GoAssured Blog
The Portable Oxygen Specialists
New Portable Oxygen Concentrators
10 May 2012Any patient who portable oxygen therapy has been using portable oxygen therapy for the last few years is very familiar with some of the more well known portable oxygen concentrators on the market. As a fan of new portable oxygen concentrators I enjoy very much when I get a sneak peak at the new offerings from the concentrator manufactures. Especially when the manufacturers are leaders in the field like Airsep, Philips Respironics, and Chart SeQual.
The most recent edition to thenew portable oxygen concentrators market has been the Philips Respironics SimplyGo. The SimplyGo will be replacing the wildly popular Philips Respironics Evergo portable concentrator. We took delivery of our first unit about a month ago and have gone through a battery of tests. The SimplyGo is a bit of a game changer as new portable oxygen concentrators go. You see the SimplyGo offers 2 LPM continuous oxygen and pulse settings to 6 at a weight of 11 pounds. You heard me, new portable oxygen concentrators capable of use with CPAP and BiPap devices nocturnally.
AirSep has long had world class new portable oxygen concentrators in the Freestyle even though the AirSep FreeStyle is a few years old. What has always made AirSep such a great company to deal with is the outstanding stateside service, everything is done in New York. With AirSep you get great battery life, excellent technical support, and a great compact portable oxygen concentrator. What improvements could Airsep make to new portable oxygen concentrators? Well how about a FreeStyle 5? Rumor has it the new portable oxygen concentrators from AirSep will be an improvement on greatness. Look for the new portable oxygen concentrators to weigh in just a little more than the current Freestyle with improved output, and settings of 1 – 5.
Chart SeQual is about due for new Portable Oxygen Concentrators as well. While the SeQual Eclipse 3 will continue to be improved upon, the rumor on the street is there are new Portable Oxygen Concentrators, which may be called the SeQual Equinox Portable Oxygen Concentrator, may be ready later this year. These new Portable Oxygen Concentrators will have all the same capabilities of the SeQual Eclipse 3, but the SeQual Equinox new portable oxygen concentrators will have a smaller profile and less weight.
As technology continues to improve with the new Portable Oxygen Concentrators as end users of oxygen we can’t be anything but happy. Whether the new Portable Oxygen Concentrators from Phillips Respironics, the SimplyGo will satisfy your oxygen therapy and travel needs, or the new Portable Oxygen Concentrators from Airsep, the FreeStyle 5 allows you the freedom to live a fuller life, we could not be more excited about these new offerings.
New Portable Oxygen Concentrators are always a great thing! SeQual Equinox, if that is your name, we are waiting for you!! Welcome New Portable Oxygen Concentrators!!
SeQual Eclipse 3 Portable Oxygen Concentrator Secrets
In: SeQual Eclpse
10 Feb 2012SeQual Eclipse 3 Portable Oxygen Concentrators have many built in advantages that are secret to many SeQual Eclipse 3 owners.
Much like the protective cover and keeping this SeQual Eclipse 3 protected from the environment, if you only look inside a SeQual Eclipse 3 you will find features other portable oxygen concentrators only dream of.
One hidden gem of the SeQual Eclipse 3 portable oxygen concentrator is the Pulse sensitivity setting.
The Pulse Settings on the SeQual Eclipse 3 has a range from 1.0 to 6.0 and three additional doses or setting equivalent to 128mL, 160mL, and 192mL
Typically the criteria to trigger a pulse of oxygen is a drop in cannula pressure below the trigger point, typically 0.15-0.45 cm of H20 of negative pressure. Meaning a breath through the cannula that was at least 0.15-0.45 cm of H20. Additionally, the SeQual Eclipse 3 has another criteria for the pulse to be triggered, and that is at least 1.25 seconds have passed since the last pulse began. Assuming the 2 Trigger Criteria for a pulse have been met, the SeQual Eclipse 3 will deliver the dose of oxygen.
The SeQual Eclipse 3 is always monitoring for breath detection, even when the unit is running in continuous mode. While in Pulse Mode, if the SeQual Eclipse 3 detects no breath after 15 seconds, the SeQual Eclipse 3 switches to delivering continuous flow oxygen at the last setting. After another 15 seconds have passed the SeQual Eclipse 3 will again monitor the patient for a breath. If a breath was detected, the SeQual Eclipse 3 will switch back to Pulse Dose mode. The SeQual Eclipse 3 will continue the operation until a breath is detected. This is a software improvement over first generation Eclipses that would change to continuous flow, but never change back.
The SeQual Eclipse 3 has the ability to change the sensitivity of the Pulse Trigger Criteria. Only the LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator has a similar ability in the Sleep / Activity Mode settings. The SeQual Eclipse 3 can have the Trigger Sensitivity adjusted to the individual patient.
With a SeQual Eclipse 3 the patient can adjust the Pulse Trigger Sensitivity to best suit his respiratory efforts. By default the PS or Pulse Sensitivity setting on the SeQual Eclipse 3 is 2.
The Choices for SeQual Eclipse 3 Pulse Sensitivity settings are 1, 2, and 3. Setting 1 being the MOST SENSITIVE and setting 3 being the LEAST SENSITIVE.
By depressing the No Smoking button on the control panel of the SeQual Eclipse 3, you access a secret operations area, the Provider Mode Area where you will find the PS, or Pulse Sensitivity settings.
Access the SeQual Eclipse 3 secret button by depressing the Cigarette with the circle and line through it.
Additionally, when depressing the secret button or Provider Mode button for the SeQual Eclipse 3, you will have access to other useful information. While most of this information is very useful to the Provider servicing your SeQual Eclipse 3, it does not hurt to know how many hours are on the unit.
In another post, we will go over the other functions included in the secret area of your SeQual Eclipse 3, they include:
- Alarm Code or codes present on the machine – a great tool for remote diagnosis of your SeQual Eclipse 3.
- Pulse Sensitivity
- Hours the SeQual Eclipse 3 has been operated, a great tool to identify the need to a PM
- The status of the little known but extremely important internal 9 volt battery.
- The Bolus Rise time (more on that later)
- The software version of the SeQual Eclipse 3 control board
- The software version of the SeQual Eclipse 3 power management board.
SeQual Eclipse 3 Portable Oxygen Concentrator
In: SeQual Eclpse
10 Feb 2012The SeQual Eclipse 3 Portable Oxygen Concentrator is the latest installment in the the SeQual Eclipse Portable Oxygen Concentrator series.
First introduced simply as the SeQual Eclipse, this portable oxygen concentrator was a unique entry to the oxygen therapy marketplace, let alone the portable oxygen concentrator marketplace. With military use in mind, SeQual developed a small portable oxygen concentrator that could run of standard AC power, DC power from a car, or even a battery.
With no other product to copy, SeQual’s efforts were in many respects, pioneering. As product development gave way to marketing and patient feedback, SeQual, as any good company would, improved upon their product.
As the SeQual Eclipse Portable Oxygen Concentrator worked a few years in the field SeQual identified some areas for improvement.
- Software designed to switch the portable concentrator from pulse mode to continuous mode was re-evaluated. The idea was sound enough, if the SeQual Eclipse Portable Oxygen Concentrator did not detect a patient breath during pulse mode, switch the patient to continuous mode. The only problem was, if the patient did not notice the switch, and manually change back to pulse, the unit might quickly exhaust the battery on continuous mode. Changes in subsequent versions of the SeQual Eclipse Portable Oxygen Concentrator allow the unit to check for a patient’s breath after it automatically switched to continuous mode, and change back to pulse.
- The AC Power cord plug was located on the lower side of the SeQual Eclipse Portable Oxygen Concentrator, with a twist off plug. Many of the SeQual Eclipse Portable Oxygen Concentrators were sent back for repair of the power cord after patients accidentally broke them. The SeQual Eclipse 2 Portable Oxygen Concentrators had the AC input moved higher on the unit solving the problem.
- The small wheels on the first generation SeQual Eclipse portable oxygen concentrators were convenient for sliding under the airplane seat, but needed to be removed to swap out a battery. Large wheel carts became standard for the The SeQual Eclipse 2 Portable Oxygen Concentrator.
- The first generation SeQual Eclipse battery or power cartridge as SeQual likes to call it, had a blue tab that had to be pushed up as the battery was pulled out of the SeQual Eclipse Portable Oxygen Concentrator. To make things easier on the end user the second generation SeQual Eclipse battery has a tab that you pull down on and out on for removal. The new SeQual Eclipse battery is much easier to change, and the battery is easy to identify as well, as the battery tab is now black.
Most of the differences between the first generation SeQual Eclipse portable oxygen concentrator, now known as the SeQual Eclipse 1 or E1 and the SeQual Eclipse 2, or E2 is hardware related, cart design, ac power input, compressor version for example. There were some software adjustments and firmware adjustments, but not nearly as many as between the SeQual Eclipse 2 and the SeQual Eclipse 3.
The difference between the SeQual Eclipse 2 portable oxygen concentrator and the SeQual Eclipse 3 portable oxygen concentrator, you can read more about that here, was 95% software, and only about 5% software.
To say the SeQual Eclipse 3 Portable Oxygen Concentrator has evolved is I think an understatement, today the SeQual Eclipse 3 Portable Oxygen Concentrator stands as the epitome of portable oxygen concentrator evolution.
Ever working to improve functionality and reliability for our friends on the battlefield or traveling accross the country in an RV the good folks at Sequal keep pushing limits. Future versions and upgrades to the SeQual Eclipse 3 Portable Oxygen Concentrator look promising.
Longer battery life, even better reliability, and a dramatic size and weight reduction are just some of the things we should look forward to in the next generation of the SeQual Eclipse 3 Portable Oxygen Concentrator.
Choosing the Correct setting for your Portable Oxygen Concentrator – Part 2
In: How to use a Portable Oxygen Concentrator|Portable Oxygen Concentrator FAQs
7 Feb 2012If you have just finished reading Part 1 of Choosing the Correct setting for your Portable Oxygen Concentrator, you are now familiar with some basic truths about portable oxygen concentrators. The first and most important truth regarding portable oxygen concentrators is 2 does not equal 2!! Continuous Flow Oxygen does not equal pulse dose oxygen.
All Portable Oxygen Concentrators ARE NOT CREATED EQUALLY!!!!
When a physician writes a prescription for:
Portable Oxygen Concentrator
2 LPM via nasal cannula
PRN
…and the patient wants to get that prescription filled with an Inova Labs LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator, an Invacare XPO2 Portable Oxygen Concentrator, a Respironics Evergo Portable Oxygen Concentrator, an AirSep FreeStyle Portable Oxygen Concentrator, an Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrator, or ANY OTHER Portable Oxygen Concentrator that is ONLY capable of pulse dose oxygen delivery,the Prescription cannot be filled correctly.
The great majority of physicians do not know that most Portable Oxygen Concentrators on the market use pulse dose oxygen delivery only. So when it comes to choosing the correct setting for your Portable Oxygen Concentrator, the patient needs to be enabled to make informed decisions. ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CLINICIAN BEFORE CHANGING YOUR PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR SETTINGS.
How does the patient or the patients family or the doctor help the patient in Choosing the Correct setting for your Portable Oxygen Concentrator? One simple way to help choose the correct setting for a Portable Oxygen Concentrator is to purchase and use a portable finger pulse oximeter.
When you are Choosing the Correct setting for your Portable Oxygen Concentrator, use your portable finger pulse oximeter. Make sure you pick a decent unit, there are many cheap finger pulse oximeter mass produced in China now, and the quality and accuracy of many of the units, and I have seen a large variety, by and large stink. Please check out the blog post on picking a good finger pulse oximeter.
First, get yourself into a comfortable seated position. You need to address the Portable Oxygen Concentrator setting while you are at rest. With your portable oxygen concentrator on and a nasal cannula in your nose, breath in through your nose and out through your mouth (like you are trying to blow bubbles). You will want to start with the setting that was recommended by your physician. Inform your Physician ahead of time that you intend to identify the best portable oxygen concentrator setting, and by what method.
As you are breathing on your Portable Oxygen Concentrator, watch your heart rate and oxygen saturation on your finger pulse oximeter. What is the range your physcian directed you to keep your oxygen saturation at? Some doctors will specify a range, they will tell you to keep your oxygen saturation above 93%, some doctors want your saturation above 95%, and yet others will say simply over 90%.
Find out the oxygen saturation recommendation your doctor has specifically for you, and compare that number with the saturation you are receiving from your Portable Oxygen Concentrator. Remember, first do this test while you are at rest on your current pulse dose setting. If the saturation is too low, you need to adjust your Portable Oxygen Concentrator setting to increase the saturation.
If you machine can accommodate continuous flow oxygen, like the Invacare SolO2, the Devilbiss iGo, or the SeQual Eclipse 3, you can match your stationary concentrator’s prescribed flow exactly, however, when on battery, the machine will not last nearly as long.
Once you have found the pulse dose oxygen setting that provides the correct oxygen saturation for you while at rest, you need to consider a different setting for exercising or walking around. Ask your physician or clinician what recommendations he has for your prescribed oxygen while exercising.
If you were to walk with your portable oxygen concentrator on the setting you have titrated your self for while resting, what happens to your oxygen saturation? How long does it take you to recover from your exercise on your portable oxygen therapy?
Using your finger pulse oximeter while you are walking can help you understand the correct setting for your Portable Oxygen Concentrator while exercising.
Some other things consider while choosing the correct settings for your portable oxygen concentrator
- Does your portable oxygen concentrator have enough extra oxygen to keep your oxygen saturation at recommended levels ?
- Does your portable finger pulse oximeter give accurate enough readings ?
- Where you able to actually decrease the dose of oxygen in pulse mode below the continuous oxygen setting of your continuous oxygen concentrator?
Now that you have chosen the correct setting for your portable oxygen concentrator you can really begin to enjoy all the benefits!!
Choosing Correct settings for a Portable Oxygen Concentrator – Part 1
In: How to use a Portable Oxygen Concentrator|Portable Oxygen Concentrator FAQs
3 Feb 2012If I had a nickle for every time a portable oxygen concentrator user had incorrectly selected a setting on their portable oxygen concentrator, …well, I would have a lot of nickles.
Often times you cannot blame the patient, the patient you see was taking direction from the doctor. And while the doctor has most likely done a brilliant job on keeping current on new trends for his patients on oxygen therapy, keeping current on portable oxygen concentrators and new advances in oxygen delivery systems is not the doctor’s primary focus.
So, who then do we look to for information on portable oxygen concentrator, and how to correctly use them. The majority of Home Medical Equipment providers, while capable of selling a portable oxygen concentrator, fall drastically short of any useful knowledge of the portable oxygen concentrator’s best practices and best utilization.
What about those internet sites that popped up in the last 5 years, certainly they would now how to use the equipment they sell, or try to sell with CHEAP portable oxygen concentrator banners? No, sorry. Most of those companies are out trying to make a buck, by selling products they do not now how to properly use, and do not even stock. Bubba sitting in a garage selling a product for a few dollars over cost, that he does not know how to service, that he never touches because some manufacturer let’s him ship directly from a warehouse does not know how the product works.
We have specialized in portable oxygen and portable oxygen concentrators since 2002. We started in medical equipment in 1990. We have serviced nearly 10,000 patients, and patient education is a primary focus.
We find the best person to educate about portable oxygen concentrator is the end user. True, we speak at Pulmonary Rehab Groups, Better Breather Groups, Pulmonary Groups, Independent Physician Associations, Skilled Nursing Facilities and other clinical groups, and while it is great to educate the doctors about the true performance of portable oxygen concentrators, we know the most lasting education we do is with customers and their families.
One of the first things to know about portable oxygen concentrators is they are all NOT created equal, and…that is OK. Because five different portable oxygen concentrators can give you five different amounts of oxygen on the same setting is not a bad thing, …as long as you know that to be true.
One of the most common mistakes made with selecting a setting for a portable oxygen concentrator is simply taking the setting from the stationary oxygen concentrator and moving that directly over to your portable oxygen concentrator. So, my stationary oxygen concentrator is set on 2, so my portable oxygen concentrator should be set on 2 as well right? Well, no, probably not. Not if five different portable oxygen concentrators gave you five different doses of oxygen on a setting of 2.
- The Respironics Evergo portable oxygen concentrator gives 23 cc of oxygen on a setting of 2.
- The SeQual Eclipse 3 portable oxygen concentrator gives 32 cc of oxygen on a setting of 2.
- The Inova Labs LifeChoice portable oxygen concentrator gives 24 cc of oxygen on a setting of 2.
- The Airsep Freestyle portable oxygen concentrator gives 19 cc of oxygen on a setting of 2.
- The Invacare Solo2 portable oxygen concentrator gives 36 cc of oxygen on a setting of 2.
So, I have listed just five portable oxygen concentrators, and there are a few more that I would use and trust,..one or two I would not let my dog use. But as for the five portable oxygen concentrators I mentioned, you see a great difference in the dose of oxygen you are receiving. Clearly 2 does not equal 2.
Now, here is the real fun part, what if I told you that each of the five portable oxygen concentrators I mentioned have proprietary delivery systems that release the bolus (dose of oxygen in a small short burst), and depending on the patient’s respiratory idiosyncrasies, one portable oxygen concentrator may perform better than another portable oxygen concentrator.
But that is a discussion for another time.
Please See Part 2 of Choosing the Correct setting for your Portable Oxygen Concentrator for more insight on getting the most out of your Choosing the Correct setting for your Portable Oxygen Concentrator.
What is a MEDIF Form and when do you need one? What is a INCAD Form?
In: Airline Travel on Portable Oxygen|Portable Oxygen Concentrator Troubleshooting|Traveling with Oxygen
26 Jan 2012If are planning airline travel with your Portable Oxygen Concentrator, either domestically in the United States or abroad, the airlines may require some information about you and your medical condition. The FAA has set standards in the United States with regard to Portable Oxygen Travel, Approved Oxygen Concentrator, and information your Airline is required to ask of you before letting you board the airline. Click here to find out more about FAA Approved Portable Oxygen Concentrators and requirements for Airline Traveling with Portable Oxygen.
So, that brings us to our question, What is a MEDIF Form and when do you need one? When you are planning to travel outside of the US, International flights may require your doctor to complete a Medical Certificate of Fitness for Air Travel, MEDIF, or FORM MEDIF, which is an acronym for Medical Information Form. Much like the Physician’s Statement required for Domestic Travel with Portable Oxygen Concentrators, the MEDIF is often customized to the specific requirements of the individual airline, however, the bulk of the content stays the same. Usually the form consists of 16 to 30 questions regarding the nature of your medical condition. There may only be a few questions that are pertinent to your oxygen needs, and the rest may be generic or disease specific questions that the Airline personnel would like to know in case they are required to assist you in flight and if you are capable of flying.
Expect to fill out information with regard to:
- Physician
- Diagnosis
- Prognosis (for the trip)
- If you are contagious or have a communicable disease
- When you will need Portable Oxygen , under what conditions..
- Portable Oxygen during boarding
- Portable Oxygen during Taxi
- Portable Oxygen during Take Off
- Portable Oxygen during Landing
Sometimes on a separate form, or sometimes part of the same form, the airline might have you complete an INCAD (Incapacitated Passengers Handling Advice) Form. While both forms are standard, the INCAD is typically completed by the traveler, and the MEDIF is completed by your Physician.
Best Practice is to contact the airline you are planning to travel with and ask them about their polices with regard to portable oxygen concentrators on-board airplanes.
We know of some travelers who have had a bad experience traveling internationally on portable oxygen when their doctor told them they were safe to fly, but the airlines specific policies regarding patients with medical conditions did not.
Who wants to buy a ticket, go all the way to the airport, and get turned away from the airline because they did not get proper notice about your oxygen therapy needs and your plans to carry a portable oxygen concentrator.
Cruise Line Portable Oxygen Concentrator Traveling
In: Approved Cruise Lines|Traveling with Oxygen|Uncategorized
12 Jan 2012
Cruise line Portable Oxygen Travel Policies
Each individual Cruise line determines the types of Portable Oxygen Concentrators are approved for use on their Cruise Lines. As such, each cruise line has their own set of rules, and even documentation that may be required.
The basic rules of air travel also apply to those of you traveling with your portable oxygen concentrator by ship.
Some cruise lines may want to know all relevent medical information should there be an emergency, and require you to complete a MEDIF, or Medical Information Form or to be filled out and presented to the cruise line 72 hours prior to departure.
You will need to speak with the Special Needs Departement to find out specifically the requirements for traveling on a cruise ship with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator.
Be sure to match a Portable Oxygen Concentrator Rental to your specific needs. If you need 24 hour oxygen, make sure the concentrator you are bringing is for nocturnal use.
| Airline | Form | Eclipse | Evergo | LifeChoice | iGo | XPO2 | Solo2 | OxLife |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carnival Cruise Lines | Special Needs Dept | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Norwegian | Special Needs Dept | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Celebrity Cruises | Special Needs Dept | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Royal Caribbean | Special Needs Dept | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Seabourn | Special Needs Dept | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Princess | Special Needs Dept | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
As many savvy oxygen dependent people have discovered, there are deals to be had if you are looking for a portable oxygen concentrator.
Since GoAssured began renting Portable Oxygen Concentrators for traveling patients close to 10 years ago the locals new they could find deals. Through years of experience, we learned that the most trouble free and worry free portable oxgyen rentals, for both our customers and ourselves, are those Concentrators that are the newest.
In our effort to ensure the most trouble free travel while on your GoAssured portable oxygen rental, we have created a policy that our rental portable oxygen concentrators can only be rented a maximum of 15 times.
The fact of the matter is many of the used portable oxygen concentrators are used sparingly by the people who rent them. We recently had a SeQual Eclipse 3 Rental come back after a three week rental, and the unit only had an additional 22 hours on it. The SeQual Eclipse was there for emergencies, it was used on the plane out and back, but not much else. The customer was very pleased, they had peace of mind knowing that if they required oxygen therapy, the SeQual Eclipse was there.
Often times we will retire used portable oxygen concentrators from active rental duty with only a few hundred hours, even though the unit has traveled abroad 15 times.
Some Questions you may be asking along the lines of is it OK to purchase a used portable oxygen concentrator from GoAssured?
- Is it clean and sanitized? GoAssured follows the same protocols as our Accredited Home Oxygen Company. Each used portable oxygen concentrator is cleaned and chemically sanitized with Hospital Grade, not available to the public, chemicals. Filters are clean, replaced, and a Preventive Maintenance procedure is performed on each machine. Following the PM, each used portable oxygen concentrator is bench tested for 48 hours, checked for correct operating parameters and oxygen output.
- Is it under warranty? Unlike other companies, or private parties our used portable oxygen concentrator warranties are fully transferable.
- Who will service my machine? Should your used portable oxygen concentrator require service, simply call us and we can make arrangements to get your used portable oxygen concentrator in to us and one of our loaners out to you while you are waiting.
Many of our customers like the service of our Portable Oxygen Concentrator Program, and would like to have the ability to get free loaners, free maintenance, and a free upgrade path to a different Portable Oxygen Concentrator. Ask about our 5 Star Service Program, and for an additional fee, we can cover your Used Portable Oxygen Concentrator as if it were new!
Airline Travel Chart, Policies, and Forms Updated January 2012
In: Airline Travel Chart|Airline Travel on Portable Oxygen|Traveling with Oxygen
9 Jan 2012Need to Rent a Portable Oxygen Concentrator for your trip?
Airline Travel Chart, Polices, and Forms
| Airline | Form | Eclipse | Evergo | LifeChoice | iGo | XPO2 | Solo2 | OxLife |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerolineas Argentinas | MEDIF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Aeromexico | MEDIF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Air Berlin | MEDIF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Air Canada | MEDIF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Air Canada Jazz | MEDIF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Air France | MEDIF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Air Iceland | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Air New Zealand | Form AT-9003A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AirTran Airways | Airline Specific Form | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Air Tahiti Nui | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Air Wisconsin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Alaska Air | Airline Specific Form | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alitalia | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Alegiant Air | Airline Specific Form | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| All Nippon Airways | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| American Airlines – AA | Physician’s Statement | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| American Eagle | Physician’s Statement | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Austrian | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Avianca | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| British Airways | MEDIF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Brussels Air | MEDIF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cathay Pacific | MEDIF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| China Airlines | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Continental | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Delta | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Egypt Air | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| El Al | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Emirates Airlines | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| ExpressJet Airlines | Airline Specific Form | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EVA Air | MEDIF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Finnair | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Frontier | Airline Specific Form | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hawaiian Air | Airline Specific Form | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Horizon Air | Airline Specific Form | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Iceland Air | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Japan Airlines | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| JetBlue Air | Letterhead | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| KLM Royal Dutch | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Korean Airlines | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| LAN | Form Medif | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lufthansa | Form Medif | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Northwest Airlines | Delta Specific form | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Novair (Nova Airlines) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Polish Airlines LOT | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Philippine Airlines | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Qantas | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ryanair | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Saudi Arabian | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Scandinavian Airlines | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Singapore Airlines | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| South African Airways | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Southwest Airlines | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Spirit Airlines | Airline Specific Form | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sun Country Airlines | FAA Rules | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sunwing Airlines | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| SwissAir | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| United Airlines | Airline Specific Form | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| US Air | Physicians Statement | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Virgin America | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Virgin Atlantic | FAA Rules Apply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| West Jet | Airline Specific Form | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Troubleshooting LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator Tripped Battery Circuit
In: LifeChoice FAQ|LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator|LifeChoice Troubleshooting|Portable Oxygen Concentrator Troubleshooting
6 Jan 2012LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrators have a feature that is unique among all other portable oxygen concentrators. Built into the supplemental battery of each Life Choice portable oxygen concentrator is a surge protector.
The concept is great, who would not want to protect their $4000 POC from a power surge that could fry the complex electronics that operate this five pound wonder? By design, the engineers at Inova Labs built an electronic switch into the LifeChoice battery to cut power to the LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator should external current exceed limits, or the internal draw from the unit exceed the capacity of the battery.
Anyone who uses a LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator should be aware of this feature and know how to reset the battery if the mechanism was tripped.
Two things we always teach our Life Choice customers,
- Never turn your LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator on with a cannula attached and in your nose
- How to identify and reset a tripped battery circuit.
In case you were never told or forgot the way to identify if your battery surge protector has been tripped, or how to reset your battery if the surge protector was tripped, follow these simple instructions.
How To Identify If Your Lifechoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator has a Tripped Battery Circuit
1) Plug the LifeChoice Supplemental battery into the POC, look for solid green light on LifeChoice Battery Indicator.
You should see a solid green light on the Battery Indicator LED. WHENEVER YOUR LIFECHOICE PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR IS PLUGGED INTO AN EXTERNAL POWER SOURCE (AC Adapter, DC Adapter, or Battery) the Battery Indicator LED will be illuminated SOLID GREEN and NOT FLASHING.
If you have an external power source attached to your LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator, and the Battery Indicator LED is not solid green, that external power source is not supplying power to the POC.
If your AC Adapter or DC Adapter light is on, you know you have power to the adapter. If you press the yellow battery indicator button on the LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator supplemental battery and the indicator lights illuminate you know you have power in the battery.
But, if you attach the supplemental battery to the LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator, and the Battery Indicator on the POC is not SOLID GREEN, your battery circuit has been tripped.
2) RESET YOUR LIFECHOICE EXTERNAL BATTERY
First, and most importantly, unplug the external battery from the LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator!! If the battery is not unplugged, the reset will not work. Undo the Velcro all along the battery, and pull the battery out of the case.
At the top of the battery, where the wire comes out of the case, you will see a glowing RED LED. That LED only glows when the circuit is tripped, but it can be difficult to see inside the case.
On the same side of the circuit board as the RED LED, about one inch away, is a small red reset button. PRESS THE RESET BUTTON!!
Put the battery back in the case, close the Velcro, and plug the battery into your LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator. You will now have a SOLID GREEN LED on the LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator Battery Check, which means the LifeChoice is now operating again, on external power.
To find out some of the common reasons for the Battery Circuit to trip see our Troubleshooting and FAQ sections.
About this blog
If you have any questions about oxygen concentrators, liquid oxygen, portable oxygen, you have come to the right place. Whether you are lookiing to buy a POC, rent a POC for a trip, or understand how what that alarm means, you have come to the right place. Since 1992 we have immerseed in all things Oxygen Therapy, here you will find not only a users perspective, you will find the technicians perspective! Welcome!!
Categories
- Airline Travel Chart (1)
- Home Oxygen Filling Systems (1)
- How to Buy Portable Oxygen Concentrators (5)
- How to Rent Portable Oxygen (1)
- LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator (2)
- Oxygen Concentrator Maintenance (2)
- Oxygen Concentrator Troubleshooting (1)
- Oxygen Therapy (6)
- Portable Oxygen Concentrator FAQs (6)
- Portable Oxygen Concentrator Troubleshooting (2)
- Portable Oxygen News (3)
- SeQual Eclpse (8)
- SeQual Equinox (1)
- The Respiratory System (3)
- Traveling with Oxygen (17)
- Uncategorized (1)
- Portable Oxygen Expert: I'll have some more posts on the meaning of the different results you get when accessing the 'secret [...]
- MARK: i would like access to the rest of your information, on the "secret area: of my SeQual Eclipse 3. Ho [...]
- Portable Oxygen Expert: You can use virtually any unit for a trip from South Africa, only a matter of bringing enough batter [...]
- Mora Schnider: It’s really a nice and useful piece of information. I am glad that you shared this helpful informa [...]
- Dora: Nice site you got here! Very informative. Highly recommended! ________________________________ [...]
- New Portable Oxygen Concentrators
- SeQual Eclipse 3 Portable Oxygen Concentrator Secrets
- SeQual Eclipse 3 Portable Oxygen Concentrator
- Choosing the Correct setting for your Portable Oxygen Concentrator – Part 2
- Choosing Correct settings for a Portable Oxygen Concentrator – Part 1
- What is a MEDIF Form and when do you need one? What is a INCAD Form?
- Cruise Line Portable Oxygen Concentrator Traveling
- Used Portable Oxygen Concentrator deals a secret no more!
- Airline Travel Chart, Policies, and Forms Updated January 2012
- Troubleshooting LifeChoice Portable Oxygen Concentrator Tripped Battery Circuit