Sustainable refrigerator meets safety standard two years ahead of mandatory requirement

CSA Group, a leading global provider of testing and certification services and a standards development organization, announced today that Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte (BSH) achieved the first nationally recognized testing laboratory approval for a refrigerator designed to meet the new CSA Group standard for North America.  This is the first isobutane refrigerator certified under the new standard for North American markets and highlights both organizations’ commitment to sustainable energy and greener products.

BSH decided to have its isobutane refrigerator model, B11CB50SSS, certified to the new standard so that it would comply with Canadian, USA and Mexican standards ahead of the mandatory requirement in 2016. Isobutane refrigerators use a natural hydrocarbon refrigerant and are considered environmentally friendly. In addition, isobutane refrigerators are typically more efficient and have better energy performance than traditional hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants.

“CSA Group has a long history in the development of safety standards for flammable products and in testing and certification for North American markets,” said Dieter Fröhlich, CSA Group Country Manager, Germany. “We also offer services that cater to manufacturers entering new markets or developing new products. CSA Group is proud that companies like BSH have recognized our expertise and chosen us to provide testing and certification for their products.”

North American consumers are becoming more concerned about the environmental impact of the products they use, making the BSH refrigerator appealing. Because isobutane refrigerators are a relatively new product in the North American market, BSH wanted to ensure it met the new requirements from the beginning and came to CSA Group because of its expertise, services and understanding of the certification requirements.

CSA Group offers a Technical Information Service (TIS) for new products, revised products or products entering new markets to help the manufacturer understand the technical requirements and certifications needed for compliance. TIS helps ensure that products are evaluated and, if necessary, modified, before moving into the testing phase to help smooth the road to certification.

The evaluation took place over several visits and included the discussion of all technical topics and resolution of any issues before the final stage of testing.  To help ensure the success of this project, BSH in Giengen, Regensburg and Spain worked closely together with CSA Group. During the certification process CSA Group also performed a witnessed manufacturer’s testing for certification (WMTC) audit at BSH in Giengen. WMTC is a prerequisite for the acceptability of tests performed onsite and contributes to a more efficient testing and certification process.

“The high technical competence and customer friendly service approach of CSA Group helped us solve issues with the polymeric materials and other components quickly,” said Friedrich Arnold, BSH Group Manager, Development Mechanics Services Product Area Refrigeration.  “The requirements for the tri-national standard are slightly different from the European standard. To avoid expensive redesign shortly before the product launch, it is important to contact the certification service supplier near the beginning of the design stage to resolve issues early in the process.”

The BSH isobutane refrigerator has been certified under the new harmonized standard, CSA C22.2 no. 60335-2-24. Most refrigerator models for the North American market are still certified under the old bi-national standard, CSA C22.2 no. 63.  While progressing through the certification of the refrigerator, CSA Group also tested and certified the control unit to the appropriate safety standard CAN/CSA E60730-2-9.

Kay Funk, Strategic Account Manager CSA Group and Friedrich Arnold, Group Manager Development Mechanics Services Product Area Refrigeration

About CSA Group

CSA Group is an independent, not-for-profit member-based association dedicated to advancing safety, sustainability and social good. We are an internationally-accredited standards development and testing & certification organization. We also provide consumer product evaluation and education & training services. Our broad range of knowledge and expertise includes: industrial equipment, plumbing & construction, electro-medical & healthcare, appliances & gas, alternative energy, lighting and sustainability. The CSA mark appears on billions of products around the world.

Contact

Allison Hawkins
Manager, Corporate Affairs
CSA Group
416-747-2615
[email protected]