The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021

1.—(1) Sub-paragraphs (2) to (5) apply for the purposes of the measurements and calculations referred to in paragraphs 2 to 7.

(2) For refrigerating appliances with anti-condensation heaters that can be switched on and off by the end-user, the anti-condensation heaters must be—

(a) switched on;

(b) if adjustable, set at maximum heating; and

(c) included in the annual energy consumption as daily energy consumption (E_daily);

(3) For refrigerating appliances with ambient controlled anti-condensation heaters, the ambient controlled anti-condensation heaters must be switched off or otherwise disabled, where possible, during the measurement of energy consumption.

(4) For refrigerating appliances with dispensers that can be switched on and off by the end-user, the dispensers must be switched on but not operating during the energy consumption test.

(5) For the measurement of energy consumption, variable temperature compartments must operate at the lowest temperature that can be set by the end-user to continuously maintain the temperature range of the compartment type which has the lowest temperature, as set out in Table 17.

(6) For the energy consumption test of refrigerating appliances that can be connected to a network, the communication module must be activated and the unit must be connected, but it is not a requirement that any communication or data exchange should take place during the test.

(7) For the performance of chill compartments—

(a) in the case of a variable temperature compartment rated as a fresh food or chill compartment, the energy efficiency index (EEI) must be determined for each temperature condition and the highest value must be applied;

(b) a chill compartment must be able to control its average temperature within a certain range without user adjustments; this must be checked during the energy consumption tests at 16 °C and 32 °C ambient temperature.

(8) For adjustable volume compartments, where the volumes of two compartments are adjustable relative to one another by the end-user, the energy consumption and the volume must be tested when the volume of the compartment with the higher target temperature is adjusted to its minimum volume.

(9) The specific freezing capacity must be calculated as 24 times the light load weight, divided by the freezing time to bring the temperature of the light load from +25 °C to -18 °C at an ambient temperature of 25 °C, expressed in kg/24 h and rounded to one decimal place.

(10) For the determination of climate classes, the ambient temperature ranges SN, N, ST or T are as follows—

(a) the extended temperate (SN) has a temperature range from 10 °C to 32 °C;

(b) the temperate (N) has a temperature range from 16 °C to 32 °C;

(c) the subtropical (ST) has a temperature range from 16 °C to 38 °C; and

(d) the tropical (T) has a temperature range from 16 °C to 43 °C.

(11) The light load weight for each 4-star compartment must be—

(a) 3.5 kg/100 l of the volume of the 4-star compartment evaluated, rounded up to the nearest 0.5 kg; and

(b) 2 kg for a 4-star compartment with a volume for which 3.5 kg/100 l leads to a value lower than 2 kg.

(12) Where a refrigerating appliance includes a combination of 3-star and 4- star compartments, the sum of the light load weights is increased so that the sum of the light load weights for all the 4-star compartments must be—

(a) 3.5 kg/100 l of the total volume of all 3-star and 4-star compartments, rounded up to the nearest 0.5 kg; and,

(b) 2 kg for a total volume of all 3-star and 4-star compartments for which 3.5 kg/100 l leads to a value lower than 2 kg.