction Test

102 A) Initiate a 10-minute TALR signal within five minutes after the start of a compressor on cycle.

103 B) Measure and record the energy consumption, EPTALR, during the 10-minute TALR test period.

104 C) Verify no precool cycle occurs and the defrost heater is off during the entire duration of the 10-minute 

105 TALR test period.
ENERGY STAR Final Draft Test Method to Validate Demand Response (Rev. March-2013) Page 4 of 5

106 9 CALCULATIONS

107 9.1 DR Baseline Average Power

108 Calculate the average DR baseline power, APBL.

109 Equation 1: DR Baseline Average Power

APBL = (EPBL × 1000)

�

TBL

60 �

110 Where:

111 • APBL is the average baseline power in W

112 • EPBL is the baseline energy consumption in kWh, as 

113 described in section 6.1

114 • 1000 is the conversion factor from kWh to Wh

115 • TBL is the baseline time period in minutes, as described in 

116 section 6.1

117 • 60 is the conversion factor from minutes to hours

118 9.2 Delay Load Period Average Power

119 Calculate the average delay load power, APDL.

120 Equation 2: Delay Load Average Power

APDL = (EPDL × 1000)

4

121 Where:

122 • APDL is the average delay load power in W

123 • EPDL is the delay load energy consumption in kWh, as 

124 described in section 7.2

125 • 1000 is the conversion factor from kWh to Wh

126 • 4 is the delay load duration in hours

127 9.3 Percent Delay Load Average Power Reduction

128 Calculate the percent average delay load power reduction compared to the DR Baseline Test.

129 Equation 3: Percent Delay Load Average Power Reduction

Percent Average Power Reduction = (APBL − APDL)

APBL

× 100%

130 Where:

131 • APBL is the average baseline power in W, as calculated in 

132 section 9.1

133 • APDL is the average delay load power in W, as calculated 

134 in section 9.2

135 9.4 Temporary Appliance Load Reduction Average Power

136 Calculate the average TALR power, APTALR.

137 Equation 4: TALR Average Power
ENERGY STAR Final Draft Test Method to Validate Demand Response (Rev. March-2013) Page 5 of 5

APTALR = (EPTALR × 1000)

0.1667

138 Where:

139 • APTALR is the average TALR power in W

140 • EPTALR is the TALR energy consumption in kWh, as 

141 described in section 8.1

142 • 0.1667 is the time duration of the TALR period in hours

143 9.5 Percent TALR Average Power Consumed

144 Calculate the percent average TALR power consumed compared to the DOE Baseline Test.

145 Equation 5: Percent TALR Average Power Consumed

Percent Average Power Consumed = APTALR

APBL

× 100%

146 Where:

147 • APBL is the average baseline power in W, as calculated in 

148 section 9.1

149 • APTALR is the average TALR power in W, as calculated in 

150 section 9.4

151 10 REFERENCES

152 A) 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B, Appendix A. Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy 

153 Consumption of Electric Refrigerators and Electric Refrigerator-Freezers.

154 B) 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B, Appendix B. Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy 

155 Consumption of Freezers.

156 C) ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Residential Refrigerators and Freezers - Eligibility Criteria 

157 Version 5.0 Draft 3 published September 2012.