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khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS3

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 167 / Wednesday, September 1, 2021 / Proposed Rules measured cycle time rather than an assumed fixed value.
The proposal to require the measurement of cycle time could result in an increase in test burden if a laboratory is not currently measuring cycle time. However, although cycle time is not currently required to be measured, it is DOEs understanding that test laboratories already measure cycle time or use a data acquisition system to record electronic logs of each test cycle, from which average cycle time can be readily determined such that any increase in test burden would be de minimis. Therefore, DOE
preliminarily concludes that the proposal to require measurement of cycle time is unlikely to result in an increase in test burden. Furthermore, none of the other proposed changes for Appendix J would result in an increase in test burden. As described in the paragraphs that follow, DOE has tentatively determined that several of the proposed changes would result in a substantial decrease in test burden.
To determine the potential savings to manufacturers, DOE first estimated the number of RCW and CCW models that are currently certified, using data from DOEs publicly available Compliance Certification Database CCMS.78 DOE
identified approximately 25
manufacturers selling an estimated 702
basic models of RCWs and 67 basic models of CCWs.
To enable an estimate of cost savings associated with specific features, as described in the paragraphs that follow, DOE developed representative market samples consisting of 100 basic models of RCWs and 10 basic models of CCWs representing approximately 15 percent of the total basic models for each that capture the range of available functionalities and options available to consumers. To develop these market samples, DOE selected a sample of basic models for which detailed product features could be determined from product brochures and other marketing materials, representing all major manufacturers and product designs currently on the market, and spanning all available efficiency levels.
The proposal to reduce the number of load sizes from three to two for units with an automatic WFCS would reduce test burden for all clothes washers with an automatic WFCS. DOEs representative market sample suggests that 11 percent of RCWs have a manual WFCS and therefore would experience no change in test burden as a result of this proposal. Whereas, 89 percent of 78 www.regulations.doe.gov/certification-data.

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RCWs on the market would experience a reduction in test burden as follows: 20
percent of RCWs would experience a reduction in test burden of 2 to 4 cycles;
54 percent of RCWs would experience a reduction in test burden of 5 to 8 cycles;
and 15 percent of RCWs would experience a reduction in test burden of more than 9 cycles. DOEs representative mark sample suggests that all CCWs have an automatic WFCS
and therefore DOE estimates that 70
percent of CCWs would experience a reduction in test burden of 3 or 4 cycles and that 30 percent of CCWs would experience a reduction in test burden of 5 cycles. Based on these estimates, DOE
estimates a weighted-average test burden reduction of 5.1 cycles per RCW, and 3.7 cycles per CCW.
The proposal to reduce the number of required test cycles by requiring the use of no more than two Warm Wash/Cold Rinse cycles, and no more than two Warm Wash/Warm Rinse cycles, would reduce the number of tested cycles for any clothes washer offering more than two Warm Wash temperatures. Based on DOEs representative market sample, DOE estimates that 49 percent of RCWs offer two or fewer Warm Wash temperature options and therefore would experience no change; 44 percent of RCWs would experience a reduction in test burden of 2 cycles; and 7 percent of RCWs would experience a reduction in test burden of 4 cycles. DOE
estimates that 70 percent of CCWs would experience no change and that 30
percent of CCWs would experience a reduction in test burden of 4 cycles.
Based on these estimates, DOE estimates a weighted-average additional test burden reduction of 1.2 cycles per RCW, and 0.6 cycles per CCW.79
The proposal to reduce the number of required test cycles by measuring RMC
on each tested cycle instead of measuring it on dedicated RMC cycles would remove the need for one or more cycles used for measuring RMC for any clothes washer offering more than one spin speed selectable on the Normal cycle. Based on DOEs representative market sample, DOE estimates that 45
percent of RCWs would experience no change; 27 percent of RCWs would experience a reduction in test burden of 1 cycle; 27 percent of RCWs would experience a reduction in test burden of 2 cycles; and 1 percent of RCWs would experience a reduction in test burden of 4 cycles. DOE estimates that no CCWs would experience a reduction in test burden from this change. Based on these 79 These savings assume the savings from reducing the number of load sizes have already been implemented.

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estimates, DOE estimates a weightedaverage additional test burden reduction of 0.9 cycles per RCW.80
The proposal to simplify the test procedure for semi-automatic clothes washers would reduce test burden for all semi-automatic clothes washers by 10 cycles. DOE has determined that approximately 2 percent of RCW basic models in CCMS are semi-automatic and is not aware of any semi-automatic CCWs. DOE therefore estimates a weighted-average additional test burden reduction of 0.2 cycles per RCW.
To estimate the cost savings associated with the amendments that are expected to reduce the number of cycles required for testing, DOE
estimated each RCW cycle to have a duration of 1 hour, and each CCW cycle to have a duration of 45 minutes. Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics BLSs Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the mean hourly wage for mechanical engineering technologists and technicians is $29.27.81 Additionally, DOE used data from BLSs Employer Costs for Employee Compensation to estimate the percent that wages comprise the total compensation for an employee. DOE estimates that wages make up 70.3 percent of the total compensation for private industry employees.82 Therefore, DOE estimated that the total hourly compensation including all fringe benefits of a technician performing the testing is $41.64.83
Based on a July 2021 price list from the test cloth manufacturer, the cost of the test cloth required for performing testing is $7.47 per cloth.84 Based on an average RCW capacity of 4.14 ft3,85 the load sizes associated with testing an 80 These savings assume the savings from reducing the number of load sizes and from reducing the number of Warm Wash temperature selections under test have already been implemented.
81 DOE used the mean hourly wage of the 17
3027 Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians from the most recent BLS
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2020 to estimate the hourly wage rate of a technician assumed to perform this testing. See www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes173027.htm. Last accessed on May 26, 2021.
82 DOE used the December 2020 Employer Costs for Employee Compensation to estimate that for Private Industry Workers, Wages and Salaries are 70.3 percent of the total employee compensation. See www.bls.gov/news.release/
archives/ecec_03182021.pdf. Last accessed on May 26, 2021.
83 $29.27 0.703 = $41.64.
84 testgewebe.de/en/products/ballast-loads-baseload-textiles/doe-energy-test-cloth/. Last accessed and converted to U.S. dollars on July 8, 2021.
85 AHAM Trends in Energy Efficiency, 2018.

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