FACT SHEET October 2008 Australian and New Zealand Energy Performance and Marking Requirements for External Power Supplies Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) Implementation dates Australia - 1 December 2008 New Zealand - 1 April 2009 International Harmonisation Test method and conditions The test method and conditions for external power supplies are defined in AS/NZS4665 2005, which is technically identical to the Test Method for Calculating the Energy Efficiency of Single Voltage External Ac-Dc and Ac-Ac Power Supplies (August 11, 2004), issued by the US EPA, after collaboration between officials and parties from the US, Australia, California and China. The EPA test method and conditions is also referenced or used in the following regulations/programs/specifications. US ENERGY STAR Version 1.1 and Version 2.0 China Certification Center for Energy Conservation Products CSC/T30-2005 California Energy Commission - Appliance Energy Efficiency Regulations European Commission Code of Conduct on Energy Efficiency of External Power Supplies Version 2 and draft Version 3. U.S. Independence and Security Act of 2007 (H.R.6) AS/NZS 4665.1 measurement and general test conditions utilise IEC 62301 Measurement of standby power, to measure performance at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the nameplate output power rating at 115 Vac, 60 Hz and at 230 Vac 50 Hz. Note Australian and New Zealand testing and performance marking is only required at 230 V ac, 50 Hz, not 115 V ac, 60 Hz. Test reports equivalent to AS/NZS4665.1 from other jurisdictions or programs are acceptable. Applicants may require some additional information for registration over and above information in these test reports. Performance During the development of the harmonised test method, an international efficiency marking protocol was also established to provide a system to designate the efficiency performance of an external power supply. The international mark consists of a Roman numeral, I to VII and is to be displayed on the power supply. Level I being the least stringent (least efficient) level and VII being the highest (most efficient). In accord with the international marking protocol, Levels III and IV are defined in AS/NZS4665.1 2005. In May 2008, the US EPA announced more stringent criteria to establish level V. Level V will be proposed as an amendment to AS/NZS4665 and exceeds Australian and New Zealand MEPS criteria. In the interim, Regulators have approved the use of performance mark Vas an accepted performance mark.
Exceptions to international performance criteria Californian regulations and the US Security and Independence Act 2007 specify compliance at 115Vac 60Hz only. In Australia and New Zealand, AC-AC external power supplies are not required to meet the no load power requirements. Australian and New Zealand MEPS will require compliance at 230 Vac 50 Hz only. Minimum Energy Performance Standards Performance mark III External power supplies with nominal 230 Va.c. mains supply input and a single output at extra low voltage (ELV) either a.c. or d.c., and a maximum output of 250W or 250 VA, manufactured or imported for sale in Australia or New Zealand will be required to meet or exceed the requirements of performance mark III. I.e. meet or exceed the average energy efficiency level in Table 1, AND meet or be less than the no-load requirements in Table 2 when tested at 230 Va.c. 50 Hz. Table 1: MEPS required minimum efficiency level- Performance mark III Nameplate Power Output (Pno) Average Efficiency 0 to 1 0.49 x Pno >1 to 49 0.09Ln(Pno)+0.49 >49 to 250 0.84 Where: Pno is the nameplate output power of the Unit Under Test. Ln refers to the natural logarithm (base e). The algebraic order of operations requires that the natural logarithm calculation be performed first. Table 2: MEPS required maximum no-load power Performance mark III Nameplate Power Output (Pno) AC DC AC-AC 0 to <10 0.5 N/A 10 to 250 0.75 N/A Any external power supplies imported into, or manufactured in Australia and New Zealand prior to the respective implementation dates and held in stock, may continue to be sold, however no new importation or manufacture of non-compliant products is allowed. The full details of these requirements and an explanation of products covered, are provided in AS/NZS 4665.2-2005; while the relevant test method is published as AS/NZS 4665.1-2005. Both of these are available from: Standards Australia - www.saiglobal.com.au Standards New Zealand - www.standards.co.nz A number of amendments to both parts of AS/NZS 4665-2005 are currently in the approval process to further define models and to simplify the registration process. This was done by a working group comprised of government/ industry/ and a Standards Australia representative and are summarised under the Amendments to the standard heading.
Scope AS/NZS 4665 defines an external power supply as follows. a) has an input from mains supply (usually 115 V, 60 Hz; 230 V, 50 Hz; 240 V, 50 Hz or a range including some or all of these input conditions); and b) has one ELV output (either a.c. or d.c.) that is either at a fixed voltage or user selectable through a selector switch; and c) is sold with, or intended to be used with, a separate end-use product that constitutes the primary load; and d) is contained in a separate physical enclosure from the end-use product (i.e. the housings of the power supply and its associated product are different, not their retail packaging); and e) is connected to the end use product via a hard-wired or removable male/female electrical connection, cable, cord or other wiring; and f) does not have batteries or battery packs that physically attach directly to the power supply unit (including those that are removable e.g. a battery pack for a portable electric drill); and g) does not have a battery chemistry or type selector switch and an indicator light or state of charge meter. Figure 7 provides a simple method to assist in determining which EPS must comply with MEPS, however in the event of conflict, the above written extract from the standard takes precedence over the flowchart. Amendments to the AS/NZS4665-2005 Key amendments to Part 1 include the following definitions. Family of models Non user selectable output voltage A range of non user selectable single voltage output models based on common technically equivalent components (typically switchmode), but a different output voltage. They may be sold under different brand names or model numbers or both. Each member of the family is included on a single test report and has the same energy performance mark, but may have a different output voltage. Multi-switch model User selectable output voltage A model with a single output that provides a range of user selectable output voltages. They may be sold under different brand names or model numbers or both. Each model is included on a single test report and has the same energy performance mark. Single model(s) A set of one or more technically equivalent models with identical performance specifications (including a single output voltage) but may be sold under different brand names or model numbers or both. Each model is included on a single test report and has the same energy performance mark. Key amendments to Part 2 include Supply voltage MEPS and High Efficiency performance requirements apply at 230 Va.c. only. AC AC external power supplies AC AC external power supplies only need meet efficiency specifications. I.e. no-load performance is not a criteria. Exemptions Replacement external power supplies The Trade Practices Act 1974 requires a part to be reasonably available after the acquisition of goods by a consumer. Therefore an external power supply that is made available by a manufacturer directly to a consumer or to a service or repair facility after and separate from the original sale of the
product requiring the external power supply as a service part of spare part shall be exempt from meeting MEPS requirements for a period of 5 years from the date of introduction of MEPS. Medical use external power supplies Therapeutic devices in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods in accordance with the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 as amended by the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Medical Devices) Bill 2002, the Therapeutic Goods (Medical Devices) Regulations 2002 and any subsequent amendments are exempt from meeting the above MEPS requirements. For further information use the following link. http://www.tga.gov.au/devices/devices.htm#guidelines Family of models or multi-switch models Family of models or multi switch models shall be tested at the highest and the lowest voltage outputs of the power supply. Models shall meet MEPS requirements at both the highest and the lowest voltage outputs. Similarly, High Efficiency models shall meet high efficiency requirements at both highest and lowest voltage outputs. Test reports Test reports will not need to be submitted with registration applications, however applicants will need to retain these records for five years and must be able to provide these to regulatory authorities upon request. Registration and Fees EPS and EPS families of models will require registration on the energyrating web site. Registration will require: Registration of each model or family of models within the scope of AS/NZS 4665-2005. Payment of the registration fee in Australia of $150 per model/family (listing is free in New Zealand). A supplier/ product registration with any one of the Australian regulators is sufficient for an external power supply to be legally sold in both Australia and New Zealand. Where registration takes place in New Zealand, the external power supply can only be legally sold in Australia, if manufactured in New Zealand, or imported directly into New Zealand, and then exported to Australia. Note test reports will not need to be submitted with registration applications, however applicants will need to retain these records for five years and must be able to provide these to regulatory authorities upon request. If the supplier can prove that the external power supply product was manufactured in Australia or New Zealand or imported prior to the implementation date, registration is not required. The preferred method of registration is online at www.energyrating.gov.au Pre-registration is available pending formal approval of amendments to the standard and the MEPS implementation date.
High Efficiency Products - Performance mark IV To be eligible to be promoted as a high efficiency product, external power supplies sold in Australia and New Zealand must meet the following criteria: Table 3: Requirements for high efficiency external power supplies Nameplate Power Output (Pno) Average Efficiency 0 to 1 0.5 x Pno >1 to 51 0.09Ln(Pno)+0.5 >51 to 250 0.85 Type and Nameplate Power Output (Pno) No Load Power AC DC 0 to 250 0.5 AC AC 0 to 250 High Efficiency Products - Performance mark V Currently performance mark V is not defined in AS/NZS4665, however this standard will be amended in the near future. In the interim, Regulators have published a regulatory ruling to allow the use of performance mark V. Full details can be found at http://www.energyrating.gov.au/reg-ruling.html To be eligible to be promoted as a high efficiency performance mark V product, external power supplies sold in Australia and New Zealand must meet the following criteria: Table 4: Efficiency requirements for High efficiency performance mark V N/A Active mode efficiency requirements Output specifications Nameplate output power (Pno) Average active mode efficiency V Output voltage < 6 Volts 0 to 1 0.497 Pno+ 0.067 And Output current 0.550 >1 to 49 0.075 Ln (Pno) + 0.561 Amps >49 to 250 0.86 0 to 1 0.480 Pno+ 0.140 All other models >1 to 49 0.0626 x Ln (Pno) + 0.622 >49 to 250 0.87
Table 5: No-load requirements for High efficiency performance mark V Nameplate output power (Pno) No-load power consumption requirements AC AC AC - DC 0 to < 50 N/A 0.3 50 to 250 N/A 0.5 Testing requirements are as per performance marks III and IV Testing and performance marking Mandatory performance marking To allow greater time for suppliers to prepare for mandatory marking and to align marking with New Zealand s MEPS implementation, Regulators have determined that mandatory marking shall apply from 1st April 2009, rather than 1st December 2008. Products shall still be subject to MEPS requirements (performance mark III) from 1st December 2008. Testing Testing shall be done in accordance with AS/NZS 4665.1 at 230 Va.c., 50 Hz only Reports utilising equivalent specifications from other jurisdictions or programmes are acceptable. Applicants may require some additional information for registration over and above test data. 230 V ac testing only Australian and New Zealand MEPS and High Efficiency performance requirements and mandatory marking only require testing at 230 Va.c. The following table applies when tested for Australian and New Zealand requirements at 230 Va.c. only or if the external power supply has a 230 V ac nameplate voltage only. If the external power supply has a nameplate voltage of 240 Va.c. only, then it shall be tested at 240 Va.c. Nameplate voltage and frequency MEPS/HE IV/HE V test voltage Performance mark Voltage qualifier Examples figure number 230 V a.c. 50 Hz 230 V a.c. III, IV or V none 1 Multiple 230 V a.c. III, IV or V None or 230 as optional 2 240 Va.c. 50 Hz only 240 Va.c III, IV or V none 1
Figure 1: Single Performance Mark for a 230 or 240 V a.c. nameplate voltage only Mark III compliance Mark IV compliance Mark V compliance III IV V If the external power supply is capable of multiple input voltages, but is tested and complies with the mark III, IV or V requirements at 230 Va.c. input voltage only, then the performance mark may optionally be qualified with the input voltage. Examples in are shown in figure 2 Figure 2: Example for nominal 230 Va.c. compliance only optional voltage qualifier Mark III compliance Mark IV compliance Mark V compliance III 230 IV 230 V 230 Examples of the performance mark Figure 5: Example of screen printed or adhesive label marking Figure 6: Example of engraved or molded marking
Figure 7: External power supply definition flowchart
Enforcement Regular checks are conducted to ensure that all products offered for sale have a current registration with one of the State or NZ regulators. In addition, checktests by independent National Australian Test Authority accredited laboratories are conducted to see whether external power supplies perform in compliance with MEPS requirements or claims of high efficiency status. The checktest process comprises an initial Screen Test, paid for by the Government. If the unit complies with MEPS no further action is taken. If the unit fails, the supplier has the option of:. choosing to request cancellation of the registration, or. testing up to three more randomly selected units at the supplier s cost. Full details of this process are contained in the Administrative Guidelines available from www.energyrating.gov.au/admin-guidelines.html Regulatory Contacts State and NZ contacts for Minimum Energy Performance Standards applications are: NSW Department of Water and Energy, Level 17, 227 Elizabeth Street Sydney NSW 2000 (GPO Box 3889, Sydney NSW 2001) Tel 02 8281 7706, Fax 02 8281 7750. Email:energylabelling@dwe.nsw.gov.au Website: www.dwe.nsw.gov.au Queensland Electrical Safety Office Department of Industrial Relations LMB 2234 Brisbane QLD 4001 Tel +61 7 3237 0280 Fax +61 7 3406 3808 Email:equipmentsafety@dir.qld.gov.au Website: www.eso.qld.gov.au South Australia Energy Labelling Section Office of the Technical Regulator Level 19, 30 Wakefield Street Adelaide SA 5000 Tel 08 8226 5530 Fax 08 8226 5531 Email: robert.anderson@saugov.sa.gov.au Website: www.technicalregulator.sa.gov.au Victoria Equipment Efficiency Section Energy Safe Victoria PO Box 262 Collins Street West VIC 8007 Tel 03 9203 9700 Fax 03 9686 2197 Email:mgrubert@esv.vic.gov.au Website: www.esv.vic.gov.au New Zealand Products Programme Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority PO Box 388 Wellington NEW ZEALAND Tel +64 4 470 2222 Fax +64 4 499 5330 Email:terry.collins@eeca.govt.nz Website: www.eeca.govt.nz