Beginning July 19, 2021, dedicated-purpose pool pump (DPPP) manufacturers are required to use the federal test procedure and federal standards. The federal test procedure can be found at 10 CFR 431.464 –Appendix C to Subpart Y of Part 431. The new federal standards can be found at 10 C.F.R. section 431.465. Below is a list of frequently asked questions, guidance related to the amended test procedure, and how it interacts with California standards. 

If clarification is needed contact the Appliance Efficiency Program. 

Yes. Models of residential pool pump and motor combinations that were certified as compliant to the federal test procedure standard before July 19, 2021, can still be sold in California after the effective date, and will be displayed in the archived section of the Modernized Appliance Efficiency Database System (MAEDbS). 

Dedicated-purpose pool pumps in scope include: 

  1. Pumps with efficiency and prescriptive requirements:
    1. Self-priming pool filter pumps
    2. Non-self-priming pool filter pumps
    3. Pressure cleaner booster pumps
  2. Pumps with only prescriptive requirements
    1. Waterfall pumps
    2. Integral sand filter pool pumps
    3. Integral cartridge filter pool pumps
  3. Pumps that are defined but not regulated
    1. Storable electric spa pumps
    2. Rigid electric spa pumps

Definitions

The definitions are located in the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 20, section 1602(g). Some important definitions include: 

  • “Basket strainer” means a perforated or otherwise porous receptacle, mounted within a housing on the suction side of a pump that prevents solid debris from entering a pump. The basket strainer receptacle is capable of passing spherical solids of 1 millimeter (mm) in diameter and can be removed by hand or using only simple tools such as a screwdriver, pliers, or an open-ended wrench.
  • “Dedicated-purpose pool pump” comprises self-priming pool filter pumps, non-self-priming pool filter pumps, waterfall pumps, pressure cleaner booster pumps, integral sand-filter pool pumps, integral-cartridge filter pool pumps, storable electric spa pumps, and rigid electric spa pumps.
  • “Dedicated-purpose pool pump service factor” means a multiplier applied to the rated horsepower of a pump motor to indicate the percent above nameplate horsepower at which the motor can operate continuously without exceeding its allowable insulation class temperature limit.
  • “Dedicated-purpose pool pump motor total horsepower” means the product of the dedicated-purpose pool pump nominal motor horsepower and the dedicated-purpose pool pump service factor of a motor used on a dedicated-purpose pool pump based on the maximum continuous duty motor power output rating allowable for the motor’s nameplate ambient rating and insulation class.
  • “Designed and marketed” means that the equipment is designed to fulfill the indicated application and, when distributed in commerce, is designated and marketed for that application, with the designation on the packaging or any publicly available documents such as product literature, catalogs, and packaging labels.
  • “Freeze protection control” means a pool pump or replacement motor control that, at a certain ambient temperature, turns on the dedicated-purpose pool pump or replacement motor to circulate water for a period of time to prevent the pool and water in plumbing from freezing.
  • “Integral” means a part of the device that cannot be removed without compromising the device’s function or destroying the physical integrity of the unit.
  • “Integral cartridge-filter pool pump” means a pump that requires a removable cartridge filter, installed on the suction side of the pump, for operation, and the cartridge filter cannot be bypassed.
  • “Integral sand-filter pool pump” means a pump distributed in commerce with a sand filter that cannot be bypassed.
  • “Non-self-priming pool filter pump” means a pool filter pump that is not certified under NSF/ANSI 50–2015, “Equipment for Swimming Pools, Spas, Hot Tubs and Other Recreational Water Facilities", to be self-priming and is not capable of re-priming to a vertical lift of at least five feet with a true priming time less than or equal to 10 minutes, when tested in accordance with section 1604(g)(4)(B) of this Article, and is not a waterfall pump.
  • “Pool filter pump” means an end suction pump that: ​
    1. either includes an integrated basket strainer; or does not include an integrated basket strainer, but requires a basket strainer for operation, as stated in manufacturer literature provided with the pump.​ 
    2. may be distributed in commerce connected to, or packaged with, a sand filter, removable cartridge filter, or other filtration accessory, provided that the filtration accessory is connected with consumer-removable connections that allow the filtration accessory to be bypassed.
  • “Pool pump timer” means a pool pump control that automatically turns off a dedicated-purpose pool pump after a run-time of no longer than 10 hours.
  • “Pressure cleaner booster pump” means an end suction dry rotor pump designed and marketed for pressure-side pool cleaner applications, and which may be UL listed under UL 1081–2016.
  • “Removable cartridge filter” means a filter component with fixed dimensions that captures and removes suspended particles from water flowing through the unit. The removable cartridge filter is not capable of passing spherical solids of one millimeter in diameter or greater, and can be removed from the filter housing by hand or using only a simple tool such as a screwdriver, plier, or open-ended wrench.
  • “Rigid electric spa pump” means an end suction pump that does not contain an integrated basket strainer or require a basket strainer for operation as stated in manufacturer literature provided with the pump and that meets the following three criteria:
    1. Is assembled with four through bolts that hold the motor rear endplate, rear bearing, rotor, front bearing, front endplate, and the bare pump together as an integral unit.
    2. Is constructed with buttress threads at the inlet and discharge of the bare pump.
    3. Uses a casing or volute and connections constructed of a non-metallic material.
  • “Sand filter” means a device designed to filter water through sand or an alternate sand-type media.
  • “Self-priming pool filter pump” means a pool filter pump that is certified under NSF/ANSI 50–2015, to be self-priming or is capable of re-priming to a vertical lift of at least 5.0 feet with a true priming time less than or equal to 10 minutes, when tested with section 1604(g)(4)(B) of this Article, and is not a waterfall pump.
  • “Storable electric spa pump” means a pump that is distributed in commerce with the following:
    1. An integral heater.
    2. An integral air pump.
  • “Submersible pump” means a pump that is designed to be operated with the motor and bare pump fully submerged in the pumped liquid. 
  • “Waterfall pump” means a pool filter pump with a certified maximum head less than or equal to 30 feet, and a maximum speed less than or equal to 1,800 revolutions per minute.

Testing

The test method is specified in the California Code  of Regulations, Title 20, Section 1604(g)(3)(B) which states: 

The test method for dedicated-purpose pool pumps manufactured on or after July 19, 2021 and served by single-phase or polyphase input power, is 10 C.F.R. 431.464(b) (Appendix C to subpart Y of part 431) 

Weighted energy factor (WEF) is a new metric, defined as the ratio of the pump water flow to the pump input power at one or more load points. The load points are selected depending on the specific dedicated-purpose pool pump equipment class and speed configuration. The method to calculate the WEF is shown in 10 CFR 431 Appendix C to Subpart Y of Part 431. 

Efficiency Standards

The new standards are located in CCR, Title 20, Section 1605.1(g)(7). 

(A) For the purposes of 1605.1(g)(7)(B) of this Article, “WEF” means the weighted energy factor and “hhp” means the rated hydraulic horsepower, as determined in accordance with the test procedure in section 1604(g)(4)(B) of this Article and applicable sampling plans in 10 C.F.R. section 429.59. 

(B) Each dedicated-purpose pool pump that is not a submersible pump and is manufactured on or after July 19, 2021, shall have a WEF rating that is not less than the value calculated from Table G-3 in section 1605.1(g)(7)(B) of this Article: 

Efficiency standards for dedicated-purpose pool pump in title 20 section 1605(g)(7)

(C) Each integral cartridge-filter pool pump and integral sand-filter pool pump that is manufactured on or after July 19, 2021, shall be distributed in commerce with a pool pump timer that is either integral to the pump or a separate component that is shipped with the pump. 

(D) For all dedicated-purpose pool pumps manufactured on or after July 19, 2021, with freeze protection controls, the pump shall be shipped with freeze protection disabled or with all of the following default, user-adjustable settings: 

1. The default dry-bulb air temperature setting shall be no greater than 40oF. 

2. The default run time setting shall be no greater than 1 hour (before the temperature is rechecked). 

3. The default motor speed shall not be more than one half of the maximum available speed. 

(E) Waterfall pumps. There is no energy efficiency standard for waterfall pumps. See 1605.1(g)(7)(D) of this Article for energy design standards for waterfall pumps with freeze protection controls. 

Certification and Marking

Yes, a manufacturer must certify dedicated-purpose pool pumps to sell or offer for sale in California. 

Yes. Models that were certified as compliant to the standard and manufactured before July 19, 2021, can still be sold in California after the compliance date, and will be displayed in the archived section of the MAEDbS. 

The certification packet is located at the pool products page.

In addition to the marking requirements in Section 1607(b), requiring products to be physically marked with manufacturer name, brand name, or trademark; model number; and date of manufacture, DPPP have additional marking requirements in Section 1607(d)(2)(Table Y): 

Unless otherwise specified in the table below (Table Y), each unit of a listed federally regulated commercial and industrial appliance shall be marked, permanently and legibly on an accessible and conspicuous place on the unit, with the applicable energy performance information shown in Table Y, and such information shall also be included on all printed material that is displayed or distributed at the point of sale. 

Marking requirements in Title 20 section 1607(d)(2) Table Y

Yes. Since warranties replace the pumps, and do not offer them for sale, they can be used to replace old pumps of the same model.

Contact

Appliance Efficiency Program
appliances@energy.ca.gov
Toll-free in California: 888-838-1467
Outside California: 916-651-7100