Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure for Refrigerators and Refrigerator-Freezers

The Department of Energy (Department or DOE) today promulgates a revision to the test procedure for measuring the energy consumption of refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers. The revision changes the calculation of the test time period for long-time automatic defrost to give credit for a control capable of timing defrost to occur other than during a compressor "on" cycle, thereby taking advantage of the natural warming of the evaporator during an "off" cycle, and saving additional energy. The revision has no effect on the testing of refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers that do not have a long-time automatic defrost system. This change in the test procedure will encourage the use of energy enhancing technology. This amendment to the test procedure will not cause any refrigerator or refrigerator-freezer that currently complies with the minimum energy conservation standards to become noncompliant with the standard.