Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines Key Product Criteria

Qualification Criteria

Maximum Daily Energy Consumption (MDEC)
To qualify for ENERGY STAR, refrigerated beverage vending machines shall consume equal to or less than the MDEC values, in kWh/day, obtained using the equations below:

Class A – New and Rebuilt Machines: 0.0523V + 2.432
Class B – New and Rebuilt Machines: 0.0657V + 2.844

Where:
V = the refrigerated volume (ft 1) of the refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machine, as measured by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) HRF–1–2004, ‘‘Energy, Performance and Capacity of Household Refrigerators, Refrigerator-Freezers and Freezers.’’ Measurement of refrigerated volume must be in accordance with the methodology specified in Section 5.2, Total Refrigerated Volume (excluding subsections 5.2.2.2 through 5.2.2.4), of ANSI/AHAM HRF–1–20044 2.

Low Power Mode
The machine shall be capable of operating in at least one of the low power mode states described below:

  1. Lighting low power state – lights off for an extended period of time.
  2. Refrigeration low power state – the average beverage temperature is allowed to rise to 40°F or higher for an extended period of time.
  3. Whole machine low power state – the lights are off and the refrigeration operates in its low power state.

In addition, the machine shall be capable of returning itself back to its normal operating conditions at the conclusion of the inactivity period. The low power mode-related controls/software shall be capable of on-site adjustment by the vending operator or machine owner unless the low power controlling device is already preprogrammed when installed into the machine.

Test Requirements

When testing refrigerated beverage vending machines, the following test methods shall be used to determine ENERGY STAR qualification:

ENERGY STAR Requirement Test Method Reference
Table 1: Test Standards for ENERGY STAR Qualification
MDEC 10 CFR Part 431 Subpart Q, 10 CFR Part 431.294

Definitions

Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machine
A commercial refrigerator that cools bottled or canned beverages and dispenses the bottled or canned beverages on payment. Bottled or canned beverages are defined as “within a sealed container.”

  1. Class A Machine: A refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machine that is fully cooled, and is not a combination vending machine.
  2. Class B Machine: Any refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machine not considered to be Class A, and is not a combination vending machine.
  3. Combination Machine: A refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machine that also has non-refrigerated volumes for the purpose of vending other, non-“sealed beverage” merchandise. In this definition, “volume” refers to a separate, non-refrigerated compartment within the machine. A self-contained system designed to accept consumer payments and dispense bottled, canned, and other sealed beverages at appropriate temperatures without on-site labor intervention.

Rebuilt Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machine
A UL Listed or Classified refrigerated beverage vending machine that has been previously in use and subjected to various degrees of retrofitting, remanufacturing, refurbishing, repairing, or reconditioning for resale or reuse. For purposes of ENERGY STAR qualification, rebuilt model shall include the machine and energy efficiency components or kit installed to meet ENERGY STAR requirements.

Rebuilding Kit
A combination of components that may be installed in a previously used vending machine at a refurbishment center.

Basic Model 3
All units of a given type of covered product (or class thereof) manufactured by one manufacturer, having the same primary energy source, and which have essentially identical electrical, physical, and functional characteristics that affect energy consumption or energy efficiency.

Low Power Mode
The reduced power state of a refrigerated beverage vending machine during extended periods of inactivity.

Standard Product 4
The standard product shall be 12 oz (355 ml) cans for machines that are capable of dispensing 12 oz (355 ml) cans. For all other machines, the standard product shall be the product specified by the manufacturer as the standard product.

Vendible Capacity 5
The maximum quantity of standard product that can be dispensed from one full loading of the vending machine without further reload operations when used as recommended by the manufacturer.

1 Ibid

2 10 CFR Part 431.294.

3 10 CFR 431.292 of Subpart Q

4 ASHRAE Standard 32.1-2004, Methods of Testing for Rating Vending Machines for Bottled, Canned, and Other Sealed Beverages.

5 Ibid.