O2 concentrator was dying
The 5+ year old O2 concentrator that was providing my needed 2 LPM supplemental O2 recently started showing signs if reduced O2 %. The O2 concentrator was approved when I was using a straight CPAP machine. After I started using the P R Dreamstation purchased out of pocket two years ago my blood O2 saturation % improved and put me over the medicare/insurance threshold but still not to the level that my pulmonoligist was looking for and not to a level that my wife and I were comfortable with. So I set out to find a solution. After some research I purchased a Philips Resperonics EverFlo Q concentrator. I could have possibly persisted with insurance and gotten a replacement machine but decided to skip the insurance and DME complications and buy a machine of my own choosing. This is a whisper quiet machine and only weighs 31# and puts out less heat than others I have used. The local DMEs rent machines for $200/month. I paid $740 for the new machine including delivery. I post this information for whatever it is worth.
Stan
RE: O2 concentrator was dying
Have you replaced the filters lately you can order them online .
RE: O2 concentrator was dying
I also have a EverflowQ and just looked at it again.
It only has one easy to replace filter. I just looked
at mine and it's still almost clean but I have heard
they can get clogged. At least now they are easy to
replace. I had one old old machine that you had to take
the cover off just ot get to the darn filters but I shouldn't
complain about that old clunker as I found it in a Goodwill
store for $25 and with a $22 set of filters it worked for
about 3 years.
RE: O2 concentrator was dying
everflo needs maintenance, mainly to the compressor, if your % is falling it means its time, find someone and don't pay them more then $50 for it. Alternatively you can rotate the knob for more then 2 LPM, it has a max of 5LPM, so you just have to multiply the number by the % it shows to get the right amount each night.
EG. you need 2 LPM your % shows e.g. 70% purity so you'd need to set it to slightly below 3 LPM to get 2 LPM 100% purity.
RE: O2 concentrator was dying
Thanks EW and Crowtor, I agree with you both. The machine that croaked was a Visionaire by AirSep, a really good, very rugged machine but no longer in production. It had about seven or eight years on it based on 8 hours per night. When the amber low light started coming on intermittently I watched it. After a while, when the audible alarm started beeping I knew it was time or maybe past time to get a replacement. I just got the EverFlo so it will be a while before service is needed.
Stan
