Anyone use a medical oxygen concentrator

I've been needing a oxygen concentrator to ease an allergy condition. Since it wasn't a critical need I cheeped out and bought a used one. After I got it I wondered if it was creating oxygen and did some testing and it is. What bothers me is there doesn't seem to be much pressure coming through the hose. I read somewhere on another brand there should be about 20psi coming through the hose and it isn't. I've been around compressed air enough to know it's more like 1 or 2 psi. You can barely tell there is air going through it. Does this seem normal?

Did you put a gauge on it? Feel only works for c.f. i.e. flow. It could be 20 psi at very low flow. I know nothing of medical oxygen but I bet the old people who use it would have there wrinkles nearly blown off there face if it were 20psi at high flow like 20 or 30 cfm

I am very familiar with O2 concentrators. My late wife used O2 for the last 10 years she was alive. We also had 100# liquid tank in the garage and carried another 100# liquid tank in back of MINI van.

The settings on concentrator measures the # of liters of O2/min. You can easily check the calibration by simply using a 2 liter bottle. Fill bottle with water, turn upside down in kitchen sink that has water in it. Then set control to 2L/min. Insert hose in upside down bottle and it will take one minute for O2 to empty water from bottle.

People think O2 will explode, not so. You can buy a cheap SPO2 meter off amazon or ebay. The SPO2 meter is like those in Dr's office. It clamps to your finger and within seconds you get you readings, %O2 and heart rate.

This will tell you if you really need O2. Normally my O2 readings range from 98-99.

What some may not realize is once a Dr puts you on O2 full time, there is a good chance you will be on it for the rest of your life. The longer you are on O2, the more dependent you become and your settings on concentrator increase. IMHO if you don't need it, don't use it. Only use it as a last resort. I didn't need meters to tell me when my wife ran out O2 in her portable tank, her lips would turn purple and she had to sit. Too many times I had to run to the van and fill up her portable tank.

My doctor prescribed for me to use oxygen at night when I sleep so I'm not on it full time.

Thanks for the info on how to check the machine. I've never used one so I didn't know what to expect especially since I bought a used one.

To check for oxygen I took a freezer ziplock bag and filled it with O2 and took it outdoors and put a lit match to it. The bag lit up pretty good until there was a big enough hole in it the O2 was gone.

Personally I can't see the difference in my health the nights I use the concentrator and nights I don't. This is why I was wondering if the thing was working right. Interesting about getting dependent on it. My doctor never mentioned that at all.

mine is 1-2lbs and u can barely tell it's on!

Just a heads up in case you plan on flying with the concentrator. A month ago my 87 year old father was refused boarding a 2 hour flight because the airline said it was new policy that a person must have a copy with them of the doctor's order for the O2 concentrator plus at least one additional back-up battery. Apparently there has been emergency landings made due to the battery going dead mid-flight so definitely understandable policy. Wished he had been informed prior as it was a 2 hour drive to the airport, too. He did get a full refund but missed his granddaughter's wedding. Irony is the reason he has to have oxygen is due to his working on airplanes and from solvent use as an A&P mechanic over many years. Pulmonologist made him retire at age 84 -LOL.

Years ago before my pacemaker one dr put me on O2 . Using concentrator and long hose. I complained to my doctor son that dragging around that hose was a pain in the butt. His replay after a long pause, Dad if that hose is a pain I do believe you got it stuck in the wrong end.

My wife started out with O2 at night. Before O2, she would wake up and look like she had been drinking all night. She was very forgetful. She was losing brain cells due to lack of oxygen while sleeping. When sleeping her levels dropped way below normal. I don't recall her sleeping levels but far below normal.

Hope it all works for you.

My wife died of old age at 52. She started on oxygen at 42.

I do service on Invacare Concentrators about every six months, it sounds to me like yours is working fine. I can't recall without looking at the book what the psi is suppose to be but it isn't 20. 20 would blow your lungs up. Very low flow with high O2 saturation is what you want. If I think of it Monday I will look it up and let you know for sure what it is suppose to be. There are two filters inside that if dirty will restrict the flow. Depending on your make and model the big filter is easily accessible through an access door on the side or rear of machine. The small filter (called heap filter) you have to remove the outer case to access it. Both are available at most home medical services.

(quoted from post at 10:29:52 06/13/15) I do service on Invacare Concentrators about every six months, it sounds to me like yours is working fine. I can't recall without looking at the book what the psi is suppose to be but it isn't 20. 20 would blow your lungs up. Very low flow with high O2 saturation is what you want. If I think of it Monday I will look it up and let you know for sure what it is suppose to be. There are two filters inside that if dirty will restrict the flow. Depending on your make and model the big filter is easily accessible through an access door on the side or rear of machine. The small filter (called heap filter) you have to remove the outer case to access it. Both are available at most home medical services.

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ary, how much 'concentration' do they perform? Up to 28% from atmospheric 16% or what?

I am by no means an expert on these, but I have been performing maintenence on them since about 10 years ago. A really good machine will produce 98% O2. A good rule of thumb is anytying below 70% needs repair. Most of time that's just a dirty filter.

(quoted from post at 20:58:26 06/13/15) I am by no means an expert on these, but I have been performing maintenence on them since about 10 years ago. A really good machine will produce 98% O2. A good rule of thumb is anytying below 70% needs repair. Most of time that's just a dirty filter.

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hanks. Reason for asking is that I though humans could be harmed by 100% ox.??

Thanks for the info. I had to wonder if the thing was working right since you could barely tell it was pumping. This unit is a Invacare Platinum XL. I have cleaned the filters however I think the folks I bought the unit from had already done that. I bought it from a medical supply house that was going out of business. I got it for a hundred bucks.

In my case allergies are bringing on a sleep apnea condition which a couple times a year is severe enough it brings on seizures. There is just something in the air in North Texas that doesn't agree with me. Before it's said I have a business and my house and property is paid for so I can't go someplace else. Just too old to start over, I have to deal the air here.

I did the test yesterday with a 2L bottle of water and it took exactly one minute to displace two litters of water. I guess the machine is working just as it is suppose to.

Stephen,
I used to have allergies and sinus problems to a point I thought there were summer colds and winter colds. 15 years ago I had sinus surgery, no fun. Had a series of allergy tests to find out what triggered mind. Then I use salt water spray in a pressurized can. It works better than meds.

When certain pollens are bad, I keep all windows closed and run the AC. You may check in to electronic air filters. Find out what is inside your house that may trigger your allergies. Amish use hard wood instead of carpet. Feather pillows can be a source along with pets.

Good luck.

The older I get the less I rely on a DR telling me what's making me sick. Figure it out yourself, google symptoms, I like web Md and mayo clinic as my sources. Then get a Dr to run test to confirm. I had an issue that lasted 2 years, then I had to tell the Dr what test to run. Sure enough I was right.

(quoted from post at 18:27:17 06/15/15) Stephen,
I used to have allergies and sinus problems to a point I thought there were summer colds and winter colds. 15 years ago I had sinus surgery, no fun. Had a series of allergy tests to find out what triggered mind. Then I use salt water spray in a pressurized can. It works better than meds.

When certain pollens are bad, I keep all windows closed and run the AC. You may check in to electronic air filters. Find out what is inside your house that may trigger your allergies. Amish use hard wood instead of carpet. Feather pillows can be a source along with pets.

Good luck.

The older I get the less I rely on a DR telling me what's making me sick. Figure it out yourself, google symptoms, I like web Md and mayo clinic as my sources. Then get a Dr to run test to confirm. I had an issue that lasted 2 years, then I had to tell the Dr what test to run. Sure enough I was right.

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ell, Geo, Dr's always say they are 'practicing' medicine & there is a reason why. :roll:

I wish I could get their prices for practicing.

I was told Dr's only get it right half the time and God heals the other half. Problem is
Dr's don't have a clue who healed you. What other place would we pay for having our car
worked on and if mechanic wasn't successful we still paid what he charges.