Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Dehumidifiers

On May 21, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to amend the test procedures for dehumidifiers. On February 4, 2015, DOE published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) to amend the proposed test procedure for dehumidifiers. Those proposed rulemakings serve as the basis for this action. DOE is issuing a final rule to revise its test procedure for dehumidifiers established under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act and establish a new test procedure for dehumidifiers in a new appendix. The amendments to the test procedure provide technical clarifications and repeatability improvements, and do not significantly modify the current test setup, conduct, or results. The new test procedure includes: Separate provisions for testing whole-home dehumidifiers (both refrigerant-only and refrigerant-desiccant types) with a ducted test setup; new dry-bulb temperature test conditions for both portable and whole-home dehumidifiers; an updated definition for off-cycle mode; and additional clarifications and adjustments.