Why is there a new regulation?
Despite the replacement of linear technology with switching power supplies, the share of total power consumption is still considerable, so environmental authorities worldwide have introduced guidelines to reduce this, conserve resources and thus protect the environment.
The first legally mandated energy efficiency guideline for external power supplies was introduced in California in 2004. Similar standards followed worldwide and were harmonized as the "International Energy Efficiency Marking Protocol" for external power supplies. The development of the guideline has led to increasingly strict regulations regarding minimum requirements for efficiency and no-load operation.
Today, most external power supplies sold in the USA must meet the new "Energy Conservation Standards" of the US Department of Energy (DoE), also called Level VI specification, and bear the Roman numerals VI on the nameplate. Level V specification still applies for the EU.
What are the differences to Level V?
- Stricter regulations for efficiency and no-load power
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Expanded product range covered by the standard:
- Multiple output voltages
- With more than 250W output power
Who is affected by this new regulation?
External power supplies* are affected by the conversion,
- that are intended for direct device operation (i.e. without mandatory need for a battery)
- that were and are manufactured after February 10, 2016
- that are intended for the North American market
- that are delivered as a standalone product or together in a package with consumer products such as notebooks, smartphones, etc.
*An external power supply is defined as an external power supply circuit that converts household current into DC current or into low-voltage AC current to operate a consumer product.
A consumer product is an article that consumes energy or was developed to consume energy and which is distributed through commercial trade for individual personal use or consumption.
What exceptions are there?
External power supplies
- that operate devices listed and medically approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- with less than 3V output voltage and greater than or equal to 1A, intended for charging a battery of a product that is fully or partially motorized
- for life-saving and safety equipment do not have to meet the no-load requirements in every case
What are the specific requirements?
The following table lists the specified no-load power consumption and minimum average efficiency for all categories of external power supplies.
| Single-Voltage External AC-DC Power Supply, Basic Voltage | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nameplate Output Power (Pout) | Minimum Average Efficiency in Active Mode | Max. Power in No Load Mode (W) |
| Pout = 1W | = 0.5 × Pout + 0.16 | = 0.100 |
| 1W < Pout = 49W | = 0.071 × ln(Pout) - 0.0014 × Pout + 0.67 | = 0.100 |
| 49W < Pout = 250W | = 0.880 | = 0.210 |
| Pout > 250W | = 0.875 | = 0.500 |
|
Table I. Energy Conservation Standards for Direct Operation EPSs (Copied from US DoE, 10 CFR Part 430 document) |
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Will this regulation also apply in the EU?
It is expected that the EU and other countries will also tighten their own regulations according to Level VI. In December 2015, an expert committee from politics and business already initiated the implementation of a similar guideline for the European Union. Adoption by the European Commission is expected from the end of 2016.