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California Energy Commission, Flexible Demand Appliance Standards for Pool Controls.
Pool controls allow owners to automate various pool maintenance systems. Flexible demand standards for pool controls may require the equipment to have a default operation schedule and internet connectivity. These standards enable an appliance to schedule, shift, or curtail the electrical demand with the consumer’s consent.
All documents for the Pool Control Rulemaking are available at docket #23-FDAS-01.
All documents for the pool controls pre-rulemaking are available at docket #20-FDAS-01.
Fact Sheet
Frequently Asked Questions
Which pool controls are out of scope?
Out of scope appliances include pool controls marketed exclusively for use as a control for pool filter pumps with a rated hydraulic horsepower (HHP) greater than 2.5 HHP; or safety interlock or shutoff controls; or controls integral to a single pool filter pump or motor capable of controlling only that pump or motor.
Are controls and pumps in portable electric spas considered in scope?
California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 20 Appliance Efficiency Standards, Section 1602 defines portable spas as a specific appliance separate from a pool and other pool equipment. Controls for portable electric spas do not meet the technical parameters of the Flexible Demand definition for pool controls and, therefore, are not considered “pool controls.”
What is a connected device?
Any device that can wirelessly communicate via open standards with entities outside the device by means of integrated or separate communications hardware or software. A device that can receive but not send communication is not a connected device.
Also, a device including all hardware and software needed for connectivity is a connected device, even if the included hardware or software is separable or requires installation.
What are the open standard communication requirements for pool controls?
Pool controls must use open standards for all necessary communication layers with entities outside the device, as specified in Section 1693(b)(6)(B) of Title 20, Flexible Demand Appliance Standards.
What cybersecurity standards need to be met?
The pool control shall comply, at a minimum, with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection standards as listed in Section 1692(c) of Title 20. These minimum standards include device identification, device configuration, data protection, authentication, software update, restart settings, automatic rejoin, and override function requirements.
What markings need to be displayed on the device?
Each unit is required to display the manufacturer’s name, brand name, or trademark; model number; and manufacture date as outlined in Section 1692(b) of Title 20.
What is the effective date of these standards?
The standards apply to all new pool controls sold, offered for sale, rented, imported, distributed, or leased for use in California on or after September 29, 2025.
What are the communication requirements for pool controls?
All pool controls within scope shall be connected devices. In addition, pool controls shall be capable of communicating the operating status of the pool filter pump and stored schedule and are required to comply with the customer and consumer consent requirements in section 1694.
What are the clock requirements for pool controls?
Section 1693(b)(2)(B) of Title 20states that pool controls shall have the ability to retain system settings, automatically synchronize to local time, and provide local manual control of the pool filter pump and other pool equipment’s start and stop operations. In addition, pool controls shall support setup, selection, and update of its operating schedule via a user interface. The user interface may be located on a separate device that can communicate with the pool control.
What is the required default operating schedule for pool controls?
Pool controls shall have a default operating schedule that starts no earlier than 9 a.m. and finishes no later than 3 p.m. local time and that does not automatically operate the pool filter pump, pressure cleaner booster pump, or electric pool heater between the “peak hours” of 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time, as specified in Section 1693(b)(2)(C).
Are there testing requirements for pool controls?
No, currently there are no testing requirements for pool controls
What are the customer and consumer notice and consent requirements?
As outlined in Section 1694 of Title 20, manufacturers shall include packaging materials that describe the device’s flexible demand capabilities. Manufacturers shall also provide information on the device’s flexible demand capabilities on the manufacturer’s website. In addition, manufacturers shall provide electronic consent functions for flexible demand capabilities, obtain consent prior to the collection of consumer data, and provide information on the manufacturer’s website describing the acceptable use policies of data collected by the device.
How do I certify?
Each manufacturer or the manufacturer’s third-party certifier shall electronically file with the Executive Director through the Flexible Appliance Database portal of the California Certification Database. The certification requirements are shown in Section 1695, and the data submittal requirements are specified in Section 1696 of Title 20.
What are the penalties for non-compliance?
Violations are subject to an administrative civil penalty not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for each violation each unit of the appliance is involved in.
Do these standards apply to existing pool systems?
The standards apply to all new pool controls sold, offered for sale, rented, imported, distributed, or leased for use in California and manufactured on or after September 29, 2025.
Where can I find a list of compliant products?
The California Energy Commission will maintain a list of all compliant flexible demand appliances on the CEC website via the Flexible Appliance Database section of the California Certification Database.
Who can I contact for more information?
For more information, please contact the Flexible Demand Appliance Standards team at flexdemandstandards@energy.ca.gov.
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