February 05, 2004

By: Adam Jackson
Website: http://www.1st-in-kitchens.com

Revised Dishwasher Test Procedure Published

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Energy recently published a revised Energy Test Procedure for dishwashers. The announcement of this finalized test procedure represents a major accomplishment for AHAM, its members, environmental advocates and consumers, after several years of testing and negotiations. The test procedures are effective September 29, 2003 and may be used for Energy Guide labeling purposes after that date. However, after February 25, 2004, they must be used for all energy labels and representations.

This revised test procedure takes into account several changes, including a new procedure for dishwashers with soil-sensing technology, measurement of standby power, and a more accurate number of annual usage cycles based on consumer trends. Crafting a test procedure for soil-sensing machines demonstrates the need to keep pace with new technologies and features. The former test procedure used 322 annual usage cycles while the newly published procedure uses just 215 cycles per year and better reflects the smaller size of families, larger capacity dishwashers, and the trend of eating meals outside the home. This will more accurately reflect the annual operating costs shown on the FTC Energy Guide label that consumers use when comparing products in the showroom. Lastly, the revised test procedure incorporates standby energy in the total annual energy use. Standby energy is the energy consumed while the product is not performing its primary function. This procedure uses the definition contained in the draft IEC test procedure and will better align U.S. products with those in other countries.

This procedure gives a clear method of testing units with special soil sensing capabilities, and at the same time gives consumers a much more accurate portrayal of the average operating costs so they can compare products in the marketplace. It also incorporates all the energy used by a dishwasher. It is a true win for manufacturers, consumers, environmental advocates and the government. said Joseph M. McGuire, AHAM President.

About The Author:

Adam Jackson is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-kitchens.com.  Everything for your kitchen to make it look great and make cooking a whole lot easier.