Anyone in Humboldt running an oxygen concentrator? I could use some help.

**Leothwyn** · 02-18-2016, 10:36 PM

So, I'm trying to get my homefill going... no luck so far. The guy that I bought the homefill from thinks that my concentrator might be the problem. I don't think so. So before I try buying anything new to get this going, I was hoping to figure out which unit is the problem. If I could take my homefill compressor (and a little medical tank) and hook it to someone else's concentrator for a short amount of time that should help me narrow it down. I'd pay someone for their trouble if they could help me out with this.

**zelis** · 02-18-2016, 11:49 PM

Home fills can be picky, theres a couple safety checks for purity and pressure.
Id try the fallowing,
Check connection hose the, invacare coiled hose has check valves at the connecters.
Clear the line with O2 by pressing the end (to simulate being connected) while the O2 machine is on.
Did you connect to the main 02 out put? Some models have a 2nd connection on the bottom of the machine just for homefils use it.
Also it needs pressure, so if you use the bottom connection you need to turn the flow valve down to 1 lpm or block the output line.
If you use the main output make sure the flow is open. ( Im sure ya did )
Let the concentrator run and turn the home fill on for 10 minutes if it doesnt start filling shut homefil off for 10 sec then back on keep oxycon running whole time.
Hope this helps, I had some trouble with mine at first but they just take a little time to figure out.
Zelis

**shawnette** · 02-19-2016, 05:40 AM

Sorry, but some of that^^ is incorrect.

1. If you have a Homefill compatible concentrator, you CANNOT block the front connector. EVER. If you're using the rear connector, make sure the front connector is clear and blowing.

2. You don't HAVE to turn it down to 1lpm. If it's a 5lpm machine, it needs to 2.5lpm or less. If it's a 10lpm machine, it needs to be at 5lpm or less. If your machine only works at 1lpm, then your purity is low and you might want to look at getting a new/different oxycon.

**jr23** · 02-19-2016, 06:50 AM

I agree with shawnette .

Don't block the front tube on compatible con .

Homefills are easy for some , bitchy for others .

I have a unit coming back that when I first got it I had trouble with it .

It takes a few minutes to get going . I had a 10l con with it invacare .

If I set flow to high it would never come on .

But if I set flow to 8 and let run 2-3 min then just dialed it back the homfill would start filling at 5-6 .

I always figured the oxy con purity was low at 8 and getting a homfill taught me a bit .

Is your machines green light coming on .

Also where is it from .

You have been dealing with this a while .

I was about to pull my hair out when it took me a few hours to figure out my first one .

**shawnette** · 02-19-2016, 07:08 AM

Per the Invacare manual, the Invacare oxycons need to run for 30 minutes before you connect them to the Homefill. I've had problems with cycling when I didn't let mine run the complete 30 minutes, but that's only been an issue with the Invacares. My Airsep is good to go after a 10 minute warm up.

**jr23** · 02-19-2016, 07:38 AM

This was TOTALY my issue .

Once I finally learned a little patience goes a long way .

And the old saying a watched kettle never boils .

Rings strong in my head .

If you turn your homfill on and then your con and watch it that 15-30 minutes that it takes seems like 4 hours .

i traded that himfill and they had a work while you run system with check vales and no telling what else .

I would almost bet when I get it back I have it running in 30 minutes or less .

Shawnette good post . So many people think they know homfills because they can gut and bypass this or that .

90 percent of other folks have no business working on machines that compress O2 .

In fact I think some folks post on moding or bypassing could come back to haunt them when some idiot uses oil base lube when working on one .

Just the other day some kid was greasing the cap on his k tank .

**Leothwyn** · 02-19-2016, 08:16 AM

Thank you for the replies!

I have a Airsep Elite (5lpm). I'm assuming that it's not one of the ones with another output on the bottom. (But I'll check). My homefill is a Venture II. At this point I'd be tempted to assume that my concentrator just isn't compatible... but there's a youtube video (something like 'how to use an 'other' concentrator with a homefill') and it show the exact units that I have, and they work.

I've been just letting the concentrator warm up for a few minutes. I haven't tried longer than that. (This is the first time I've heard more than a few minutes).

What I've tried:
Lpm at 1 - it did fill, but it switched between o2 below normal and filling a lot
Lpm right at 2 - switched between o2 below normal/filling initially, but settled in to filling.
Lpm at 2.5 - seems to work best. Goes to filling, and stays there.
Lpm above 4 - switches between o2 below normal and filling a lot.

In all cases the ball is at the bottom while filling.

I tried various Lpm settings going to a medical tank, going to my whip with the main tank valve open/closed - never a hint of pressure.

I also tried running the Airsep straight to my National 3a. I could get a decent, but small flame.

So, with the lpm set wrong, or with the purity not being good from my concentrator, I can see the o2 below normal light coming on... but if it says it's filling the little medical tank for 1.5hrs shouldn't I at least see some tiny amount of pressure in the tank at the end? I'd assume that the issue would more likely be bad purity, not absolutely no pressure.

Checking the connection hose/checkvalve between the two was mentioned... what would I check?

Edited to add: In my other thread Shawnette asked "If it's connected to the front port, if you disconnect the Homefill, does the ball go up?" Yes, it does go right back up.

**LooseSeal Baller** · 02-19-2016, 08:20 AM

my lawyer jr23 advised me not to help with these situations...i'm sure someone else will help you out. good luck

**shawnette** · 02-19-2016, 10:00 AM

If the ball goes up after being disconnected, the Homefill is not really filling. The ball will only drop when the flow is obstructed. This video is my Homefill hooked to an Airsep, which is what I think you said you're using:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2ESr25J0_I

**Leothwyn** · 02-19-2016, 10:19 AM

That's the video - thanks for putting that up, and for the help

Do you have any thoughts on why it might be obstructed? Could it be the checkvalve on the hose between the two units? Strange that the compressor switches to Filling... I'd think that if the o2 wasn't making it to it, it would just show o2 below normal... but I don't know anything when it comes to this stuff. What you're saying makes sense though. When it's supposedly filling, the concentrator acts just as it would if its output was just blocked.

**shawnette** · 02-19-2016, 10:36 AM

The connector that snaps into the Homefill only opens to allow flow when snapped into place, however, until the Homefill starts to actually "draw" oxygen from the concentrator, the flow is obstructed. That's why I said your Homefill isn't actually filling. If it were, the flow wouldn't be obstructed. The problem is with your Homefill not drawing, even though it is indicating that it is. Take the nipple off of your whip (or your botttle) and connect it to the Homefill and put your finger over it to see if you feel any air. You can also put a balloon on the nipple and if it inflates, you have flow.

**Leothwyn** · 02-19-2016, 10:57 AM

I'm pretty sure that with my finger, or a balloon, I'll get no results. I've tried so many times to fill the medical tank (1.5 hrs each time), and there has never been even the tiniest hint of anything when I crack the little tank. I'm hoping I can at least find someone who would let me test the homefill with their concentrator (hopefully a newer, better one). If I found out I just needed a better concentrator, that would be a lot easier to deal with than a new homefill.