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Battery Chargers and External Power Supplies

This page describes rulemaking activities and regulations regarding energy efficiency for battery chargers and external power supplies.

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• Statutory Authority
• Rulemakings in Progress
• Current Regulations
• Past Rulemakings
• Contact Information

Statutory Authority

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA) (Pub. L. 94-163) established an energy conservation program for major household appliances. Learn more about the laws and regulations related to appliances & commercial equipment standards.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005) (Pub. L. 109-58), amended section 325 of EPCA (42 U.S.C. 6291 et seq.) in part by adding subsection 325(u) that directs the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a test procedure, hold a scoping workshop, and conduct a determination analysis of energy conservation standards for battery chargers (BCs) and external power supplies (EPSs). (42 U.S.C. 6295(u))

• BC and EPS excerpts from EPACT 2005, August 8, 2005 (PDF 205 KB)

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007) (Pub. L. 110-140) significantly amended EPCA with regard to the energy conservation program for BCs and EPSs.

Section 301 defines and sets efficiency standards for Class A external power supplies (42 U.S.C. 6291(36)(C)) (42 U.S.C. 6295(u)(3)). EISA 2007 directs DOE to publish a final rule by July 1, 2011, to determine whether the standards set for Class A EPSs should be amended and, if so, to include any amended standards as part of that final rule. The statute further directs DOE to publish a second final rule by July 1, 2015, to again determine whether the standards in effect should be amended (again including any amended standards as part of that final rule).

Section 309 modifies the statutory provision which directed DOE to perform the determination analysis (42 U.S.C. 6295(u)(1)(E)(i)(I), as amended). Specifically, EISA 2007 removed BCs from the determination (leaving only EPSs) and changed the deadline for completing the determination to two years after the date of enactment (i.e., by December 19, 2009). Because DOE is already required to perform two rounds of rulemakings to consider amended efficiency standards for Class A EPSs, the determination analysis under 42 U.S.C. 6295(u)(1)(E)(i)(I) should not include these products. Therefore, DOE is interpreting 42 U.S.C. 6295 (u)(1)(E)(i)(I) as a requirement for a determination analysis that will consider in its scope only EPSs other than Class A. This determination is scheduled for issuance by December 19, 2009.

Section 309 also requires DOE to issue a final rule prescribing energy conservation standards for BCs, if technologically feasible and economically justified, by July 1, 2011 (42 U.S.C. 6295(u)(1)(E)(i)(II). This rulemaking will be bundled with the rulemaking for Class A EPSs, as the products are closely related and the provisions have the same statutory deadline.

Section 310 requires all test procedures for covered products to be amended to include test procedures for standby- and off-mode energy consumption. For BCs and EPSs, these amendments were required to be completed by December 31, 2008. (42 U.S.C 6295(gg)(2)(B))

• BC and EPS excerpts from EISA 2007, December 19, 2007 (PDF 133 KB)
• BC and EPS excerpts from EPCA as amended by EISA 2007, December 19, 2007 (PDF 139 KB)

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Rulemakings in Progress

In response to EISA 2007, DOE provided a report to Congress detailing its planned schedule for meeting the required rulemaking deadlines for all covered products, including BCs and EPSs. The report was published in February 2008.

• Report to Congress on Appliance Energy Efficiency Rulemakings – Implementation Report: Energy Conservation Standards Activities, February 2008 (PDF 311 KB)

The following list gives the rulemaking schedule for BCs and EPSs as set forth in the report. Click on a rulemaking to learn more about it.

• Determination: Non-Class A EPSs; Final Action Date December 2009; Docket EERE-2009-BT-DET-0005
• Standards: BCs and Class A EPSs; Final Action Date July 2011; Docket EERE-2008-BT-STD-0005
• Standards: Class A EPSs; Final Action Date July 2015

In addition to these rulemakings, DOE is considering a rulemaking to develop a test procedure for measuring the active-mode energy consumption of BCs. No further information about this rulemaking is available at this time.

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Current Regulations

Test Procedures

The current test procedures for BCs and EPSs were developed as part of a rulemaking process establishing test procedures for several products contained in the EPACT of 2005. The test procedures were subsequently amended to include provisions for measuring standby mode and off mode energy consumption, as directed by EISA 2007.

• Final Rule, EPACT 2005 Test Procedures, Federal Register, December 8, 2006 (PDF 706 KB)
• Final Rule, Test Procedures for Battery Chargers and External Power Supplies (Standby Mode and Off Mode), Federal Register, March 27, 2009 (PDF 462 KB)

Energy Conservation Standards

Battery Chargers

There are currently no energy conservationstandards for battery chargers.

External Power Supplies

Section 301 of EISA 2007 established minimum efficiency standards for Class A EPSs effective July 1, 2008. The provision is reproduced here:

(6) EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR CLASS A EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLIES-

1. IN GENERAL- Subject to subparagraphs (B) through (D), a class A external power supply manufactured on or after the later of July 1, 2008, or the date of enactment of this paragraph shall meet the following standards:

   Active Mode
   Nameplate Output	Minimum Efficiency (decimal equivalent of a percentage)
   <1 Watt	0.5 times the nameplate output
   1 to not more than 51 Watts	The sum of 0.09 times the natural logarithm of the nameplate output and 0.5
   >51 Watts	0.85
   No-Load Mode
   Nameplate Output	Maximum Consumption
   Not more than 250 Watts	0.5 watts

2. NONCOVERED SUPPLIES- A class A external power supply shall not be subject to subparagraph (A) if the class A external power supply is—

   1. manufactured during the period beginning on July 1, 2008, and ending on June 30, 2015; and
   2. made available by the manufacturer as a service part or a spare part for an end-use product—
      1. that constitutes the primary load; and
      2. was manufactured before July 1, 2008.
         

3. MARKING- Any class A external power supply manufactured on or after July 1, 2008, or the date of enactment of this paragraph shall be clearly and permanently marked in accordance with the External Power Supply International Efficiency Marking Protocol, as referenced in the Energy Star Program Requirements for Single Voltage External AC-DC and AC-AC Power Supplies, version 1.1 published by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Definitions

Battery Charger

42 U.S.C. 6291(32) as amended by Section 135 of EPACT 2005
The term battery charger means a device that charges batteries for consumer products, including battery chargers embedded in other consumer products.

External Power Supply

42 U.S.C. 6291(36)(A) as amended by Section 135 of EPACT 2005
IN GENERAL- The term external power supply means an external power supply circuit that is used to convert household electric current into DC current or lower-voltage AC current to operate a consumer product.

Consumer Product

42 U.S.C. 6291(1)
The term consumer product means any article other than an automobile, as defined in section 32901(a)(3) of title 49 of a type—

• which in operation consumes, or is designed to consume, energy or water with respect to showerheads, faucets, water closets, and urinals; and
• which, to any significant extent, is distributed in commerce for personal use or consumption by individuals without regard to whether such article of such type is in fact distributed in commerce for personal use or consumption by an individual, except that such term includes fluorescent lamp ballasts, general service fluorescent lamps, incandescent reflector lamps, showerheads, faucets, water closets, and urinals distributed in commerce for personal or commercial use or consumption.

Class A External Power Supply

42 U.S.C. 6291(36)(C) as amended by Section 301 of EISA 2007

• IN GENERAL- The term class A external power supply means a device that—
  • is designed to convert line voltage AC input into lower voltage AC or DC output;
  • is able to convert to only 1 AC or DC output voltage at a time;
  • is sold with, or intended to be used with, a separate end-use product that constitutes the primary load;
  • is contained in a separate physical enclosure from the end-use product;
  • is connected to the end-use product via a removable or hard-wired male/female electrical connection, cable, cord, or other wiring; and
  • has nameplate output power that is less than or equal to 250 watts.
• EXCLUSIONS- The term class A external power supply does not include any device that—
  • requires Federal Food and Drug Administration listing and approval as a medical device in accordance with section 513 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 360c); or
  • powers the charger of a detachable battery pack or charges the battery of a product that is fully or primarily motor operated.

Detachable Battery

42 U.S.C. 6291(52) as amended by Section 301 of EISA 2007
The term detachable battery means a battery that is—

• contained in a separate enclosure from the product; and
• intended to be removed or disconnected from the product for recharging.

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Certification and Enforcement Provisions

Manufacturers of covered products must report to DOE that the products they manufacture comply with applicable energy conservation standards. The standby and off mode test procedure final rule published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2009, explains the steps manufacturers must take to demonstrate compliance for Class A EPSs. These requirements will become effective once DOE has issued a final rule for a sampling plan for EPSs. Manufacturers need not submit certification reports for EPSs at this time. Certification requirements are summarized on page 13321 and discussed in greater detail on pages 13327-31. The amendments to 10 CFR Part 430 are reproduced on pages 13335-6.

• Final Rule, Test Procedures for Battery Chargers and External Power Supplies (Standby Mode and Off Mode), Federal Register, March 27, 2009 (PDF 462 KB)
• Frequently Asked Questions

Past Rulemakings

Test Procedures (from EPACT 2005)

Docket Number: EE-RM/TP-05-500

Test procedures for BCs and EPSs were developed as part of a rulemaking process establishing test procedures for several products contained in EPACT 2005. To facilitate review of the relevant portions of this final rule, DOE highlighted the terms "battery charger" and "external power supply" throughout the final rule.

• Final Rule, EPACT 2005 Test Procedures, Federal Register, December 8, 2006 (PDF 706 KB)
• Learn more about the EPACT 2005 test procedures

Determination Analysis (from EPACT 2005)

Docket Number: EERE-2006-DET-0136

EPACT 2005 required DOE to issue a final rule to determine whether to issue energy conservation standards for battery chargers and external power supplies. DOE initiated this determination analysis rulemaking in 2006, which included a scoping workshop on January 24, 2007, at DOE headquarters in Washington, DC. The determination was underway and on schedule for issuance by August 8, 2008, when EISA 2007 was enacted.

• Learn more about the EPACT 2005 determination analysis

Test Procedures (from EISA 2007)

Docket Number EERE-2008-BT-TP-0004

Section 310 of EISA 2007 required DOE to amend its existing test procedures for both BCs and EPSs to measure to energy consumed in standby mode and off mode. It also authorized DOE to amend by rule any of the definitions for active, standby, and off mode so long as DOE took into consideration the most current versions of Standards 62301 and 62087 of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

• Final Rule, Test Procedures for Battery Chargers and External Power Supplies (Standby Mode and Off Mode), Federal Register, March 27, 2009 (PDF 462 KB)

Contact Information

Victor Petrolati
Project Manager
(202) 586-4549

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