Back to the Product
Download the Nu-Calgon Product Catalog.
These are mineral naphthenic lubricants manufactured by Calumet Lubricant Company and are available in three viscosities:
C-3 (RO15) = 150 SUS
C-4 (RO30) = 300 SUS
C-5 (RO50) = 500 SUS
These are specifically designed for today's high performance air conditioning and refrigeration compressors. These modern compressors run at higher speeds and generate higher temperatures so they require better lubrication. Use of these oils will insure continued efficient operation, providing the important properties required from an efficient refrigeration oil.
Using the proper grade of our refrigeration oil will insure continued efficient operation, providing the important properties required from an efficient refrigeration oil:
The basic purpose of refrigeration oil is to lubricate the moving parts in an air conditioning or refrigeration compressor. The refrigeration oil must function without maintenance or service at higher than usual temperatures for the life of the unit. It must also be miscible with the refrigerant while retaining its lubricant properties.
Nu-Calgon Wholesaler, Inc. refrigeration oils are designed to provide years of trouble-free service in refrigeration and air conditioning units. There is no finer refrigeration oil in the market today.
Small amounts of refrigeration oil are carried with the refrigerant through the entire system and are subject to very low temperatures. Poor low temperature solubility can cause the oil to separate from the refrigerant and form wax-like deposits which can clog the system. This is more critical in R22 and R502 systems than in R12 systems because R12 has much better oil solubility.
The "Floc Point Test" is used to determine low temperature performance. The floc point is determined by cooling a mixture of 10% oil and 90% R12 in a sealed tube. The mixture is observed at 5 degree increments for cloudiness due to flocculate formation.
Nu-Calgon Wholesaler, Inc. Refrigeration Oils combine excellent solubility with good floc and pour points to provide excellent low temperature characteristics.
Refrigeration oil must have both thermal and chemical stability. Thermal stability simply means resistance to high temperature. Chemical stability refers to the oil's ability to remain chemically stable in the presence of other components in the system at very high temperatures.
A test for refrigeration oil stability is the "fourteen day sealed tube test." Oil, Refrigerant 12 and Swedish steel are heated to 327°F in a pressure chamber. After 14 days, the amount of Refrigerant 22 that has developed from the breakdown of Refrigerant 12 is measured. The smaller the quantity formed, the better the stability of the oil.
Contamination problems are extremely critical in refining and handling refrigeration oils. Great care is used to insure that Nu-Calgon Wholesaler, Inc. Refrigeration Oils are free of moisture and noncondensables such as air. The same degree of care must be used by the service professional to make certain that oil remains clean and dry.
Here are some rules for handling refrigeration oil:
| GRADE | C-3s | C-4s | C-5s | |
| Property | Method* | |||
| Viscosity, SUS/100F | D2161 | 156 | 328 | 525 |
| Viscosity, SUS/210F | D2161 | 41 | 48 | 55.7 |
| Viscosity Index | D2270 | 18 | 36 | 37 |
| Viscosity, cs/100F | D445 | 33.0 | 65.8 | 113.4 |
| Viscosity, cs/210F | D445 | 4.56 | 6.67 | 8.9 |
| Flashpoint °F | D92 | 370 | 395 | 360 |
| Fire Point °F | D92 | 395 | 430 | 390 |
| Pour, F | D97 | -50 | -35 | -20 |
| Floc Point, °F | J-58** | -70 | -55 | -35 |
| Color | D1500 | L1.0 | L1.0 | 2.5 |
| Gravity, API | D287 | 25.0 | 25.6 | 21.5 |
| Pounds per Gallon | D1250 | 7.53 | 7.56 | 7.70 |
| Specific Gravity | D1250 | 0.904 | 0.910 | 0.925 |
| Total Acid No., mgKOH/g | D974 | nil | nil | nil |
| Water, PPM | D1533 | <17 | <25 | <25 |
| Dielectric Strength, KV | D877 | >35 | >35 | >30 |
| Sulfur, % | D129 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Conradson Carbon,% | D189 | Trace | Trace | 0.01 |
| Aniline Point, °F | D611 | 180 | 196 | 182 |
| Refractive Index | D1747 | 1.4965 | 1.4992 | 1.5070 |
| Sealed Tube, % R-22 3 Day | Elsey | 0.05 | 0.10 | — |
| Sealed Tube, % R-22 14 Day | 0.23 | 0.42 | — |
*ASTM unless otherwise specified
**Sun Method
C-3 MSDS Information
C-4 MSDS Information
C-5 MSDS Information
Refrigeration Oils - Product Bulletin