Bitzer has issued a warning about imitation oils found in Asia.

In Vietnam and Korea, it was found that counterfeiters partly disguised their imitations with Bitzer’s logo and name. These forgeries can lead to compressor breakdown unlike the firm’s original refrigeration oils.

Product pirates not only sell counterfeit compressors, they also bring low-quality oils onto the market. Bitzer recently discovered several fake oils in Vietnam where it claims a local company has been illegally selling containers with low-quality oil as original products from Bitzer. According to the label, the high-quality oils B320SH, BSE32, BSE170 and B100 should be in the containers. However, they contained oils of inferior quality whose chemical formulation differs greatly from the high quality of the originals.

Bitzer has investigated the counterfeiting and expressly warns customers against the possible risks associated with their use. The viscosity characteristics, moisture content and chemical formulation are very different from the original products, the company says.

Using the fake product can lead to insufficient lubrication of compressors, chemical reaction, destruction of elastomers and thus to great damage. In the imitation oil of the type BSE170, the moisture content exceeded the permissible values significantly. It was three times higher than the permissible value. High moisture content in polyolester oils like BSE170 is particularly critical because it leads to hydrolysis with the result of acid formation in the refrigerant circuit.  This in turn causes copper plating and thus damage of critical moving parts like roller bearings as well as possible motor burn-out. This can in consequence trigger very high costs for compressor exchange and measures for system dehydration and acid catching.

Original Bitzer lubricants feature lowest moisture content (lower than specified in standards) and specific properties optimised for Bitzer compressors. Their chemical compatibility is extensively tested including distinct compressor construction materials introduced for use with the latest low-GWP HFOs and HFO/HFC blends. Due to their specific tribological characteristics, Bitzer oils guarantee highest service life of the compressors. Bitzer refrigeration oils are subject to its quality assurance checks and are delivered in metal packages which allow no moisture to ingress, even after longer periods of storage. Furthermore, safety data sheets are available as standard in several languages for all Bitzer oils.

The specialist for refrigeration compressors condemns product piracy and warns customers against the associated risks. Customers who have concerns about the origin of their lubricant should contact their local representative for advice.