Manufacturers of clothes washers have independently determined that, beginning on or before April 30, 2011, they will voluntarily communicate capacity to consumers using only the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) clothes washer test procedure for drum volume calculations, including the most recent guidance on measuring drum volume, released by DOE during the summer of 2010.

The manufacturers who are choosing to communicate drum volume for non-energy purposes solely based on the DOE procedure, will not reference an “IEC equivalent” volume. This change will be applicable to all clothes washers sold as of that date regardless of when manufactured.

The participating manufacturers will communicate these capacities to retailers of washers and will encourage retailers to communicate washer capacities calculated in accordance with the DOE test procedure following the April 30, 2011 date.

The DOE procedure is currently used by all manufacturers to report energy and water consumption to DOE, and will be used in AHAM’s new energy verification program for clothes washers. The DOE procedure provides an accurate, uniform and repeatable measurement of drum volume for the purpose of calculating energy and water consumption for all clothes washer types, said AHAM.

Because of advances in clothes washer design, technology and efficiency, AHAM is also continuing development of a test procedure that may enhance the communication of useable washer capacity information, beyond volume, to the consumer when making a purchase decision among a wide variety of product choices.

The enhanced test procedure would provide more information to consumers regarding the quantity of clothes that can be effectively washed and rinsed in a single load. When completed, the test procedure would be voluntary; however, AHAM may present the test procedure to the Department of Energy (DOE) for proposed incorporation into the DOE’s test procedure for clothes washers.