i? ~Department of Energy

Washington, DC 20585

December 26, 1996

WATER HEATER TEST PROCEDURE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP

On March 23, 1995, the Department of Energy (the Department) published a notice of Proposed

Rule and Public Hearing on proposed amendments to clarify the water heater, kitchen range,

oven, and microwave; and clothes washer test procedures. (60 FR 15330, March 23, 1995) The

notice requested data and comments until the close of comment period on August 31, 1995

(Docket No: EE-RM-94-230). A public hearing was held on July 12, 1995.

The Department is convening a public workshop for water heaters to discuss the large number of

comments received on the notice and from the public hearing. The Department seeks to gather

additional information and/or data on certain unresolved issues being considered by the

Department in its development of the Final Rule for Water Heater Test Procedure. The workshop

will be held on February 12, 1997, at the U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585 in Room 1E-245 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Comments under Docket No. EE-RM-94-230 may be read at the Department of Energy Freedom

of Information Reading Room, U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, Room IE-190,

1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-6020, between the hours of

9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

The tentative topics and issues to be discussed at the February 12, 1997, public workshop are

attached. If there are additional topics and issues you would like to discuss at the workshop or if

you have additional data and information, please send them to Ms. Sandy Beall, U.S. Department

of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, EE-43, Room 1J-018, Docket No.

EE-RM-94-230, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC. 20585-0121 by January 30,

1997. Telephone: (202) 586-7574; FAX: (202) 586-4617. If you have any questions or plan to

attend the workshop, please contact Mr. Bryan Berringer of my staff at (202) 586-0371.

Sincerely,

Director

Office of Codes and Standards

Building Technology, State and

Community Programs

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Attachment

Printed with soy ink on recycled paper

EE-RM-94-230 COMMENT 49G ..... 

, I 

Department of Energy 

Washington, DC 20585 

December 26, 1996 

WATER HEATER TEST PROCEDURE 

NOTICE OF PUBLIC WORKSHOP 

On March 23, 1995, the Department of Energy (the Department) published a notice of Proposed 

Rule and Public He¥ing on'proposed amendments to clarify the water heater. kitchen range, 

oven, and microwave; and clothes washer test procedures. (60 FR 15330, March 23, 1995) The 

notice requested data and comments until the close of comment period on August 31, 1995 

(Docket No: EE-RM-94-230). A public hearing was held on July 12, 1995. 

The Department is convening a public workshop for water heaters to discuss the large number of 

comments received on the notice and from the public hearing. The Department seeks to gather 

additional information and/or data on certain unresolved issues being considered by the 

Department in its development of the Final Rule for Water Heater Test Procedure. The workshop 

will be held on February 12, 1997, at the U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence 

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585 in Room lE-245 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

Comments under Docket No. EE-RM-94-230 may be read at t~e Department of Energy Freedom 

of Information Reading Room, U.S. Department of Energy', Forrestal Building, Room 1 E-I90. 

1000 Independence A venue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-6020, between the hours of 

9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

The tentative topics and issues to be discussed at the February 12, 1997, public workshop are 

'attached. If there are additional topics and issues you would like to discuss at the workshop or if 

you have additional data and information, please send them to Ms. Sandy Beall, U.S. Department 

of~nergy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, EE-43, Room lJ-018, Docket No. 

EE-RM-94-230, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC. 20585-0121 by January 30, 

1997. Telephone: (202) 586-7574; FAX: (202) 586-4617. If you have any questions or plan to 

attend the workshop, please contact Mr. Bryan Berringer of my staff at (202) 586-0371. 

Attachment 

Sincerely, 

{i:1J. ....c.LCa~be,· Director 

Office of Codes and Standards 

Building Technology, State and 

Community Programs 

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 

® Printed with soy ink on recycled paper 

G 
Tentative Topics and Issuses to be discussed at the February 12. 1997 Public Workshop

1. First hour rating for storage-type water heaters

* Should DOE consider the 1978 test method for measuring first hour rating ?

* Should DOE retain the current test method (codified in the 1991 Final Rule) for

measuring first hour rating ?

* Should DOE adopt the 1995 proposed test method for measuring first hour rating

(with revision to include a temperature correction factor of 120°F for each draw if an

internal mixing device is used) ?

* Should DOE adopt the alternate test methQd proposed by Dr. Carl Hiller of EPRI ?

2. Instantaneous water heaters

* Should coverage be extended to oil-fired instantaneous water heaters since such

products do not yet exist in the marketplace ? .

* Should coverage be extended to single point-of-use type electric instantaneous water

heaters ?

* Should DOE adopt an alternate first-hour rating method for instantaneous water heaters

using a maximum draw rate at a temperature rise of 77°F as proposed by GAMA, or a

temperature rise of 50°F as proposed by EEI and EPRI ?

3. Storage-type water heaters with rated storage capacities of less than 20 gallons

* Should the existing minimum efficiency standards for storage-type water heaters be

applied to storage-type water heaters with rated storage capacities of less than 20 gallons?

* Should the draw rate and daily draw volume in ASHRAE Standard 118.2 - 1993, as

referenced in the 1995 DOE proposed rule, be used in the 24-hour simulated use test

for storage-type water heaters with rated storage capacities of less than 20 gallons ? If

not, what draw rate and total daily drawn volume should be used ?

* Should coverage be extended to storage-type water heaters with rated storage

capacities of less than 10 gallons (single point-of-use type heaters) ?

EE-RM-94-230 COMMENT 49G

· , 

Tentative Topics and Iss uses to be discussed at the February ] 2. 1997 Public Workshop 

1. First hout rating for storage-type water heaters 

• Should DOE consider the 1978 test method for measuring ftrst hour rating? 

• Should DOE retain the current test method (codified in the 1991 Final Rule) for 

measuring first hour rating ? 

• Should DOE adopt the 1995 proposed test method for measuring first hour rating 

(with revision to include a temperature correction factor of 1200

p for each draw if an 

internal mixing device is used) ? 

• . Should DOE adopt the alternate test methQd proposed by Dr. Carl Hiller of EPRI ? 

2. Instantaneous water· heaters 

• Should coverage be extended to oil-fired instantaneous water heaters since such 

products do not yet exist in the marketplace? .. 

• . Should coverage be extended to single point-of-use type electric instantaneous water 

heaters? 

• Should DOE adopt an alternate ftrst-hour rating method for instantaneous water heaters 

using a maximum draw rate at a temperature rise of 77°P as proposed by GAM A, or a 

temperature rise of 50°F as proposed by EEl and EPRI ? 

3. Storage-type water heaters with rated storage capacities of less than 20 gallons 

• Sho~ld the existing minimum efficiency standards for storage-type water heaters be 

applied to storage-type water heaters with rated storage capacities of less than 20 gallons? 

• Should the draw rate and daily draw volume in ASHRAE Standard 118.2 - 1993, as 

referenced in the 1995 DOE proposed rule, be used in the 24-hour simulated use test 

for storage-type water heaters with rated storage capacities of less than 20 gallons? If 

not, what draw rate and total daily drawn volume should be used ? . 

• Should coverage be extended to storage-type water heaters with rated storage 

capacities of less th~n 10 gallons (single point-of-use typ~ heaters) ? 
4. Daily hot water usage of 64.3 gallons

* Does 64.3 gallons reflects realistic daily hot water usage, and if not, what volume

should it be?

- How will the Energy Factor be effected if testing were conducted at a daily hot water

usage volume other than 64.3 gallons ?

5. Thermostat settings

* Should the current setting of 135°F be lowered to 120°F to reflect manufacturers'

recommendation that thermostat setting be set at a lower setting to avoid potential

scalding ?.

* How will the Energy Factor be affected if testing were conducted at a thermostat

setting of 120°F ?

6. Test procedures for heat pump water heaters

Does the current test procedure (draw schedule of six hourly draws of 10.7 gallons

per draw) provide operating conditions which would allow the resistance element(s) to

be activated ?

*Should DOE consider an alternate draw schedule to be used in the 24-hr simulated use

test for heat pump water heaters and if so, what should this draw schedule be ?

* How will the Energy Factor be effected if testing were conducted using different

alternate draw schedules ?

7. Definitions for heat pump water heaters, add-on heat pump water heaters, integral heat

pump water heaters, solar water heaters, and heat pump water heater storage tanks

* Are the proposed definitions adequate and necessary and should DOE adopt them ?

* Should any definition be deleted and if so, which one ?

* Should any definition be revised and if so, which one and how should it be revised ?

EE-RM-94-230 COMMENT 49G

4. Daily ~Dt water usage Df 64.3 gallDns 

" . . 

• ODes 6..\..3 gallons reflects realistic daily hDt water usage, and if nDt, what vDlume 

ShDUld it be 1 -

• HDW will the Energy FactDr be effected if testing were .cDnducted at a daily hDt water 

usage vDlume other than 64.3 gallDns 1 

5. ThermDstat setting's 

• ShDUld the current setting Df 135°F be IDwered to' 120°F to' reflect manufacturers' 

recDmmendatiDn that thermDstat' sett~ng be set at a IDwer setting to' aVDid pDtential" 

scalding '? . 

• How will the Energy Factor be affected if testing were conducted at a thermostat 

settfng of 120°F 1 

6. Test procedures for heat pump water heaters 

• Does the current test procedure (dr~wsched1Jle of six h()urly draws of 10.7 gallons 

per draw) provide Dperating cDnditiDns which would allDw the resi$tance element(s) to 

. be activated ? . 

• ShDUld DOE cDnsider an alternate draw schedule to be used in the 24-hr ·simulated use 

test fDr heatpump water heaters andif so., what ShDUld this draw schedule be 1 

, • How will the Energy FactDr be effected if testing were cDnducted, using different 

alternate draw schedules 1 . 

7. Definitions fDr heat pump water heaters, add-on heat pump water heaters, Integral heat 

pump water heaters, sDlar water heaters, and heat pump water heater stDrage tanks 

• ,Are the prDpDsed definitiDns adequate and ne,cessaryand should DOE adDpt them 1 . 

• Should any definition be deleted and if so., which Dne? ' 

• ShDUld any definition be revised and if so, which Dne and how ShDUld it be revised 1 .. 

, ~. .