Energy Efficiency Regulations

External Power Supplies

Final Bulletin on Developing the Standard

October 2011 – as published

Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations (the Regulations) have been amended to include minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for external power supplies (EPS). The Regulations apply to products imported or shipped inter-provincially for sale or lease in Canada. The amendment has been published in the Canada Gazette, Part II. This amendment comes into force six months after publication, on April 12, 2012.

Background

EPS are small external plug-in devices that convert AC 120V line voltage to a lower voltage either alternating current (ac) or direct current (dc) to power various small products. Often called power adaptors, they are commonly sold with portable or electronic end-use products such as portable or mobile phones, modems, camcorders, portable monitors, notebooks, etc. The opportunities to reduce energy consumption for this common household and office products exist and have been recognized and acted upon by ENERGY STAR, European Union, California Energy Commission, and U.S. with EISA.

The amendment was pre-published in the Canada Gazette, Part I (Vol. 144, No. 24) on June 12, 2010. The final publication reflects changes made in response to comments received after pre-publication. These changes are highlighted in this document.

Product Description

For the purposes of the Regulations, NRCan defines an EPS as a power supply device that:

• is designed to convert line voltage ac input into lower voltage dc or ac output
• is able to convert to only one dc or ac output voltage at a time
• is designed to be used with a household or office end-use product that constitutes the primary load
• is encased in an enclosure separated from that end-use product and is connected to that product by an electrical connection and
• has a nominal output power of 250 W or less

but does not include a device:

• that powers the charger of a detachable battery pack of an end-use product
• that charges the battery of an end-use product that is fully or primarily motor operated
• that is an accessory to a medical device as defined in section 1 of the Medical Devices Regulations or
• that provides power-over-Ethernet with an internal power supply.

Energy Performance Test Procedure

CSA-C381.1-08: Test method for calculating the energy efficiency of single-voltage external ac-dc and ac-ac power supplies is referenced as the energy performance test procedure. The CSA test procedure shall be used for the test method only. The test procedure can be ordered from:

Energy Performance Standard

Where:
Ln (nameplate output) = natural logarithm of the nameplate output,   nameplate output is expressed in watts

A replacement external power supply is an EPS that:

• is manufactured between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2013 and imported or shipped before July 1, 2013
• is marked for replacement of a specified end-use product that was manufactured before July 1, 2010, and
• is imported or shipped in quantities of less than fifty units

Power in no load mode does not apply to a security external power supply: A security external power supply is an EPS that

• is manufactured before July 1, 2017
• is designed to convert line voltage ac input into lower voltage ac output,
• has a nominal output power of 20 W or more, and
• is designed for and marketed with equipment that operates continuously in on mode to perform any of the following principal functions:
  • monitor, detect, record or provide notification of any intrusion on or access to real property or physical assets or notification of threats to personal safety resulting from that intrusion or access,
  • deter or control access to real property or physical assets or prevent the unauthorized removal of physical assets, or
  • monitor, detect, record or provide notification of any physical threats to real property, physical assets or personal safety, including fire, gas, smoke and flooding.

It does not include an EPS for equipment that is designed and marketed with a built-in alarm or theft-deterrent feature if the equipment's principal functions are not any of the functions mentioned above.

Effective Dates

As of April 12, 2012, all EPS will be required to meet the regulatory requirements if the manufacturing process is completed on or after July 1, 2010. However there is a delay in the application of MEPS for replacement EPS until July 1, 2013 and an exemption from the no load performance MEPS for security EPS manufactured prior to July 1, 2017.

Labelling Requirements

There are no EnerGuide or information labelling requirements for this product.

Verification Requirements

EPS must bear a verification mark indicating that the energy efficiency reporting requirements have been verified.

The verification mark is the mark of a Standards Council of Canada (SCC) accredited certification body that administers an energy performance verification program for this product.

For EPS, the use of the Roman numeral IV is accepted as an alternative to the energy efficiency verification mark if:

• the Roman numeral is clearly indicated on the product according to the ENERGY STAR^® protocol and
• the product performance is verified by a Standards Council of Canada accredited certification organization with a relevant energy efficiency scope (i.e. offering an EPS energy efficiency verification program.)

Reporting Requirements

Energy Efficiency Reports

The energy efficiency report required for external power supplies will include the following information:

• product name
• manufacturer name
• brand name
• model number
• nominal output, in volts (V), at highest and lowest output setting
• nominal output power, in watts (W) at highest and lowest output setting, if applicable
• whether the output is ac or dc
• average efficiency at highest and lowest power output setting
• no load power in watts (W)
• whether it is a replacement EPS or a security EPS
• if a replacement EPS or a security EPS, the end-use equipment and the brand and model number of that equipment
• Roman numeral mark, if applicable
• whether the product bears an energy efficiency verification mark
• name of the certification body associated with verifying the Roman numeral mark or that authorized the verification mark that will appear on the product.

This report must be submitted by the dealer to NRCan before the product is imported into Canada or traded inter-provincially for the first time.

Import Reports

A dealer who imports these products into Canada must include the following information on the customs release document:

• product name (i.e., EPS)
• model number
• brand name
• address of the dealer importing the product
• purpose for which the product is being imported (i.e., for sale or lease in Canada without modification; for sale or lease in Canada after modification to comply with energy efficiency standards; or for use as a component in a product being exported from Canada)

Harmonization

The Regulations are harmonized with EISA MEPS that came into effect in the U.S. on July 1, 2008 and with H.R.5470 (December 2010) regarding security EPS in the U.S. The Regulations, by including EPS for household and office products, have a scope that is functionally similar to both EISA and the E.U.

For Information

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide stakeholders with a concise interpretation of the amendment, as they apply to EPS.

Additional information on the Regulations including a current list of SCC accredited certification bodies can be found in the Guide to the Regulations on the OEE Web site at: /regulations/html/EERGuide_Part1.cfm

All correspondence should be forwarded to: