Putting a timer in a shipment and producing evidence for a performance rating are different business tasks. DOE's January 18, 2017 direct final rule addressed the first for integral cartridge-filter and integral sand-filter pool pumps. Its timer requirement applied to manufacture starting July 19, 2021 and permitted either an integrated control or a separate component shipped with the product. [2016-31666][2016-21310]

The timer had to turn the pump off automatically after no longer than ten hours. That specification leaves a design choice about integration, but not about whether the purchaser receives the required component. The rule also addressed freeze-protection controls through disabled protection or adjustable defaults. Neither provision, by itself, establishes a price increase or a reduction in the purchaser's electricity bill. [2016-31666][2016-21310]

For comparison, DOE's September 2016 testing proposal described a weighted energy factor based on water flow relative to input power across load points. It proposed testing at least two units per covered basic model, with larger samples potentially needed because of variability. Its scope excluded the integral-filter categories in the timer provision, so the proposed sampling burden cannot simply be assigned to those products. [2016-31666][2016-21310]

The January direct final timetable specified May 18 effectiveness and July 19, 2021 compliance, conditional on the adverse-comment withdrawal process. The September record explains proposed measurement design, not final testing duties established here. The economic distinction is between supplying a feature and substantiating a rating; these related documents do not measure the cost or competitive effect of either. [2016-31666][2016-21310]

Source documents

  1. Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Dedicated-Purpose Pool Pumpshttps://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2017-01-18/html/2016-31666.htm
  2. Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Dedicated-Purpose Pool Pumpshttps://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2016-09-20/html/2016-21310.htm