Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Dishwashers

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Energy 10 CFR Parts 429 and 430 [EERE-2016-BT-TP-0012] RIN 1904-AD96 ( printed page 3234) AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) is amending the current test procedures for dishwashers, adopting a new test procedure appendix, incorporating by reference Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (“AHAM”) standards—AHAM DW-1-2020 and DW-2-2020—and applying certain provisions of the industry standards to the test procedures appendices. The amendments to the current appendix establish requirements for water hardness, relative humidity, and loading pattern; update requirements for ambient temperature, detergent dosage, and standby power measurement; and include testing approaches from published dishwasher waivers. The new test procedure appendix additionally includes provisions for a minimum cleaning index threshold to validate the selected test cycle and updated annual number of cycles and low-power mode hours for the calculation of annual energy consumption. DATES: The effective date of this rule is February 17, 2023. The amendments to appendix C1 will be mandatory for product testing starting July 17, 2023. Manufacturers will be required to use the amended test procedure at appendix C1 until the compliance date of any final rule establishing amended energy conservation standards based on the newly established test procedu…