federal register

45483

Wednesday

August 27, 1997

Part II

Department of

Energy

Office of Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products: Test Procedure for

Clothes Washers and Reporting

Requirements for Clothes Washers,

Clothes Dryers, and Dishwashers; Final

Rule
45484 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

1Part B of Title III of EPCA, as amended, is

referred to in this final rule as the ‘‘Act’’ and

provisions of the Act are referred to either as

‘‘Sectionlof the Act.’’ Part B of Title III is codified

at 42 U.S.C. 6291–6309.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

[Docket No. EE–RM–94–230A]

RIN 1904–AA68

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products: Test Procedure

for Clothes Washers and Reporting

Requirements for Clothes Washers,

Clothes Dryers, and Dishwashers

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy, Department of

Energy.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This rule amends the

Department of Energy clothes washer

test procedure to test for compliance

with the existing energy conservation

standard. It also establishes a new

clothes washer test procedure which

will be used to analyze, and will apply

to, anticipated revisions to the existing

clothes washer energy conservation

standards. This rule also modifies

reporting requirements for clothes

washers, clothes dryers, and

dishwashers, requiring manufacturers

and private labelers to submit energy

factor data on their certification reports

to the Department.

DATES: This rule is effective February

23, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the transcripts of

the public hearings and the public

comments received on any of the

proposed rules, may be read and

photocopied at the Department of

Energy Freedom of Information Reading

Room, U.S. Department of Energy,

Forrestal Building, Room 1E–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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bryan Berringer and P. Marc LaFrance,

U.S. Department of Energy, Energy

Efficiency and Renewable Energy,

Mail Station EE–43, Forrestal

Building, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, DC 20585–0121,

(202) 586–0371.

Edward Levy, Esq., U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of General Counsel,

Mail Station GC–72, Forrestal

Building, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, DC 20585–0103,

(202) 586–9507.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

II. Background

III. Discussion

A. Clothes Washer Test Procedures—Issues

Related to Both Appendices J and J1

1. Adaptive Water Fill Control System

2. Electrical Supply Requirements

3. Field Testing

4. Remaining Moisture Content

a. Energy Required to Remove Moisture

from the Test Load

b. Spin Speed and Spin Time

c. Test Load Size for RMC

5. Thermostatically Controlled Water

Valves

6. Water Consumption Factor

B. Clothes Washer Test Procedures—Issues

Related to Appendix J

1. Agitator and Spin Speed Settings

2. Capacity Measurement

3. Modified Energy Factor Definition

4. Other Issues

5. Temperature Measuring (Sensing)

Device

6. Temperature Selections

a. Multiple Warm Wash Temperatures

b. Temperature Selection(s) Locked Out of

the Normal Cycle

7. Water-Heating Clothes Washers

8. Weighing Scales for Test Cloth and

Clothes Container

C. Clothes Washer Test Procedures—Issues

Related to Appendix J1

1. Capacity Measurement

2. Consumer Selectable Options for the

Energy Test Cycle

3. Energy Test Cloth

4. Energy Test Cycle Definition

5. Other Issues

6. Supply Water Temperature

7. Test Load Tolerances

8. Warm Wash Temperature Selections

9. Warm Rinse

D. Related Issues, Revision to 10 CFR

430.23, ‘‘Test procedures for measures of

energy consumption.’’

E. Reporting Requirements, Revision to 10

CFR 430.62, ‘‘Submission of data.’’

F. Effective Date

IV. Determination Concerning the Impact of

the Amended Test Procedures on

Standards

V. Procedural Requirements

A. Environmental Review

B. Regulatory Planning and Review

C. Federalism Review

D. ‘‘Takings’’ Assessment Review

E. Paperwork Reduction Act Review

F. Unfunded Mandates Act.

G. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility

Act of 1980

H. Review Under Executive Order 12988,

‘‘Civil Justice Reform’’

I. Review Under Small Business Regulatory

Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996

I. Introduction

Part B of Title III of the Energy Policy

and Conservation Act as amended

(EPCA), establishes the Energy

Conservation Program for Consumer

Products Other Than Automobiles

(Program).1 The products currently

subject to this Program (often referred to

hereinafter as ‘‘covered products’’)

include clothes washers, clothes dryers

and dishwashers, the subjects of today’s

notice.

Under the Act, the Program consists

essentially of three parts: testing,

labeling, and the Federal energy

conservation standards. The

Department, in consultation with the

National Institute of Standards and

Technology (NIST, formerly the

National Bureau of Standards), is

required to establish new test

procedures or amend existing test

procedures, as appropriate, for each of

the covered products. EPCA, section

323. The purposes of the test procedures

are to provide uniform methods that

generally must be used as the basis for

any representations concerning the

energy consumption of a product, and

for determining whether the product

complies with the applicable energy

conservation standard. See EPCA,

sections 323(c), 324(c), and 325(s). Test

procedures appear at 10 Code of Federal

Regulation (CFR) part 430, Subpart B.

A test procedure promulgated under

section 323 of the Act must be

reasonably designed to produce test

results which measure energy

efficiency, energy use, water use (in the

case of shower heads, faucets, water

closets and urinals), or estimated annual

operating cost of a covered product

during a representative average use

cycle or period of use, and must not be

unduly burdensome to conduct. EPCA,

section 323(b)(3). A test procedure is not

required if DOE determines by rule that

one cannot be developed. EPCA, section

323(d)(1). One hundred and eighty days

after a test procedure for a product is

adopted, no manufacturer may make

representations with respect to energy

use, efficiency or water use of such

product, or the cost of energy consumed

by such product, except as reflected in

tests conducted according to the DOE

procedure. EPCA, section 323(c)(2). This

180-day period may be extended for up

to an additional 180 days if the

Secretary determines that the

requirements of section 323(c)(2) would

impose undue burden. EPCA, section

323(c)(3).

Section 323(e) of the Act requires

DOE to determine to what extent, if any,

a proposed test procedure would alter

the measured energy efficiency,

measured energy use or measured water

use of any covered product as
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45485

2Proctor & Gamble data indicates a decrease in

the use of hot water.

3The second round of clothes washer standards

rulemaking was initiated by the publication of an

Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANOPR).

(59 FR 56423, November 14, 1994.) The Department

has initiated the process for issuing a Supplemental

ANOPR, having conducted an initial workshop in

November 1996, with another workshop scheduled

for July 23, 1997.

determined under the existing test

procedure. If DOE determines that an

amended test procedure would alter the

measured efficiency or measured use of

a covered product, DOE is required to

amend the applicable energy

conservation standard accordingly.

EPCA, section 323(e)(2).

II. Background

Today’s final rule reflects the

Department’s consideration of several

proposed rules issued since December

1993 concerning DOE clothes washer

test procedures, and of the public

comment and testimony received in

response to those proposals. The

Department’s action consolidates the

issues pertaining to these proposals and

reflects the most recent data submitted

by clothes washer manufacturers.

The initial proposal, published on

December 22, 1993, proposed to amend

the clothes washer test procedure to

address temperature selections that are

locked out of the normal cycle (formerly

Docket Number EE–RM–93–701). 58 FR

67710 (December 22, 1993) (hereinafter

referred to as the December 1993

proposed rule). A public hearing was

held on February 24, 1994.

The Department proposed the

following approach for a clothes washer

equipped with this feature: for each

temperature combination in the normal

cycle from which a temperature

selection is locked out, hot water

consumption would be prorated

between the temperature combination in

that cycle and the corresponding

temperature combination in the cycle

with the greatest hot water

consumption. The unknown factor in

the calculation was the frequency with

which users would choose the normal

versus other cycles for a particular

temperature combination selection, i.e.,

the proration value. As stated in the

December 1993 proposed rule, clothes

washers equipped with a temperature

selection ‘‘lockout’’ design feature had

not been available previously in the

marketplace. Therefore, no data

regarding the effect of this feature on

consumer cycle selection were

available. The Department proposed a

proration value representative of normal

cycle use for all clothes washers (normal

cycle would be selected 75 percent of

the time). Many of the commenters

objected to the proposed value.

Following review of the comments, on

May 24, 1995, the Department revised

the proposal, specifically requesting

usage data for clothes washers with

‘‘lockouts,’’ and, absent receipt of valid

usage data, proposing to reduce the

proration value (normal cycle would be

used 20 percent). 60 FR 27441 (May 24,

1995) (hereinafter referred to as the May

1995 proposed rule). The Department

received data from the Whirlpool

Corporation (Whirlpool), and comments

from White Consolidated Industries Inc.

(White Consolidated), Maytag

Corporation (Maytag), and Whirlpool.

On March 23, 1995, the Department

published another proposed rule to

amend the clothes washer test

procedure (former Docket Number EE–

RM–94–230). 60 FR 15330 (hereinafter

referred to as the March 1995 proposed

rule). This proposal addressed:

innovative technologies (high spin

speed and adaptive (automatic) water

fill control); water heating clothes

washers; annual number of clothes

washer cycles; and other general

revisions.

The March 1995 proposed rule also

proposed the reporting of energy factor

data on manufacturer certification

reports for clothes washers, clothes

dryers and dishwashers. On July 12,

1995, a hearing on the proposed rule

was held in Washington, DC. The

Department received comments from 10

interested parties: the Association of

Home Appliance Manufacturers

(AHAM), General Electric Appliances

(GEA), Eugene Water and Electric Board

(EWEB), Miele Appliance Inc. (Miele),

Proctor and Gamble (P&G), Maytag,

Speed Queen Company (Speed Queen),

Clorox Company (Clorox), American

Council for an Energy Efficient

Economy (ACEEE), and Whirlpool.

The Department believes that the

existing test procedure, Appendix J,

overstates the average annual energy

consumption for clothes washers

because of changes in consumer habits

since the current test procedure was

adopted.2 The Department had planned

on initiating a subsequent clothes

washer test procedure rulemaking, at a

later date, which would take into

account current consumer habits, and

would be used as the basis for

considering revision of the clothes

washer energy conservation standards.3

In its comments on the March 1995

proposed rule, however, AHAM

included and requested that DOE adopt

an additional new test procedure, based

on current consumer habits, which

would be used in considering revision

of the clothes washer energy

conservation standards, and would take

effect when new standards take effect.

On April 22, 1996, the Department

proposed such a new clothes washer

test procedure, Appendix J1, as well as

certain additional revisions to the

currently applicable test procedure in

Appendix J to Subpart B of 10 CFR part

430. 61 FR 17589 (hereinafter referred to

as the supplemental proposed rule).

Appendix J1 would be codified in the

CFR for informational purposes, would

be used in the analysis and review of

revised efficiency standards, and would

replace Appendix J upon the effective

date of such revised standards. The

revised Appendix J would be a revision

of the current test procedure, consistent

with the existing standards, and would

become effective 180 days after issuance

of the final rule.

In response to the supplemental

proposed rule, the Department received

comments from 11 interested parties:

The Consortium for Energy Efficiency

(CEE), National Resources Defense

Council (NRDC), Miele, Frigidaire

Company (Frigidaire), Lever Brothers

Company (Lever), AHAM, Maytag,

Raytheon Appliances (Raytheon),

Whirlpool, Fisher and Paykel Limited

(Fisher and Paykel), and White

Consolidated.

Since publication of the March 1995

proposed rule, several new issues

emerged that were neither covered by

the existing clothes washer test

procedure contained in Appendix J nor

addressed in the supplemental proposed

rule. These issues arose in the context

of interim waivers from the clothes

washer test procedure, granted by DOE

with respect to clothes washer features

not covered by the current test

procedure. Specifically, the Department

granted GEA Interim Waivers for its

clothes washers with unique adaptive

water fill control and temperature

selection features. 61 FR 18129 (April 6,

1996) and 61 FR 47115 (September 6,

1996).

Therefore, on November 8, 1996, the

Department issued a notice to reopen

the comment period to invite comment

on options the Department was

considering to address issues raised by

these waiver applications. 61 FR 57794

(hereinafter referred to as the reopening

notice rule). In response to the

reopening notice, DOE received two

comments, from Fisher and Paykel, and

AHAM.
45486 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

4 In the March 1995 proposed rule, the

terminology used for this feature was ‘‘machinecontrolled water fill,’’ although the Department is

adopting language used in the supplemental

proposed rule, ‘‘adaptive water fill control system.’’

5Comments have been assigned to docket

numbers and have been numbered consecutively. A

Comment in response to the May 1995 proposed

rule, Docket number EE-RM–93–701, will have its

appropriate number followed by ‘‘Docket 701’’, a

comment in response to the March 1995 proposed

rule, Docket number EE-RM–94–230, will have its

appropriate number followed by ‘‘Docket 230’’, and

a comment in response to the supplemental

proposed rule or reopening notice, Docket number

EE-RM–94–230A, will have its appropriate number

followed by ‘‘Docket 230A.’’ Statements that were

presented at the July 12, 1995, public hearing are

identified as Testimony.

6Multiple AWFCS settings allow a consumer to

adjust the ‘‘sensitivity’’ of the AWFCS feature so as

to permit different amounts of water for a given

load of clothing and corresponding different

amounts of energy consumption.

7 In Appendix J, two types of manual fill control

are defined, ‘‘sensor filled’’ and ‘‘timed filled.’’

III. Discussion

A. Clothes Washer Test Procedures—

Issues Related to Both Appendices J and

J1

1. Adaptive Water Fill Control System

An adaptive water fill control system

(AWFCS) in a clothes washer is a

control scheme which determines

automatically, without operator

intervention, the amount of water used

to wash a particular load of clothing,

based on the size or weight of that

clothing load. The existing test

procedure provides only for testing

machines with manual fill controls. In

the March 1995 proposed rule, the

Department proposed to amend

Appendix J to include test provisions

for a clothes washer that had an

AWFCS 4 instead of manual controls. In

the reopening notice, the Department

also proposed to include test provisions

for clothes washers that had both

adaptive and manual water fill control

capability, as well as test provisions for

clothes washers with multiple AWFCS

settings.

In the supplemental proposed rule,

the Department proposed provisions for

clothes washers with AWFCS features.

Appendix J1 requires testing with

maximum, average, and minimum size

test loads, whereas the proposed

Appendix J requires testing with only

maximum and minimum size test loads.

Appendices J and J1 specify different

load usage factors (used to prorate

energy results from various tests) for the

different size loads. In addition,

Appendix J1 has a new test load table

with variable size loads based on

clothes washer capacity, which are

generally larger than the Appendix J

fixed size test loads.

AWFCS Provisions for Appendix J

In response to the March 1995

proposed rule, Speed Queen

commented that it supports the

Department’s proposal and rejects the

adoption of AHAM’s future AWFCS

provisions (subsequently proposed for

Appendix J1) for Appendix J. (Speed

Queen, No. 29 at 3, Docket 230).5 GEA

cautioned the Department not to adopt

any AWFCS provisions for Appendix J

because ‘‘adverse competitive impact is

simply too great if notice through the

waiver procedure is not available.’’

(GEA, No. 36 at 3, Docket 230).

Whirlpool supported incorporation into

Appendix J of AHAM’s proposed test

provisions concerning AWFCS. The

company stated that ‘‘the AHAM

proposed procedure will provide a

usage that more closely approximates

the consumer use habits, and since there

are not currently any vertical-axis

product[s] that utilize AFC [automatic

fill control] and horizontal-axis product

is not required to meet a specific energy

standard, this would not require a new

standard to be established.’’ (Whirlpool,

No. 37 at 3, Docket 230).

The Department rejects GEA’s

argument not to promulgate AWFCS test

provisions in Appendix J. The

Department has the responsibility to

provide codified test provisions for

issues that have been addressed

previously by waivers. At the time of

the March 1995 proposed rule, the

Department had already granted a

waiver to Asko Incorporated (Asko) for

its clothes washers with AWFCS

capability. 59 FR 15710 (April 4, 1994).

Since the publication of the March 1995

proposed rule, the Department has

granted a Waiver to Miele and an

Interim Waiver to GEA for their clothes

washers with AWFCS capability. 61 FR

11201 (March 19, 1996) and 61 FR

18125 (April 24, 1996).

The Department believes that the

Appendix J1 AWFCS test provisions,

which specify a new test load table

based on current consumer habits, will

provide more accurate results for

clothes washers equipped with AWFCS.

In the supplemental proposed rule, the

Department requested additional

information regarding the possible

adoption of the proposed Appendix J1

test load table for Appendix J. If

adopted, the test load table would have

been applicable only to front-loader and

top-loader clothes washers with AWFCS

capability. The Department received an

overwhelming negative response to this

suggestion. Miele, AHAM, Maytag,

Raytheon and White Consolidated

opposed the use of the Appendix J1 test

load table for any testing other than

Remaining Moisture Content (RMC)

testing (which is voluntary for

Appendix J) because of test burden

concerns and disparity of test results

between front-loader and traditional

top-loader clothes washers. (Miele, No.

4 at 1; AHAM, No. 7 at 1, 4, 5; Maytag,

No. 8 at 3; Raytheon, No. 9 at 4; and

White Consolidated, No. 11 at 1, 2 and

No. 12 at 1, all Docket 230A). In

response to the supplemental proposed

rule, the Department did not receive any

comments supporting the adoption,

other than for RMC testing, of the new

test load table for Appendix J.

The Department believes that the

promulgation of the March 1995

proposed rule AWFCS test provisions,

which use test loads that do not reflect

current consumer usage habits, most

likely will provide an artificial credit for

clothes washers with AWFCS

capability. The Department also

believes, however, that the artificial

credit, or reduced energy consumption

rating, will be offset by the Appendix J’s

current overstating of energy

consumption. Consequently, the rating

depicted to consumers for AWFCS

clothes washers generally will be

representative of the actual energy

consumption. Therefore, the

Department is maintaining the test load

requirements for energy consumption

testing as proposed in the March 1995

proposed rule.

In the reopening notice, with regard to

clothes washers with multiple AWFCS

settings, 6 the Department proposed test

provisions to average the results from

the most and least energy intensive

settings. AHAM commented that it

supported the Department’s proposal.

(AHAM, No. 19 at 1, Docket 230A).

Fisher and Paykel commented that this

proposal would add test burden but

indicated that it had no alternative.

(Fisher and Paykel, No.22 at 3, Docket

230A). Based on the comments received,

DOE has determined that for clothes

washers with multiple AWFCS settings

the test provisions proposed in the

reopening notice are appropriate.

Therefore they are incorporated into

today’s final rule for Appendix J.

AWFCS Provisions for Both Appendices

J and J1

In the reopening notice, with regard to

a clothes washer that had both AWFCS

and manual water fill control, 7 the

Department proposed requirements to

test both features and to average the

results. AHAM comment supported the

Department’s proposal. (AHAM, No. 19

at 1, Docket 230A). Fisher and Paykel

stated that it believed the AWFCS
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45487

feature would be used more frequently

than the manual mode. Fisher and

Paykel added, however, that it has no

data concerning use of the AWFCS

feature in the U.S. (Fisher and Paykel,

No. 22 at 3, Docket 230A). The

Department had proposed the same

testing and averaging requirements for

Appendix J1 in the supplemental

proposed rule and received no negative

comments. Based on all of these factors,

the test provisions proposed for clothes

washers with both AWFCS and manual

water fill control are incorporated into

today’s final rule for Appendices J and

J1.

Fisher and Paykel commented that the

proposed definition of ‘‘adaptive control

system’’ is ambiguous and suggested

that the definition state explicitly that it

does not include ‘‘AWFCS.’’ (Fisher and

Paykel, No. 16 at 1, Docket 230A). The

Department agrees with Fisher and

Paykel. Therefore, the Department has

adopted language for the ‘‘adaptive

control system’’ definition for

Appendices J and J1 as suggested by

Fisher and Paykel. In addition, to

prevent any ambiguity, the Department

has made minor revisions to the rule

language where the terms ‘‘adaptive

control system’’ and ‘‘adaptive water fill

control system’’ are used.

AWFCS Provisions for Appendix J1

In the supplemental proposed rule,

with regard to clothes washers with

multiple AWFCS settings, the

Department proposed test provisions to

average the results from tests of the most

and least energy intensive settings.

AHAM and Raytheon opposed this

proposal and suggested an alternative

method to reduce test burden. (AHAM,

No. 14 at 1; and Raytheon, No. 9 at 4

and No. 13 at 2; both Docket 230A).

The alternative method would require

testing the most energy intensive setting

with a maximum size test load, the most

and least energy intensive settings with

an average size test load, and the least

energy intensive setting with a

minimum size test load. The

Department’s proposal would have

required testing of the most and least

energy intensive settings for the

maximum, average, and minimum size

test loads. Since an average size test

load would be used by consumers most

of the time (74 percent), the Department

has determined that AHAM’s proposal

would account for 87 percent of the

energy consumption test results (of the

full compliment of tests results

proposed by the Department), while

only requiring 66 percent of the number

of tests. In addition, the AHAM

proposal would ensure that the

combination of settings with the lowest

possible energy consumption, i.e., the

lowest energy intensive setting with a

minimum size test load, and with the

highest possible energy consumption,

i.e., the highest energy intensive setting

with a maximum size test load, would

be tested. Therefore, the Department is

adopting the test methodology for

Appendix J1 suggested by AHAM and

supported by Raytheon.

Based on AHAM’s suggested test

procedure, the supplemental proposed

rule also specified that additional test

loads be tested if an AWFCS clothes

washer does not have linear results for

average size test loads, i.e., non-linear

between the maximum and minimum

size test load results. For a clothes

washer that generates non-linear test

results, additional tests would be

required for ‘‘above average’’ and

‘‘below average’’ test load sizes. AHAM,

Fisher and Paykel, and Raytheon believe

that the additional testing requirements

would create an unnecessary test

burden. (AHAM, No. 14 at 2, 3; Fisher

and Paykel, No. 16 at 6, 10; and

Raytheon, No. 13 at 2; all Docket 230A).

In addition, AHAM provided an

analysis which indicates that, with a

worst case non-linear result, the change

in resulting energy factor or modified

energy factor would be small, an average

of some four to five percent. (AHAM,

No. 21, Docket 230A). The Department

has reviewed the analysis provided by

AHAM and agrees that the additional

test burden is not warranted for the

potential improvement in test accuracy.

Furthermore, the worst case scenario

analyzed by AHAM does not appear to

be likely, and thus actual test result

disparity would be less than four or five

percent. Therefore, Appendix J1 as

promulgated today does not require

testing of ‘‘above average’’ and ‘‘below

average’’ test loads for AWFCS clothes

washers that generate non-linear test

results.

2. Electrical Supply Requirements

The March 1995 proposed rule

proposed deleting a provision in the

existing test procedures (Appendix J)

that allowed turning off console lights

that did not consume more than 10

watts of power during the clothes

washer test cycle. Similarly, the

supplemental proposed rule did not

propose to include such a provision in

Appendix J1. Speed Queen supported

the Department’s proposal to delete the

provision from Appendix J. (Speed

Queen, No. 29 at 4, Docket 230). NRDC,

Maytag, and Raytheon supported the

Department’s proposal not to include

this provision in Appendix J1. (NRDC,

No. 2 at 2; Maytag, No. 8 at 2; and

Raytheon, No. 9 at 1; all Docket 230A).

Today’s final rule is consistent with the

March 1995 proposed rule and

supplemental proposed rule, and

excludes this provision.

3. Field Testing

In the supplemental proposed rule,

the Department proposed that both

Appendices J and J1 would require

manufacturers to field test a nonconventional clothes washer (such as

one with automatic control of features

other than water fill) as a basis for

requesting a test procedure waiver

pursuant to 10 CFR 430.27. The

Department stated that field test data

would be used to support the petition

for waiver. Both the preamble and rule

language indicate that a test procedure

waiver would be required in order to

test a non-conventional clothes washer,

and the field testing proposal clearly

assumes that a waiver would be needed

to test such a machine. The

supplemental proposed rule would also

require field testing if a manufacturer

believes that a clothes washer with both

manual and adaptive fill controls is

being used by consumers, in the

adaptive mode, more than 50 percent of

the time, and seeks a waiver from the

provision of the test procedure that

assumes such 50% usage. AHAM had

recommended the proposed field testing

provisions for both Appendices J and J1,

to provide data to support waiver

applications. (AHAM, No. 5 at 5, Docket

230).

In response to the supplemental

proposed rule, AHAM commented that

the field testing requirements should be

optional, not mandatory, and

recommended specific rule language

revisions. (AHAM, No. 7 at 1 & 5 and

No. 14 at 4, Docket 230A). AHAM’s

position was supported by several

manufacturers. (Miele, No. 4 at 2;

Maytag, No. 8 at 3; Fisher and Paykel,

No. 16 at 12, 13; and Raytheon, No. 9

at 3; all Docket 230A). Neither AHAM

nor the other commenters, however,

questioned the need for a waiver to

establish test procedures for a nonconventional clothes washer.

The Department agrees with AHAM

and the commenting manufacturers that

the field testing provisions should not

be mandatory. For a non-conventional

clothes washer such as one with an

adaptive control system, the test

procedures in proposed Appendices J

and J1 would provide materially

inaccurate data as to energy

consumption. Therefore, a test

procedure waiver would be required. A

waiver in effect creates a new test

procedure for a machine, specifying

inapplicable provisions of the required

test procedure and additional
45488 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

8A ‘‘base’’ clothes washer refers to a machine

already being sold in commerce without the unique

feature being field tested.

9RMC represents a percentage derived by

dividing the moisture weight that is remaining in

the clothing at the completion of the clothes washer

cycle by the weight of the dry clothes prior to the

clothes washing cycle.

requirements necessary for testing or

analysis of test results, thus providing a

basis for determining compliance with

efficiency standards and for making

efficiency representations. The

proposed field testing was intended to

support a test procedure waiver, by

providing a generally accepted method

for collecting data and adjusting test

results. Although the Department

continues to believe that field testing

can serve this purpose, it recognizes the

possibility that a waiver could be

supported by means other than field

testing, and by field test methods other

than those in the supplemental

proposed rule. Moreover, there may be

instances where the proposed field

testing methods are inadequate.

Therefore, today’s final rule provides

that the proposed field testing

requirements are guidelines, rather than

mandatory procedures that a

manufacturer must use to gather

information to support each waiver

application. Although field testing

should be used where appropriate, the

Department will still consider a petition

for waiver that is not based on field

testing. In addition, the Department may

reject field testing results, if warranted.

As in the proposed rule, however, the

final rule makes clear that a

manufacturer must obtain a test

procedure waiver for non-conventional

clothes washers, including machines

with adaptive control systems.

Fisher and Paykel provided additional

comments regarding field testing

provisions. The company is concerned

about (1) whether the proposed rule is

intended to permit field testing outside

of the U.S., (2) the equation to correlate

field testing results with laboratory test

ratings, and (3) a requirement to record

the dry clothing weight prior to

washing. (Fisher and Paykel, No. 16 at

12, 13; Docket 230A). Fisher and Paykel

assumes that field testing could be

performed in any location, including

outside of the U.S. The company did not

comment whether manufacturers should

be required to perform field testing in

the U.S.

The Department contemplates that

field testing would determine consumer

behavior relative to a particular clothes

washer. Such consumer behavior would

be a basis for determining compliance

with DOE efficiency standards (and

whether the clothes washer could be

sold in the U.S.) and for representations

within the U.S. concerning the

machine’s efficiency. Thus, consumer

usage data derived in the U.S. would be

most applicable. Nevertheless, since

today’s rule makes field testing

provisions optional, the Department

does not believe it needs to address

whether field tests should be restricted

to the U.S. Field test results, however,

will be subject to competitor and

Department review as part of the

Petition for Waiver process found at 10

CFR 430.27. A petitioner submitting

consumer usage data derived outside of

the U.S. most likely would be expected

to show that the data applies to, and is

valid for, U.S. consumer usage patterns.

Therefore, today’s final rule does not

add a requirement to restrict field

testing to the U.S. and is being

promulgated as proposed.

Fisher and Paykel also questioned the

field testing equation used to develop an

acceptable rating of a ‘‘test’’ clothes

washer (section 6.1 of the supplemental

proposed rule). (Fisher and Paykel, No.

16 at 13, Docket 230A). The following

paragraph is an excerpt from section 6.1

of the supplemental proposed rule.

‘‘The field test results will be used to

determine the best method to correlate

the rating of the test clothes washer to

the rating of the base clothes washer. If

the base clothes washer is rated at A

kWh per year, but field tests at B kWh

per year, and the test clothes washer

field tests at D kWh per year, the test

unit would be rated as follows:

A×(D/B)=GkWh per year’’

Fisher and Paykel suggested an alternate

mathematical expression which

provides the same result but ‘‘better

indicates that a ratio of the base clothes

washer 8 laboratory and field energy

measurements are used to correct the

test clothes washer field results.’’ Fisher

and Paykel misunderstood the intent of

the equation. The Department maintains

that the rating of the ‘‘test’’ clothes

washer should be derived by adjusting

the established ‘‘base’’ clothes washer

rating. Thus, the ‘‘base’’ clothes washer

rating would be multiplied by the ratio

of the field results for a ‘‘test’’ clothes

washer divided by the field results of a

‘‘base’’ clothes washer. Therefore, the

Department is promulgating the

proposed mathematical expression

without revision.

Fisher and Paykel opposed a field

testing requirement to have consumers

dry the clothing load prior to washing.

According to Fisher and Paykel, the

result may affect consumer behavior,

i.e., a consumer may choose different

clothes washer settings if the actual

weight of the clothing is known. The

company also maintains that it is

unrealistic to have consumers dry dirty

clothing, and that the calculations do

not use the dry weight of the clothing.

(Fisher and Paykel, No. 16 at 13, Docket

230A). The Department agrees with

Fisher and Paykel that it is

impracticable to have consumers dry

soiled clothing in their clothes dryers

prior to washing. This would waste

energy, soil the clothes dryer for future

use, and may make it more difficult to

clean the clothing. Fisher and Paykel is

incorrect, however, in asserting that the

dry clothing weight is not required. Data

regarding load size is useful to correlate

tests in the field with laboratory tests

which use fixed test loads. In addition,

the dry clothing weight is required

when a calculation is needed of the

remaining moisture content result. The

Department believes that this

measurement can be obtained at the end

of the clothes dryer drying cycle.

Therefore, to establish more practicable

requirements, today’s final rule specifies

the measurement of the dry clothing

weight at the end of the laundry

process.

4. Remaining Moisture Content

The March 1995 proposed rule

proposed to include an optional test

provision in Appendix J to address the

moisture content of clothing at the

completion of the clothes washer cycle

(referred to herein as ‘‘remaining

moisture content’’ or ‘‘RMC’’ 9). This

provision included a calculation to

determine the energy required to fully

dry the clothing. AHAM recommended

a revised test provision to test the RMC

of a test load for its suggested future use

test procedure, and suggested adoption

of these same test provisions, on an

optional basis, for Appendix J. (AHAM,

No. 5 at 3, 7 and No. 8 at 1, both Docket

230). This was supported by Raytheon.

(Raytheon, No. 29 at 2, Docket 230). The

Department accepted AHAM’s

recommended test provisions to address

the RMC of clothing at the completion

of the clothes washer cycle, and

proposed to incorporate them into

Appendix J1.

The Department believes these

provisions are superior to the provisions

proposed in the March 1995 proposed

rule, Appendix J, for calculating the

energy required to remove moisture

from clothing. The Appendix J1

approach is based on current consumer

usage habits which reflect larger loads,

account for wash loads that are not

dried in clothes dryers, i.e., 16 percent

of wash loads, and account for residual

moisture, i.e., 4 percent remaining in

the clothing at the completion of a

typical clothes dryer cycle. Thus, DOE
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45489

10Comment 32 on Docket number EE–RM–94–

403.

11RMC is a percentage which decreases, although

the actual remaining moisture weight increases

because the larger load retains more moisture.

believes the Appendix J1 test

methodology is more representative of a

consumer’s energy use. The provisions

of Appendix J1 also provide a means to

assess the water extraction capability of

a clothes washer independent of any

other descriptor, i.e., a RMC percentage

value. Accordingly, today’s final rule

incorporates consistent test provisions

for RMC and the energy required to

remove the moisture from the clothing

for both Appendices J and J1. This

includes the adoption of a new test load

table for testing RMC in Appendix J.

The Department also received

comments concerning aspects of RMC

which were addressed in the

supplemental proposed rule. The

following issues relate to RMC and are

applicable to both Appendices J and J1.

a. Energy Required to Remove

Moisture from the Test Load. The RMC

value is used to calculate the energy

required to remove moisture from the

test load, ‘‘DE’’. The ‘‘DE’’ is calculated

using the maximum size test load, load

adjustment factor (LAF) (P&G ratio of

maximum load size to average load

size), nominal energy required to

remove moisture from clothes (assumed

constant for all clothes dryers, 0.5 kWh/

lb), and the clothes dryer utilization

factor (DUF) (percentage of clothes

washer loads that are dried by clothes

dryers). AHAM originally recommended

a DUF of 83 percent, although P&G

calculates the DUF to be 84.4 percent.10

The Department stated in the

supplemental proposed rule that it

planned on using 84 percent for the

DUF. Raytheon and Maytag support the

Department’s use of 84 percent for the

DUF. (Maytag, No. 8 at 2; and Raytheon,

No. 9 at 1, both Docket 230A). Today’s

final rule incorporates a DUF of 84

percent for Appendices J and J1.

b. Spin Speed and Spin Time. GEA

expressed concern about the possibility

of manufacturers providing manually

selectable options to consumers, e.g.,

multiple spin speed and time selections,

which would affect the resulting RMC of

consumer wash loads. GEA believes that

the Department should not use the

lowest RMC level achieved in a clothes

washer for the future minimum energy

conservation standard analysis or for

energy reporting, and that there should

be some type of ‘‘discounting of the

RMC credit.’’ According to GEA,

consumers may not always choose the

setting which would result in the lowest

RMC value. (Testimony at 157). In

response, the Department stated in the

supplemental proposed rule that it was

considering a requirement to average the

extreme values of the multiple

selections, e.g., spin speeds and times,

that are available in the energy test

cycle. The Department requested

comments regarding this issue.

Several comments were received.

AHAM provided a revised method to

prorate multiple consumer options

affecting RMC. AHAM believes that

settings for the lowest RMC value , i.e.,

greatest extraction of moisture, will be

used by consumers 75 percent of the

time and that the highest RMC value

will be used 25 percent of the time. This

is based on P&G usage data for delicate

and permanent press cycles. (AHAM,

No. 7 at 2 and No. 14 at 4, both Docket

230A). The AHAM methodology was

supported by Miele, Maytag, and

Raytheon. (Miele, No. 4 at 3; Maytag,

No. 8 at 2; and Raytheon, No. 9 at 1; all

Docket 230A). NRDC supports some

type of ‘‘averaging’’ to address this issue

and believes the concern ‘‘would be

mitigated’’ as proposed in the

supplemental proposed rule. (NRDC,

No. 2 at 2, Docket 230A). Fisher and

Paykel believes that the factory default

spin speed should be used for the RMC

test, although in the absence of a factory

default it supported the AHAM

methodology. (Fisher and Paykel, No. 16

at 12, Docket 230A).

White Consolidated opposed

conducting the RMC test at any speed

other than the maximum spin speed

because testing momie cloth (the

specified test cloth) at low spin speeds

does not reflect actual consumer usage.

White Consolidated also indicated that

mismatching the wash cycle, load size,

and load type can produce RMC

measurements that miss ‘‘real world’’

results by as much as 35 percent. (White

Consolidated, No. 12 at 1, 2, Docket

230A).

The Department believes that some

consumers will choose spin speed and

spin duration options which achieve

RMC values above the lowest attainable

in the energy test cycle, although

consumer usage habits are not known.

For this reason, the Department

proposed to require averaging the lowest

and highest RMC values. Almost all the

commenters advocated a proration of 75

percent for the lowest RMC value and

25 percent for the highest RMC value.

These values are based on the use of the

delicate and permanent press cycles.

Use of these cycles may not correlate

exactly to the use of optional spin speed

and spin duration selections in the

energy test cycle. This approach,

however, seems reasonable because

consumers who wash less durable

articles of clothing in the energy test

cycle to prevent possible fabric damage

probably will refrain from extracting the

maximum amount of water in the

clothes washer. There may be some

merit to White Consolidated’s concern

that consumer use of cycles, load size,

and load type must be more accurately

gauged in order to accurately represent

RMC. Until such data is available,

however, the optimum choice appears

to be the use of the 75/25 percent

proration based on delicate and

permanent press cycle usage. Today’s

final rule incorporates the 75/25 percent

proration into Appendices J and J1.

Miele expressed concern about

excluding an option for no spin speed

from the minimum spin speed test

requirement. Miele indicated that for

front loader clothes washers which have

a no spin speed option, the clothing will

remain submerged in water and the door

will remain locked until a spin speed

selection is made. (Miele, No. 4 at 3 and

No. 17 at 1, both Docket 230A).

The Department agrees with Miele

that, if a clothes washer is equipped

with an optional no spin speed selection

in the energy test cycle, such selection

should not constitute the lowest spin

speed selection for RMC calculations.

The Department believes that a no spin

speed selection is a unique feature

intended for rare use by consumers.

Moreover, it is unlikely that consumers

would place wet clothing, without any

partial drying by the clothes washer,

directly into a clothes dryer. Therefore,

today’s final rule includes language to

exclude a no spin selection from RMC

testing requirements for Appendices J

and J1.

c. Load Size for RMC. In response to

the March 1995 proposed rule, GEA

provided a graph with RMC on the ‘‘Y’’

axis and Load Size on the ‘‘X’’ axis.

(GEA, No. 6 at appendix E, Docket 230).

Although not quantified, the graph

depicted a relatively large negative

slope of approximately 0.5. Thus,

according to the graph, as load size gets

larger the RMC level decreases

substantially.11 If GEA’s graph

accurately depicts the slope, this would

have a major impact on the expected

energy savings to consumers and on

manufacturer efficiency/energy

consumption representations, because

the data show that consumers use their

clothes washers with an average size

load 74 percent of the time. Under the

proposed test procedure, RMC is first

determined for a maximum size load.

The RMC thus determined is then

adjusted in order to determine the

moisture content that would remain in

an average size load. The adjustment
45490 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

formula is based on the assumption,

which GEA disputes, that RMC, as a

percentage amount, is the same for

different load sizes. If GEA is correct,

the anticipated energy consumption to

remove the moisture from the clothing,

as determined under the foregoing

calculation, would be artificially low. In

the supplemental proposed rule, the

Department requested data and

comments concerning this issue.

The Department received confidential

data from Miele and Whirlpool, and

publicly available data from Raytheon

and Maytag. (Miele, No. 4; Whirlpool,

No. 10; Raytheon, No. 9 at 1; and

Maytag, No. 15 at 1, 2; all Docket 230A).

AHAM believes that the maximum test

load should be used for RMC testing

because the difference (RMC percentage

value) with an average test load is small.

(AHAM, No. 7 at 3, Docket 230A).

Raytheon and Maytag support AHAM’s

position. Maytag also indicated that a

maximum test load produces more

consistent and repeatable test results.

(Maytag, No. 15 at 1, 2). Miele believes

that an average test load should be

tested in addition to the maximum test

load because RMC as a percentage is not

the same for different size loads and

may vary significantly for various

machines. Furthermore, Miele believes

the improved test results outweigh the

additional test burden. (Miele, No. 4 at

4).

The Department has analyzed the

individual data submissions and has

determined that there is a general

correlation between RMC (as a

percentage value) and load size. As load

size increases, RMC (percentage value)

decreases. On average, the relationship

appears to have a negative slope of

approximately 0.05, much smaller than

on GEA’s graph. The data, however,

show that in some cases, as load size

increases, RMC actually increases (with

a small positive slope). Considering the

range of data received, the relatively

small variation of RMC for average and

maximum load sizes, the additional test

burden of testing average loads, and the

greater consistency of RMC test results

with larger loads, the Department is

maintaining the requirement to test

RMC only with the maximum test load.

Therefore, today’s final rule maintains

the test load requirements for Appendix

J1 as proposed, and incorporates into

Appendix J a new test load table

identical to the maximum test load table

requirements of Appendix J1.

5. Thermostatically Controlled Water

Valves

The Department proposed a definition

for thermostatically controlled water

valves in the March 1995 proposed rule.

AHAM provided a revised definition in

its recommended test procedure, and

requested adoption of this definition for

the Appendix J test procedure. (AHAM,

No. 8 at 1, Docket 230). Miele and Speed

Queen supported the adoption of the

AHAM’s suggested definition. (Speed

Queen, No. 29 at 5; and Miele, No. 10

at 1; both Docket 230). In the

supplemental proposed rule, the

Department proposed to adopt a slightly

revised version of the AHAM definition

language.

In response to the supplemental

proposed rule, AHAM objected to the

Department’s revised definition. The

revised definition specified that the

‘‘valves’’ sensed the water temperature

and adjusted the supply water to

maintain a desired temperature. AHAM

wants the definition to apply to a

‘‘clothes washer’s’’ ability versus the

‘‘valve’s’’ ability to sense and adjust the

water temperature. The predominant

design concepts for thermostatically

controlled water valves operate

internally within the valve, but new

design strategies include an interface

between the valve and a clothes washer

electronic controller. (AHAM, No. 7 at

5, Docket 230A). Miele, Maytag, and

Raytheon support AHAM’s definition.

(Miele, No. 4 at 5; Maytag, No. 8 at 3;

and Raytheon, No. 9 at 3, 4; all Docket

230A). Fisher and Paykel shared

AHAM’s concern and also believes that

the definition should reflect only the

clothes washer’s ability to ‘‘achieve’’ a

desired water temperature, rather than

to ‘‘maintain’’ a desired water

temperature. (Fisher and Paykel, No. 16

at 3, Docket 230A).

The Department agrees with the intent

of AHAM’s definition for

thermostatically controlled water valves

because it allows greater flexibility in

achieving the desired result. Whether a

particular water temperature results

from the water valve’s operation or the

clothes washer electronic control is

immaterial, as long as the clothes

washer has the ability to sense and

adjust the supply water temperature.

Finally the suggestion from Fisher

and Paykel to change the definition

from ‘‘maintain’’ to ‘‘achieve’’ a desired

mixed water temperature has caused the

Department to re-examine the

definition. The fundamental purpose of

this feature is to adjust the supply

temperature in order to obtain a desired

supply water temperature, or a desired

wash tub temperature. In light of this

purpose, the Department believes that

the proposed definition and the

suggested AHAM definition are too

specific. To simply change the

definition to ‘‘achieve’’ as suggested by

Fisher and Paykel would be

inappropriate because some clothes

washers with this feature attempt to

maintain the supply water temperature,

and others seek to maintain the wash

water temperature. Furthermore, this

definition is used in the test procedure

only to ensure that a clothes washer

with these characteristics is tested with

appropriate supply water temperatures.

Therefore, the Department believes the

definition can be simplified to be more

generic, and still serve its intended

purpose in the test procedure. The

Department is adopting the following

definition in today’s final rule for

Appendices J and J1: ‘‘Thermostatically

controlled water valves means clothes

washer controls that have the ability to

sense and adjust the hot and cold

supply water.’’

6. Water Consumption Factor

In the March 1995 proposed rule, the

Department proposed a Water

Consumption Factor (WCF), expressed

in clothes washer capacity per gallon

per cycle. The Department believes that

providing a means of determining WCF

may allow consumers, utilities or other

organizations to compare clothes washer

water consumption independent of

clothes washer capacity.

In response to the March 1995

proposed rule, the Department received

several comments regarding inclusion of

the WCF in Appendix J. Miele and

Speed Queen indicated that the WCF

should be the inverse of what was

proposed because many utilities already

use that factor (gallons per cycle per

cubic foot capacity). (Miele, No. 10 at 2;

and Speed Queen, No. 29 at 3; both

Docket 230). AHAM indicated that WCF

on a per cycle basis can be expressed as

cubic feet per gallon. (AHAM, No. 33 at

5, Docket 230) . The Department agrees

with Miele and Speed Queen that the

WCF should be consistent with existing

utility programs and represented on a

per cycle basis as gallons (weighted

water consumption) per cubic foot

capacity.

Accordingly, the Department

proposed a revised WCF for Appendix

J1 in the supplemental proposed rule,

which was the inverse of the WCF in the

March 1995 proposed rule. In response,

the Department received positive

comments. (AHAM, No. 7 at 4; Maytag

No. 8 at 3; and Raytheon, No. 9 at 3; all

Docket 230A). Therefore, today’s final

rule incorporates a WCF expressed as

gallons per cycle per cubic feet in

Appendices J and J1. In addition, the

definition for WCF in Appendix J has

been revised to be consistent with the

new expression.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45491

12See discussion below regarding ‘‘capacity’’

where the definition for ‘‘agitator’’ is no longer

required.

B. Clothes Washer Test Procedures—

Issues Related to Appendix J

1. Agitator and Spin Speed Settings

In the March 1995 proposed rule, the

Department proposed requirements for

agitator and spin speed settings to

conduct energy consumption testing

because they are not addressed in the

current test procedure. Speed Queen

supported the Department’s proposal.

(Speed Queen, No. 29 at 4, Docket 230).

The Department received no negative

comments, and therefore DOE is

adopting this proposal.

In addition, the Department is making

minor language revisions with respect to

these terms. The term ‘‘agitator’’ is being

changed to ‘‘agitation’’ to be more

generic.12 Certain provisions relating to

spin speed are being modified to

address concerns regarding optional

RMC testing, as discussed above.

2. Capacity Measurements

In the March 1995 proposed rule, the

Department proposed minor revisions to

the requirements regarding

measurement of capacity to hold

clothing (section 3.1). These changes

were non-substantive in nature and did

not attempt to change any clothes

washer’s capacity rating. AHAM

recommended that the Department

adopt simpler rule language which was

generic both to front-loader and toploader clothes washers. (AHAM, No. 5

at 3, 6 and No. 8 at 1, both Docket 230).

The Department agrees that AHAM’s

suggested rule language for clothes

washer capacity measurement is simpler

and most likely will achieve the same

result. The Department, however,

believes that the suggested language is

not specific enough concerning the

orientation of the clothes container

opening during testing. The Department

believes that it is reasonable to assume

that a clothes washer will be placed in

a position so that its opening is

horizontal to the ground to conduct the

capacity measurement. However, DOE

prefers to remove any vagueness from

the test procedure. Therefore, the

Department is adding the following

procedural step to the AHAM suggested

language: ‘‘Place the clothes washer in

such a position that the uppermost edge

of the clothes container opening is

leveled horizontally, so that the

container will hold the maximum

amount of water.’’ Therefore, the

Department is adopting the language

recommended by AHAM, with the

above revision, in today’s final rule for

Appendix J. In addition, since the term

‘‘agitator’’ is no longer mentioned in the

capacity measurement section, the

Department is deleting the proposed

‘‘agitator’’ definition from Appendix J.

The deletion of the ‘‘agitator’’ definition

was supported by Speed Queen. (Speed

Queen, No. 29 at 4, Docket 230).

3. Modified Energy Factor Definition

In the March 1995 proposed rule, the

Department proposed to add to

Appendix J an additional energy

descriptor, called a modified energy

factor (MEF), which would include

moisture removal energy. This new

descriptor would provide more

comprehensive determinations, and

comparisons, of the energy efficiency of

clothes washers in the marketplace. It

would be used for informational

purposes only, such as rebate programs.

The MEF was also proposed in

Appendix J1 for possible future use.

The definition for the modified energy

factor, as proposed in the March 1995

proposed rule, referred to both waterheating and non-water-heating clothes

washers. Miele has suggested a more

generic definition that excludes mention

of specific types of clothes washers.

(Miele, No. 10 at 2, Docket 230). The

Department proposed this generic

version of the definition in the

supplemental proposed rule for

Appendix J1 and received no negative

comments. The Department believes the

definition suggested by Miele is more

versatile and applicable to all clothes

washers, including water-heating

clothes washers that use externally

heated hot water. Therefore, today’s

final rule incorporates a definition for

‘‘modified energy factor’’ in Appendix J,

which is identical to the definition

which was proposed and is being

adopted in Appendix J1.

4. Other Issues

In both the March 1995 proposed rule

and the reopening notice, the

Department proposed several minor

modifications to Appendix J. The

Department did not receive any negative

comment relative to these proposals.

Therefore, today’s final rule maintains

the rule language as proposed in the

March 1995 proposed rule, and adopts

changes discussed in the reopening

notice. These modifications are

provided in tabular form as follows:

Proposal Source Sections in appendix J

Deletion of AHAM Test Procedure References March 1995 proposed rule ............................... Not Applicable (Deletion of sections 1.7 & 1.8

in current Appendix J).

Clarification of Maximum Fill Testing (‘‘available on the clothes washer’’).March 1995 proposed rule ............................... Sections 3.2.1.2.1 & 3.2.2.1.

Similarly Labeled Temperature Use Factors

(TUFs).

March 1995 proposed rule ............................... Section 4.1.1.1.

One and Two Temperature Clothes Washer

TUF Values.

Reopening notice .............................................. Section 5.

The Department also received suggestions for several minor clarifications to the rule language. The following table

provides these suggested modifications:

March 1995 proposed rule

section/issue Comment DOE action/ response

Sections 2.8.2.1 and 2.8.2.2: remove ambiguity for use of test loads.Miele, No. 10 at 2, Docket 230 ........................ Intent incorporated.

Section 3.2.2.4: variable callouts ...................... Miele, No. 10 at 3, Docket 230 ........................ Intent incorporated.

Section 4.1.1.2: concern about temperature

rise of 90° F instead of 80° F.

Miele, No. 10 at 3, Docket 230 ........................ Not incorporated: adoption would affect efficiency ratings of existing models. (Appendix

J1 has a temperature rise of 75° F.)

Section 4.3.3: reference callouts ...................... Miele, No. 10 at 3, Docket 230 ........................ Intent incorporated.
45492 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

March 1995 proposed rule

section/issue Comment DOE action/ response

Section 5: clarification for water-heating and

non-water-heating clothes washer titles.

Miele, No. 10 at 3, Docket 230 ........................ Intent incorporated.

Need definitions for ‘‘automatic’’ and ‘‘semiautomatic’’ clothes washers.Miele, No. 10 at 1, Docket 230 ........................ Not incorporated: these terms are already defined in 10 CFR 430.2.

5. Temperature Measuring (Sensing)

Device

The March 1995 proposed rule

proposed essentially to maintain the

existing temperature equipment

requirements, while changing its

nomenclature from ‘‘thermometer’’ to

‘‘temperature sensing device’’ (section

2.5.3). AHAM suggested a revision of

these requirements, both for its

recommended test procedure and

Appendix J. AHAM’s language specified

in part, that accuracy of equipment

would be maintained over the range of

temperatures being measured, rather

than over a broader range as is currently

required. AHAM also suggested revision

of nomenclature in the proposed test

procedure from ‘‘Temperature sensing

device’’ to ‘‘Temperature measuring

device.’’ (AHAM, No. 8 at 1, Docket

230). The Department believes that the

revised AHAM language, on which

comments were solicited in the

supplemental proposed rule, will

eliminate a requirement that is

irrelevant to the test procedure, while

maintaining its accuracy and providing

manufacturer equipment flexibility.

Therefore, today’s rule incorporates into

Appendix J the supplemental proposed

rule language for a temperature

measuring device.

6. Temperature Selections

Currently, and as proposed, Appendix

J allows for the testing of three basic

wash temperatures, cold, warm, and

hot, in several combinations with two

rinse temperatures, cold and warm. The

test procedures set forth percentages,

called temperature use factors (TUFs),

that represent the proportion of time

that each temperature combination

selection (TCS) (wash/rinse

combination offered to a consumer) is

used. However, some new clothes

washers have new TCSs which are not

explicitly covered by the Appendix J

test procedure.

a. Multiple Warm Wash

Temperatures. Currently, there are

clothes washers on the market that have

multiple warm wash TCSs. The

Department’s understanding is that

these TCSs are relatively

straightforward. The warm wash

temperatures of the TCSs are spaced so

that the temperature of the middle warm

wash TCS is at the mid-point between

the temperatures of the warmest warm

wash TCS and the coolest warm wash

TCS. Also, for any other TCS above the

middle warm wash TCS, there is a

corresponding TCS that is an equal

number of degrees below the middle

warm wash TCS. In the reopening

notice, the Department proposed

requirements to test only the middle

warm wash TCS. In addition, if a

middle TCS does not exist, then the

next hotter TCS above the mid-point

would be tested.

AHAM agreed generally with the

above proposal. Fisher and Paykel

provided comments and agreed with the

requirement to test only the middle

TCS. (Fisher and Paykel, No. 22 at 1, 2,

Docket 230A). Therefore, today’s final

rule includes the above described test

provisions for Appendix J.

The Department’s proposal also

addressed situations where TCSs are not

spaced equally by temperature. The

Department is unaware of any current

clothes washers with these types of

TCSs, but wants to provide test

provisions in the event they are

included on future models. The

Department’s proposal in the reopening

notice would require testing at the next

hotter warm wash TCS above the mean

of the temperature range for multiple

warm wash TCS.

Fisher and Paykel questioned whether

the reference to the mean referred to the

mean temperature or to the TCS with

the mean position on the control panel.

Fisher and Paykel suggested that it

should be applicable to the temperature

and that DOE should require that the

mean temperature be determined. In

addition, Fisher and Paykel stated that

the TCS with the mean temperature

should be tested if available on the

clothes washer model, or if such a TCS

is not available, the next higher warm

wash TCS above a theoretical mean

should be tested. (Fisher and Paykel,

No. 22 at 2, 3, Docket 230A).

Fisher and Paykel maintains that the

actual mean TCS of the temperature

range should be tested, if available,

whereas the Department believes the

next higher TCS should be tested. The

Department believes the next higher

TCS should be tested in lieu of the

actual mean TCS because it is

concerned about the way TCSs may be

displayed to consumers. The rationale

for testing the middle TCS for clothes

washers with multiple warm wash

TCSs, spaced equally by temperature, is

that consumers are just as likely to

select a TCS above the middle TCS as

they are to select one below the middle

TCS. In the case of clothes washers with

TCSs that are not spaced equally by

temperature, consumers may be given,

for example, multiple selections above

an actual mean TCS of the temperature

range and only one selection below it.

In this case, consumers may select warm

wash TCSs above the mean TCS more

frequently than the one warm wash TCS

below the mean TCS. To test the mean

TCS could give a relatively low, and

hence unrepresentative, picture of the

energy consumption of the clothes

washer. Therefore, the Departments

proposed that the next higher TCS be

tested. Today’s final rule includes

requirements for Appendix J as stated in

the reopening notice and reiterated

above.

In the reopening notice, the

Department also proposed test

provisions for clothes washers with

multiple temperature settings, i.e., a

range of temperatures from which a

consumer can make a selection within

a specific TCS. Section 3.2.2.2 of the

current test procedure requires that the

‘‘hottest setting available’’ be used for

testing a hot wash TCS. In the reopening

notice, the Department proposed a test

methodology which requires that the

hottest temperature setting within a hot,

warm or cold TCS be tested.

This approach is similar to the

Department’s proposal in the March

1995 proposed rule for addressing

similar TCSs that are labeled so as to

appear to the consumer to be virtually

identical. In essence, the similarly

labeled TCSs are two temperature

settings for one basic TCS. For example,

on a given clothes washer, one cold

wash/cold rinse TCS may be labeled

‘‘cold/cold,’’ with a wash temperature

that is never heated, and another can be

labeled ‘‘auto cold/cold’’ with a wash

temperature that uses some hot water.

The March 1995 proposed rule

proposed that the hottest of these two

selections be used for testing. The

Department believes this proposal is

consistent with the industry’s basic

interpretation of the existing test
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45493

13Fisher & Paykel provided this comment to the

Department regarding Interim Waiver CW–004 (61

FR 18129 on April 6, 1996) which addresses this

same issue.

14P&G data indicates that the normal cycle on a

typical clothes washer is used approximately 75

percent of the time. The DOE test procedure uses

the normal cycle to approximate typical use by

consumers.

procedure. The Department did not

receive any negative comment regarding

the March 1995 proposed rule’s

provision for similarly labeled TCSs.

Shortly before the publication of the

reopening notice, Fisher & Paykel

asserted that for DOE to require testing

at the hottest temperature setting

available within a TCS would be

inconsistent with the test methodology

regarding multiple warm wash TCSs

(discussed above).13 The two

approaches may appear to be

inconsistent, but the Department

believes they would establish the best

solution considering that the hottest

setting available must be used in tests

involving a hot wash TCS or similarly

labeled TCSs. To the greatest extent

possible, the Department wants to

ensure that all models are tested and

rated on a comparable basis.

In response to the reopening notice,

AHAM commented that, in general, it

supports the Department’s proposal.

AHAM believes that the rule language

should make specific reference to a

secondary control, which is how the

temperature of the TCS (selected with

the primary control) would be adjusted.

AHAM supports the rationale to test the

hottest temperature available for a TCS.

(AHAM, No. 19 at 2, Docket 230A).

Fisher and Paykel stated that its

comments provided in response to

Waiver CW–004 (discussed above)

remain essentially the same. (Fisher and

Paykel, No. 22 at 1, Docket 230A).

The Department agrees with AHAM

that manufacturers most likely would

present multiple temperature selections

within a TCS with a secondary control.

Therefore, today’s final rule

incorporates rule language to clarify this

point. The Department sees some merit

in Fisher and Paykel’s concern about

testing multiple temperature settings

within a TCS at the hottest setting

available. For the reasons stated above,

however, the Department believes that

today’s rule is the best solution

considering the test procedures

currently in effect. Moreover, the future

test procedure, Appendix J1, establishes

even more consistent test procedures to

address this issue. Therefore, today’s

final rule adopts the requirement

proposed in the reopening notice to test

the hottest temperature setting available

within a TCS in Appendix J.

b. Temperature Selections Locked Out

of the Normal Cycle. In the May 1995

proposed rule, the Department proposed

that, for a clothes washer with a normal

cycle temperature selection ‘‘lockout’’

feature, the hot water consumption be

prorated between the TCS that has the

‘‘lockout’’ in the normal cycle and the

same TCS in the cycle with the greatest

hot water consumption. The unknown

factor in the calculation is the frequency

with which users would choose the

normal versus other cycles when a

temperature selection is selected, i.e.,

the proration values.

The Department proposed to set the

proration values at 20 percent for the

normal cycle and 80 percent for the

most energy intensive cycle (the cycle

other than normal that consumes the

maximum amount of energy), unless

consumer usage data becomes available

that support other values. The proposed

values were based on an assumption

that 80 percent of the time a consumer

wants the locked out temperature, it

will choose a cycle that offers that

particular temperature selection, and

the remaining 20 percent of the time

consumers will not alter the cycle and

will accept the locked out temperature

selection.

The frequency with which consumers

use the normal cycle is important if a

clothes washer is equipped with a

temperature selection ‘‘lockout.’’ The

clothes washer test procedure requires

testing at the normal cycle because this

is believed to be representative of how

consumers use their clothes washers.

Traditionally, consumers select the

normal cycle most of the time and the

remaining cycles, either more or less

energy intensive, the remainder of the

time. Hot water energy constitutes the

greatest component of the energy

consumption, approximately 90 percent

or more, and the energy consumption

for the various cycles, e.g. ‘‘normal,’’

‘‘heavy duty,’’ ‘‘delicate,’’ etc., on a

typical clothes washer without lockouts

may not vary much from one cycle to

the next, for a given temperature and fill

selection. This is not true for a clothes

washer with a temperature selection

lockout feature. For such a clothes

washer, temperature selections that

appear to be the same in different cycles

are in fact different, and result in

consumption of different amounts of

energy.

Whirlpool utilized an independent

consultant to conduct a consumer

survey regarding the use of clothes

washers with and without the ‘‘lockout’’

feature. Whirlpool submitted a summary

of the results of the survey to the

Department. (Whirlpool, No. 13, Docket

701). The Department made this

summary available to stakeholders for

review and comment.

White Consolidated commented that

it disagreed with the concept of

prorating the energy consumption

results from the normal and most energy

intensive cycles, including the proposed

20/80 percent values. In essence, White

Consolidated believes that a TCS with a

lockout should be tested in the most

energy intensive cycle, and the result

used 100 percent for the calculations.

White Consolidated believes that

normal cycle operation on a particular

clothes washer may be represented to

consumers in such a manner that they

use it significantly less than they would

on a traditional clothes washer.14 White

Consolidated also asserted that the data

submitted by Whirlpool did not indicate

the frequency with which consumers

select the normal cycle. (White

Consolidated, No. 14, Docket 701).

Whirlpool provided comment that the

proration value for the use of the normal

cycle should be 75 percent. Whirlpool

believes that its survey shows no

significant difference between

consumers’ use of the normal cycle with

or without a lockout. (Whirlpool, No.

16, Docket 701). Maytag stated that it

supports the Department’s proposal to

use 20 percent as the proration value for

the normal cycle. Maytag also indicated

that it believes the survey conducted by

Whirlpool had minimal value because

the survey did not include any Sears

Kenmore models, which have the

highest market share in the clothes

washer industry. Maytag also stated that

(1) the way the cycle selections are

depicted to the consumer will have a

significant impact on how often a

consumer will select a normal cycle,

and (2) as the normal cycle is depicted

on the Whirlpool clothes washers,

consumers will use the normal cycle

less frequently. (Maytag, No. 17, Docket

701).

The Department reviewed the

publicly available survey summary and

confidential raw survey data provided

by Whirlpool. The survey data indicate

that consumers select a normal cycle,

with a temperature selection lockout,

slightly less often than they select a

normal cycle without a temperature

selection lockout. This supports

Whirlpool’s claim that the lockout

feature had minimal impact on the use

of the normal cycle. The results also

showed, however, that consumers’

overall use of the normal cycle of

Whirlpool clothes washers is

significantly less than their use of the

normal cycle for typical clothes washers

(use of the normal cycle for the industry
45494 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

15 DOE uses the term ‘‘wetted volume’’ to refer to

the space in a clothes washer within which washing

and rinsing occur.

is estimated to be 75 percent, based on

P & G survey data). This result supports

the statements made by White

Consolidated and Maytag regarding use

of the normal cycle.

Whirlpool, after consultation with the

Department regarding its confidential

data, provided public information

which indicated that consumers

selected the normal cycle on its clothes

washers equipped with temperature

selection lockouts 32 percent of the

time. (Whirlpool, No. 18, Docket 701).

The Department believes that the

proration value for the use of the normal

cycle should reflect the frequency of

consumer choice of that cycle. The

Department believes that the

confidential survey data, provided by

Whirlpool, indicating the actual use of

the normal cycle by consumers with a

temperature selection lockout feature

does exactly that. Therefore, the

Department is promulgating today’s

final rule with proration values of 32

percent for the normal cycle and 68

percent for the most energy intensive

cycle for the Appendix J test procedure.

7. Water-Heating Clothes Washers

Traditionally, clothes washers in the

U.S. have used water heated outside of

the machine, in a dwelling’s water

heating source. These are defined as

non-water-heating clothes washers.

New, predominantly imported, clothes

washers have their own internal heaters

which heat cold water supplied for

washing. These are referred to as waterheating clothes washers. In addition,

some water-heating clothes washers

have the capability of using water

heated externally, and can use their

internal heater to increase the

temperature of such water, or to

maintain the temperature of water in the

wash tub.

The March 1995 proposed rule

proposed test provisions for waterheating clothes washers that do not use

externally heated water. The test

provisions included definitions for

water-heating and non-water-heating

clothes washers. In the supplemental

proposed rule, the Department proposed

to include in Appendix J provisions to

test water-heating clothes washers that

use externally heated water. Under the

proposed Appendix J1 definition, these

clothes washers are treated as waterheating clothes washers because they

are equipped with an internal heater,

although they are tested with a

combination of test provisions for waterheating and non-water-heating clothes

washers.

Generally, commenters supported

these proposals, although a few

modifications were suggested. AHAM

requested the Department adopt in

Appendix J the definitions for waterheating and non-water-heating clothes

washers that AHAM suggested for

Appendix J1. The AHAM definitions are

generic and applicable to water-heating

clothes washers that use externally

heated water. (AHAM, No. 8 at 1,

Docket 230). The intent of the AHAM

definitions was supported by Miele.

(Miele, No. 10 at 1, Docket 230).

Commenters agreed that the Department

should incorporate into Appendix J test

provisions for water-heating clothes

washers that use externally heated

water. (AHAM, No. 7 at 1, 4, 5; Miele,

No. 4 at 2; Maytag, No. 8 at 3; and

Raytheon, No. 9 at 3: all Docket 230A).

The Department agrees with AHAM

and Miele that the definitions for waterheating and non-water-heating clothes

washers should address water-heating

clothes washers that use externally

heated water. Furthermore, the

Department proposed AHAM’s

definitions for the Appendix J1 test

procedure in the supplemental

proposed rule and did not receive any

negative comments. Therefore, today’s

final rule incorporates revised

definitions in Appendix J, identical to

those proposed for Appendix J1.

Today’s final rule also incorporates

procedural steps into Appendix J for

water-heating clothes washers that use

externally heated water.

8. Weighing Scales for Test Cloth and

Clothes Container

In the March 1995 proposed rule, the

Department also proposed to maintain

existing requirements for the weighing

scales which are used to measure the

weight of test cloth and clothes washers

(for container capacity determination).

AHAM revised the requirements for

weighing scales in its recommended test

procedure. AHAM also recommended

that its rule language be adopted for

Appendix J. The AHAM language

eliminates requirements to have specific

measuring ranges for the weighing

scales, and specifies instead a maximum

allowable percentage of error for a

particular measured value. (AHAM, No.

8 at 1, Docket 230). The Department

believes the AHAM language, on which

the Department sought comments in the

supplemental proposed rule but

received none, will maintain the

accuracy of the existing test procedure

while providing manufacturer

equipment flexibility, thus eliminating

an unnecessary test burden. Therefore,

today’s rule incorporates the

supplemental proposed rule language

for weighing scales into Appendix J.

C. Clothes Washer Test Procedures—

Issues Related to Appendix J1

1. Capacity Measurement

Both the proposed Appendix J and

proposed Appendix J1 required testing

to determine the capacity of the clothes

container. This capacity is defined as

the maximum volume which a dry

clothes load could occupy. The capacity

is then used as a significant component

in the calculation of the Energy Factor

and Modified Energy Factor, which are

used to rate the efficiency of the clothes

washer on a per cycle basis. The actual

load, in pounds of clothing, that a

clothes washer can wash is a function

of many variables including the portion

of the container’s volume which is

actually available for clothes washing,

the agitation system and the motor

torque. But the Department has used the

measured clothes container capacity as

a proxy for the actual load a clothes

washer is capable of washing, and this

has worked well for purposes of

comparing vertical-axis clothes washers

to each other. The Department believes

that measured container capacity will

serve the same function for horizontalaxis clothes washers. However, it is

unclear whether the relationship of

measured capacity to load capability is

the same for vertical-axis and

horizontal-axis clothes washers.

The proposed Appendix J and

proposed Appendix J1 test procedures

require measuring the capacity to the

upper most part of the clothes washer

container, which includes the volume

encompassed by a ring that may be

attached to the top of the clothes

container. The maximum water level in

any vertical-axis clothes washer may

vary, but the water level cannot go to

the top of the ring attached to the top

of the clothes container. Maytag

calculated that this current method of

measuring capacity results in the

measured volume of vertical-axis

clothes washers exceeding the wetted

volume 15 by a minimum of 15 percent

to well over 20 percent. (Maytag, No. 13

at 1, Docket 230). AHAM, commenting

on behalf of clothes washer

manufacturers, including Maytag,

asserts the current method for

measuring vertical-axis clothes washer

capacity is sufficient and should not be

changed. (AHAM, No. 33 at 5, Docket

230).

In a horizontal-axis clothes washer,

washing and rinsing occur in the entire

volume of the clothes container. Thus,

the measured and wetted volumes of a
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45495

16Commenters have used both terms ‘‘factor’’ and

‘‘credit’’ which are intended to mean the same

thing.

horizontal-axis clothes washer are the

same, and Maytag proposed multiplying

the measured volume of a horizontalaxis clothes washer by a factor of 1.2.

(Maytag, No. 13 at 2, Docket 230). This

factor would mathematically increase

the ‘‘measured capacity’’ of horizontalaxis clothes washers and would result

in a 20 percent increase in the Energy

Factor and Modified Energy Factor for

horizontal-axis clothes washers. A

similar factor is included in the

International Electrotechnical

Commission (IEC) 456 test procedure for

clothes washers. ACEEE supports a

capacity credit for horizontal-axis

clothes washers.16 ACEEE stated that the

IEC test procedure has a 15 percent

credit and believes the credit may be too

low. ACEEE believes the credit should

be 21 percent. (ACEEE, No. 32 at 3,

Docket 230).

Speed Queen opposes a horizontalaxis clothes washer capacity adjustment

factor, stating that adequate time for

discussion and comment is needed on

this ‘‘recently raised issue.’’ (Speed

Queen, No. 29 at 3, Docket 230). GEA

opposes any horizontal-axis clothes

washer capacity credit stating, ‘‘In view

of the evidence, from P & G, that

American consumer washing habits are

driven in large part by their perception

of capacity, proponents of a European

adjustment factor must provide hard

data of its applicability to the U.S.

market.’’ (GEA, No. 36 at 2, Docket 230).

Whirlpool also opposes any credit for

horizontal-axis clothes washer capacity

because there are no data that would

demonstrate American loading habits

for horizontal-axis clothes washers.

(Whirlpool, No. 37 at 4, Docket 230).

The Department notes that the

measured volume of a vertical-axis

clothes washer is larger than the wetted

volume, whereas, these two volumes are

the same for horizontal-axis clothes

washers. This suggests that, for these

two types of machines, a difference may

exist in the relationship of measured

capacity to the amount of clothes a

clothes washer is capable of washing.

However, the Department has no data to

indicate that this possible difference

translates into an actual difference in

load size capability when the other

variables that affect load size are

considered, or as to how U.S. consumers

will use horizontal-axis clothes washers.

In the supplemental proposed rule,

the Department did not propose a

capacity credit for horizontal-axis

clothes washers. The Department stated

that, if data became available, it would

consider making adjustments to the test

procedures for either vertical or

horizontal-axis clothes washers to

ensure that the comparisons are

relatively accurate. In Appendix J1, the

Department did not make any changes

to the measurement procedures, or

adjust any calculations regarding

capacity. Maytag indicated that data to

support a credit, or adjustment, for

horizontal-axis clothes washers

currently were not available, but that it

may submit subsequent comments if

such data became available. (Maytag,

No. 8 at 1 and No. 15 at 2, Docket 230A).

Raytheon supported the Department’s

proposal to retain the established

capacity measurement requirements.

(Raytheon, No. 9 at 1, Docket 230A).

Based on the foregoing, today’s final

rule retains the same basic approach to

capacity as was proposed in the

supplemental proposed rule. However,

minor language revisions were

incorporated, as discussed above in

section III.B.2 of this notice. If data

become available which would indicate

a significant impact on the comparisons

between vertical and horizontal-axis

clothes washers, the Department will

consider initiating a rulemaking to make

appropriate revisions to the test

procedure.

2. Consumer Selectable Options for the

Energy Test Cycle

In the supplemental proposed rule,

the Department proposed test provisions

for clothes washers equipped with

consumer selectable options available in

the energy test cycle (supplemental

proposed rule Section 3.2.3.5). These

provisions were proposed primarily

because of the possibility that

manufacturers would provide multiple

spin speed and spin time selections for

the energy test cycle. (See the

discussion above regarding spin speed

and spin time in section III.A.4b of this

notice.) The proposal however, was

applicable to all possible consumer

selectable options available in the

energy test cycle, other than wash time

(which was addressed in section 2.10).

The language included examples of

selectable options, such as various spin

speeds or adaptive water fill selections,

and required testing of the extremities of

the available selections and averaging of

the results.

AHAM, NRDC, and clothes washer

manufacturers provided specific

comments regarding multiple consumer

selectable options for spin speed and

spin time. These comments and the

Department’s response, including

revised requirements for these features,

are discussed fully in section III.A.4b of

this notice. AHAM and clothes washer

manufacturers also provided specific

comments regarding multiple consumer

selectable options for adaptive water fill

control systems. These comments and

the Department’s response, including

revised requirements for adaptive water

fill control systems, are discussed fully

in section III.A.1.

AHAM recommended that the

Department revise section 3.2.3.5

regarding consumer options for the

energy test cycle to exclude wash time,

temperature, fill levels, and extraction.

AHAM also recommended that the tests

be conducted on the combined

maximum and combined minimum

energy intensities for all such consumer

options. (AHAM, No. 14, Docket 230A).

Raytheon supported AHAM’s

recommendation. (Raytheon, No. 13 at

2, Docket 230A). Fisher and Paykel

recommended that the Department

convert section 3.2.3.5 into six

procedural steps. Fisher and Paykel’s

recommended changes were consistent

with AHAM’s recommendation to

exclude wash time, temperature, fill

levels, and extraction from this section.

Fisher and Paykel also recommended

that other options be tested in the

factory default setting or in the

manufacturers ‘‘recommended positions

for a cotton and/or linen clothes cycle.’’

Fisher and Paykel recommended

language including exclusions for nonenergy related features, as well as

comprehensive testing provisions for

special circumstances not covered by

the generic provisions. (Fisher and

Paykel, No. 16 at 9, 10, Docket 230A).

Having reviewed the AHAM and

manufacturer comments, the

Department sees no need to include in

Appendix J1 general provisions for

‘‘consumer options for the energy test

cycle.’’ In the supplemental proposed

rule, the Department expressed concern

regarding consumer options for multiple

spin speed, spin time, and multiple

adaptive water fill control system

selections. These options have now

been addressed in other sections of the

rule language as discussed above. The

Department is concerned about adopting

specific test provisions to address

unknown, potential options. The

commenters did not provide a rationale

as to why the suggested provisions were

needed in the test procedure, other than

that the Department had originally

proposed them. The Department

believes that any other feature which

affects the energy consumption of

clothes washers should be subject to the

public comment provisions of the

waiver process found at 10 CFR 430.27.

The Department acknowledges that in

the supplemental proposed rule it

proposed a procedure to address
45496 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

generally consumer options in the

energy test cycle. This proposal was

primarily designed, however, to address

specific concerns stated in the proposed

rule and to elicit comment on

procedures for other possible consumer

options. The specific concerns have

been addressed elsewhere and no other

consumer options were identified in the

comments. Therefore, the Department

sees no reason to include in the test

procedure a generic test provision for

consumer options in the energy test

cycle, and today’s rule contains no such

provision.

3. Energy Test Cloth

The supplemental proposed rule

proposed requirements to precondition

the energy test cloth prior to its use for

energy consumption testing. These

requirements generally were based on

the AHAM recommended test

provisions, except that the Department

changed the requirement for detergent

from an AHAM specification to a

generic specification (commercially

available detergent).

AHAM, Maytag, and Raytheon

supported the Department’s proposal to

use commercially available detergent,

although they recommended that the

Department change the requirement

from a specific dosage of detergent (6

grams per gallon of water) to a dosage

as recommended by the manufacturer.

(AHAM, No. 7 at 3; Maytag No. 8 at 2:

and Raytheon No. 9 at 2; all Docket

230A). The Department agrees with the

commenters that the dosage should be

specified as recommended by the

manufacturer because of different types

and sizes of clothes washers in the

marketplace. A specific dosage, such as

6 grams per gallon of water, may be too

small or too large for a particular clothes

washer. Therefore, today’s final rule

revises the requirement for clothes

washer detergent dosage, as indicated

above, in Appendix J1.

4. Energy Test Cycle Definition

In the supplemental proposed rule,

the Department proposed a definition

for ‘‘energy test cycle,’’ for Appendix J1.

The energy test cycle definition is used

to define the cycle on which the energy

consumption tests are to be conducted,

and corresponds to the cycle the

manufacturer recommends for washing

cotton or linen clothes. The energy test

cycle is comparable to the ‘‘normal

cycle’’ defined in Appendix J.

Fisher and Paykel objected to

inclusion of the following language in

the energy test cycle definition: ‘‘all

temperature selections available on the

model, regardless of whether the wash/

rinse temperature selections or water

levels are available in the cycle

recommended for cottons and/or

linens.’’ Fisher and Paykel believes it is

unfair to impose testing requirements of

temperature selections that are available

only in other cycles, e.g., warm rinse for

the delicate cycle, because the other

cycles are not used as frequently as the

cycle recommended for cotton and/or

linen clothes. (Fisher and Paykel, No. 16

at 2, Docket 230A).

The Department believes Fisher and

Paykel’s comment regarding the energy

test cycle raises an issue that is

essentially the same as the normal cycle

temperature selection lockout issue,

discussed above, for Appendix J. The

temperature selection lockout issue

caused significant controversy among

U.S. clothes washer manufacturers, and

was the subject of extensive debate. (See

Docket Number EE–RM–93–701).

The energy test cycle is intended to be

representative of typical consumer use

of a clothes washer. Absence of

temperature selections from the energy

test cycle of a clothes washer may mean

that cycle is not representative and may

lead to manufacturer representations

that do not reflect true energy

consumption. This may not be the case

for all clothes washers with temperature

selections available in cycles other than

the energy test cycle, but the issue

remains a significant concern to the

Department. Therefore, today’s final

rule maintains the substance of the

definition for energy test cycle, as

proposed in the supplemental proposed

rule. Certain changes however, solely

for purposes of clarification, have been

made in the definition as promulgated

in today’s final rule.

5. Other Issues

The supplemental proposed rule

proposed several minor changes in

AHAM’s suggested test procedure, about

which DOE received no negative

comment. Therefore, in these respects,

today’s final rule maintains the rule

language in Appendix J1 as proposed in

the supplemental proposed rule. These

minor changes are provided in tabular

form as follows:

Proposal Rule sections

Maximum use of five energy stuffer cloths ..................................................................................................................... Section 2.7.

Water-heating clothes washer test provisions, including test room temperature requirements and externally heated

water use.

Sections 2.11, 3, and 4.

Not to include a suds-saver test provision ..................................................................................................................... N/A.

Temperature Use Factors ............................................................................................................................................... Section 4.

6. Supply Water Temperature

Under the Department’s proposal in

the supplemental proposed rule, supply

water temperature would affect the

energy consumption of water-heating

clothes washers and clothes washers

with thermostatically controlled water

valves, whereas other non-water-heating

clothes washers would not be affected

by the supply water temperature. The

Department’s proposal, based on

AHAM’s recommendation, specified

different tolerances for the supply water

temperatures for these two situations.

Clothes washers whose energy

consumption is affected by the supply

water temperature were required to be

tested with a hot water supply of 135°F

with a tolerance (+0°F¥10°F), and cold

water supply of 60°F with a tolerance

(+0°F¥10°F). Clothes washers whose

energy consumption is not affected by

the supply water temperature were

required to be tested with a hot water

supply of 135°F with a tolerance (± 5°F),

and cold water supply of 60°F with a

tolerance (± 5°F).

Fisher and Paykel asserted that, since

one type of machine is not affected by

supply temperature, there is no reason

to specify different tolerances for the

two types of clothes washers while

using the same tolerance range (10°F).

Fisher and Paykel also believes that in

a laboratory it is easier to set a

temperature to a ± 5°F tolerance than a

+0°F¥10°F tolerance. Fisher and Paykel

recommended that the requirements for

supply water be combined for both

types of clothes washers. The hot water

supply would be set at 130°F with a

tolerance (±5°F), and the cold water

supply would be set at 55°F with a

tolerance (±5°F). (Fisher and Paykel, No.

16 at 5, Docket 230A).

The Department is concerned,

however, about unnecessary test

burden. In many areas of the U.S.,

during much of the year, the

temperature of the ground water

remains above 60°F. Setting cold water
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45497

requirements below 65°F for clothes

washers not affected by supply

temperatures, which represent a

majority of the current clothes washer

market, would impose an unnecessary

test burden. The Department also

believes that the ability to establish a

temperature within a 10°F tolerance

range is the same regardless of how it is

specified.

In light of Fisher and Paykel’s

comments, however, the Department

agrees it is warranted to revise the

proposed provisions for supply water

temperatures. In order to establish an

appropriate and readily apparent

difference between those clothes

washers affected by supply water

temperatures and those which are not,

the Department is eliminating the

specified tolerances for clothes washers

affected by supply water temperatures.

In today’s final rule, the Department is

adopting revised requirements such that

the hot water supply shall not exceed

135°F (57.2°C), and the cold water

supply shall not exceed 60°F (15.6°C)

for clothes washers affected by supply

temperatures in Appendix J1.

7. Test Load Tolerances

In the supplemental proposed rule,

the Department proposed a test load

table which has loads that vary with

clothes washer capacity. The table was

based on the AHAM recommended test

procedure, except that the Department

changed the tolerance from AHAM’s

suggested value of ±0.10 pounds to

±0.05 pounds. The Department made

this change because it believed that a

tolerance of ±0.05 pounds enabled the

required test load sizes to be achieved

through the use of energy stuffer cloths

that weigh approximately 0.04 pounds

each. The Department requested

comment on this proposal.

AHAM, Maytag, and Raytheon

opposed the Department’s proposal to

establish a tolerance of ±0.05 pounds.

Their concern is that the tighter

tolerance has minimal impact (0.66

percent) on the test results. They also

believe that the tighter tolerance

imposes an unnecessary test burden

because ambient, humid air, causes a

dry test load to gain weight. (AHAM,

No. 7 at 2; Maytag, No. 8 at 2; and

Raytheon, No. 9 at 2; all Docket 230A).

NRDC supported the Department’s

proposal to establish a tolerance of

±0.05 pounds. (NRDC, No. 2 at 2, Docket

230A).

The Department agrees that the

concern raised by AHAM and

manufacturers has merit because the test

procedure requires the test load to be

‘‘bone dry,’’ meaning that the weight of

the test load is stable within one percent

after 10 minutes in a clothes dryer.

Since the test procedure does not have

a low humidity requirement, it is likely

that the test load will gain weight

during the time period after it is

removed from the clothes dryer and

before its weight is measured. Therefore,

given the practical considerations of the

testing environment, a theoretical

weight for energy stuffer cloth cannot be

used. For these reasons, today’s final

rule changes the test load table tolerance

to ±0.10 pounds in Appendix J1.

8. Warm Wash Temperature Selections

The supplemental proposed rule

proposed test provisions for warm wash

temperature selections. These

provisions included definitions for

‘‘warm wash’’ and ‘‘uniformly

distributed warm wash,’’ as well as

testing requirements for clothes washers

with various types of intermediate warm

wash temperatures. In proposed

Appendix J1, if a clothes washer has

uniformly distributed warm wash

temperature selections (wash

temperatures have a linear relationship

with all discrete warm wash selections

and are equally spaced, or infinite in

number), the energy consumption value

is determined by a calculation rather

than a test. If the warm wash

temperature selections are not

uniformly distributed, the Department

proposed testing all discrete

intermediate warm wash temperature

selections (i.e., all temperature

selections that are below the hottest hot

(≤135 °F (≤57.2 °C)) and above the

coldest cold). In the case of infinite nonuniformly distributed temperature

selections, testing would be conducted

at the 20, 40, 60, and 80 percent

positions of the temperature selection

device.

The Department did not receive any

comments regarding the proposed

‘‘warm wash’’ definition. AHAM,

Maytag, and Raytheon stated that they

supported the Department’s definition

for ‘‘uniformly distributed warm wash,’’

but they expressed concern about the

application of the definition and about

the requirements for testing. (AHAM,

No. 7 at 4; Maytag, No. 8 at 3; and

Raytheon, No. 9 at 2; all Docket 230A).

Fisher and Paykel stated that the portion

of the definition for ‘‘uniformly

distributed warm wash’’ which

describes the criteria for a ‘‘linear

relationship’’ is unclear. The definition,

in Appendix J1, stated ‘‘In all cases, the

mean of the water temperature of the

warmest and the coldest warm

selections must coincide with the mean

of the hot and cold water temperature.’’

Fisher and Paykel believes the term ‘‘hot

and cold water temperature’’ is

ambiguous and could refer to hot and

cold wash temperatures, or could apply

to hot and cold supply water

temperatures. In addition, due to

various temperature settings and

tolerances throughout the test

procedure, Fisher and Paykel suggested

that a tolerance (±8 °F (±4.4 °C)) be

established to qualify the term ‘‘must

coincide.’’ (Fisher and Paykel, No. 16 at

3, Docket 230A).

The Department agrees with Fisher

and Paykel and has revised the

‘‘uniformly distributed warm wash’’

definition, regarding the criteria for

‘‘linear relationship,’’ to remove any

ambiguity. The linear relationship

criterion is applicable over the

temperature range between the ‘‘hot

wash’’ and the ‘‘cold wash.’’ Therefore,

today’s final rule revises this section in

Appendix J1 from ‘‘* * * mean of the

hot and cold water temperature’’ to

‘‘* * * mean of the hot wash and cold

wash water temperatures.’’

With regard to Fisher and Paykel’s

suggestion of a tolerance, the

Department believes that some

acceptable tolerance should be

established because having the

terminology ‘‘must coincide,’’ without a

tolerance, would mean the linear

relationship requirement would not be

satisfied if any deviation existed,

however slight. The Department,

however, believes Fisher and Paykel’s

suggested tolerance value is too large. In

Appendix J1, within the definition of

‘‘uniformly distributed warm wash,’’ a

tolerance of ‘‘± 5 percent’’ was proposed

in the sentence prior to the one that is

the subject of Fisher and Paykel’s

comment. This tolerance was not

objected to by any commenters. The

Department believes this same value

should be applied to the sentence where

Fisher and Paykel believes a tolerance

should be added. The nominal

temperature range between a ‘‘hot

wash’’ and ‘‘cold wash’’ is 75°F. Five

percent of this range results in a

tolerance of ± 3.8°F. Therefore, the

Department is adopting

‘‘± 3.8°F(± 2.1°C)’’ as a tolerance for the

criteria for a linear relationship in

Appendix J1.

AHAM, Fisher and Paykel, and

Raytheon support in part and oppose in

part the Department’s proposed testing

method for warm wash temperature

selections that are not uniformly

distributed. They agree that where a

clothes washer has less than three such

selections, all should be tested. But they

oppose testing all selections where a

machine has more than three such

selections, based primarily on a claim of

excessive test burden. For clothes

washers with more than three discrete
45498 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

warm wash temperature selections, they

suggest DOE give manufacturers the

option of either testing all of the

selections or treating this category as if

it were a clothes washer with ‘‘infinite’’

temperature selections. This would

reduce significantly the number of

required tests if a clothes washer were

equipped with numerous discrete warm

wash temperature selections. In

addition, AHAM, Fisher and Paykel,

and Raytheon believe the number of test

points for clothes washers with infinite

temperature selections should be

reduced from four to three, and a

requirement should be added to test to

the next higher temperature selection if

a particular test point is not available.

(AHAM, No. 14 at 2; Fisher and Paykel,

No. 16 at 11, 12; and Raytheon, No. 13

at 1; all Docket 230A).

The Department is concerned with the

test burden imposed by the test

procedures. For example, the

Department is aware of a current clothes

washer model that has 32 intermediate

warm wash temperature selections. To

test all 32 temperature selections with

all of the other test procedure provisions

would be expensive, and could be

considered excessive test burden. The

Department agrees with the suggested

option to consider clothes washers with

more than three warm wash

temperatures as clothes washers with

infinite warm wash temperature

selections. The Department believes

testing at the various test points of the

temperature range, with a requirement

to test to the next higher selection if a

temperature selection is not available at

a specified test point, will provide

representative data of the warm wash

temperature selection offerings. In

addition, DOE agrees that manufacturers

should have the option of testing all

temperature selections if they choose to.

Therefore, the Department is adopting

in Appendix J1 the suggested treatment

of clothes washers with more than three

warm wash temperature selections that

are not uniformly distributed.

The question of whether clothes

washers with infinite warm wash

temperature selections should be tested

at four points (20, 40, 60, and 80 percent

of the temperature range) as proposed

by the Department, or at three points

(25, 50, and 75 percent of the

temperature range) as suggested by

commenters, raises a number of issues.

First, the Department believes that

although the accuracy of the test results

will increase with more test points, the

test burden also will increase. In

addition, manufacturers of clothes

washers with numerous discrete warm

wash temperature selections would

most likely provide a discrete warm

wash temperature selection at

approximately the 50 percent location of

the temperature range, which would not

be tested with the four test point

requirement proposed by the

Department. Therefore, today’s final

rule incorporates into Appendix J1 a

requirement that clothes washers with

infinite temperature selections be tested

at three points (25, 50, and 75 percent)

of the temperature range. However, if

the Department were to obtain data

indicating that today’s requirements

result in representations not reflective of

a clothes washer’s true energy

consumption, then the Department

would consider a rulemaking to

reevaluate these requirements.

In addition to the above comments

regarding warm wash temperature

selections, AHAM and Raytheon

suggested the adoption of a new

procedural step with equations to

determine the temperatures of warm

wash water in a non-water-heating

clothes washer, based on proration of

hot water consumption. (AHAM, No. 14

at 1, and Raytheon, No. 13 at 3, both

Docket 230A). The Department has

reviewed the suggestion and believes it

would be beneficial to include this in

the procedure for determining warm

wash water temperatures for non-waterheating clothes washers. The definition

for uniformly distributed warm wash

temperature selections requires the

plotting of warm wash temperatures

with the position of the temperature

selection device. The suggestion by

AHAM and Raytheon is one method

which is acceptable and will be

transparent to users of the test

procedure. Therefore, today’s final rule

incorporates AHAM and Raytheon’s

suggestion for a procedural step to

determine the temperature of a nonwater-heating clothes washer warm

wash temperature selection in

Appendix J1.

9. Warm Rinse

In the supplemental proposed rule,

the Department proposed requirements

to test heated rinses (section 3.7)

independent of wash temperatures. This

proposal, based generally on AHAM’s

recommendation, required that the

entire electrical energy be measured for

a ‘‘warm wash and hottest rinse cycle,’’

and that the energy used in the heated

rinse be derived from this measurement

of the energy used in the entire clothes

washer cycle. AHAM suggested, and

Raytheon supported, a revision to the

heated rinse testing requirements so as

to measure only the energy

consumption including electrical energy

consumption of the warm rinse cycle. In

addition, AHAM and Raytheon

suggested some minor modifications to

the rule language implementing these

testing requirements, to make the

language more consistent with the entire

test procedure. (AHAM, No. 14 at 3; and

Raytheon, No. 13 at 1; both Docket

230A).

The Department believes that the

revisions suggested by AHAM and

Raytheon will provide the same test

result as DOE’s proposal while reducing

test burden, and will simplify the rule

language in the process. Therefore, the

Department is adopting these suggested

revisions for warm rinse testing in

Appendix J1.

D. Related Issues, Revision to 10 CFR

430.23, ‘‘Test procedures for measures

of energy consumption.’’

In the March 1995 proposed rule, the

Department proposed specific changes

to 10 CFR 430.23(j) (1) and (2). These

changes included a decrease in the

number of annual cycles, changes in

Appendix J section number references,

and the incorporation of the Modified

Energy Factor descriptor. In the

supplemental proposed rule, DOE stated

that if it were to adopt Appendix J1,

then it would make the necessary

changes to § 430.23 for Appendix J1.

The Department did not receive any

negative comments regarding these

proposals.

In today’s final rule, the Department

is incorporating the proposed changes

into § 430.23. In addition, the

Department is making nonsubstantive

changes to § 430.23 and Appendix J.

The Department proposed that the

Modified Energy Factor descriptor be set

forth in Appendices J and J1, and

referenced in § 430.23. The Department

believes it would be beneficial to users

of the test procedures, and would be

more consistent with the foregoing

proposal, if the Energy Factor descriptor

now located in § 430.23, was instead

referenced in § 430.23 and set forth in

Appendices J and J1. Today’s final rule

promulgates these changes.

Section 430.23(j)(3) provides a general

statement regarding other useful

measures of energy consumption which

are likely to assist consumers in making

purchasing decisions. Currently, this

section does not include any

descriptors, or useful information to

consumers. The Department believes

that including references to the Water

Consumption Factor, Remaining

Moisture Content, and a calculation for

annual water consumption will provide

greater exposure of additional

information to consumers, or users of

the test procedure. These changes are

nonsubstantive and provide information

available in the existing test procedures.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45499

These changes do not impose any

additional requirements on

manufacturers. Therefore, today’s final

rule includes the above references in

§ 430.23(j)(3).

E. Reporting Requirements, Revision to

10 CFR 430.62, ‘‘Submission of Data’’

In the March 1995 proposed rule, the

Department proposed to require that, on

the certification report for each basic

model of a dishwasher, clothes dryer, or

clothes washer the manufacturer would

report the Energy Factor for the basic

model. The Department did not receive

any negative comments regarding this

proposal. Therefore, today’s final rule

includes a requirement for Energy

Factors to be included on

manufacturers’ certification reports for

dishwashers, clothes dryers, and clothes

washers, as proposed in the March 1995

proposed rule.

ACEEE commented, however, that the

Department should require in addition

the reporting of clothes washer capacity,

total clothes washer water use, and

RMC. ACEEE believes this data will

support market incentive programs for

high efficiency clothes washers.

(ACEEE, No. 32 at 2). The Department

already requires the reporting of clothes

washer capacity in the certification

report. 10 CFR 430.62(a)(2),

‘‘Submission of Data.’’ The Department

believes it would not be appropriate to

require manufacturers to report total

water use and RMC. Today’s Appendix

J does not require the calculation of total

water use or RMC. These criteria are

provided in the test procedure for

optional use by manufacturers or other

testers. Imposing reporting requirements

for such criteria would impose

additional test burden on

manufacturers. The Department does,

however, support the wide

dissemination of this information on a

voluntary basis, as reflected in today’s

amendments to § 430.23(j)(3), discussed

above. Therefore, today’s final rule does

not include reporting requirements for

clothes washer total water use or RMC.

F. Effective Date

The effective date specified for

today’s amendments is (insert date 180

days after publication). Thus, as of that

time, manufacturers must use Appendix

J as amended in this rule whenever they

are required to test clothes washers to

determine if they comply with

applicable energy conservation

standards. Similarly, unless the

Department receives and grants a

petition for extension under section

323(c)(3) of EPCA, any representations

concerning clothes washers, made after

(insert date 180 days from publication)

should be based on this amended test

procedure.

The Department notes, in addition,

that, until the amendments become

effective in 180 days, they cannot be

used to establish compliance with

standards by clothes washers that

cannot be tested under existing test

procedures. Manufacturers of any

products that cannot be adequately

tested under the current test procedure

must seek a waiver under 10 CFR 430.27

for the interim period.

As noted above and at the outset of

the text of Appendix J1, Appendix J1

will not become mandatory until new

energy conservation standards for

clothes washers have been adopted. At

that time, DOE will remove the current

Appendix J. In the meantime, Appendix

J1 will be used in the development of

the new standards.

IV. Determination Concerning the

Impact of the Amended Test Procedures

on Standards

Section 323 of EPCA requires that the

Department determine the extent to

which an amended test procedure

would alter the measured energy

efficiency or measured energy use of

clothes washers as compared with the

existing test procedure. Such

assessment is made for the purpose of

assuring that revisions in test

procedures do not in effect alter existing

energy conservation standards by

altering the compliance of existing

products with those standards. Today’s

amendments to Appendix J would not

affect measurement of the efficiency or

energy use of any clothes washer, with

the exception of a clothes washer with

a lockout feature.

With respect to clothes washers with

a lockout feature, the amendments being

adopted fill a gap in the prior test

procedures. Prior procedures lacked a

suitable means for testing whether such

clothes washers comply with applicable

standards, and today’s amendments

provide such a means. It is the

Department’s understanding that very

few clothes washers with a lockout

feature are currently being

manufactured. Moreover, the

Department is not aware of any such

machine that complies with applicable

energy conservation standards under

prior test procedures, and that would be

rendered in non-compliance under

Appendix J as amended today.

Appendix J1 also would not affect the

measurement of compliance with

existing standards. It is being

promulgated for use in developing

future amendments to the standards for

clothes washers, and would go into

effect only upon the effective date of

any such future amendment.

V. Procedural Requirements

A. Environmental Review

The Department has concluded that

this final rule falls into a class of actions

(categorical exclusion A5) that are

categorically excluded from the

National Environmental Policy Act of

1969 (NEPA) review because they

would not individually or cumulatively

have a significant impact on the human

environment, as determined by DOE’s

regulations (10 CFR part 1021, Subpart

D) implementing NEPA [42 U.S.C. 4321,

4331–35, 4341–47 (1976)]. Therefore,

this rule does not require an

Environmental Impact Statement or an

Environmental Assessment pursuant to

NEPA.

B. Regulatory Planning and Review

DOE has determined that this is not

a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ under

Executive Order 12866, ‘‘Regulatory

Planning and Review,’’ (58 FR 51735,

October 4, 1993). Accordingly, today’s

action was not subject to review by the

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs.

C. Federalism Review

Executive Order 12612 (52 FR 41685,

October 30, 1987) requires that

regulations or rules be reviewed for any

substantial direct effects 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. If there are

sufficient substantial direct effects, the

Executive Order requires the

preparation of a Federalism assessment

to be used in decisions by senior policy

makers in promulgating or

implementing the regulation.

The final rule published today would

not alter the distribution of authority

and responsibility to regulate in this

area. The final rule would only revise a

currently applicable DOE test procedure

to improve existing testing methods,

and to add provisions that DOE would

use in future standard setting.

Accordingly, DOE has determined that

preparation of a federation assessment is

unnecessary.

D. ‘‘Takings’’ Assessment Review

It has been determined pursuant to

Executive Order 12630 (52 FR 8859,

March 18, 1988) that this regulation

would not result in any takings which

might require compensation under the

Fifth Amendment to the United States

Constitution.
45500 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

E. Paperwork Reduction Act Review

No new information or recordkeeping

requirements are imposed by this

rulemaking. Accordingly, no OMB

clearance is required under the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.).

F. Unfunded Mandates Act

Section 202 of the Unfunded

Mandates Reform Act of 1995

(‘‘Unfunded Mandates Act’’) (signed

into law on March 22, 1995) requires

that the Department prepare a budgetary

impact statement before promulgating a

rule that includes a Federal mandate

that may result in expenditure by state,

local, and tribal governments, in the

aggregate, or by the private sector, of

$100 million or more in any one year.

The Department has determined that

this action does not include a Federal

mandate that may result in estimated

costs of $100 million or more to state,

local or to tribal governments in the

aggregate or to the private sector.

Therefore, the requirements of Sections

203 and 204 of the Unfunded Mandates

Act do not apply to this action.

G. Review Under the Regulatory

Flexibility Act of 1980

The Regulatory Flexibility Act of

1980, 5 U.S.C. 603, requires the

preparation of an initial regulatory

flexibility analysis for every rule which

by law must be proposed for public

comment, unless the agency certifies

that the rule, if promulgated, will not

have a significant economic impact on

a substantial number of small entities. A

regulatory flexibility analysis examines

the impact of the rule on small entities

and, if the impact is significant and

widespread, the analysis considers

alternate ways of reducing negative

impacts.

In the March 1995 proposed rule and

the May 1995 proposed rule, the

Department certified that the proposed

amendments, if adopted as final rules,

would not have a significant economic

impact on a substantial number of small

entities. None of the comments on these

proposed rules disagreed. In adopting

final rules based on these proposals, the

Department continues to adhere to this

conclusion.

Certain provisions of Appendix J in

today’s final rules, and all of Appendix

J1, arise out of the April 1996

supplemental proposed rule, and certain

other provisions of Appendix J are

based on the November 1996 reopening

notice. The Department believes these

provisions of the final rule also will not

have a significant impact on either small

or large manufacturers of clothes

washers under the provisions of the

Regulatory Flexibility Act. No comment

indicated otherwise. These amendments

to Appendix J incorporate: (1) Test

procedures already in use by

manufacturers pursuant to waivers that

DOE previously granted to those

manufacturers, (2) test provisions that

expand or elaborate on amendments

proposed in the March 1995 proposed

rule, and (3) procedural refinements that

do not affect test burden. These

amendments to Appendix J will have

virtually no impact on manufacturer

costs. For Appendix J1, which may be

used in the future, the Department is

updating the test procedures to reflect

current consumer usage habits.

Appendix J1 will not have a significant

economic impact, since the methods it

incorporates are already in use by

manufacturers, and will not cause

manufacturers to purchase equipment,

significantly increase testing time, or

employ technical staff beyond what is

required by existing DOE test

procedures.

In addition, in some respects the test

procedures in the final rule are less

burdensome than the current

procedures. For example:

• In Appendix J, the Department is

relaxing specific equipment

requirements which are irrelevant, and

thus will provide greater flexibility in

manufacturer equipment selection.

• In Appendix J1, manufacturers will

not have to test warm wash temperature

selections for clothes washers with

uniformly distributed temperature

selections.

In summary, DOE believes that the

final rule does not have a ‘‘significant

economic impact on a substantial

number of small entities,’’ and that the

preparation of a regulatory flexibility

analysis was and is not warranted.

H. Review Under Executive Order

12988, ‘‘Civil Justice Reform’’

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 Executive agencies the

general duty to adhere to the following

requirements: (1) Eliminate drafting

errors and ambiguity; (2) write

regulations to minimize litigation; and

(3) provide a clear legal standard for

affected conduct rather than a general

standard and promote simplification

and burden reduction. With regard to

the review required by section 3(a),

section 3(b) of Executive Order 12988

specifically requires 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 conduct while promoting

simplification and burden reduction; (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 of Executive Order 12988 requires

Executive agencies to review regulations

in light of applicable standards in

section 3(a) and section 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, the final

regulations meet the relevant standards

of Executive Order 12988.

I. Review Under Small Business

Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of

1996

As required by 5 U.S.C. 801, DOE will

report to Congress promulgation of the

rule prior to its effective date. 5 U.S.C.

801. The report will state that it has

been determined that the rule is not a

‘‘major rule’’ as defined by 5 U.S.C.

804(3).

List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 430

Administrative practice and

procedure, Energy conservation,

Household appliances.

Issued in Washington, D.C., on August 20,

1997.

Brian T. Castelli,

Chief of Staff, Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy.

For the reasons set forth in the

preamble, Part 430 of Chapter II of Title

10, of the Code of Federal Regulations

is amended as set forth below:

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.

2. Section 430.23 of Subpart B is

amended by revising paragraph (j) to

read as follows:

§ 430.23 Test procedures for measures of

energy consumption.

* * * * *

(j) Clothes washers. (1) The estimated

annual operating cost for automatic and

semi-automatic clothes washers shall

be—
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45501

(i) When electrically heated water is

used, the product of the following three

factors:

(A) The representative average-use of

392 cycles per year,

(B) The total per-cycle energy

consumption in kilowatt-hours per

cycle determined according to 4.1.6 of

appendix J before appendix J1 becomes

mandatory and 4.1.7 of appendix J1

when appendix J1 becomes mandatory,

(see the note at the beginning of

appendix J1), and

(C) The representative average unit

cost in dollars per kilowatt-hour as

provided by the Secretary, the resulting

product then being rounded off to the

nearest dollar per year, and

(ii) When gas-heated or oil-heated

water is used, the product of: the

representative average-use of 392 cycles

per year and the sum of both:

(A) The product of the per-cycle

machine electrical energy consumption

in kilowatt-hours per cycle, determined

according to 4.1.5 of appendix J before

the date that appendix J1 to the subpart

becomes mandatory or 4.1.6 of appendix

J1 upon the date that appendix J1 to this

subpart becomes mandatory, and the

representative average unit cost in

dollars per kilowatt-hours as provided

by the Secretary, and

(B) The product of the per-cycle water

energy consumption for gas-heated or

oil-heated water in BTU per cycle,

determined according to 4.1.4 of

appendix J before the date that appendix

J1 becomes mandatory or 4.1.4 of

appendix J1 upon the date that

appendix J1 to this subpart becomes

mandatory, and the representative

average unit cost in dollars per Btu for

oil or gas, as appropriate, as provided by

the Secretary, the resulting product then

being rounded off to the nearest dollar

per year.

(2)(i) The energy factor for automatic

and semi-automatic clothes washers is

determined in accordance with 4.5 of

appendix J before the date that appendix

J1 becomes mandatory or 4.5 of

appendix J1 upon the date that

appendix J1 to this subpart becomes

mandatory. The result shall be rounded

off to the nearest 0.01 cubic foot per

kilowatt-hours.

(ii) The modified energy factor for

automatic and semi-automatic clothes

washers is determined in accordance

with 4.4 of appendix J before the date

that appendix J1 becomes mandatory or

4.4 of appendix J1 upon the date that

appendix J1 to this subpart becomes

mandatory. The result shall be rounded

off to the nearest 0.01 cubic foot per

kilowatt-hours.

(3) Other useful measures of energy

consumption for automatic or semiautomatic clothes washers shall be those

measures of energy consumption which

the Secretary determines are likely to

assist consumers in making purchasing

decisions and which are derived from

the application of appendix J before the

date that appendix J1 becomes

mandatory or appendix J1 upon the date

that appendix J1 to this subpart becomes

mandatory. In addition, the annual

water consumption of a clothes washer

can be determined by the product of:

(A) The representative average-use of

392 cycles per year, and

(B) The total weighted per-cycle water

consumption in gallons per cycle

determined according to 4.3.2 of

appendix J before the date that appendix

J1 becomes mandatory or 4.2.2 of

appendix J1 upon the date that

appendix J1 to this subpart becomes

mandatory. The water consumption

factor can be determined in accordance

with 4.3.3 of appendix J before the date

that appendix J1 becomes mandatory or

4.2.3 of appendix J1 upon the date that

appendix J1 to this subpart becomes

mandatory. The remaining moisture

content can be determined in

accordance with 3.3 of appendix J

before the date that appendix J1

becomes mandatory or 3.8 of appendix

J1 upon the date that appendix J1 to this

subpart becomes mandatory.

3. Appendix J to Subpart B of Part 430

is revised to read as follows:

Appendix J to Subpart B of Part 430—

Uniform Test Method for Measuring the

Energy Consumption of Automatic and

Semi-Automatic Clothes Washers

The procedures and calculations in

sections 3.3, 4.3, and 4.4 of this Appendix

need not be performed to determine

compliance with the energy conservation

standards for clothes washers.

1. DEFINITIONS

1.1 Adaptive control system means a

clothes washer control system, other than an

adaptive water fill control system, which is

capable of automatically adjusting washer

operation or washing conditions based on

characteristics of the clothes load placed in

the clothes container, without allowing or

requiring consumer intervention or actions.

The automatic adjustments may, for example,

include automatic selection, modification, or

control of any of the following: wash water

temperature, agitation or tumble cycle time,

number of rinse cycles, and spin speed. The

characteristics of the clothes load, which

could trigger such adjustments, could, for

example, consist of or be indicated by the

presence of either soil, soap, suds, or any

other additive laundering substitute or

complementary product.

Note: Appendix J does not provide a means

for determining the energy consumption of a

clothes washer with an adaptive control

system. Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR

430.27, a waiver must be obtained to

establish an acceptable test procedure for

each such clothes washer.

1.2 Adaptive water fill control system

means a clothes washer water fill control

system which is capable of automatically

adjusting the water fill level based on the size

or weight of the clothes load placed in the

clothes container, without allowing or

requiring consumer intervention and/or

actions.

1.3 Bone-dry means a condition of a load

of test cloth which has been dried in a dryer

at maximum temperature for a minimum of

10 minutes, removed and weighed before

cool down, and then dried again for 10-

minute periods until the final weight change

of the load is 1 percent or less.

1.4 Clothes container means the

compartment within the clothes washer that

holds the clothes during operation of the

machine.

1.5 Compact means a clothes washer

which has a clothes container capacity of less

than 1.6 ft3 (45 L).

1.6 Deep rinse cycle means a rinse cycle

in which the clothes container is filled with

water to a selected level and the clothes load

is rinsed by agitating it or tumbling it through

the water.

1.7 Front-loader clothes washer means a

clothes washer which sequentially rotates or

tumbles portions of the clothes load above

the water level allowing the clothes load to

fall freely back into the water. The principal

axis of the clothes container is in a horizontal

plane and the access to the clothes container

is through the front of the machine.

1.8 Lockout means that at least one wash/

rinse water temperature combination is not

available in the normal cycle that is available

in another cycle on the machine.

1.9 Make-up water means the amount of

fresh water needed to supplement the

amount of stored water pumped from the

external laundry tub back into the clothes

washer when the suds-return feature is

activated in order to achieve the required

water fill level in the clothes washer.

1.10 Modified energy factor means the

quotient of the cubic foot (or liter) capacity

of the clothes container divided by the total

clothes washer energy consumption per

cycle, with such energy consumption

expressed as the sum of the machine

electrical energy consumption, the hot water

energy consumption, and the energy required

for removal of the remaining moisture in the

wash load.

1.11 Most energy intensive cycle means

the non-normal cycle that uses the most

energy for a given wash/rinse temperature

combination.

1.12 Non-normal cycle means a cycle

other than the normal cycle, but does not

include any manually selected pre-wash, presoak, and extra-rinse option.

1.13 Nonwater-heating clothes washer

means a clothes washer which does not have

an internal water heating device to generate

hot water.

1.14 Normal cycle means the cycle

recommended by the manufacturer for

washing cotton and/or linen clothes.

1.15 Sensor filled means a water fill

control which automatically terminates the

fill when the water reaches an appropriate

level in the tub.
45502 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

1.16 Spray rinse cycle means a rinse cycle

in which water is sprayed onto the clothes

load for a definite period of time without

maintaining any specific water level in the

clothes container.

1.17 Standard means a clothes washer

which has a clothes container capacity of

1.6 ft 3 (45 L) or greater.

1.18 Suds-return means a feature or

option on a clothes washer which causes the

stored wash water obtained by utilizing the

suds-saver feature to be pumped from the

external laundry tub back into the clothes

washer.

1.19 Suds-saver means a feature or option

on a clothes washer which allows the user to

store used wash water in an external laundry

tub for use with subsequent wash loads.

1.20 Temperature use factor means the

percentage of the total number of washes a

user would wash with a particular wash/

rinse temperature setting.

1.21 Thermostatically controlled water

valves means clothes washer controls that

have the ability to sense and adjust the hot

and cold supply water.

1.22 Time filled means a water fill control

which uses a combination of water flow

controls in conjunction with time to

terminate the water fill cycle.

1.23 Top-loader-horizontal-axis clothes

washer means a clothes washer which:

rotates or tumbles portions of the clothes

load above the water level allowing the

clothes load to fall freely back into the water

with the principal axis in a horizontal plane

and has access to the clothes container

through the top of the clothes washer.

1.24 Top-loader-vertical-axis clothes

washer means a clothes washer that: flexes

and oscillates the submerged clothes load

through the water by means of mechanical

agitation or other movement; has a clothes

container with the principal axis in a vertical

plane; and has access to the clothes container

through the top of the clothes washer.

1.25 Water consumption factor means the

quotient of the total weighted per-cycle water

consumption divided by the capacity of the

clothes washer.

1.26 Water-heating clothes washer means

a clothes washer where some or all of the hot

water for clothes washing is generated by a

water heating device internal to the clothes

washer.

2. TESTING CONDITIONS

2.1 Installation. Install the clothes washer

in accordance with manufacturer’s

instructions.

2.2 Electrical energy supply. Maintain the

electrical supply at the clothes washer

terminal block within 2 percent of 120, 120/

240 or 120/208Y volts as applicable to the

particular terminal block wiring system as

specified by the manufacturer. If the clothes

washer has a dual voltage conversion

capability, conduct the test at the highest

voltage specified by the manufacturer.

2.3 Supply water. For nonwater-heating

clothes washers not equipped with

thermostatically controlled water valves, the

temperature of the hot and cold water supply

shall be maintained at 100°F±10°F

(37.8°C±5.5°C). For nonwater-heating clothes

washers equipped with thermostatically

controlled water valves, the temperature of

the hot water supply shall be maintained at

140°F±5°F (60.0°C±2.8°C) and the cold water

supply shall be maintained at 60°F±5°F

(15.6°C±2.8°C). For water-heating clothes

washers, the temperature of the hot water

supply shall be maintained at 140°F±5°F

(60.0°C±2.8°C) and the cold water supply

shall not exceed 60°F (15.6°C). Water meters

shall be installed in both the hot and cold

water lines to measure water consumption.

2.4 Water pressure. The static water

pressure at the hot and cold water inlet

connections of the machine shall be

maintained during the test at 35 pounds per

square inch gauge (psig)±2.5 psig (241.3

kPa±17.2 kPa). The static water pressure for

a single water inlet connection shall be

maintained during the test at 35 psig±2.5 psig

(241.3 kPa±17.2 kPa). Water pressure gauges

shall be installed in both the hot and cold

water lines to measure water pressure.

2.5 Instrumentation. Perform all test

measurements using the following

instruments, as appropriate:

2.5.1 Weighing scales.

2.5.1.1 Weighing scale for test cloth. The

scale shall have a resolution no larger than

0.2 oz (5.7 g) and a maximum error no greater

than 0.3 percent of the measured value.

2.5.1.2 Weighing scale for clothes

container capacity measurements. The scale

should have a resolution no larger than 0.50

lbs (0.23 kg) and a maximum error no greater

than 0.5 percent of the measured value.

2.5.2 Watt-hour meter. The watt-hour

meter shall have a resolution no larger than

1 Wh (3.6 kJ) and a maximum error no greater

than 2 percent of the measured value for any

demand greater than 50 Wh (180.0 kJ).

2.5.3 Temperature measuring device. The

device shall have an error no greater than

±1°F (±0.6°C) over the range being measured.

2.5.4 Water meter. The water meter shall

have a resolution no larger than 0.1 gallons

(0.4 liters) and a maximum error no greater

than 2 percent for all water flow rates from

1 gal/min (3.8 L/min) to 5 gal/min (18.9 L/

min).

2.5.5 Water pressure gauge. The water

pressure gauge shall have a resolution no

larger than 1 psig (6.9 kPa) and shall have an

error no greater than 5 percent of any

measured value over the range of 32.5 psig

(224.1 kPa) to 37.5 psig (258.6 kPa).

2.6 Test cloths.

2.6.1 Energy test cloth. The energy test

cloth shall be clean and consist of the

following:

2.6.1.1 Pure finished bleached cloth,

made with a momie or granite weave, which

is 50 percent cotton and 50 percent polyester

and weighs 5.75 oz/yd 2 (195.0 g/m 2) and has

65 ends on the warp and 57 picks on the fill.

2.6.1.2 Cloth material that is 24 in by 36

in (61.0 cm by 91.4 cm) and has been

hemmed to 22 in by 34 in (55.9 cm by 86.4

cm) before washing. The maximum shrinkage

after five washes shall not be more than four

percent on the length and width.

2.6.1.3 The number of test runs on the

same energy test cloth shall not exceed 25

runs.

2.6.2 Energy stuffer cloths. The energy

stuffer cloths shall be made from energy test

cloth material and shall consist of pieces of

material that are 12 in by 12 in (30.5 cm by

30.5 cm) and have been hemmed to 10 in by

10 in (25.4 cm by 25.4 cm) before washing.

The maximum shrinkage after five washes

shall not be more than four percent on the

length and width. The number of test runs on

the same energy stuffer cloth shall not exceed

25 runs.

2.7 Composition of test loads.

2.7.1 Seven pound test load. The seven

pound test load shall consist of bone-dry

energy test cloths which weigh 7 lbs ±0.07

lbs (3.18 kg ±0.03 kg). Adjustments to the test

load to achieve the proper weight can be

made by the use of energy stuffer cloths.

2.7.2 Three pound test load. The three

pound test load shall consist of bone-dry

energy test cloths which weigh 3 lbs ±0.03

lbs (1.36 kg ±0.014 kg). Adjustments to the

test load to achieve the proper weight can be

made by the use of energy stuffer cloths.

2.8 Use of test loads.

2.8.1 For a standard size clothes washer,

a seven pound load, as described in section

2.7.1, shall be used to test the maximum

water fill and a three pound test load, as

described in section 2.7.2, shall be used to

test the minimum water fill.

2.8.2 For a compact size clothes washer,

a three pound test load as described in

section 2.7.2 shall be used to test the

maximum and minimum water fill levels.

2.8.3 A vertical-axis clothes washer

without adaptive water fill control system

also shall be tested without a test load for

purposes of calculating the energy factor.

2.8.4 The test load sizes to be used to

measure remaining moisture content (RMC)

are specified in section 3.3.2.

2.8.5 Load the energy test cloths by

grasping them in the center, shaking them to

hang loosely and then dropping them into

the clothes container prior to activating the

clothes washer.

2.9 Preconditioning. If the clothes washer

has not been filled with water in the

preceding 96 hours, pre-condition it by

running it through a cold rinse cycle and

then draining it to ensure that the hose,

pump, and sump are filled with water.

2.10 Wash time setting. The actual wash

time (period of agitation) shall be not less

than 9.75 minutes.

2.11 Agitation and spin speed settings.

Where controls are provided for agitation and

spin speed selections, set them as follows:

2.11.1 For energy and water consumption

tests, set at the normal cycle settings. If

settings at the normal cycle are not offered,

set the control settings to the maximum

levels permitted on the clothes washer.

2.11.2 For remaining moisture content

tests, see section 3.3.

3. TEST MEASUREMENTS

3.1 Clothes container capacity. Measure

the entire volume which a dry clothes load

could occupy within the clothes container

during washer operation according to

sections 3.1.1 through 3.1.5.

3.1.1 Place the clothes washer in such a

position that the uppermost edge of the

clothes container opening is leveled

horizontally, so that the container will hold

the maximum amount of water.

3.1.2 Line the inside of the clothes

container with 2 mil (0.051 mm) plastic

sheet. All clothes washer components which
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45503

occupy space within the clothes container

and which are recommended for use with the

energy test cycle shall be in place and shall

be lined with 2 mil (0.051 mm) plastic sheet

to prevent water from entering any void

space.

3.1.3 Record the total weight of the

machine before adding water.

3.1.4 Fill the clothes container manually

with either 60°F ±5°F (15.6°C ±2.8°C) or

100°F ±10°F (37.8°C ±5.5°C) water to its

uppermost edge. Measure and record the

weight of water, W, in pounds.

3.1.5 The clothes container capacity is

calculated as follows:

C=W/d.

where:

C=Capacity in cubic feet (or liters).

W=Mass of water in pounds (or kilograms).

d=Density of water (62.0 lbs/ft 3 for 100°F

(993 kg/m 3 for 37.8°C) or 62.3 lbs/ft 3 for

60°F (998 kg/m 3 for 15.6°C)).

3.2 Test cycle. Establish the test

conditions set forth in section 2 of this

Appendix.

3.2.1 A clothes washer that has infinite

temperature selections shall be tested at the

following temperature settings: hottest setting

available on the machine, hot (a minimum of

140°F (60.0°C) and a maximum of 145°F

(62.8°C)), warm (a minimum of 100°F

(37.8°C) and a maximum of 105°F (40.6°C)),

and coldest setting available on the machine.

These temperatures must be confirmed by

measurement using a temperature measuring

device. If the measured final water

temperature is not within the specified range,

stop testing, adjust the temperature selector

accordingly, and repeat the procedure.

3.2.2 Clothes washers with adaptive

water fill control system and/or unique

temperature selections.

3.2.2.1 Clothes washers with adaptive

water fill control system. When testing a

clothes washer that has adaptive water fill

control, the maximum and the minimum test

loads as specified in 2.8.1 and 2.8.2 shall be

used. The amount of water fill shall be

determined by the control system. If the

clothes washer provides consumer selection

of variable water fill amounts for the adaptive

water fill control system, two complete sets

of tests shall be conducted. The first set of

tests shall be conducted with the adaptive

water fill control system set in the setting

that will use the greatest amount of energy.

The second set of tests shall be conducted

with the adaptive water fill control system

set in the setting that will use the smallest

amount of energy. Then, the results from

these two tests shall be averaged to determine

the adaptive water fill energy consumption

value. If a clothes washer with an adaptive

water fill control system allows consumer

selection of manual controls as an

alternative, both the manual and adaptive

modes shall be tested and the energy

consumption values, ET, ME, and DE (if

desired), calculated in section 4 for each

mode, shall be averaged between the manual

and adaptive modes.

3.2.2.2 Clothes washers with multiple

warm wash temperature combination

selections.

3.2.2.2.1 If a clothes washer’s temperature

combination selections are such that the

temperature of each warm wash setting that

is above the mean warm wash temperature

(the mean temperature of the coldest and

warmest warm settings) is matched by a

warm wash setting that is an equal distance

below the mean, then the energy test shall be

conducted at the mean warm wash

temperature if such a selection is provided,

or if there is no position on the control that

permits selection of the mean temperature,

the energy test shall be conducted with the

temperature selection set at the next hotter

temperature setting that is available above

the mean.

3.2.2.2.2 If the multiple warm wash

temperature combination selections do not

meet criteria in section 3.2.2.2.1, the energy

test shall be conducted with the temperature

selection set at the warm wash temperature

setting that gives the next higher water

temperature than the mean temperature of

the coldest and warmest warm settings.

3.2.2.3 Clothes washers with multiple

temperature settings within a temperature

combination selection. When a clothes

washer is provided with a secondary control

that can modify the wash or rinse

temperature within a temperature

combination selection, the secondary control

shall be set to provide the hottest wash

temperature available and the hottest rinse

temperature available. For instance, when the

temperature combination selection is set for

the middle warm wash temperature and a

secondary control exists which allows this

temperature to be increased or decreased, the

secondary control shall be set to provide the

hottest warm wash temperature available for

the middle warm wash setting.

3.2.3 Clothes washers that do not lockout

any wash/rinse temperature combinations in

the normal cycle. Test in the normal cycle all

temperature combination selections that are

required to be tested.

3.2.3.1 Hot water consumption, cold

water consumption, and electrical energy

consumption at maximum fill. Set the water

level selector at maximum fill available on

the clothes washer, if manually controlled,

and insert the appropriate test load, if

applicable. Activate the normal cycle of the

clothes washer and also any suds-saver

switch.

3.2.3.1.1 For automatic clothes washers,

set the wash/rinse temperature selector to the

hottest temperature combination setting. For

semi-automatic clothes washers, open the hot

water faucet valve completely and close the

cold water faucet valve completely to achieve

the hottest temperature combination setting.

3.2.3.1.2 Measure the electrical energy

consumption of the clothes washer for the

complete cycle.

3.2.3.1.3 Measure the respective number

of gallons (or liters) of hot and cold water

used to fill the tub for the wash cycle.

3.2.3.1.4 Measure the respective number

of gallons (or liters) of hot and cold water

used for all deep rinse cycles.

3.2.3.1.5 Measure the respective gallons

(or liters) of hot and cold water used for all

spray rinse cycles.

3.2.3.1.6 For non-water-heating automatic

clothes washers repeat sections 3.2.3.1.3

through 3.2.3.1.5 for each of the other wash/

rinse temperature selections available that

uses heated water and is required to be

tested. For water-heating clothes washers,

repeat sections 3.2.3.1.2 through 3.2.3.1.5 for

each of the other wash/rinse temperature

selections available that uses heated water

and is required to be tested. (When

calculating water consumption under section

4.3 for any machine covered by the previous

two sentences, also test the cold wash/cold

rinse selection.) For semi-automatic clothes

washers, repeat sections 3.2.3.1.3 through

3.2.3.1.5 for the other wash/rinse temperature

settings in section 6 with the following water

faucet valve adjustments:

Faucet position

Hot valve Cold valve

Hot .................................................................................................................................. Completely open ................ Closed.

Warm .............................................................................................................................. Completely open ................ Completely open.

Cold ................................................................................................................................ Closed ................................ Completely open.

3.2.3.1.7 If the clothes washer is

equipped with a suds-saver cycle, repeat

sections 3.2.3.1.2 to 3.2.3.1.5 with suds-saver

switch set to suds return for the Warm/Cold

temperature setting.

3.2.3.2 Hot water consumption, cold

water consumption, and electrical energy

consumption with the water level selector at

minimum fill. Set the water level selector at

minimum fill, if manually controlled, and

insert the appropriate test load, if applicable.

Activate the normal cycle of the clothes

washer and also any suds-saver switch.

Repeat sections 3.2.3.1.1 through 3.2.3.1.7.

3.2.3.3 Hot and cold water consumption

for clothes washers that incorporate a partial

fill during the rinse cycle. For clothes

washers that incorporate a partial fill during

the rinse cycle, activate any suds-saver

switch and operate the clothes washer for the

complete normal cycle at both the maximum

water fill level and the minimum water fill

level for each of the wash/rinse temperature

selections available. Measure the respective

hot and cold water consumed during the

complete normal cycle.

3.2.4 Clothes washers that lockout any

wash/rinse temperature combinations in the

normal cycle. In addition to the normal cycle

tests in section 3.2.3, perform the following
45504 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

tests on non-normal cycles for each wash/

rinse temperature combination selection that

is locked out in the normal cycle.

3.2.4.1 Set the cycle selector to a nonnormal cycle which has the wash/rinse

temperature combination selection that is

locked out. Set the water level selector at

maximum fill and insert the appropriate test

load, if applicable. Activate the cycle of the

clothes washer and also any suds-saver

switch. Set the wash/rinse temperature

selector to the temperature combination

setting that is locked out in the normal cycle

and repeat sections 3.2.3.1.2 through

3.2.3.1.5.

3.2.4.2 Repeat section 3.2.4.1 under the

same temperature combination setting for all

other untested non-normal cycles on the

machine that have the wash/rinse

temperature combination selection that is

locked out.

3.2.4.3 Total the measured hot water

consumption of the wash, deep rinse, and

spray rinse of each non-normal cycle tested

in sections 3.2.4.1 through 3.2.4.2 and

compare the total for each cycle. The cycle

that has the highest hot water consumption

shall be the most energy intensive cycle for

that particular wash/rinse temperature

combination setting.

3.2.4.4 Set the water level selector at

minimum fill and insert the appropriate test

load, if applicable. Activate the most energy

intensive cycle, as determined in section

3.2.4.3, of the clothes washer and also any

suds-saver switch. Repeat tests as described

in section 3.2.4.1.

3.3 Remaining Moisture Content (RMC).

3.3.1 The wash temperature shall be the

same as the rinse temperature for all testing.

3.3.2 Determine the test load as shown in

the following table:

Container volume Test load

cu. ft.

≥ <

liter

≥ < lb kg

0–0.80 ................................................................................................................................................................. 0–22.7 3.00 1.36

0.80–0.90 ............................................................................................................................................................ 22.7–25.5 3.50 1.59

0.90–1.00 ............................................................................................................................................................ 25.5–28.3 3.90 1.77

1.00–1.10 ............................................................................................................................................................ 28.3–31.1 4.30 1.95

1.10–1.20 ............................................................................................................................................................ 31.1–34.0 4.70 2.13

1.20–1.30 ............................................................................................................................................................ 34.0–36.8 5.10 2.31

1.30–1.40 ............................................................................................................................................................ 36.8–39.6 5.50 2.49

1.40–1.50 ............................................................................................................................................................ 39.6–42.5 5.90 2.68

1.50–1.60 ............................................................................................................................................................ 42.5–45.3 6.40 2.90

1.60–1.70 ............................................................................................................................................................ 45.3–48.1 6.80 3.08

1.70–1.80 ............................................................................................................................................................ 48.1–51.0 7.20 3.27

1.80–1.90 ............................................................................................................................................................ 51.0–53.8 7.60 3.45

1.90–2.00 ............................................................................................................................................................ 53.8–56.6 8.00 3.63

2.00–2.10 ............................................................................................................................................................ 56.6–59.5 8.40 3.81

2.10–2.20 ............................................................................................................................................................ 59.5–62.3 8.80 3.99

2.20–2.30 ............................................................................................................................................................ 62.3–65.1 9.20 4.17

2.30–2.40 ............................................................................................................................................................ 65.1–68.0 9.60 4.35

2.40–2.50 ............................................................................................................................................................ 68.0–70.8 10.00 4.54

2.50–2.60 ............................................................................................................................................................ 70.8–73.6 10.50 4.76

2.60–2.70 ............................................................................................................................................................ 73.6–76.5 10.90 4.94

2.70–2.80 ............................................................................................................................................................ 76.5–79.3 11.30 5.13

2.80–2.90 ............................................................................................................................................................ 79.3–82.1 11.70 5.31

2.90–3.00 ............................................................................................................................................................ 82.1–85.0 12.10 5.49

3.00–3.10 ............................................................................................................................................................ 85.0–87.8 12.50 5.67

3.10–3.20 ............................................................................................................................................................ 87.8–90.6 12.90 5.85

3.20–3.30 ............................................................................................................................................................ 90.6–93.4 13.30 6.03

3.30–3.40 ............................................................................................................................................................ 93.4–96.3 13.70 6.21

3.40–3.50 ............................................................................................................................................................ 96.3–99.1 14.10 6.40

3.50–3.60 ............................................................................................................................................................ 99.1–101.9 14.60 6.62

3.60–3.70 ............................................................................................................................................................ 101.9–104.8 15.00 6.80

3.70–3.80 ............................................................................................................................................................ 104.8–107.6 15.40 6.99

Notes:

(1) All test load weights are bone dry weights.

(2) Allowable tolerance on the test load weights are +/¥0.10 lbs (0.05 kg).

3.3.3 For clothes washers with cold rinse

only.

3.3.3.1 Record the actual bone dry weight

of the test load (WI), then place the test load

in the clothes washer.

3.3.3.2 Set water level selector to

maximum fill.

3.3.3.3 Run the normal cycle.

3.3.3.4 Record the weight of the test load

immediately after completion of the normal

cycle (WC).

3.3.3.5 Calculate the remaining moisture

content of the test load, RMC, expressed as

a percentage and defined as:

RMC=[(WC¥WI)/WI]×100%

3.3.4 For clothes washers with cold and

warm rinse options.

3.3.4.1 Complete steps 3.3.3.1 through

3.3.3.4 for the cold rinse. Calculate the

remaining moisture content of the test load

for cold rinse, RMCCOLD, expressed as a

percentage and defined as:

RMCCOLD=[(WC¥WI)/WI]×100%

3.3.4.2 Complete steps 3.3.3.1 through

3.3.3.4 for the warm rinse. Calculate the

remaining moisture content of the test load

for warm rinse, RMCWARM, expressed as a

percentage and defined as:

RMCWARM=[(WC¥WI)/WI]×100%

3.3.4.3 Calculate the remaining moisture

content of the test load, RMC, expressed as

a percentage and defined as:

RMC=0.73×RMCCOLD+0.27×RMCWARM

3.3.5 Clothes washers which have options

that result in different RMC values, such as

multiple selection of spin speeds or spin

times that are available in the normal cycle,

shall be tested at the maximum and

minimum settings of the available options,

excluding any ‘‘no spin’’ (zero spin speed)

settings, in accordance with requirements in

3.3.3 or 3.3.4. The calculated RMCmax extraction

and RMCmin extraction at the maximum and

minimum settings, respectively, shall be

combined as follows and the final RMC to be

used in section 4.2 shall be:

RMC=0.75×RMCmax extraction+0.25×

RMCmin extraction

3.4 Data recording. Record for each test

cycle in sections 3.2.1 through 3.3.5.

3.4.1 For non-water-heating clothes

washers, record the kilowatt-hours of

electrical energy, ME, consumed during the

test to operate the clothes washer in section
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45505

3.2.3.1.2. For water-heating clothes washers

record the kilowatt-hours of electrical energy,

Ehi consumed at maximum fill in sections

3.2.3.1.2 and 3.2.3.1.6, and Ehj consumed at

minimum fill in section 3.2.3.2.

3.4.2 Record the individual gallons (or

liters) of hot and cold water consumption,

Vhi and Vci, measured at maximum fill level

for each wash/rinse temperature combination

setting tested in section 3.2.3, or in both 3.2.3

and 3.2.4, excluding any fresh make-up water

required to complete the fill during a sudsreturn cycle.

3.4.3 Record the individual gallons (or

liters) of hot and cold water consumption,

Vhj and Vcj, measured at minimum fill level

for each wash/rinse temperature combination

setting tested in section 3.2.3, or in both 3.2.3

and 3.2.4, excluding any fresh make-up water

required to complete the fill during a sudsreturn cycle.

3.4.4 Record the individual gallons (or

liters) of hot and cold water, ShH and ScH,

measured at maximum fill for the suds-return

cycle.

3.4.5 Record the individual gallons (or

liters) of hot and cold water, ShL and ScL,

measured at minimum fill for the suds-return

cycle.

3.4.6 Data recording requirements for

RMC tests are listed in sections 3.3.3 through

3.3.5.

4. CALCULATION OF DERIVED RESULTS

FROM TEST MEASUREMENTS

4.1 Energy consumption.

4.1.1 Per-cycle temperature-weighted hot

water consumption for maximum and

minimum water fill levels. Calculate for the

cycle under test the per-cycle temperature

weighted hot water consumption for the

maximum water fill level, Vhmax, and for the

minimum water fill level, Vhmin, expressed in

gallons per cycle (or liters per cycle) and

defined as:

Vh X Vh L TUF X TUF Sh

Vh X Vh L TUF X TUF Sh

i i W H

i

n

j j W L

j

n

max

min

= × [ ] ( ) × + × [ ]

= × ( ) × [ ] + × [ ]

=

=

∑

∑

1 2

1

1 2

1

where:

Vhi=reported hot water consumption in

gallons per cycle (or liters per cycle) at

maximum fill for each wash/rinse

temperature combination setting, as

provided in section 3.4.2. If a clothes

washer is equipped with two or more

different wash/rinse temperature

selections that have the same basic

temperature combination selection label

(for example, one of them has its water

temperature controlled by

thermostatically controlled valves and

the other one does not), then the largest

Vhi shall be used for this calculation. If

a clothes washer has lockout(s), there

will be ‘‘Vhi’s’’ for wash/rinse

temperature combination settings

available in the normal cycle and ‘‘Vhi’s’’

for wash/rinse temperature combination

settings in the most energy intensive

cycle.

Vhj=reported hot water consumption in

gallons per cycle (or liters per cycle) at

minimum fill for each wash/rinse

temperature combination setting, as

provided in section 3.4.3. If a clothes

washer is equipped with two or more

different wash/rinse temperature

selections that have the same basic

temperature combination selection label

(for example, one of them has its water

temperature controlled by

thermostatically controlled valves and

the other one does not), then the largest

Vhj shall be used for the calculation. If

a clothes washer has lockouts, there will

be ‘‘Vhj’s’’ for wash/rinse temperature

combination settings available in the

normal cycle and ‘‘Vhj’s’’ for wash/rinse

temperature combination settings in the

most energy intensive cycle.

L=lockout factor to be applied to the reported

hot water consumption. For wash/rinse

temperature combination settings that

are not locked out in the normal cycle,

L=1. For each wash/rinse temperature

combination setting that is locked out in

the normal cycle, L=0.32 in the normal

cycle and L=0.68, in the most energy

intensive cycle.

TUFi=applicable temperature use factor in

section 5 or 6.

TUFj=applicable temperature use factor in

section 5 or 6.

n=number of wash/rinse temperature

combination settings available to the

user for the clothes washer under test.

For clothes washers that lockout

temperature selections in the normal

cycle, n=the number of wash/rinse

temperature combination settings on the

washers plus the number of wash/rinse

temperature combination settings that

lockout the temperature selections in the

normal cycle.

TUFw=temperature use factor for warm wash

setting.

For clothes washers equipped with the

suds-saver feature:

X1=frequency of use without the suds-saver

feature=0.86.

X2=frequency of use with the suds-saver

feature=0.14.

ShH=fresh make-up water measured during

suds-return cycle at maximum water fill

level.

ShL=fresh hot make-up water measured

during suds-return cycle at minimum

water fill level.

For clothes washers not equipped with the

suds-saver feature:

X1=1.0

X2=0.0

4.1.2 Total per-cycle hot water energy

consumption for maximum and minimum

water fill levels. Calculate the total per-cycle

hot water energy consumption for the

maximum water fill level, Emax and for the

minimum water fill level, Emin, expressed in

kilowatt-hours per cycle and defined as:

Emax=[Vhmax×T×K×MF]

Emin=[Vhmin×T×K×MF]

where:

T=temperature rise=90°F (50°C).

K=water specific heat=0.00240 kWh/(gal–°F)

[0.00114kWh/(L–°C)].

Vhmax=as defined in section 4.1.1.

Vhmin=as defined in section 4.1.1.

MF=multiplying factor to account for absence

of test load=0.94 for top-loader vertical

axis clothes washers that are sensor

filled, 1.0 for all other clothes washers.

4.1.3 Total weighted per-cycle hot water

energy consumption expressed in kilowatthours. Calculate the total weighted per cycle

hot water energy consumption, ET, expressed

in kilowatt-hours per cycle and defined as:

ET=[Emax×Fmax]+[Emin×Fmin]

where:

Fmax=usage fill factor=0.72.

Fmin=usage fill factor=0.28.

Emax=as defined in section 4.1.2.

Emin=as defined in section 4.1.2.

4.1.4 Per-cycle water energy consumption

using gas-heated or oil-heated water.

Calculate for the normal cycle the per-cycle

energy consumption, ETG, using gas-heated or

oil-heated water, expressed in Btu per cycle

(or megajoules per cycle) and defined as:

E E

e

E

e

TG T T = × × 



 



 = × × 



 





1 3412 1 3 6 Btu

kWh

 or E MJ

kWh TG

.
45506 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

where:

e=nominal gas or oil water heater

efficiency=0.75.

ET=as defined in section 4.1.3.

4.1.5 Per-cycle machine electrical energy

consumption.

4.1.5.1 Non-water-heating clothes

washers. The electrical energy value recorded

for the maximum fill in section 3.4.1 is the

per-cycle machine electrical energy

consumption, ME, expressed in kilowatthours per cycle.

4.1.5.2 Water-heating clothes washers.

4.1.5.2.1 Calculate for the cycle under test

the per-cycle temperature weighted electrical

energy consumption for the maximum water

fill level, Ehmax, and for the minimum water

fill level, Ehmin, expressed in kilowatt-hours

per cycle and defined as:

Eh Eh TUF i i

i

n

max = × [ ] =

∑

1

where:

Ehi=reported electrical energy consumption

in kilowatt-hours per cycle at maximum

fill for each wash/cycle temperature

combination setting, as provided in

section 3.4.1.

TUFi=applicable temperature use factor in

section 5 or 6.

n=number of wash/rinse temperature

combination settings available to the

user for the clothes washer under test.

and

Eh Eh TUF j j

j

n

min = × [ ] =

∑

1

where:

Ehj=reported electrical energy consumption

in kilowatt-hours per cycle at minimum

fill for each wash/rinse temperature

combination setting, as provided in

section 3.4.1.

TUFj=applicable temperature use factor in

section 5 or 6.

n=as defined above in this section.

4.1.5.2.2 Weighted per-cycle machine

electrical energy consumption. Calculate the

weighted per cycle machine energy

consumption, ME, expressed in kilowatthours per cycle and defined as:

ME=[Ehmax×Fmax]+[Ehmin×Fmin]

where:

Fmax=as defined in section 4.1.3.

Fmin=as defined in section 4.1.3.

Ehmax=as defined in section 4.1.5.2.1.

Ehmin=as defined in section 4.1.5.2.1

4.1.6 Total per-cycle energy consumption

when electrically heated water is used.

Calculate for the normal cycle the total percycle energy consumption, ETE, using

electrically heated water, expressed in

kilowatt-hours per cycle and defined as:

ETE=ET+ME

where:

ET=as defined in section 4.1.3.

ME=as defined in section 4.1.5.1 or 4.1.5.2.2.

4.2 Per-cycle energy consumption for

removal of RMC. Calculate the amount of

energy per cycle required to remove RMC.

Such amount is DE, expressed in kilowatthours per cycle and defined as:

DE=(LAF)×(test load

weight)×(RMC¥4%)×(DEF)×(DUF)

where:

LAF=load adjustment factor=0.52.

Test load weight=as shown in test load table

in 3.3.2 expressed in lbs/cycle.

RMC=as defined in 3.3.3.5, 3.3.4.3, or 3.3.5.

DEF=nominal energy required for a clothes

dryer to remove moisture from

clothes=0.5 kWh/lb (1.1 kWh/kg).

DUF=dryer usage factor, percentage of

washer loads dried in a clothes

dryer=0.84.

4.3 Water consumption.

4.3.1 Per-cycle temperature-weighted

water consumption for maximum and

minimum water fill levels. To determine

these amounts, calculate for the cycle under

test the per-cycle temperature-weighted total

water consumption for the maximum water

fill level, Qmax, and for the minimum water

fill level, Qmin, expressed in gallons per cycle

(or liters per cycle) and defined as:

Q X Vh Vc TUF X TUF Sh Sc i i i w H H

i

n

max = + [ ] ( ) × + × + [ ] ( ) =

1 2 ∑

1

where:

Vhi=hot water consumption in gallons percycle at maximum fill for each wash/

rinse temperature combination setting, as

provided in section 3.4.2.

Vci=total cold water consumption in gallons

per-cycle at maximum fill for each wash/

rinse temperature combination setting,

cold wash/cold rinse cycle, as provided

in section 3.4.2.

TUFi=applicable temperature use factor in

section 5 or 6.

n=number of wash/rinse temperature

combination settings available to the

user for the clothes washer under test.

TUFw=temperature use factor for warm wash

setting.

For clothes washers equipped with sudssaver feature:

X1=frequency of use without suds-saver

feature=0.86

X2=frequency of use with suds-saver

feature=0.14

ShH=fresh hot water make-up measured

during suds-return cycle at maximum

water fill level.

ScH=fresh cold water make-up measured

during suds-return cycle at maximum

water fill level.

For clothes washers not equipped with

suds-saver feature:

X1=1.0

X2=0.0

and

Q X Vh Vc TUF X TUF Sh Sc j j j w L L

j

n

min = + ( ) × [ ] + × + [ ] ( ) =

1 2 ∑

1

where:

Vhj=hot water consumption in gallons per

cycle (or liters per cycle) at minimum fill

for each wash/rinse temperature

combination setting, as provided in

section 3.4.3.

Vcj=cold water consumption in gallons per

cycle (or liters per cycle) at minimum fill

for each wash/rinse temperature

combination setting, cold wash/cold

rinse cycle, as provided in section 3.4.3.

TUFj=applicable temperature use factor in

section 5 or 6.

ShL=fresh hot make-up water measured

during suds-return cycle at minimum

water fill level.

ScL=fresh cold make-up water measured

during suds-return cycle at minimum

water fill level.

n=as defined above in this section.

TUFw=as defined above in this section.

X1=as defined above in this section.

X2=as defined above in this section.

4.3.2 Total weighted per-cycle water

consumption. To determine this amount,

calculate the total weighted per cycle water

consumption, QT, expressed in gallons per

cycle (or liters per cycle) and defined as:

QT=[Qmax×Fmax]+[Qmin×Fmin]

where:

Fmax=as defined in section 4.1.3.

Fmin=as defined in section 4.1.3.

Qmax=as defined in section 4.3.1.

Qmin=as defined in section 4.3.1.

4.3.3 Water consumption factor. The

following calculates the water consumption

factor, WCF, expressed in gallon per cycle

per cubic foot (or liter per cycle per liter):

WCF=QT/C

where:
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45507

C=as defined in section 3.1.5.

QT=as defined in section 4.3.2.

4.4 Modified energy factor. The following

calculates the modified energy factor, MEF,

expressed in cubic feet per kilowatt-hours

per cycle (or liters per kilowatt-hours per

cycle):

MEF C

M E D E T E

= ( ) + +

where:

C=as defined in section 3.1.5.

ME=as defined in section 4.1.5.1 or 4.1.5.2.2.

ET=as defined in section 4.1.3.

DE=as defined in section 4.2.

4.5 Energy factor. Calculate the energy

factor, EF, expressed in cubic feet per

kilowatt-hours per cycle (or liters per

kilowatt-hours per cycle), as:

EF C

M E E T

= ( ) +

where:

C=as defined in section 3.1.5.

ME=as defined in section 4.1.5.1 or 4.1.5.2.2.

ET=as defined in section 4.1.3.

5. APPLICABLE TEMPERATURE USE

FACTORS FOR DETERMINING HOT

WATER USAGE FOR VARIOUS WASH/

RINSE TEMPERATURE SELECTIONS FOR

ALL AUTOMATIC CLOTHES WASHERS

5.1 Clothes washers with discrete

temperature selections.

5.1.1 Five-temperature selection (n=5).

Wash/rinse temperature

setting

Temperature

Use Factor

(TUF)

Hot/Warm .............................. 0.18

Hot/Cold ................................ .12

Warm/Warm .......................... .30

Warm/Cold ............................ .25

Cold/Cold .............................. .15

5.1.2 Four-temperature selection (n=4).

Wash/rinse temperature

setting

Temperature

Use Factor

(TUF)

Alternate I:

Hot/Warm .......................... 0.18

Hot/Cold ............................ .12

Warm/Cold ........................ .55

Cold/Cold ........................... .15

Alternate II:

Hot/Warm .......................... 0.18

Hot/Cold ............................ .12

Warm/Warm ...................... .30

Warm/Cold ........................ .40

Alternate III:

Hot/Cold ............................ 0.12

Warm/Warm ...................... .18

Warm/Cold ........................ .55

Cold/Cold ........................... .15

5.1.3 Three-temperature selection (n=3).

Wash/rinse temperature

setting

Temperature

Use Factor

(TUF)

Alternate I:

Hot/Warm .......................... 0.30

Warm/Cold ........................ .55

Cold/Cold ........................... .15

Alternate II:

Hot/Cold ............................ 0.30

Warm/Cold ........................ .55

Cold/Cold ........................... .15

Alternate III:

Hot/Cold ............................ 0.30

Warm/Warm ...................... .55

Cold/Cold ........................... .15

5.1.4 Two-temperature selection (n=2).

Wash/rinse temperature

setting

Temperature

Use Factor

(TUF)

Any heated water/Cold ......... 0.85

Cold/Cold .............................. .15

5.1.5 One-temperature selection (n=1).

Wash/rinse temperature

setting

Temperature

Use Factor

(TUF)

Any ........................................ 1.00

5.2 Clothes washers with infinite

temperature selections.

Wash/rinse temperature setting

Temperature Use

Factor (TUF)

≤ 140°F

(60°C)

(n=3)

> 140°F

(60°C)

(n=4)

Extra-hot .................... ................ 0.05

Hot ............................. 0.30 0.25

Warm ......................... 0.55 0.55

Cold ........................... 0.15 0.15

6. APPLICABLE TEMPERATURE USE

FACTORS FOR DETERMINING HOT

WATER USAGE FOR VARIOUS WASH/

RINSE TEMPERATURE SETTINGS FOR ALL

SEMI-AUTOMATIC, NON-WATERHEATING, CLOTHES WASHERS

6.1 Six-temperature settings (n=6).

Wash/rinse temperature

setting

Temperature

Use Factor

(TUF)

Hot/Hot .................................. 0.15

Hot/Warm .............................. .09

Hot/Cold ................................ .06

Warm/Warm .......................... .42

Warm/Cold ............................ .13

Cold/Cold .............................. .15

7. WAIVERS AND FIELD TESTING

7.1 Waivers and Field Testing for Nonconventional Clothes Washers.

Manufacturers of non-conventional clothes

washers, such as clothes washers with

adaptive control systems, must submit a

petition for waiver pursuant to 10 CFR

430.27 to establish an acceptable test

procedure for that clothes washer. For these

and other clothes washers that have controls

or systems such that the DOE test procedures

yield results that are so unrepresentative of

the clothes washer’s true energy

consumption characteristics as to provide

materially inaccurate comparative data, field

testing may be appropriate for establishing an

acceptable test procedure. The following are

guidelines for field testing which may be

used by manufacturers in support of petitions

for waiver. These guidelines are not

mandatory and the Department may

determine that they do not apply to a

particular model. Depending upon a

manufacturer’s approach for conducting field

testing, additional data may be required.

Manufacturers are encouraged to

communicate with the Department prior to

the commencement of field tests which may

be used to support a petition for waiver.

Section 7.3 provides an example of field

testing for a clothes washer with an adaptive

water fill control system. Other features, such

as the use of various spin speed selections,

could be the subject of field tests.

7.2 Non-conventional Wash System

Energy Consumption Test. The field test may

consist of a minimum of 10 of the

nonconventional clothes washers (‘‘test

clothes washers’’) and 10 clothes washers

already being distributed in commerce (‘‘base

clothes washers’’). The tests should include

a minimum of 50 normal test cycles per

clothes washer. The test clothes washers and

base clothes washers should be identical in

construction except for the controls or

systems being tested. Equal numbers of both

the test clothes washer and the base clothes

washer should be tested simultaneously in

comparable settings to minimize seasonal

and/or consumer laundering conditions and/

or variations. The clothes washers should be

monitored in such a way as to accurately

record the total energy consumption per

cycle. At a minimum, the following should

be measured and recorded throughout the

test period for each clothes washer: Hot water

usage in gallons (or liters), electrical energy

usage in kilowatt-hours, and the cycles of

usage. The field test results would be used

to determine the best method to correlate the

rating of the test clothes washer to the rating

of the base clothes washer. If the base clothes

washer is rated at A kWh per year, but field

tests at B kWh per year, and the test clothes

washer field tests at D kWh per year, the test

unit would be rated as follows:

A×(D/B)=G kWh per year

7.3 Adaptive water fill control system

field test. Section 3.2.2.1 defines the test

method for measuring energy consumption

for clothes washers which incorporate

control systems having both adaptive and

alternate manual selections. Energy

consumption calculated by the method

defined in section 3.2.2.1 assumes the

adaptive cycle will be used 50 percent of the

time. This section can be used to develop

field test data in support of a petition for

waiver when it is believed that the adaptive

cycle will be used more than 50 percent of

the time. The field test sample size should be

a minimum of 10 test clothes washers. The

test clothes washers should be totally

representative of the design, construction,
45508 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

and control system that will be placed in

commerce. The duration of field testing in

the user’s house should be a minimum of 50

normal test cycles, for each unit. No special

instructions as to cycle selection or product

usage should be given to the field test

participants, other than inclusion of the

product literature pack which should be

shipped with all units, and instructions

regarding filling out data collection forms,

use of data collection equipment, or basic

procedural methods. Prior to the test clothes

washers being installed in the field test

locations, baseline data should be developed

for all field test units by conducting

laboratory tests as defined by section 1

through section 6 of these test procedures to

determine the energy consumption values.

The following data should be measured and

recorded for each wash load during the test

period: wash cycle selected, the mode of the

clothes washer (adaptive or manual), clothes

load dry weight (measured after the clothes

washer and clothes dryer cycles are

completed) in pounds, and type of articles in

the clothes load (i.e., cottons, linens,

permanent press, etc.). The wash loads used

in calculating the in-home percentage split

between adaptive and manual cycle usage

should be only those wash loads which

conform to the definition of the normal test

cycle.

Calculate:

T=The total number of normal test cycles run

during the field test

Ta=The total number of adaptive control

normal test cycles

Tm=The total number of manual control

normal test cycles

The percentage weighting factors:

Pa=(Ta/T) x 100 (the percentage weighting for

adaptive control selection)

Pm=(Tm/T) x 100 (the percentage weighting

for manual control selection)

Energy consumption values, ET, ME, and

DE (if desired) calculated in section 4 for the

manual and adaptive modes, should be

combined using Pa and Pm as the weighting

factors.

4. Appendix J1 is added to Subpart B

of Part 430 as follows:

Appendix J1 to Subpart B of Part 430—

Uniform Test Method for Measuring the

Energy Consumption of Automatic and

Semi-Automatic Clothes Washers

Note: Appendix J1 to subpart B of part 430

is informational. It will not become

mandatory until the energy conservation

standards for clothes washers at 10 CFR

430.32(g) are amended and Appendix J is

removed by a rule published in the Federal

Register.

1. DEFINITIONS AND SYMBOLS

1.1 Adaptive control system means a

clothes washer control system, other than an

adaptive water fill control system, which is

capable of automatically adjusting washer

operation or washing conditions based on

characteristics of the clothes load placed in

the clothes container, without allowing or

requiring consumer intervention or actions.

The automatic adjustments may, for example,

include automatic selection, modification, or

control of any of the following: wash water

temperature, agitation or tumble cycle time,

number of rinse cycles, and spin speed. The

characteristics of the clothes load, which

could trigger such adjustments, could, for

example, consist of or be indicated by the

presence of either soil, soap, suds, or any

other additive laundering substitute or

complementary product.

Note: Appendix J1 does not provide a

means for determining the energy

consumption of a clothes washer with an

adaptive control system. Therefore, pursuant

to 10 CFR 430.27, a waiver must be obtained

to establish an acceptable test procedure for

each such clothes washer.

1.2 Adaptive water fill control system

means a clothes washer water fill control

system which is capable of automatically

adjusting the water fill level based on the size

or weight of the clothes load placed in the

clothes container, without allowing or

requiring consumer intervention or actions.

1.3 Bone-dry means a condition of a load

of test cloth which has been dried in a dryer

at maximum temperature for a minimum of

10 minutes, removed and weighed before

cool down, and then dried again for 10

minute periods until the final weight change

of the load is 1 percent or less.

1.4 Clothes container means the

compartment within the clothes washer that

holds the clothes during the operation of the

machine.

1.5 Compact means a clothes washer

which has a clothes container capacity of less

than 1.6 ft3 (45 L).

1.6 Deep rinse cycle means a rinse cycle

in which the clothes container is filled with

water to a selected level and the clothes load

is rinsed by agitating it or tumbling it through

the water.

1.7 Energy test cycle for a basic model

means (A) the cycle recommended by the

manufacturer for washing cotton or linen

clothes, and includes all wash/rinse

temperature selections and water levels

offered in that cycle, and (B) for each other

wash/rinse temperature selection or water

level available on that basic model, the

portion(s) of other cycle(s) with that

temperature selection or water level that,

when tested pursuant to these test

procedures, will contribute to an accurate

representation of the energy consumption of

the basic model as used by consumers. Any

cycle under (A) or (B) shall include the

agitation/tumble operation, spin speed(s),

wash times, and rinse times applicable to

that cycle, including water heating time for

water heating clothes washers.

1.8 Load use factor means the percentage

of the total number of wash loads that a user

would wash a particular size (weight) load.

1.9 Manual control system means a

clothes washer control system which requires

that the consumer make the choices that

determine washer operation or washing

conditions, such as, for example, wash/rinse

temperature selections, and wash time before

starting the cycle.

1.10 Manual water fill control system

means a clothes washer water fill control

system which requires the consumer to

determine or select the water fill level.

1.11 Modified energy factor means the

quotient of the cubic foot (or liter) capacity

of the clothes container divided by the total

clothes washer energy consumption per

cycle, with such energy consumption

expressed as the sum of the machine

electrical energy consumption, the hot water

energy consumption, and the energy required

for removal of the remaining moisture in the

wash load.

1.12 Non-water-heating clothes washer

means a clothes washer which does not have

an internal water heating device to generate

hot water.

1.13 Spray rinse cycle means a rinse cycle

in which water is sprayed onto the clothes

for a period of time without maintaining any

specific water level in the clothes container.

1.14 Standard means a clothes washer

which has a clothes container capacity of 1.6

ft3 (45 L) or greater.

1.15 Temperature use factor means, for a

particular wash/rinse temperature setting, the

percentage of the total number of wash loads

that an average user would wash with that

setting.

1.16 Thermostatically controlled water

valves means clothes washer controls that

have the ability to sense and adjust the hot

and cold supply water.

1.17 Uniformly distributed warm wash

temperature selection(s) means (A) multiple

warm wash selections for which the warm

wash water temperatures have a linear

relationship with all discrete warm wash

selections when the water temperatures are

plotted against equally spaced consecutive

warm wash selections between the hottest

warm wash and the coldest warm wash. If

the warm wash has infinite selections, the

warm wash water temperature has a linear

relationship with the distance on the

selection device (e.g. dial angle or slide

movement) between the hottest warm wash

and the coldest warm wash. The criteria for

a linear relationship as specified above is that

the difference between the actual water

temperature at any warm wash selection and

the point where that temperature is depicted

on the temperature/selection line formed by

connecting the warmest and the coldest

warm selections is less than ±5 percent. In all

cases, the mean water temperature of the

warmest and the coldest warm selections

must coincide with the mean of the ‘‘hot

wash’’ (maximum wash temperature ≤135°F

(57.2°C)) and ‘‘cold wash’’ (minimum wash

temperature) water temperatures within

±3.8°F (±2.1°C); or (B) on a clothes washer

with only one warm wash temperature

selection, a warm wash temperature selection

with a water temperature that coincides with

the mean of the ‘‘hot wash’’ (maximum wash

temperature ≤135°F (57.2°C)) and ‘‘cold

wash’’ (minimum wash temperature) water

temperatures within ±3.8°F (±2.1°C).

1.18 Warm wash means all wash

temperature selections that are below the

hottest hot, less than 135°F (57.2°C), and

above the coldest cold temperature selection.

1.19 Water consumption factor means the

quotient of the total weighted per-cycle water

consumption divided by the cubic foot (or

liter) capacity of the clothes washer.

1.20 Water-heating clothes washer means

a clothes washer where some or all of the hot

water for clothes washing is generated by a

water heating device internal to the clothes

washer.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45509

1.21 Symbol usage. The following

identity relationships are provided to help

clarify the symbology used throughout this

procedure.

E—Electrical Energy Consumption

H—Hot Water Consumption

C—Cold Water Consumption

R—Hot Water Consumed by Warm Rinse

ER—Electrical Energy Consumed by Warm

Rinse

TUF—Temperature Use Factor

HE—Hot Water Energy Consumption

F—Load Usage Factor

Q—Total Water Consumption

ME—Machine Electrical Energy

Consumption

RMC—Remaining Moisture Content

WI—Initial Weight of Dry Test Load

WC—Weight of Test Load After Extraction

m—Extra Hot Wash (maximum wash temp.

>135°F (57.2°C.))

h—Hot Wash (maximum wash temp. ≤135°F

(57.2°C.))

w—Warm Wash

c—Cold Wash (minimum wash temp.)

r—Warm Rinse (hottest rinse temp.)

x or max—Maximum Test Load

a or avg—Average Test Load

n or min—Minimum Test Load

The following examples are provided to

show how the above symbols can be used to

define variables:

Emx=‘‘Electrical Energy Consumption’’ for an

‘‘Extra Hot Wash’’ and ‘‘Maximum Test

Load’’

Ra=‘‘Hot Water Consumed by Warm Rinse’’

for the ‘‘Average Test Load’’

TUFm=‘‘Temperature Use Factor’’ for an

‘‘Extra Hot Wash’’

HEmin=‘‘Hot Water Energy Consumption’’ for

the ‘‘Minimum Test Load’’

2. TESTING CONDITIONS

2.1 Installation. Install the clothes washer

in accordance with manufacturer’s

instructions.

2.2 Electrical energy supply. Maintain the

electrical supply at the clothes washer

terminal block within 2 percent of 120, 120/

240, or 120/208Y volts as applicable to the

particular terminal block wiring system and

within 2 percent of the nameplate frequency

as specified by the manufacturer. If the

clothes washer has a dual voltage conversion

capability, conduct test at the highest voltage

specified by the manufacturer.

2.3 Supply Water.

2.3.1 Clothes washers in which electrical

energy consumption or water energy

consumption are affected by the inlet water

temperature. (For example, water heating

clothes washers or clothes washers with

thermostatically controlled water valves.).

The temperature of the hot water supply at

the water inlets shall not exceed 135°F

(57.2°C) and the cold water supply at the

water inlets shall not exceed 60°F (15.6°C).

A water meter shall be installed in both the

hot and cold water lines to measure water

consumption.

2.3.2 Clothes washers in which electrical

energy consumption and water energy

consumption are not affected by the inlet

water temperature. The temperature of the

hot water supply shall be maintained at

135°F±5°F (57.2°C±2.8°C) and the cold water

supply shall be maintained at 60°F±5°F

(15.6°C±2.8°C). A water meter shall be

installed in both the hot and cold water lines

to measure water consumption.

2.4 Water pressure. The static water

pressure at the hot and cold water inlet

connection of the clothes washer shall be

maintained at 35 pounds per square inch

gauge (psig) ±2.5 psig (241.3 kPa±17.2 kPa)

during the test. The static water pressure for

a single water inlet connection shall be

maintained at 35 psig±2.5 psig (241.3

kPa±17.2 kPa) during the test. A water

pressure gauge shall be installed in both the

hot and cold water lines to measure water

pressure.

2.5 Instrumentation. Perform all test

measurements using the following

instruments, as appropriate:

2.5.1 Weighing scales.

2.5.1.1 Weighing scale for test cloth. The

scale shall have a resolution of no larger than

0.2 oz (5.7 g) and a maximum error no greater

than 0.3 percent of the measured value.

2.5.1.2 Weighing scale for clothes

container capacity measurements. The scale

should have a resolution no larger than 0.50

lbs (0.23 kg) and a maximum error no greater

than 0.5 percent of the measured value.

2.5.2 Watt-hour meter. The watt-hour

meter shall have a resolution no larger than

1 Wh (3.6 kJ) and a maximum error no greater

than 2 percent of the measured value for any

demand greater than 50 Wh (180.0 kJ).

2.5.3 Temperature measuring device. The

device shall have an error no greater than

±1°F (±0.6°C) over the range being measured.

2.5.4 Water meter. The water meter shall

have a resolution no larger than 0.1 gallons

(0.4 liters) and a maximum error no greater

than 2 percent for the water flow rates being

measured.

2.5.5 Water pressure gauge. The water

pressure gauge shall have a resolution of 1

pound per square inch gauge (psig) (6.9 kPa)

and shall have an error no greater than 5

percent of any measured value.

2.6 Test cloths.

2.6.1 Energy test cloth.

2.6.1.1 The energy test cloth shall not be

used for more than 25 test runs and shall be

clean and consist of the following:

(A) Pure finished bleached cloth, made

with a momie or granite weave, which is 50

percent cotton and 50 percent polyester and

weighs 5.75 ounces per square yard (195.0 g/

m2) and has 65 ends on the warp and 57

picks on the fill; and

(B) Cloth material that is 24 inches by 36

inches (61.0 cm by 91.4 cm) and has been

hemmed to 22 inches by 34 inches (55.9 cm

by 86.4 cm) before washing. The maximum

shrinkage after five washes shall not be more

than four percent on the length and width.

2.6.1.2 The new test cloths, including

energy test cloths and energy stuffer cloths,

shall be pre-conditioned in a clothes washer

in the following manner:

2.6.1.2.1 Wash the test cloth using a

commercially available clothes washing

detergent that is suitable for 135°F (57.2°C)

wash water as recommended by the

manufacturer, with the washer set on

maximum water level. Place detergent in

washer and then place the new load to be

conditioned in the washer. Wash the load for

ten minutes in soft water (17ppm or less).

Wash water is to be hot, and controlled at

135°F±5°F (57.2°C ±2.8°C). Rinse water

temperature is to be cold, and controlled at

60°F ±5°F (15.6°C ±2.8°C). Rinse the load

through a second rinse using the same water

temperature (if an optional second rinse is

available on the clothes washer, use it).

2.6.1.2.2 Dry the load.

2.6.1.2.3 A final cycle is to be hot water

wash with no detergent followed by two cold

water rinses.

2.6.1.2.4 Dry the load.

2.6.2 Energy stuffer cloth. The energy

stuffer cloth shall be made from energy test

cloth material and shall consist of pieces of

material that are 12 inches by 12 inches (30.5

cm by 30.5 cm) and have been hemmed to

10 inches by 10 inches (25.4 cm by 25.4 cm)

before washing. The maximum shrinkage

after five washes shall not be more than four

percent on the length and width. The number

of test runs on the same energy stuffer cloth

shall not exceed 25 runs.

2.7 Test Load Sizes. Maximum,

minimum, and, when required, average test

load sizes shall be determined using Table

5.1 and the clothes container capacity as

measured in 3.1.1 through 3.1.5. Test loads

shall consist of energy test cloths, except that

adjustments to the test loads to achieve

proper weight can be made by the use of

energy stuffer cloths with no more than 5

stuffer clothes per load.

2.8 Use of Test Loads. Table 2.8 defines

the test load sizes and corresponding water

fill settings which are to be used when

measuring water and energy consumptions.

Adaptive water fill control system and

manual water fill control system are defined

in section 1 of this appendix:

TABLE 2.8.—TEST LOAD SIZES AND WATER FILL SETTINGS REQUIRED

Manual water fill control system Adaptive water fill control system

Test load size Water fill setting Test load size Water fill setting

Max

Min

Max

Min

Max

Avg

Min

As determined by the Clothes

Washer.
45510 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

TABLE 3.2.—TEST SECTION REFERENCE

Max. Wash Temp. Available ......................................................................................... ≤135°F (57.2°C) >135°F (57.2°C) 2

Number of Wash Temp. Selections ............................................................................. 1 2 >2 3 >3

Test Sections Required to be Followed ....................................................................... ................ ................ ................ 3.3 3.3

................ 3.4 3.4 ................ 3.4

................ ................ 3.5 3.5 3.5

3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6

3.7 1 3.7 1 3.7 1 3.7 1 3.7 1

3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8

1Only applicable to machines with warm rinse in any cycle.

2This only applies to water hearting clothes washers on which the maximum wash temperature available exceeds 135°F (57.2°C)

2.8.1 The test load sizes to be used to

measure RMC are specified in section 3.8.1.

2.8.2 Test loads for energy and water

consumption measurements shall be bone

dry prior to the first cycle of the test, and

dried to a maximum of 104 percent of bone

dry weight for subsequent testing.

2.8.3 Load the energy test cloths by

grasping them in the center, shaking them to

hang loosely and then put them into the

clothes container prior to activating the

clothes washer.

2.9 Pre-conditioning.

2.9.1 Nonwater-heating clothes washer. If

the clothes washer has not been filled with

water in the preceding 96 hours, precondition it by running it through a cold

rinse cycle and then draining it to ensure that

the hose, pump, and sump are filled with

water.

2.9.2 Water-heating clothes washer. If the

clothes washer has not been filled with water

in the preceding 96 hours, or if it has not

been in the test room at the specified ambient

conditions for 8 hours, pre-condition it by

running it through a cold rinse cycle and

then draining it to ensure that the hose,

pump, and sump are filled with water.

2.10 Wash time setting. If one wash time

is prescribed in the energy test cycle, that

shall be the wash time setting; otherwise, the

wash time setting shall be the higher of either

the minimum, or 70 percent of the maximum

wash time available in the energy test cycle.

2.11 Test room temperature for waterheating clothes washers. Maintain the test

room ambient air temperature at 75°F±5°F

(23.9°C±2.8°C).

3. TEST MEASUREMENTS

3.1 Clothes container capacity. Measure

the entire volume which a dry clothes load

could occupy within the clothes container

during washer operation according to the

following procedures:

3.1.1 Place the clothes washer in such a

position that the uppermost edge of the

clothes container opening is leveled

horizontally, so that the container will hold

the maximum amount of water.

3.1.2 Line the inside of the clothes

container with 2 mil (0.051 mm) plastic

sheet. All clothes washer components which

occupy space within the clothes container

and which are recommended for use with the

energy test cycle shall be in place and shall

be lined with 2 mil (0.051 mm) plastic sheet

to prevent water from entering any void

space.

3.1.3 Record the total weight of the

machine before adding water.

3.1.4 Fill the clothes container manually

with either 60°F±5°F (15.6°C±2.8°C) or

100°F±10°F (37.8°C±5.5°C) water to its

uppermost edge. Measure and record the

weight of water, W, in pounds.

3.1.5 The clothes container capacity is

calculated as follows:

C=W/d.

where:

C=Capacity in cubic feet (liters).

W=Mass of water in pounds (kilograms).

d=Density of water (62.0 lbs/ft3 for 100 °F

(993 kg/m3 for 37.8°C) or 62.3 lbs/ft3 for

60 °F (998 kg/m3 for 15.6°C)).

3.2 Procedure for measuring water and

energy consumption values on all automatic

and semi-automatic washers. All energy

consumption tests shall be performed under

the energy test cycle(s), unless otherwise

specified. Table 3.2 defines the sections

below which govern tests of particular

clothes washers, based on the number of

wash/rinse temperature selections available

on the model, and also, in some instances,

method of water heating. The procedures

prescribed are applicable regardless of a

clothes washer’s washing capacity, loading

port location, primary axis of rotation of the

clothes container, and type of control system.

3.2.1 Inlet water temperature and the

wash/rinse temperature settings.

3.2.1.1 For automatic clothes washers set

the wash/rinse temperature selection control

to obtain the wash water temperature desired

(extra hot, hot, warm, or cold) and cold rinse,

and open both the hot and cold water faucets.

3.2.1.2 For semi-automatic washers: (1)

For hot water temperature, open the hot

water faucet completely and close the cold

water faucet; (2) for warm inlet water

temperature, open both hot and cold water

faucets completely; (3) for cold water

temperature, close the hot water faucet and

open the cold water faucet completely.

3.2.1.3 Determination of warm wash

water temperature(s) to decide whether a

clothes washer has uniformly distributed

warm wash temperature selections. The wash

water temperature, Tw, of each warm water

wash selection shall be calculated or

measured.

For non-water-heating clothes washers,

calculate Tw as follows:

Tw(°F)=((Hw×135°F)+(Cw×60°F))/(Hw+Cw)

or

Tw(°C)=((Hw×57.2°C)+(Cw×15.6°C))/

(Hw+Cw)

where:

Hw=Hot water consumption of a warm wash

Cw=Cold water consumption of a warm wash

For water-heating clothes washers,

measure and record the temperature of each

warm wash selection after fill.

3.2.2 Total water consumption during the

energy test cycle shall be measured,

including hot and cold water consumption

during wash, deep rinse, and spray rinse.

3.2.3 Clothes washers with adaptive

water fill/manual water fill control systems

3.2.3.1 Clothes washers with adaptive

water fill control system and alternate

manual water fill control systems. If a clothes

washer with an adaptive water fill control

system allows consumer selection of manual

controls as an alternative, then both manual

and adaptive modes shall be tested and, for

each mode, the energy consumption (HET,

MET, and DE) and water consumption (QT),

values shall be calculated as set forth in

section 4. Then the average of the two values

(one from each mode, adaptive and manual)

for each variable shall be used in section 4

for the clothes washer.

3.2.3.2 Clothes washers with adaptive

water fill control system.

3.2.3.2.1. Not user adjustable. The

maximum, minimum, and average water

levels as defined in the following sections

shall be interpreted to mean that amount of

water fill which is selected by the control

system when the respective test loads are

used, as defined in Table 2.8. The load usage

factors which shall be used when calculating

energy consumption values are defined in

Table 4.1.3.

3.2.3.2.2 User adjustable. Four tests shall

be conducted on clothes washers with user

adjustable adaptive water fill controls which

affect the relative wash water levels. The first

test shall be conducted with the maximum

test load and with the adaptive water fill

control system set in the setting that will give

the most energy intensive result. The second

test shall be conducted with the minimum

test load and with the adaptive water fill

control system set in the setting that will give

the least energy intensive result. The third

test shall be conducted with the average test

load and with the adaptive water fill control

system set in the setting that will give the

most energy intensive result for the given test

load. The fourth test shall be conducted with

the average test load and with the adaptive

water fill control system set in the setting

that will give the least energy intensive result

for the given test load. The energy and water

consumption for the average test load and

water level, shall be the average of the third

and fourth tests.

3.2.3.3 Clothes washers with manual

water fill control system. In accordance with

Table 2.8, the water fill selector shall be set

to the maximum water level available on the

clothes washer for the maximum test load

size and set to the minimum water level for
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45511

the minimum test load size. The load usage

factors which shall be used when calculating

energy consumption values are defined in

Table 4.1.3.

3.3 ‘‘Extra Hot Wash’’ (Max Wash Temp

>135°F (57.2°C)) for water heating clothes

washers only. Water and electrical energy

consumption shall be measured for each

water fill level and/or test load size as

specified in 3.3.1 through 3.3.3 for the hottest

wash setting available.

3.3.1 Maximum test load and water fill.

Hot water consumption (Hmx), cold water

consumption (Cmx), and electrical energy

consumption (Emx) shall be measured for an

extra hot wash/cold rinse energy test cycle,

with the controls set for the maximum water

fill level. The maximum test load size is to

be used and shall be determined per Table

5.1.

3.3.2 Minimum test load and water fill.

Hot water consumption (Hmn), cold water

consumption (Cmn), and electrical energy

consumption (Emn) shall be measured for an

extra hot wash/cold rinse energy test cycle,

with the controls set for the minimum water

fill level. The minimum test load size is to

be used and shall be determined per Table

5.1.

3.3.3 Average test load and water fill. For

clothes washers with an adaptive water fill

control system, measure the values for hot

water consumption (Hma), cold water

consumption (Cma), and electrical energy

consumption (Ema) for an extra hot wash/

cold rinse energy test cycle, with an average

test load size as determined per Table 5.1.

3.4 ‘‘Hot Wash’’ (Max Wash Temp≤135°F

(57.2°C)). Water and electrical energy

consumption shall be measured for each

water fill level or test load size as specified

in 3.4.1 through 3.4.3 for a 135°F (57.2°C))

wash, if available, or for the hottest selection

less than 135°F (57.2°C)).

3.4.1 Maximum test load and water fill.

Hot water consumption (Hhx), cold water

consumption (Chx), and electrical energy

consumption (Ehx) shall be measured for a

hot wash/cold rinse energy test cycle, with

the controls set for the maximum water fill

level. The maximum test load size is to be

used and shall be determined per Table 5.1.

3.4.2 Minimum test load and water fill.

Hot water consumption (Hhn), cold water

consumption (Chn), and electrical energy

consumption (Ehn) shall be measured for a

hot wash/cold rinse energy test cycle, with

the controls set for the minimum water fill

level. The minimum test load size is to be

used and shall be determined per Table 5.1.

3.4.3 Average test load and water fill. For

clothes washers with an adaptive water fill

control system, measure the values for hot

water consumption (Hha), cold water

consumption (Cha), and electrical energy

consumption (Eha) for a hot wash/cold rinse

energy test cycle, with an average test load

size as determined per Table 5.1.

3.5 ‘‘Warm Wash.’’ Water and electrical

energy consumption shall be determined for

each water fill level and/or test load size as

specified in 3.5.1 through 3.5.2.3 for the

applicable warm water wash temperature(s).

3.5.1 Clothes washers with uniformly

distributed warm wash temperature

selection(s). The reportable values to be used

for the warm water wash setting shall be the

arithmetic average of the measurements for

the hot and cold wash selections. This is a

calculation only, no testing is required.

3.5.2 Clothes washers that lack uniformly

distributed warm wash temperature

selections. For a clothes washer with fewer

than four discrete warm wash selections, test

all warm wash temperature selections. For a

clothes washer that offers four or more warm

wash selections, test at all discrete selections,

or test at 25 percent, 50 percent, and 75

percent positions of the temperature

selection device between the hottest hot

(≤135°F (57.2 °C)) wash and the coldest cold

wash. If a selection is not available at the 25,

50 or 75 percent position, in place of each

such unavailable selection use the next

warmer setting. Each reportable value to be

used for the warm water wash setting shall

be the arithmetic average of all tests

conducted pursuant to this section.

3.5.2.1 Maximum test load and water fill.

Hot water consumption (Hwx), cold water

consumption (Cwx), and electrical energy

consumption (Ewx) shall be measured with

the controls set for the maximum water fill

level. The maximum test load size is to be

used and shall be determined per Table 5.1.

3.5.2.2 Minimum test load and water fill.

Hot water consumption (Hwn), cold water

consumption (Cwn), and electrical energy

consumption (Ewn) shall be measured with

the controls set for the minimum water fill

level. The minimum test load size is to be

used and shall be determined per Table 5.1.

3.5.2.3 Average test load and water fill.

For clothes washers with an adaptive water

fill control system, measure the values for hot

water consumption (Hwa), cold water

consumption (Cwa), and electrical energy

consumption (Ewa) with an average test load

size as determined per Table 5.1.

3.6 ‘‘Cold Wash’’ (Minimum Wash

Temperature Selection). Water and electrical

energy consumption shall be measured for

each water fill level or test load size as

specified in 3.6.1 through 3.6.3 for the

coldest wash temperature selection available.

3.6.1 Maximum test load and water fill.

Hot water consumption (Hcx), cold water

consumption (Ccx), and electrical energy

consumption (Ecx) shall be measured for a

cold wash/cold rinse energy test cycle, with

the controls set for the maximum water fill

level. The maximum test load size is to be

used and shall be determined per Table 5.1.

3.6.2 Minimum test load and water fill.

Hot water consumption (Hcn), cold water

consumption (Ccn), and electrical energy

consumption (Ecn) shall be measured for a

cold wash/cold rinse energy test cycle, with

the controls set for the minimum water fill

level. The minimum test load size is to be

used and shall be determined per Table 5.1.

3.6.3 Average test load and water fill. For

clothes washers with an adaptive water fill

control system, measure the values for hot

water consumption (Hca), cold water

consumption (Cca), and electrical energy

consumption (Eca) for a cold wash/cold rinse

energy test cycle, with an average test load

size as determined per Table 5.1.

3.7 Warm Rinse. Tests in sections 3.7.1

and 3.7.2 shall be conducted with the hottest

rinse temperature available. If multiple wash

temperatures are available with the hottest

rinse temperature, any ‘‘warm wash’’

temperature may be selected to conduct the

tests.

3.7.1 For the rinse only, measure the

amount of hot water consumed by the clothes

washer including all deep and spray rinses,

for the maximum (Rx), minimum (Rn), and, if

required by section 3.5.2.3, average (Ra) test

load sizes or water fill levels.

3.7.2 Measure the amount of electrical

energy consumed by the clothes washer to

heat the rinse water only, including all deep

and spray rinses, for the maximum (ERx),

minimum (ERn), and, if required by section

3.5.2.3, average (ERa), test load sizes or water

fill levels.

3.8 Remaining Moisture Content:

3.8.1 The wash temperature will be the

same as the rinse temperature for all testing.

Use the maximum test load as defined in

Table 5.1 and section 3.1 for testing.

3.8.2 For clothes washers with cold rinse

only:

3.8.2.1 Record the actual ‘bone dry’

weight of the test load (WImax), then place the

test load in the clothes washer.

3.8.2.2 Set water level selector to

maximum fill.

3.8.2.3 Run the energy test cycle.

3.8.2.4 Record the weight of the test load

immediately after completion of the energy

test cycle (WCmax).

3.8.2.5 Calculate the remaining moisture

content of the maximum test load, RMCMAX,

expressed as a percentage and defined as:

RMCmax=((WCmax¥WImax)/WImax)×100%

3.8.3 For clothes washers with cold and

warm rinse options:

3.8.3.1 Complete steps 3.8.2.1 through

3.8.2.4 for cold rinse. Calculate the remaining

moisture content of the maximum test load

for cold rinse, RMCCOLD, expressed as a

percentage and defined as:

RMCCOLD=((WCmax¥WImax)/WImax)×100%

3.8.3.2 Complete steps 3.8.2.1 through

3.8.2.4 for warm rinse. Calculate the

remaining moisture content of the maximum

test load for warm rinse, RMCWARM,

expressed as a percentage and defined as:

RMCWARM=((WCmax¥WImax)/WImax)×100%

3.8.3.3 Calculate the remaining moisture

content of the maximum test load, RMCmax,

expressed as a percentage and defined as:

RMCmax=RMCCOLD×(1-

TUFr)+RMCWARM×(TUFr).

where:

TUFr is the temperature use factor for warm

rinse as defined in Table 4.1.1.

3.8.4 Clothes washers which have options

that result in different RMC values, such as

multiple selection of spin speeds or spin

times, that are available in the energy test

cycle, shall be tested at the maximum and

minimum extremes of the available options,

excluding any ‘‘no spin’’ (zero spin speed)

settings, in accordance with requirements in

3.8.2 or 3.8.3. The calculated RMCmax extraction

and RMCmin extraction at the maximum and

minimum settings, respectively, shall be

combined as follows and the final RMC to be

used in section 4.3 shall be:

RMC = 0.75×RMCmax extraction+0.25×

RMCmin extraction
45512 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

4. CALCULATION OF DERIVED RESULTS

FROM TEST MEASUREMENTS

4.1 Hot water and machine electrical

energy consumption of clothes washers.

4.1.1 Per-cycle temperature-weighted hot

water consumption for maximum, average,

and minimum water fill levels using each

appropriate load size as defined in section

2.8 and Table 5.1. Calculate for the cycle

under test the per-cycle temperature

weighted hot water consumption for the

maximum water fill level, Vhx, the average

water fill level, Vha, and the minimum water

fill level, Vhn, expressed in gallons per cycle

(or liters per cycle) and defined as:

(a) Vhx=[Hmx×TUFm]+[Hhx×TUFh]+[Hwx

×TUFw]+[Hcx×TUFc]+[Rx×TUFr]

(b) Vha=[Hma×TUFm]+[Hha×TUFh]+[Hwa

×TUFw]+[Hca×TUFc]+[Ra×TUFr]

(c) Vhn=[Hmn×TUFm]+[Hhn×TUFh]+[Hwn

×TUFw]+[Hcn×TUFc]+[Rn×TUFr]

where:

Hmx, Hma, and Hmn, are reported hot water

consumption values, in gallons per-cycle

(or liters per cycle), at maximum,

average, and minimum water fill,

respectively, for the extra-hot wash cycle

with the appropriate test loads as

defined in section 2.8.

Hhx, Hha, and Hhn, are reported hot water

consumption values, in gallons per-cycle

(or liters per cycle), at maximum,

average, and minimum water fill,

respectively, for the hot wash cycle with

the appropriate test loads as defined in

section 2.8.

Hwx, Hwa, and Hwn, are reported hot water

consumption values, in gallons per-cycle

(or liters per cycle), at maximum,

average, and minimum water fill,

respectively, for the warm wash cycle

with the appropriate test loads as

defined in section 2.8.

Hcx, Hca, and Hcn, are reported hot water

consumption values, in gallons per-cycle

(or liters per cycle), at maximum,

average, and minimum water fill,

respectively, for the cold wash cycle

with the appropriate test loads as

defined in section 2.8.

Rx, Ra, and Rn are the reported hot water

consumption values, in gallons per-cycle

(or liters per cycle), at maximum,

average, and minimum water fill,

respectively, for the warm rinse cycle

and the appropriate test loads as defined

in section 2.8.

TUFm, TUFh, TUFw, TUFc, and TUFr are

temperature use factors for extra hot

wash, hot wash, warm wash, cold wash,

and warm rinse temperature selections,

respectively, and are as defined in Table

4.1.1.

TABLE 4.1.1.—TEMPERATURE USE FACTORS

Max Wash Temp Available ................................................................................. ≤135 °F ≤135 °F ≤135 °F >135 °F >135 °F

(57.2 °C) (57.2 °C) (57.2 °C) (57.2 °C) (57.2 °C)

No. Wash Temp Selections ................................................................................ Single 2 Temps >2 Temps 3 Temps >3 Temps

TUFm (extra hot) ................................................................................................. NA NA NA 0.14 0.05

TUFh (hot) ........................................................................................................... NA 0.63 0.14 NA 0.09

TUFw (warm) ....................................................................................................... NA NA 0.49 0.49 0.49

TUFc (cold) .......................................................................................................... 1.00 0.37 0.37 0.37 0.37

TUFr (warm rinse) ............................................................................................... 0.27 0.27 0.27 0.27 0.27

4.1.2 Total per-cycle hot water energy

consumption for all maximum, average, and

minimum water fill levels tested. Calculate

the total per-cycle hot water energy

consumption for the maximum water fill

level, HEmax, the minimum water fill level,

HEmin, and the average water fill level, HEavg,

expressed in kilowatt-hours per cycle and

defined as:

(a) HEmax = [Vhx×T×K]=Total energy when a

maximum load is tested.

(b) HEavg = [Vha×T×K]=Total energy when an

average load is tested.

(c) HEmin = [Vhn×T×K]=Total energy when a

minimum load is tested.

where:

T=Temperature rise=75 °F (41.7 °C).

K=Water specific heat in kilowatt-hours per

gallon degree F=0.00240 (0.00114 kWh/

L-°C).

Vhx Vha, and Vhn, are as defined in 4.1.1.

4.1.3 Total weighted per-cycle hot water

energy consumption. Calculate the total

weighted per cycle hot water energy

consumption, HET, expressed in kilowatthours per cycle and defined as:

HET=[HEmax×Fmax]+[HEavg×Favg]+[HEmn×Fmin]

where:

HEmax, HEavg, and HEmin are as defined in

4.1.2.

Fmax, Favg, and Fmin are the load usage factors

for the maximum, average, and

minimum test loads based on the size

and type of control system on the washer

being tested. The values are as shown in

table 4.1.3.

TABLE 4.1.3—LOAD USAGE FACTORS

Water fill control

system Manual Adaptive

Fmax = .................... 0.72 1 0.12 2

Favg = ..................... .................. 0.74 2

Fmin= ..................... 0.28 1 0.14 2

1 Reference 3.2.3.3. 2 Reference 3.2.3.2.

4.1.4 Total per-cycle hot water energy

consumption using gas-heated or oil-heated

water. Calculate for the energy test cycle the

per-cycle hot water consumption, HETG,

using gas heated or oil-heated water,

expressed in Btu per cycle (or megajoules per

cycle) and defined as:

HETG=HT×1/e×3412 Btu/kWh or

HETG=HET×1/e×3.6 MJ/kWh

where:

e=Nominal gas or oil water heater

efficiency=0.75.

HET=As defined in 4.1.3.

4.1.5 Per-cycle machine electrical energy

consumption for all maximum, average, and

minimum test load sizes. Calculate the total

per-cycle machine electrical energy

consumption for the maximum water fill

level, MEmax, the minimum water fill level,

MEmin, and the average water fill level, MEavg,

expressed in kilowatt-hours per cycle and

defined as:

(a)MEmax= [Emx×TUFm]+ [Ehx×TUFh]+

[Ewx×TUFw]+ [Ecx×TUFc]+ [ERx×TUFr]

(b) MEavg= [Ema×TUFm]+ [Eha×TUFh]+

[Ewa×TUFw]+ [Eca×TUFc]+ [ERa×TUFr]

(c) MEmin= [Emn×TUFm]+ [Ehn×TUFh]+

[Ewn×TUFw]+ [Ecn×xTUFc]+ [ERn×TUFr]

where:

Emx, Ema, and Emn, are reported electrical

energy consumption values, in kilowatthours per cycle, at maximum, average,

and minimum test loads, respectively,

for the extra-hot wash cycle.

Ehx, Eha, and Ehn, are reported electrical

energy consumption values, in kilowatthours per cycle, at maximum, average,

and minimum test loads, respectively,

for the hot wash cycle.

Ewx, Ewa, and Ewn, are reported electrical

energy consumption values, in kilowatthours per cycle, at maximum, average,

and minimum test loads, respectively,

for the warm wash cycle.

Ecx, Eca, and Ecn, are reported electrical

energy consumption values, in kilowatthours per cycle, at maximum, average,

and minimum test loads, respectively,

for the cold wash cycle.

ERx, ERa, and ERn are reported electrical

energy consumption values, in kilowatthours per cycle, at maximum, average,

and minimum test loads, respectively,

for the warm rinse cycle.

TUFm, TUFh, TUFw, TUFc, and TUFr are as

defined in Table 4.1.1.

4.1.6 Total weighted per-cycle machine

electrical energy consumption. Calculate the

total per cycle load size weighted energy

consumption, MET, expressed in kilowatthours per cycle and defined as:

MET=[MEmax× Fmax]+[MEavg× Favg]+[MEmin×

Fmin]

where:

MEmax, MEavg, and MEmin are as defined in

4.1.5.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 45513

Fmax, Favg, and Fmin are as defined in Table

4.1.3.

4.1.7 Total per-cycle energy consumption

when electrically heated water is used.

Calculate for the energy test cycle the total

per-cycle energy consumption, ETE, using

electrical heated water, expressed in

kilowatt-hours per cycle and defined as:

ETE=HET+MET

where:

MET=As defined in 4.1.6.

HET=As defined in 4.1.3.

4.2 Water consumption of clothes

washers. (The calculations in this Section

need not be performed to determine

compliance with the energy conservation

standards for clothes washers.)

4.2.1 Per-cycle water consumption.

Calculate the maximum, average, and

minimum total water consumption,

expressed in gallons per cycle (or liters per

cycle), for the cold wash/cold rinse cycle and

defined as:

Qmax=[Hcx+Ccx]

Qavg=[Hca+Cca]

Qmin=[Hcn+Ccn]

where:

Hcx, Ccx, Hca, Cca, Hcn, and Ccn are as defined

in 3.6.

4.2.2 Total weighted per-cycle water

consumption. Calculate the total weighted

per cycle consumption, QT, expressed in

gallons per cycle (or liters per cycle) and

defined as:

QT=[Qmax×Fmax]+[Qavg×Favg]+[Qmin×Fmin]

where:

Qmax, Qavg, and Qmin are as defined in 4.2.1.

Fmax, Favg, and Fmin are as defined in table

4.1.3.

4.2.3 Water consumption factor.

Calculate the water consumption factor,

WCF, expressed in gallon per cycle per cubic

feet (or liter per cycle per liter), as:

WCF=QT / C

where:

QT=as defined in section 4.2.2.

C = as defined in section 3.1.5.

4.3 Per-cycle energy consumption for

removal of moisture from test load. Calculate

the per-cycle energy required to remove the

moisture of the test load, DE, expressed in

kilowatt-hours per cycle and defined as

DE=(LAF)×(Maximum test load

weight)×(RMC—4%)×(DEF)×(DUF)

where:

LAF=Load adjustment factor=0.52.

Test load weight=As required in 3.8.1,

expressed in lbs/cycle.

RMC=As defined in 3.8.2.5, 3.8.3.3 or 3.8.4.

DEF=nominal energy required for a clothes

dryer to remove moisture from

clothes=0.5 kWh/lb (1.1 kWh/kg).

DUF=dryer usage factor, percentage of

washer loads dried in a clothes

dryer=0.84.

4.4 Modified energy factor. Calculate the

modified energy factor, MEF, expressed in

cubic feet per kilowatt-hour per cycle (or

liters per kilowatt-hour per cycle) and

defined as:

MEF=C/(ETE + DE)

where:

C=As defined in 3.1.5.

ETE=As defined in 4.1.7.

DE=As defined in 4.3.

4.5 Energy factor. Calculate the energy

factor, EF, expressed in cubic feet per

kilowatt-hour per cycle (or liters per

kilowatt-hour per cycle) and defined as:

EF=C/ETE

where:

C=As defined in 3.1.5.

ETE=As defined in 4.1.7.

5. TEST LOADS

TABLE 5.1—TEST LOAD SIZES

Container volume Minimum load Maximum load Average load

cu. ft.

≥ <

(liter)

≥ < lb (kg) lb (kg) lb (kg)

0–0.8 ................................................................................................... 0–22.7 3.00 1.36 3.00 1.36 3.00 1.36

0.80–0.90 ............................................................................................ 22.7–25.5 3.00 1.36 3.50 1.59 3.25 1.47

0.90–1.00 ............................................................................................ 25.5–28.3 3.00 1.36 3.90 1.77 3.45 1.56

1.00–1.10 ............................................................................................ 28.3–31.1 3.00 1.36 4.30 1.95 3.65 1.66

1.10–1.20 ............................................................................................ 31.1–34.0 3.00 1.36 4.70 2.13 3.85 1.75

1.20–1.30 ............................................................................................ 34.0–36.8 3.00 1.36 5.10 2.31 4.05 1.84

1.30–1.40 ............................................................................................ 36.8–39.6 3.00 1.36 5.50 2.49 4.25 1.93

1.40–1.50 ............................................................................................ 39.6–42.5 3.00 1.36 5.90 2.68 4.45 2.02

1.50–1.60 ............................................................................................ 42.5–45.3 3.00 1.36 6.40 2.90 4.70 2.13

1.60–1.70 ............................................................................................ 45.3–48.1 3.00 1.36 6.80 3.08 4.90 2.22

1.70–1.80 ............................................................................................ 48.1–51.0 3.00 1.36 7.20 3.27 5.10 2.31

1.80–1.90 ............................................................................................ 51.0–53.8 3.00 1.36 7.60 3.45 5.30 2.40

1.90–2.00 ............................................................................................ 53.8–56.6 3.00 1.36 8.00 3.63 5.50 2.49

2.00–2.10 ............................................................................................ 56.6–59.5 3.00 1.36 8.40 3.81 5.70 2.59

2.10–2.20 ............................................................................................ 59.5–62.3 3.00 1.36 8.80 3.99 5.90 2.68

2.20–2.30 ............................................................................................ 62.3–65.1 3.00 1.36 9.20 4.17 6.10 2.77

2.30–2.40 ............................................................................................ 65.1–68.0 3.00 1.36 9.60 4.35 6.30 2.86

2.40–2.50 ............................................................................................ 68.0–70.8 3.00 1.36 10.00 4.54 6.50 2.95

2.50–2.60 ............................................................................................ 70.8–73.6 3.00 1.36 10.50 4.76 6.75 3.06

2.60–2.70 ............................................................................................ 73.6–76.5 3.00 1.36 10.90 4.94 6.95 3.15

2.70–2.80 ............................................................................................ 76.5–79.3 3.00 1.36 11.30 5.13 7.15 3.24

2.80–2.90 ............................................................................................ 79.3–82.1 3.00 1.36 11.70 5.31 7.35 3.33

2.90–3.00 ............................................................................................ 82.1–85.0 3.00 1.36 12.10 5.49 7.55 3.42

3.00–3.10 ............................................................................................ 85.0–87.8 3.00 1.36 12.50 5.67 7.75 3.52

3.10–3.20 ............................................................................................ 87.8–90.6 3.00 1.36 12.90 5.85 7.95 3.61

3.20–3.30 ............................................................................................ 90.6–93.4 3.00 1.36 13.30 6.03 8.15 3.70

3.30–3.40 ............................................................................................ 93.4–96.3 3.00 1.36 13.70 6.21 8.35 3.79

3.40–3.50 ............................................................................................ 96.3–99.1 3.00 1.36 14.10 6.40 8.55 3.88

3.50–3.60 ............................................................................................ 99.1–101.9 3.00 1.36 14.60 6.62 8.80 3.99

3.60–3.70 ............................................................................................ 101.9–104.8 3.00 1.36 15.00 6.80 9.00 4.08

3.70–3.80 ............................................................................................ 104.8–107.6 3.00 1.36 15.40 6.99 9.20 4.17

Notes:

(1) All test load weights are bone dry weights.

(2) Allowable tolerance on the test load weights are +/¥0.10 lbs (0.05 kg).
45514 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 166 / Wednesday, August 27, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

6. WAIVERS AND FIELD TESTING

6.1 Waivers and Field Testing for Nonconventional Clothes Washers.

Manufacturers of nonconventional clothes

washers, such as clothes washers with

adaptive control systems, must submit a

petition for waiver pursuant to 10 CFR

430.27 to establish an acceptable test

procedure for that clothes washer. For these

and other clothes washers that have controls

or systems such that the DOE test procedures

yield results that are so unrepresentative of

the clothes washer’s true energy

consumption characteristics as to provide

materially inaccurate comparative data, field

testing may be appropriate for establishing an

acceptable test procedure. The following are

guidelines for field testing which may be

used by manufacturers in support of petitions

for waiver. These guidelines are not

mandatory and the Department may

determine that they do not apply to a

particular model. Depending upon a

manufacturer’s approach for conducting field

testing, additional data may be required.

Manufacturers are encouraged to

communicate with the Department prior to

the commencement of field tests which may

be used to support a petition for waiver.

Section 6.3 provides an example of field

testing for a clothes washer with an adaptive

water fill control system. Other features, such

as the use of various spin speed selections,

could be the subject of field tests.

6.2 Nonconventional Wash System

Energy Consumption Test. The field test may

consist of a minimum of 10 of the

nonconventional clothes washers (‘‘test

clothes washers’’) and 10 clothes washers

already being distributed in commerce (‘‘base

clothes washers’’). The tests should include

a minimum of 50 energy test cycles per

clothes washer. The test clothes washers and

base clothes washers should be identical in

construction except for the controls or

systems being tested. Equal numbers of both

the test clothes washer and the base clothes

washer should be tested simultaneously in

comparable settings to minimize seasonal or

consumer laundering conditions or

variations. The clothes washers should be

monitored in such a way as to accurately

record the total energy consumption per

cycle. At a minimum, the following should

be measured and recorded throughout the

test period for each clothes washer: Hot water

usage in gallons (or liters), electrical energy

usage in kilowatt-hours, and the cycles of

usage.

The field test results would be used to

determine the best method to correlate the

rating of the test clothes washer to the rating

of the base clothes washer. If the base clothes

washer is rated at A kWh per year, but field

tests at B kWh per year, and the test clothes

washer field tests at D kWh per year, the test

unit would be rated as follows:

A×(D/B)=G kWh per year

6.3 Adaptive water fill control system

field test. Section 3.2.3.1 defines the test

method for measuring energy consumption

for clothes washers which incorporate

control systems having both adaptive and

alternate cycle selections. Energy

consumption calculated by the method

defined in section 3.2.3.1 assumes the

adaptive cycle will be used 50 percent of the

time. This section can be used to develop

field test data in support of a petition for

waiver when it is believed that the adaptive

cycle will be used more than 50 percent of

the time. The field test sample size should be

a minimum of 10 test clothes washers. The

test clothes washers should be totally

representative of the design, construction,

and control system that will be placed in

commerce. The duration of field testing in

the user’s house should be a minimum of 50

energy test cycles, for each unit. No special

instructions as to cycle selection or product

usage should be given to the field test

participants, other than inclusion of the

product literature pack which would be

shipped with all units, and instructions

regarding filling out data collection forms,

use of data collection equipment, or basic

procedural methods. Prior to the test clothes

washers being installed in the field test

locations, baseline data should be developed

for all field test units by conducting

laboratory tests as defined by section 1

through section 5 of these test procedures to

determine the energy consumption, water

consumption, and remaining moisture

content values. The following data should be

measured and recorded for each wash load

during the test period: wash cycle selected,

the mode of the clothes washer (adaptive or

manual), clothes load dry weight (measured

after the clothes washer and clothes dryer

cycles are completed) in pounds, and type of

articles in the clothes load (e.g., cottons,

linens, permanent press). The wash loads

used in calculating the in-home percentage

split between adaptive and manual cycle

usage should be only those wash loads which

conform to the definition of the energy test

cycle.

Calculate:

T=The total number of energy test cycles run

during the field test

Ta=The total number of adaptive control

energy test cycles

Tm=The total number of manual control

energy test cycles

The percentage weighting factors:

Pa=(Ta/T)×100 (the percentage weighting for

adaptive control selection)

Pm=(Tm/T)×100 (the percentage weighting for

manual control selection)

Energy consumption (HET, MET, and DE)

and water consumption (QT), values

calculated in section 4 for the manual and

adaptive modes, should be combined using

Pa and Pm as the weighting factors.

§ 430.62 [Amended]

5. Section 430.62(a)(2) is amended by

adding ‘‘energy factor (for clothes

washers, clothes dryers, and

dishwashers),’’ after ‘‘(for pool

heaters),’’ and before ‘‘and annual fuel

utilization efficiency.’’

[FR Doc. 97–22682 Filed 8–26–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P