Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps

On November 9, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) to amend the test procedure for central air conditioners and heat pumps. That proposed rulemaking serves as the basis for the final rule. The final rule, in addition to satisfying the agency's obligation to periodically review its test procedures for covered equipment, amends specific certification, compliance, and enforcement provisions related to this product. In the final rule DOE makes the following amendments to the current test procedure: a new basic model definition as it pertains to central air conditioners and heat pumps and revised requirements for represented values; revised alternative efficiency determination methods; termination of active waivers and interim waivers; procedures to determine off mode power consumption; changes to the test procedure that would improve test repeatability and reduce test burden; and clarifications to ambiguous sections of the test procedure intended also to improve test repeatability and reproducibility Some of these amendments also include incorporation by reference of updated industry standards.