Oxygen Concentrator HELL - RESOLVED

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Madalot
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Oxygen Concentrator HELL - RESOLVED

Post by Madalot » Sat Dec 20, 2014 11:28 am

I have been using an Invacare Perfecto 2 for close to five years. My RT was coming in early December and I mentioned to her that it was making a funky noise and asked if she would check it when she came.

Instead of doing that, she just put in an order to replace it. A guy showed up a few days later saying he was there to switch it out. Fine.

The 2nd concentrator was noisier and worse than the first! It was horrible. So, they called this time and said they would change it out. Which they did.

The 3rd one was okay, but the alarm wouldn't sound when it was turned on. I told my RT I didn't care but she said it needed to be switched out again.

Guy comes yesterday to bring me a 4th concentrator and I did notice it was a different kind. But, I was busy with both my children here (they don't get along) and didn't see what the guy did.

Apparently, they brought a DeVilBliss this time and the hookups are different. Guy didn't bother saying anything -- just left it sitting on the floor. We found it at 5pm. I spent 45 minutes on the phone to find someone to help us. Finally, somebody calls us at 7:30 and said that we should have a "kit" that would contain an adapter that we need. Sure enough, hubby found it and got it all hooked up. Sounds good, right?

OMG -- this DeVilBliss is HORRIBLE. It's 10x louder than my original Invacare (or the 2 replacements they brought) plus it does this nice little "beep beep" ALL NIGHT LONG.

I went to bed at 10:30 and 2:15, said "Screw This!!" Took me forever to find the switch in the dark, but I finally got it turned off.

I mean -- who in their right mind designs these things with people that are going to sleep on them? It's got the most obnoxious BEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPP when you turn it on, but they all do. But "beep beep" ALL NIGHT LONG? Seriously?

Okay -- I feel better getting that off my chest but there is no way in hell I can try to sleep with that thing like that. And naturally, it's Saturday -- before Christmas. I'm pretty much screwed I do believe.

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Last edited by Madalot on Sat Dec 27, 2014 1:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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chunkyfrog
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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by chunkyfrog » Sat Dec 20, 2014 11:37 am

Isn't oxygen service 24/7? I thought it was the law.

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Madalot
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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by Madalot » Sat Dec 20, 2014 11:52 am

chunkyfrog wrote:Isn't oxygen service 24/7? I thought it was the law.
Yes, but I feel like that brought this POS because they felt like I was complaining too much about the noise. All I did was ask her to CHECK my concentrator to make sure it was okay. I didn't ask that it be replaced and even the 3rd one, I was okay with it. She wasn't.

I'm sure it's working fine. But in what world do you make these things go "beep beep" constantly? I mean, it's stupid as hell to expect people to be able to sleep over that. The regular noises these things are bad enough, but you can sleep over that. Not that stupid beeping though. It's not something that can be considered "white noise."

And I so desperately NEEDED a good night's sleep last night. I was tired and stressed and NEEDED rest. And I didn't get it. I'm trying to get ready for xmas, have two children home for the first time in two years (for xmas) and they don't speak to each other. I need my rest to cope with this.

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palerider
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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by palerider » Sat Dec 20, 2014 12:50 pm

Madalot wrote:
chunkyfrog wrote:Isn't oxygen service 24/7? I thought it was the law.
Yes, but I feel like that brought this POS because they felt like I was complaining too much about the noise. All I did was ask her to CHECK my concentrator to make sure it was okay. I didn't ask that it be replaced and even the 3rd one, I was okay with it. She wasn't.
the quietest machines are supposed to be the invacare perfecto2, (which we have here) and the respironics everflowQ.

I suggest you call 'em up and quietly demand that they bring you one or the other of those.

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Madalot
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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by Madalot » Sat Dec 20, 2014 2:24 pm

palerider wrote:
Madalot wrote:
chunkyfrog wrote:Isn't oxygen service 24/7? I thought it was the law.
Yes, but I feel like that brought this POS because they felt like I was complaining too much about the noise. All I did was ask her to CHECK my concentrator to make sure it was okay. I didn't ask that it be replaced and even the 3rd one, I was okay with it. She wasn't.
the quietest machines are supposed to be the invacare perfecto2, (which we have here) and the respironics everflowQ.

I suggest you call 'em up and quietly demand that they bring you one or the other of those.
I'm too tired today to screw with it. I'm going to try it again tonight and see if I can sleep through it. If not, I'll call them tomorrow or Monday and politely request (yeah, right) they bring me back one of the Invacare Perfecto2's.

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palerider
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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by palerider » Sat Dec 20, 2014 3:51 pm

Madalot wrote:
palerider wrote:
Madalot wrote:
chunkyfrog wrote:Isn't oxygen service 24/7? I thought it was the law.
Yes, but I feel like that brought this POS because they felt like I was complaining too much about the noise. All I did was ask her to CHECK my concentrator to make sure it was okay. I didn't ask that it be replaced and even the 3rd one, I was okay with it. She wasn't.
the quietest machines are supposed to be the invacare perfecto2, (which we have here) and the respironics everflowQ.

I suggest you call 'em up and quietly demand that they bring you one or the other of those.
I'm too tired today to screw with it. I'm going to try it again tonight and see if I can sleep through it. If not, I'll call them tomorrow or Monday and politely request (yeah, right) they bring me back one of the Invacare Perfecto2's.
if you've got a long enough hose, move it outside the room...

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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by aytikvjo » Sat Dec 20, 2014 6:33 pm

palerider wrote:
if you've got a long enough hose, move it outside the room...
This is the best solution for now. They make hoses that are many many meters long. Just make sure that after you have attached the hose, that your flow rate is at the prescribed value. When you add on such a long line, the flow resistance increases dramatically so if you were at X lpm for a 6ft hose it will be far less for a 50 ft hose. All you have to do is turn up the dial until the flow rate is back where it should be. Note that sometimes they tighten a set screw on the dial so that the patient can't change the flow rate.

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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by Goofproof » Sat Dec 20, 2014 8:45 pm

aytikvjo wrote:
palerider wrote:
if you've got a long enough hose, move it outside the room...
This is the best solution for now. They make hoses that are many many meters long. Just make sure that after you have attached the hose, that your flow rate is at the prescribed value. When you add on such a long line, the flow resistance increases dramatically so if you were at X lpm for a 6ft hose it will be far less for a 50 ft hose. All you have to do is turn up the dial until the flow rate is back where it should be. Note that sometimes they tighten a set screw on the dial so that the patient can't change the flow rate.
FAULTY INFO ANSWER: The machines are made to handle a 50 foot hose. Adjusting the flow rate should be the same at any length up to 50 ft, as you are controling the flow. Adjust the flow with mask on and xpap machine running.....

The beep-beep could be caused by a kink in the hose or restriction, I had chair sitting on mine once.

When answering post, it's nice to use correct info. Jim
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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by palerider » Sat Dec 20, 2014 9:19 pm

Goofproof wrote:
aytikvjo wrote:. All you have to do is turn up the dial until the flow rate is back where it should be. Note that sometimes they tighten a set screw on the dial so that the patient can't change the flow rate.
FAULTY INFO ANSWER: The machines are made to handle a 50 foot hose. Adjusting the flow rate should be the same at any length up to 50 ft, as you are controling the flow. Adjust the flow with mask on and xpap machine running.....
I believe he's referring to the fact that 50 feet of hose will have more back pressure than 6 feet of it, and thus you may need to adjust the flow control knob to make sure that the flow is still what is desired... of course the machine can handle it, but it IS a manual adjustment
Goofproof wrote: When answering post, it's nice to use correct info. Jim
isn't it, though.

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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by 7sUp » Sat Dec 20, 2014 9:24 pm

If you want quiet, request an Airsep VisionAire, it's small and extremely quiet. The Philips Respironics Everflo is also very quiet, but I've found they're not as reliable as some of the other machines. I'm a tech for a DME company, if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by aytikvjo » Sat Dec 20, 2014 9:44 pm

palerider wrote:
Goofproof wrote:
aytikvjo wrote:. All you have to do is turn up the dial until the flow rate is back where it should be. Note that sometimes they tighten a set screw on the dial so that the patient can't change the flow rate.
FAULTY INFO ANSWER: The machines are made to handle a 50 foot hose. Adjusting the flow rate should be the same at any length up to 50 ft, as you are controling the flow. Adjust the flow with mask on and xpap machine running.....
I believe he's referring to the fact that 50 feet of hose will have more back pressure than 6 feet of it, and thus you may need to adjust the flow control knob to make sure that the flow is still what is desired... of course the machine can handle it, but it IS a manual adjustment
Goofproof wrote: When answering post, it's nice to use correct info. Jim
isn't it, though.
Precisely as Palerider says. Sorry, I tried to make that as clear as possible.

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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by palerider » Sat Dec 20, 2014 10:05 pm

7sUp wrote:If you want quiet, request an Airsep VisionAire, it's small and extremely quiet. The Philips Respironics Everflo is also very quiet, but I've found they're not as reliable as some of the other machines. I'm a tech for a DME company, if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.
how do they compare to the perfecto2 price and reliablity wise?

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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by chunkyfrog » Sat Dec 20, 2014 10:29 pm

All this talk of long hoses--(((giggle)))

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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by Goofproof » Sat Dec 20, 2014 10:37 pm

I have found older bigger machines last longer, but make more noise and use more electric, newer ones are smaller, quieter, and run cheaper, for less time.

I'm on my 5th unit from Lincare, number 2 and 3 were cheaper, smaller and both defective. I'm back to big and noisy... contrary to the Dr I boosted it to 3 lpm from two, to make up for the added loss from the mask vent. I keep the bedroom door closed, that makes the room air even more O2. Jim

50 ft, look maw, no hands!
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Madalot
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Re: Oxygen Concentrator HELL

Post by Madalot » Sun Dec 21, 2014 8:27 am

For a variety of reasons, it's not feasible to move the machine outside the room. I gave it another go last night and the "beep beep" was more of a musical "la ti da" -- all night long. Whether it was better or I was just too tired, I slept better. I woke up a lot and several times wondered WTF that noise was, then realized it was the machine. The pumping sound it makes sounds a lot like my cats vomiting so I found that a bit distracting thinking a cat was puking next to my bed, but I did manage to get a reasonably decent night's rest.

If I have time tomorrow, I'm going to call the DME and ask them why they would bring me this thing over another Invacare Perfecto2 and tell the guy that it wasn't ME the asking for the original or third machine to be switched out. I suspect I'm stuck with this POS until after Christmas, plus we have told them that under no circumstances are they to send that idiot courier to our house ever again.

Truth be told, the numbers say I don't have to have the oxygen. But I FEEL better if I've slept with it. I have an appointment with my Pulmonologist on Tuesday and will talk to him, but I hate to get rid of it and find that I feel like dog crap every day.

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