Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Ceiling Fan Light Kits

On October 31, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to amend the test procedures for ceiling fan light kits (CFLKs). That proposed rulemaking serves as the basis for this final rule. In this final rule, DOE updates the current test procedures by replacing references to ENERGY STAR test procedures with references to DOE lamps test procedures for medium screw base lamps and to industry test procedures for pin-based fluorescent lamps. DOE is also adding test procedures to establish an efficacy-based metric for all lamps packaged with CFLKs and for CFLKs with integrated solid-state lighting circuitry. These additional test procedures also specify that DOE lamp test procedures be used to test lamps packaged with CFLKs, and where such test procedures do not exist, lamps packaged with CFLKs be tested according to current industry test procedures for those lamps. This final rule also replaces references to superseded ENERGY STAR Program requirements with tables that contain the specific performance requirements from the ENERGY STAR documents. This final rule addresses standby and off mode energy usage for CFLKs. DOE also provides updated guidance related to accent lighting in CFLKs and the applicability of the existing energy conservation standards to accent lighting. In this final rule, DOE also reinterprets the definition of a ceiling fan to include hugger fans and clarifies that ceiling fans that produce large volumes of airflow also meet the definition. DOE is also issuing a reinterpretation as it relates to compliance with the 190 W limit requirement for CFLKs with sockets other than medium screw base and pin-based for fluorescent lamps.