External power supplies

Energy Efficiency Regulations

Regulatory definition

External power supply,a single-voltage external power supply or a multiple-voltage external power supply that is designed to be used with a household or office end-use product that constitutes the primary load. It does not include

• a direct operation external power supply that has a nominal output voltage of less than 3 V and a nominal output current of 1 000 mA or more and that charges the battery of an end-use product that is fully or primarily motor-operated
• an indirect operation external power supply that has a nominal output power of greater than 250 W
• a device that powers the charger of a detachable battery pack of an end-use product
• a device that is an accessory to a medical device or
• a device that is solely designed to power solid-state lighting or a ceiling fan that has a direct current motor

Replacement external power supply, an external power supply that is marked as a replacement to be used with a specific end-use product that was manufactured before July 1, 2017

Security external power supply, an external power supply manufactured before July 1, 2017 that

• is designed to convert line voltage AC into lower voltage AC output
• has a nominal output power of 20 W or more and
• is designed for and marketed with equipment that operates continuously in on mode to perform any of the following principal functions:
  • to monitor, detect, record or provide notification of any intrusion on real property or immovables, or access to real property or immovables or physical assets
  • to provide notification of threats to personal safety resulting from an intrusion or access referred to above
  • to monitor, detect, record or provide notification of fire, gas, smoke, flooding or any other physical threats to real property or immovables, physical assets or personal safety or
  • to deter or control access to real property or immovables or physical assets or prevent the unauthorized removal of physical assets

It includes an external power supply for equipment that is designed and marketed with a built-in alarm or theft-deterrent feature and whose principal functions are those referred to above

Compliance date

External power supplies manufactured on or after July 1, 2017
Replacement external power supplies manufactured on or after July 1, 2013
Security external power supplies manufactured before July 1, 2017

For models manufactured prior, refer to the Regulations

Compliant product models

External power supplies as listed on NRCan’s searchable database

Testing standard

CSA C381.1-08, CSA C381.1-17, or Appendix Z to Subpart B, Part 430 of Title 10 to the United States Code of Federal Regulations, entitled Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of External Power Supplies

Energy efficiency standard

Direct operation external power supplies (other than replacement external power supplies) manufactured on or after July 1, 2017
Replacement external power supplies manufactured on or after February 10, 2020

	Nameplate output power (Pout)	Minimum average efficiency in active mode (expressed as a decimal)	Maximum power in no-load mode (W)
Single-voltage external ac-dc power supply, basic-voltage	Pout ≤ 1 W	≥ 0.5 x Pout + 0.16	≤ 0.100
	1 W < Pout ≤ 49 W	≥ 0.071 x ln(Pout) - 0.0014 x Pout + 0.67	≤ 0.100
	49 W < Pout ≤ 250 W	≥ 0.880	≤ 0.210
	Pout > 250 W	≥ 0.875	≤ 0.500
Single-voltage external ac-dc power supply, low-voltage	Pout ≤ 1 W	≥ 0.517 x Pout + 0.087	≤ 0.100
	1 W < Pout ≤ 49 W	≥ 0.0834 x ln(Pout) - 0.0014 x Pout + 0.609	≤ 0.100
	49 W < Pout ≤ 250 W	≥ 0.870	≤ 0.210
	Pout > 250 W	≥ 0.875	≤ 0.500
Single-voltage external ac-ac power supply, basic-voltage	Pout ≤ 1 W	≥ 0.5 x Pout + 0.16	≤ 0.210
	1 W < Pout ≤ 49 W	≥ 0.071 x ln(Pout) - 0.0014 x Pout + 0.67	≤ 0.210
	49 W < Pout ≤ 250 W	≥ 0.880	≤ 0.210
	Pout > 250 W	≥ 0.875	≤ 0.500
Single-voltage external ac-ac power supply, low-voltage	Pout ≤ 1 W	≥ 0.517 x Pout + 0.087	≤ 0.210
	1 W < Pout ≤ 49 W	≥ 0.0834 x ln(Pout) - 0.0014 x Pout + 0.609	≤ 0.210
	49 W < Pout ≤ 250 W	≥ 0.870	≤ 0.210
	Pout > 250 W	≥ 0.875	≤ 0.500
Multiple-voltage external power supply	Pout ≤ 1 W	≥ 0.497 x Pout + 0.067	≤ 0.300
	1 W < Pout ≤ 49 W	≥ 0.075 x ln(Pout) + 0.561	≤ 0.300
	Pout > 49 W	≥ 0.860	≤ 0.300

ln = natural logarithm
W = Watts

Indirect operation external power supplies (other than replacement external power supplies) manufactured on or after July 1, 2017
Replacement external power supplies manufactured on or after July 1, 2013 and before February 10, 2020

Nameplate output power (Pout)	Minimum average efficiency in active mode (expressed as a decimal)	Maximum power in no-load mode (W)  (not applicable to security EPS)
< 1 W	≥ 0.5 × Pout	≤ 0.5 W
≥ 1 W and ≤ 51 W	≥ 0.09 × ln (Pout) + 0.5	≤ 0.5 W
> 51 W and ≤ 250 W	≥ 0.85	≤ 0.5 W

ln = natural logarithm
W = Watts

Verification mark

For EPS, the use of a Roman numeral is accepted as an alternative to the energy efficiency verification mark if:

• it is labelled with a mark in accordance with the U.S. Department of Energy publication entitled “International Efficiency Marking Protocol for External Power Supplies”
• a certification body has verified the information related to the product’s energy performance that is provided
• it is labelled with the same model number as that used when the information was verified

Energy efficiency report requirements

• name of product
• brand name
• model number
• manufacturer
• name of the certification body or province whose verification mark will be on the product or its packaging
• whether a mathematical model as defined in the Regulations was used to generate any of the information provided below
• whether the product is a single-voltage external power supply or a multiple-voltage external power supply
• for each voltage output, its nominal output voltage at the highest and lowest settings and information that indicates whether that voltage is AC or DC
• its nominal output power, expressed in watts, at the highest and lowest power settings, if applicable
• its average efficiency at the highest and lowest power settings, if applicable
• its power in no-load mode, expressed in watts
• whether the product bears a verification mark
• the Roman numeral mark, if applicable
• name of the certification body who verified the information related to the product’s energy performance
• whether the product is a replacement external power supply or a security external power supply and, if it is one of those power supplies, the end-use product or equipment, as applicable, and the model number and brand of that end-use product or equipment

Download the energy efficiency reporting template.

This document does not constitute part of the Energy Efficiency Act (Act) or its associated regulations. This document is an administrative document that is intended to facilitate compliance by the regulated party with the Act and its associated regulations. This document is not intended to provide legal advice regarding the interpretation of the Act or its associated regulations. If a regulated party has questions about their legal obligations or responsibilities under the Act or its associated regulations, they should seek the advice of legal counsel.