[RE-wrenches] Any experience with off-grid oxygen concentrators?

[R Ray Walters]

I had a customer on oxygen off grid (OOG?)  a few years back.  He had a much larger system and back up generator, so it wasn't too bad.  
It can be done, but I didn't get any definitive energy consumption numbers, as we were just involved in a battery replacement, and a bit of rewire.  
He was pretty cantankerous, and didn't want us messing with the whole system or checking the design.
Sounds like your customer would still be better off getting the portable unit, even if it costs more. 
Perhaps a friendlier doctor might prescribe the portable machine, so that his insurance would cover it?

Ray Walters

On Apr 21, 2012, at 12:12 PM, Dan Fink wrote:

> Esteemed Wrenches;
> 
> One of our clients, 79 years old, has an off-grid cabin at 8200 ft  altitude that he built and has been using on weekends since 1982. Due to a heart condition, his doctor is now advising supplementary oxygen at 2 liters per minute only at night when he is trying to sleep. Not a life threatening condition, but very uncomfortable (and no sleep) during a bad night.
> 
> Does anyone here have any experience with clients who need to run oxygen concentrators off the grid?
> 
> The power system is 12 volt, 4 x L16 batteries, Trace DR series inverter. Not a lot of backup there. We can add more PV easily and cheaply, but would prefer not to completely replace the battery bank. This is mostly a weekend cabin, it doesn't NEED a big battery bank.
> 
> Of course the doctor, nurses, oxygen supply companies, insurance company etc. don't even know what the words "off the grid" mean. My research so far has shown that "Energy Star" ratings don't exist for O2 concentrators.... they assume that everyone has cheap, unlimited energy. I am seeing 280-550 watts load from non-portable units specs online. The portable O2 concentrators cost twice as much, and seem to work only off of their own proprietary super expensive Li-ion battery packs, but only draw 75-150 watts...just barely in the range of the existing power system. Nobody in the O2 business  seems to know if any of these can be powered directly from the off-grid system (at either 120vac or 12vdc, he has circuits in each room for both), as "off grid" is not in their lexicon. I just hate the idea of using 2 battery banks -- the L16s to charge the Li-Ion? geez. 
> 
> Just to add to the imbroglio, the health insurance company refuses to pay for a (twice the price) "portable" O2 concentrator for a patient that only needs it at night, sleeping. They do not seem to understand the words "off grid", "watt hours" , "solar" and also seem to have no concept of either "Energy Star" or "Efficiency". Having been off grid since 1991 myself, my only response can be "Dumb townies!" but that doesn't help much. They don't even know that "townie" is a perjorative up here....they probably think it's a compliment!
> 
> Any help appreciated, thanks in advance, and I hope some other Wrench on this list has dealt with this situation before so that maybe I can learn from you.
> -- 
> Dan Fink,
> Executive Director;
> Otherpower
> Buckville Energy Consulting
> Buckville Publications LLC
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