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Designation: D 5222 – 9800

Standard Specification for

High Fire-Point Mineral Electrical Insulating Oils1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 5222; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope
1.1 This specification describes a high fire-point mineral oil based insulating fluid, for use as a dielectric and cooling medium
in new and existing power and distribution electrical apparatus, such as transformers and switchgear.
1.2 High fire-point insulating oil differs from conventional mineral insulating oil by possessing a fire-point of at least 300°C.
High fire-point mineral insulating oils are also referred to as “less flammable” mineral insulating oils.This property is necessary
in order to comply with certain application requirements of the National Electrical Code (Article 450-23) or other agencies. The
material discussed in this specification is miscible with other petroleum based insulating oils. Mixing high fire-point liquids with
lower fire point hydrocarbon insulating oils (for example, Specification D 3487 mineral oil) may result in fire points of less than
300°C.
1.3 This specification is intended to define a high fire-point electrical mineral insulating oil that is compatible with typical
material of construction of existing apparatus and will satisfactorily maintain its functional characteristic in its application in this
application. The material described in this specification may not be miscible with electrical insulating liquids of non-petroleum
origin. The user should contact the manufacturer of the high fire-point insulating oil for guidance in this respect.
1.4 This specification applies only to new insulating material oil as received prior to any processing. Information on in-service

1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-27 on Electrical Insulating Liquids and Gases and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D27.01
on Mineral.
Current edition approved Oct. 10, 1998. 2000. Published January 1999.
Originally December 2000. Originally published as D 5222–92. Last previous edition D 5222–928.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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 D 5222 – 9800
maintenance testing is available in appropriate guides.2 The user should contact the manufacturers of the equipment or oil if
questions of recommended characteristics or maintenance procedures arise.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D 92 Test Method for Flash and Fire Points by Cleveland Open Cup3
D 97 Test Method for Pour Point of Petroleum Products3
D 117 Guide to Sampling Test Methods and Standard Practices for Electrical Insulating Oils of Petroleum Origin4
D 445 Test Method for Kinematic Viscosity of Transparent and Opaque Liquids3
D 611 Test Methods for Aniline Point and Mixed Aniline Point of Petroleum Products and Hydrocarbon Solvents3
D 664 Test Method for Acid Number of Petroleum Products by Potentiometric Titration3
D 877 Test Method for Dielectric Breakdown Voltage of Insulating Liquids Using Disk Electrodes4
D 878 Test Method for Inorganic Chlorides and Sulfates in Insulating Oils4
D 923 Test Method 923 Practices for Sampling Electrical Insulating Liquids4
D 924 Test Method for Dissipation Factor (or Power Factor) and Relative Permittivity (Dielectric Constant) of Electrical
Insulating Liquids4
D 971 Test Method for Interfacial Tension of Oil Against Water by the Ring Method4
D 974 Test Method for Acid and Base Number by Color-Indicator Titration3
D 1275 Test Method for Corrosive Sulfur in Electrical Insulating Oils4
D 1298 Practice for Density, Relative Density (Specific Gravity), or API Gravity of Crude Petroleum and Liquid Petroleum
Products by Hydrometer Method3
D 1500 Test Method for ASTM Color of Petroleum Products (ASTM Color Scale)3
D 1524 Test Method for Visual Examination of Used Electrical Insulating Oils of Petroleum Origin in the Field4
D 1533 Test Methods for Water in Insulating Liquids (Karl Fischer Method)4
D 2112 Test Method for Oxidation Stability of Inhibited Mineral Insulating Oil by Rotating Bomb4
D 2300 Test Method for Gassing of Insulating Oils Under Electrical Stress and Ionization (Modified Pirelli Method)4
D 2440 Test Method for Oxidation Stability of Mineral Insulating Oil4
D 2668 Test Method for 2,6-Ditertiary-Butyl Para-Cresol and 2,6-Ditertiary-Butyl Phenol in Electrical Insulating Oil by
Infrared Absorption4
D 2864 Terminology Relating to Electrical Insulating Liquids and Gases4
D 3487 Specification for Mineral Insulating Oil Used in Electrical Apparatus4
D 4059 Test Method for Analysis of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Insulating Liquids by Gas Chromatography4
D 4768 Test Method for Analysis of 2,6-Ditertiary-Butyl Para-Cresol and 2,6-Ditertiary-Butyl Phenol in Insulating Fluids by
Gas Chromatography4
2.2 National Fire Protection Association Standards:
National Electrical Code, Article 450-235
2.3 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standard:
C57.121 Guide for Acceptance and Maintenance of Less-Flammable Hydrocarbon Fluids and its Maintenance in Transformers6
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions of terms related to this specification are given in Terminology D 2864. Significance of tests related to this
specification can be found in Guide D 117 and Specification D 3487.
4. Sampling and Testing
4.1 Take all oil samples in accordance with Test Methods D 923.
4.2 Perform each test in accordance with the ASTM test method specified in Table 1.
NOTE 1—Because of the different needs of various users, items relating to packaging, labeling, and inspection are considered to be subject to
buyer-seller agreement.
NOTE 2—In addition to all other tests listed herein, it is sound engineering practice for the apparatus manufacturer to perform an evaluation of insulating
oils in insulation systems, prototype structures, or full-scale apparatus, or any combination thereof, to ensure suitable service life.

5. Property Requirements
5.1 High fire-point mineral insulating oil, as received, shall conform to the requirements of Table 1. The significance of these
properties is covered in Guide D 117.

2
Refer to American National Standard C57.121 IEEE Guide for Acceptance and Maintenance of Less Flammable Hydrocarbon Fluid in Transformers.
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 05.01.
4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 10.03.
5
Available from the National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269.
6
Available from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. 345 E. 47th St., New York, NY 10017-2394.

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 D 5222 – 9800
TABLE 1 Property Requirements for High Fire-Point Mineral
Insulating Oils, as Received
ASTM Test
Property Limit
Method
Physical:
Visual examination Bright and clear D 1524
Color, ASTM units, max. 2.5 D 1500
Fire point, °C, min. 300 D 92
Flash point, °C, min. 275 D 92
Aniline Point, °C, max. 125 D 611
Interfacial tension at 25 °C, mN/m, min. 40 D 971
Pour point, °C, max. −21 D 97
Relative density, 15 °C, max. 0.91 D 1298
Viscosity, kinematic, cSt, max. D 445
0 °C (32 °F) 2500
40 °C (104 °F) 130.0
100 °C (212 °F) 14.0
Electrical:
Dielectric breakdown voltage at 60 Hz
Disk electrodes, kV, min. 30 D 877

Gassing tendency, µl/min., max. +15 D 2300

(Procedure A)
Gassing tendency, µl/min., max. +30 D 2300

Dissipation factor at 60 Hz, %, max. D 924

25 °C 0.05
100 °C 0.30
Chemical:
Corrosive sulfur non-corrosive D 1275
Inorganic chlorides and sulfates non-detectable D 878
Acid number, mg KOH/g, max. 0.03 D 664 or D 974
Water content, ppm, max. 35 D 1533
Oxidation stability A72 h: D 2440
sludge, % by mass, max 0.15
acid number, mg KOH/g, max 0.30
Oxidation stability,A164 h
sludge, % by mass, max 0.30
acid number, mg KOH/g, max 0.60

Oxidation stability (rotating bomb), minA 195 D 2112

Oxidation inhibitor content, % by mass, 0.40 D 2668 or D 4768
max.
PCB content, ppm: non-detectable D 4059
A
The values for oxidation tests are typical requirements expected from a type II
oil (according to Specification D 3487). All the commercially available high
fire-point insulating liquid contained 0.4 % of antioxyidant.

6. Keywords
6.1 electrical insulating oil; fire point; flammability; insulating fluid; mineral insulating oil

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 D 5222 – 9800

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