Addenda to American National Standard for Portable Refrigerators For Use With HD-5 Propane Gas

ANSI Z21.74a-2010: Addenda to American National Standard for Portable Refrigerators For Use With HD-5 Propane Gas

For engineers and product developers working with portable propane-powered refrigeration units, understanding regulatory compliance and performance benchmarks is paramount. ANSI Z21.74a-2010 provides an essential update, ensuring these devices meet stringent safety and performance standards when operating with HD-5 propane gas. This addendum offers critical guidance for designing, testing, and certifying these appliances, safeguarding both users and their surroundings.

What is ANSI Z21.74a-2010?

ANSI Z21.74a-2010 is an addendum to the American National Standard for Portable Refrigerators for Use With HD-5 Propane Gas. Developed by CSA America, Inc. and approved by ANSI, this standard specifically addresses performance criteria and testing methodologies for these appliances. Its primary purpose is to update and supersede provisions within the existing Z21.74 standard, ensuring continued safety and reliability in the operation of portable propane refrigerators.

Scope & Purpose

This addendum governs the performance testing of portable refrigerators designed to operate using HD-5 propane gas. It outlines specific test procedures for evaluating critical operational parameters, particularly concerning heat dissipation and surface temperatures. The standard focuses on ensuring that the external surfaces of these appliances, as well as adjacent combustible materials, do not reach hazardous temperatures during operation under defined conditions. It does not cover the internal refrigeration mechanisms themselves beyond their impact on external temperatures, nor does it address fuel storage or general appliance structural integrity unless directly related to thermal performance.

Who Must Comply?

• • Primary audience: Standards Engineers, Test Engineers, Product Safety Engineers, Compliance Officers, and Mechanical Designers involved in the development and certification of portable gas appliances.
• • Industries affected: Appliance Manufacturing, Gas Industry, Outdoor Equipment, Recreational Vehicle (RV) Manufacturing, and Camping/Outdoor Gear.
• • Compliance nature: While often voluntary for market access, compliance is frequently a requirement by retailers, distributors, and insurance providers, making it practically mandatory for commercial viability.
• • Enforcement: Compliance is typically verified through third-party testing laboratories accredited to perform evaluations against ANSI standards. Regulatory bodies may also reference these standards in their safety mandates.

Key Requirements Overview

The addendum introduces rigorous testing protocols for evaluating thermal performance. Key provisions include:

• • The standard requires precise measurement of external wall, floor, and ceiling temperatures of the appliance under specific operating and environmental conditions.
• • Professionals must ensure that adjacent combustible materials do not exceed a defined temperature threshold above ambient room temperature during testing.
• • Key provisions include detailed methodologies for thermocouple placement and attachment to accurately capture surface temperatures.
• • Specific test room temperature monitoring and correction factor calculations are mandated to account for variations in ambient conditions.
• • The standard also details requirements for assessing the temperature of electrical insulation, both inside and outside the refrigerated compartments, under varying operational modes.

Related Standards & References

ANSI Z21.74a-2010 complements other standards within the ANSI Z21 series, such as the foundational ANSI Z21.74, which provides the overarching framework for portable refrigerators. Additionally, standards related to fuel gas safety and appliance construction, like those from the National Fire Protection Association