Oxygen Concentrator Use On The Road

As I sit here waiting for my oxygen therapy supplies to be delivered for the first time, I would like to ask the question regarding oxygen concentrators and their use in motorhomes while traveling.  I know that I will have the option of using an oxygen bottle or the concentrator but it would seem that on a long trip the resupply of bottles might pose a problem whereas use of the concentrator would keep refills down to a minimum.  So I have a couple of questions for those who may be using this device in their motorhomes.

Do you recommend using the concentrator over a bottle when on an extended trip?  If you are using a concentrator, do you use it with the generator supplying power or can the inverter provide sufficient power to it? 

I am well aware of the fire danger of oxygen use and rarely use an open flame in the coach other than the LP for the refrigerator or infrequent LP use for the water heater.  Do you feel these flame sources would present a large danger of ignition of the oxygen - low level of use 2 L/M.

Thanks for any advice. I feel as if I am embarking on a new phase of life and only grudgingly admit that my time for oxygen therapy has come.  I have a lot to learn but my COPD has finally advanced to the level that I need to start on this course of correction in my lifestyle.  Thanks again.

Bill

Do you require a continuous-flow all the time or can you use an "impulse" flow from a portable oxygenator?  Diz started out with oxygen bottles but after one trip we realized the difficulties of that method.  His doctor recommended using an Inogen-three portable to use when traveling and it has been a life changer.  While on the road in the MH we could run the generator to power the main oxygenator but this portable allows us to simply plug it in to the 12v outlets.

Some good questions Bill.  My wife is in a similar situation, our first trial run we brought along two Oxygen bottles for back up. She also has an "ActiveOx" pulse concentrator that runs on a built in battery.  It is rechargeable by 110V AC or 12V DC.  We also brought the home concentrator that is big and only runs on 110V AC.  I use a CPAP and my wife has to use a Triolgy machine to sleep.

We don't have an Inverter yet, I am still trying to calculate how many watts we will need with the CPAP, Trilogy and Concentrator all running together.  I'll watch the thread along with you for more information.

"CX"

Bill N said:

.....................I am well aware of the fire danger of oxygen use and rarely use an open flame in the coach other than the LP for the refrigerator or infrequent LP use for the water heater.  Do you feel these flame sources would present a large danger of ignition of the oxygen - low level of use 2 L/M.

Thanks for any advice. I feel as if I am embarking on a new phase of life and only grudgingly admit that my time for oxygen therapy has come.  I have a lot to learn but my COPD has finally advanced to the level that I need to start on this course of correction in my lifestyle.  Thanks again.

Bill

Click to expand...

Oxygen is not flammable!  Only if you pointed the oxygen flow toward a flame would it cause a problem.  Even if it just released the oxygen onto the floor or the air, that would not be a problem unless it found a way to keep its concentration to a flame.   

I'm not sure how you would or could operate the concentrator so it would flow to the fridge flame or the water heater flame or even the gas stove/oven.

ConductorX said:

Some good questions Bill.  My wife is in a similar situation, our first trial run we brought along two Oxygen bottles for back up. She also has an "ActiveOx" pulse concentrator that runs on a built in battery.  It is rechargeable by 110V AC or 12V DC.  We also brought the home concentrator that is big and only runs on 110V AC.  I use a CPAP and my wife has to use a Triolgy machine to sleep.

We don't have an Inverter yet, I am still trying to calculate how many watts we will need with the CPAP, Trilogy and Concentrator all running together.  I'll watch the thread along with you for more information.

"CX"

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If you leave the heater for the humidifier off on the CPAP they use very little power.  My wife's CPAP uses about 1 amp with the heater off.  If the heater is on it uses about 5 amps when heating. 

From my background as a hospital RN, I can say that I would be more concerned about oxygen cylinders falling over from sudden movement or instability.  It would be VERY important to make sure they are secured COMPLETELY, especially when underway, because the pressurized cylinders can become basically a torpedo-like projectile if they fall over and the regulator breaks off.  This is a real hazard that has been known to injure and kill.

If you can use a concentrator reliably, that would be my first choice.  And that also gives you some reassurance about your oxygen supply as you travel.  (A reliable generator would be an important thing to have as a backup energy source of course.)

When my dad went on oxygen, Hospice provided the big home concentrator AND cylinders.  The concentrator was his main source, and only used cylinders when away from home.  When my niece got married, my SIL had a concentrator and cylinders waiting in his hotel room.  Worked great.  Concentrator when possible, portable something when away from your base.

We had that issue.  Apria supplied a home concentrator and another unit (compressor) stacked on top to fill a smaller portable bottle, we had two.  We also had 4 or 6 of the longer portable tanks (E tanks I think) with a one bottle cart for portable, walk around use. 

To travel in the MH they supplied us with a metal rack that held the bottles vertically, which we placed on the floor behind the passenger seat, securing it to the seat with a cargo strap. 

The concentrator and compressor were more difficult to secure for travel...finally secured in bedroom around the corner from hallway.  Mostly we would travel using the 2 small portable bottles we could refill, but could also operate the concentrator using the generator.  Once we stopped for the day, with the slides out it was much easier to use the concentrator with shore or generator power, refilling the small bottles at the same time as they only last a couple of hours, depending on useage and you can quickly use up your bottles.  Think you will find you need to use the concentrator on the road ... maybe your supplier has a smaller concentrator to use for travel.

We never had to do it while traveling, but in theory we could call Apria to locate a place to swap out the E tanks.  Having said that I had a heck of a time trying to speak to a human when we returned the equipment.

The issue was solved by moving from Colorado to Minnesota, with the lower altitude the Oxygen is no longer needed. 

Howard and Kelly

Thanks to all who replied for some valuable information.  My oxygen arrived and has been set up with only one small disaster that required the supplier to return and replace a hose.  I have the Invocare concentrator and an Invocare tank filler on top of the concentrator.  Both are pretty heavy units.  I have 3 of the M-9 tanks (small but there is one smaller) for carry around purposes.  Take about 2.5 hours to fill and the company says they will last for 1.5 to 2 hours with the constant flow regulator.  They have put me in for an intermittent flow regulator (oxygen only flows on demand) which will stretch the life of the small tanks to about 5 hours.  I had a great first night - the noise was not any worse than the fan we already run to reduce outside noise and I managed not to strangle myself on the tubing.

From what the doctor has said I will not require the oxygen 24/7.  Definitely at night - 2L- and as required during the day for exertions.  My main problem is climbing any incline no matter how slight and carrying a heavy object - that really gets me huffing and puffing.  I do go to Pulmonary Rehab 3 days per week and, while exercising, use 3-4 L/M.

So thanks from this rookie for all the info.  I will definitely have to look into that portable concentrator as just the physical act of loading/unloading the concentrator into the coach will be enough to put me down for the count......lol  Add the tank fill to that and the problem only increases.  All further comments are definitely welcome.

Bill

AStravelers said:

Oxygen is not flammable!  Only if you pointed the oxygen flow toward a flame would it cause a problem.  Even if it just released the oxygen onto the floor or the air, that would not be a problem unless it found a way to keep its concentration to a flame.   

I'm not sure how you would or could operate the concentrator so it would flow to the fridge flame or the water heater flame or even the gas stove/oven.

Click to expand...

Al, you may be technically correct but it sure is in a concentrated form.  Here is an interesting quote from a local news story of a few days ago.  Note that the man died and he was only in an oxygen rich environment - not a direct flow.

(The fire official) said, "You don't want to bring a fire or a spark close to breathing oxygen because it's highly, it's going to start a fire."

It's what killed 70 year-old Ray Atkinson.

However, just taking off the oxygen mask and walking outside to smoke isn't enough to prevent injury.

According to officials heat from his lighter ignited the oxygen lingering in the room. The flames severely burned him. He was taken to the hospital earlier this month but never recovered. Atkinson died more than a week after the accident.

(The fire official) says this scenario is very common.

"When you're breathing on that oxygen for days and weeks on end then the oxygen, the excess ends up in your clothes. It can actually be radiating off and start a fire. It can be a higher concentration there which means it's going to catch fire that much easier," he said.

Fire officials say if you have to smoke around oxygen use extreme caution.

"We even recommend even putting on a smoking jacket something to contain that so that when you're outside smoking your clothing isn't going to burst into flames just because it's got that oxygen inside of it like that" 

After mulling throw the comments on this thread and trying to apply common sense, I think a portable concentrator will be the eventual answer but those little cuties are sure expensive.  Even for short trips to campgrounds within 100 miles, lugging the concentrator and tank fill into and out of the coach would be a chore for me and then finding a place to secure them would present another problem.  Lots of good info on YouTube on these devices but I appreciate the comments here because it is from folks who know the problem of traveling and needing the oxygen also.

Bill

My plan is to carry all of our equipment.  Because of the design of our MH it has space under the bathroom sink for the 110 VAC concentrator.  I plan to build a corral for it there.  My wife has to use a trilogy machine for therapy and sleeping is can easily take up all the space of a typical TV table.  I will build a corral for it on the night stand so it can't move around and I don't have to worry about it when driving.  My CPAP will go in a compartment under the bed and run the hose out by the edge of the mattress.  The portable concentrator is on my wife's chair and go with her.  Our back up O2 bottles will go into a storage rack and I am not sure where they will stay yet.

"CX"

Bill N said:

Al, you may be technically correct but it sure is in a concentrated form.  Here is an interesting quote from a local news story of a few days ago.  Note that the man died and he was only in an oxygen rich environment - not a direct flow.

(The fire official) said, "You don't want to bring a fire or a spark close to breathing oxygen because it's highly, it's going to start a fire."

It's what killed 70 year-old Ray Atkinson.

However, just taking off the oxygen mask and walking outside to smoke isn't enough to prevent injury.

According to officials heat from his lighter ignited the oxygen lingering in the room. The flames severely burned him. He was taken to the hospital earlier this month but never recovered. Atkinson died more than a week after the accident.

(The fire official) says this scenario is very common.

"When you're breathing on that oxygen for days and weeks on end then the oxygen, the excess ends up in your clothes. It can actually be radiating off and start a fire. It can be a higher concentration there which means it's going to catch fire that much easier," he said.

Fire officials say if you have to smoke around oxygen use extreme caution.

"We even recommend even putting on a smoking jacket something to contain that so that when you're outside smoking your clothing isn't going to burst into flames just because it's got that oxygen inside of it like that"

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Very interesting that they are saying the oxygen can collect in clothing, thereby making the cloth easier to catch on fire. 

AStravelers said:

If you leave the heater for the humidifier off on the CPAP they use very little power.  My wife's CPAP uses about 1 amp with the heater off.  If the heater is on it uses about 5 amps when heating.

Click to expand...

I just installed a 12V power outlet at my bedside and bought a 12V power supply for my ResMed CPAP.  While I generally use our RV in parks, it is nice to have the capability to run from batteries.  Perhaps I will turn the setting down on the humidfier when using it this way to minimize power draw. If your bedroom is on a slider keep in mind that such a power outlet will need to be built out to allow for the depth of the 12V oulet.

JoelP said:

I just installed a 12V power outlet at my bedside and bought a 12V power supply for my ResMed CPAP.  While I generally use our RV in parks, it is nice to have the capability to run from batteries.  Perhaps I will turn the setting down on the humidfier when using it this way to minimize power draw. If your bedroom is on a slider keep in mind that such a power outlet will need to be built out to allow for the depth of the 12V oulet.

Click to expand...

I just tapped into the 12V light at the head of the bed, ran a pig tail out with a 12V outlet on it, for the CPAP.

Do I recommend a concentrator or bottles.. Both actually. At least one bottle just in cuss (That's just in case the concentrator craps out on you when you need it) have enough Bottled to last 24 - 48 Hours so you can get to the nearest medical Supply for a new concentrator.

I think the company is Imogen.. Not sure of the spelling, they are advertising a portable unit heavily. And that is ALL I know about it.

Regarding Oxygen and fire.. While it is true that Oxygen itself is not "Flamable" it sure feeds the stuff that is.. Two things that are basically the same save for Speed is FIRE and RUST. Both are oxidation of a substance. Where as RUST is very very slow. (relative to fire) Fire is very very very fast. 

Take a burning substance.. Say Tobacco.. Light up your cancer stick in a normal atmosphere which is what 21% O2 and it burns slowly. Double the O2 and you have a blow torch in your fingers.

John From Detroit said:

Do I recommend a concentrator or bottles.. Both actually. At least one bottle just in cuss (That's just in case the concentrator craps out on you when you need it) have enough Bottled to last 24 - 48 Hours so you can get to the nearest medical Supply for a new concentrator.

I think the company is Imogen.. Not sure of the spelling, they are advertising a portable unit heavily. And that is ALL I know about it.

Regarding Oxygen and fire.. While it is true that Oxygen itself is not "Flamable" it sure feeds the stuff that is.. Two things that are basically the same save for Speed is FIRE and RUST. Both are oxidation of a substance. Where as RUST is very very slow. (relative to fire) Fire is very very very fast. 

Take a burning substance.. Say Tobacco.. Light up your cancer stick in a normal atmosphere which is what 21% O2 and it burns slowly. Double the O2 and you have a blow torch in your fingers.

Click to expand...

I found a couple of ads for the Inogen One #3 portable concentrator. Cost is about $2495.00.  Maybe I better start working out a plan to load the concentrator and tank filler.......lol  But that Inogen is sure a nice little unit.

Bill N said:

I found a couple of ads for the Inogen One #3 portable concentrator. Cost is about $2495.00.  Maybe I better start working out a plan to load the concentrator and tank filler.......lol  But that Inogen is sure a nice little unit.

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Don't know your age (that's your business) but if your Dr will prescribe it then Medicare will pick it up and TFL (I assume since you're ret AF) will pick up the rest.  Call Inogen and see what they can do for you - they took care of all the paperwork and are great to work with when Diz needs supplies or a replacement unit.  Good luck.  Note: We take both the large concentrator to use when plugged to shore power and the portable for use on the road and away from the MH.

Diz and Sue said:

Don't know your age (that's your business) but if your Dr will prescribe it then Medicare will pick it up and TFL (I assume since you're ret AF) will pick up the rest.  Call Inogen and see what they can do for you - they took care of all the paperwork and are great to work with when Diz needs supplies or a replacement unit.  Good luck.  Note: We take both the large concentrator to use when plugged to shore power and the portable for use on the road and away from the MH.

Click to expand...

Thanks Sue.  I did not think that Medicare (I am 78) and TFL would cover both the Invocare Concentrator/ Invocare Tank Fill AND a portable concentrator like the Inogen for travel.  If it takes my doctors prescription I am sure he would do so as he has been very helpful with insuring I have the necessary supplies for traveling.  I will look into it further.  I have found a couple of used concentrators on Craigslist - the lowest Inogen was $1500 and several of the standard size Invocare Concentrators are listed at between $250 and $300 which would seem to be a bargain but, of course, still the full size unit.  If I got one of those, it would stay in the coach of course . I will also call my current oxygen supplier to see what they can offer advice.  Thanks again.

Bill

We found an ActivOX for around $2700. It is tiny and the most portable unit we found. At the highest setting the battery will last 4 hours and it recharges from 12VDC or 110VAC.  Because my insurance is paying for bottles and a concentrator they won't pay for the portable unit.

Your results may vary.
"CX"