Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure for Dishwashers

Under Part B of title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA or the Act), the Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) promulgates a rule amending its test procedure to determine the energy efficiency of residential dishwashers. This amendment provides a new test procedure for testing the energy consumption of soil-sensing models, requires that manufacturers or private labelers include the measurement of standby power consumption in the estimated annual operating cost and estimated annual energy use calculations for all dishwasher models, and adds new specifications for instrumentation requirements. It also revises the number of cycles per year used for calculating the estimated annual operating cost, based on new survey data concerning consumer practices.