Night time Oxygen Concentrators

[Samuel Kirton]

Hi DMoffett,

Without knowing the layout of your house, this is generic advice based on my experience with both a 5lpm and 10lpm concentrator. I do not recommend placing the concentrator in the closet. It becomes really warm in the closet pretty quickly. I placed it in an adjacent room and ran the tubing to the bedroom where I slept at night.

Sam…

[John14392]

I use level 10 floor oxygen concentrators all the time now. At night I have 30 ft hose and put the concentrator in an adjacent room and shut both doors, with the cord going under the doors (in the middle so they don’t get kinked in the corners of the door).

I am on the transplant list and I need 3 floor concentrators to reach everywhere in my 3 story house, all with 30 foot hoses.

Also on Amazon – I buy 10 Pack Oxygen Tube Support Crimp Straightener, Oxygen Tubing Accessories from Kinking Compatible with Oxygen Concentrator Portable Oxygen Tubing for a little over $8 a pack. These go on right after the hose connection to the concentrator and keep it from kinking there – where hoses tend to kink.

When I go up and down stairs and my blood O2 goes below 90, I have a O2 tank I get on at a high level above 10 to get up to over 90 and then switch back to my floor concentrator at 10. I buy these high flow regulators also on Amazon – at a little over $25 each for my tanks – 25LPM Oxygen Regulator CGA-870, Adjustable Flow 0-25 LPM – ASTM G175-03 – Aluminum/Brass, Max Inlet: 3000 PSI, Outlet: 50 PSI – Compact 1.38 inches X 4.65 inches.

When the 30 foot hose is too short, I get 7″ foot hose extensions and a connector to adjust for what I need. If you don’t need the full 30 foot hose, then with hose connectors hook together the lengths for what you need.

All this works for me.

Thanks,

John

[scherry]

Hi D, I have issues with sleeping with noise so we have it in another room. Some home concentrators are less noisy, but it still has a few different noises as it cycles. I do use ear plugs, for me sleep is more important, I do feel safe in my home and community so that helps.

Tell your oxygen provider you need the most quiet one. Doesn’t mean you will get it, but worth a try. Also they have connectors to hook two 50’ hoses together so you can get it farther away.

Good luck and blessings to you. I’ve found that each new thing that gets added to dealing with this disease makes me resistant to it. Takes me awhile to agree to some of them, like taking OFEV, but I do get to accepting it eventually.

[David Reno]

I installed a pass threw tube in the wall and keep the concentrator in another room. zero noise

[DMoffett]

Thanks all great suggestions, I found a couple that are under 45db, so I am pursuing a provider that supplies one of them. I will go with another room and pass through tubes.

[Phil Ryan]

I’ve found that if your concentrator is on a rug insteade of bare wood it helps. I’ve also located mine about 25t feet away in the bathroom, which is midway through the house. That way I can use the same concentrator as I walk throughout the house.

[jmucha]

I use 2 liters of 02 every night and leave the concentrator in my bedroom. I also use a cpap and they need to be connected. I don’t find the noise a problem any more. It quickly becomes “white noise” and I’m guessing I might even miss it if I didn’t use it. The biggest benefit to me is that I stop coughing (from the IPF) the minute I put my 02 on at night. I’m guessing it might be something that you would get used to in time–Good Luck, hoping you can figure out something that works for you.

[Richard L Shelby]

Hello DMoffett,

I use a concentrator 24 hours a day. I put my concentrator in the hallway outside my bedroom. I am a very light sleeper but after two or three nights I acclimated to the sound and it doesn’t disturb me. Actually, it is a bit like white noise machines which are sold to help one sleep. If I listen for it, I can hear the concentrator, but normally I am unaware of it. You probably won’t have trouble sleeping after a few nights.

To emphasize what others have said, do not put it in a closet, and definitely do not cover it with cloth to dampen the sound.

Also, if you need a concentrator at night and haven’t been using one, then your O2 levels have been dropping at night, and this disturbs your sleep, The concentrator will probably help you to have deeper, more restful sleep.

Richard

[Dave]

.All great advice. I will likely start O2 at night with my CPAPin the near future ,as my night oximetry test was marginal. My plan is to have the concentrator in another bedroom with both doors closed,tubing running through the hallway but secured to the wall or ceiling to avoid trip hazards at night. I’m wondering about sequence of.turning O2 and Cpap on and off, as what I’ve read says turn on Cpap first then o2.This doesn’t seem feasible given separate rooms. How important is this?Anyone have experience? Thanks

[Richard L Shelby]

I don’t see how it makes a difference whether the CPAP or concentrator is turned on first, but I don’t know everything (far from it!).

I use O2 24/7. When I go to bed, I plug the concentrator tubing in the CPAP, put on the mask, and then turn on the CPAP. In the morning, I turn off the CPAP, remove the mask, and then unplug the O2 tubing and put on my cannula. I didn’t receive any instructions from the DME supplier as to the sequence; this is just what seems reasonable to me.

I would go to whomever told you to turn on the CPAP first, and ask why. Perhaps the order makes a difference, but I’ve never seen any indication that it does.

Richard

[Dave]

The supplier actually told me I can turn on the O2 first. I had seen several references online that said if O2 is allowed to flow into the CPAP machine when it is off can cause damage to the components.I can’t imagine that this would be significant if the on/off sequences were done within a minute or two

[Charlene]

Hi DMoffett,

I remember trying to navigate the loud oxygen concentrators at night and learning how to sleep with the background noise! I put my concentrator in another room or just in the hallway and purchase the long tubing off amazing to run it into my bedroom. That keeps the noise level down and promotes better sleep overall for me. I also use Loop ear plugs – you can buy different ones on Amazon that are either noise-cancelling fully (I get not wanting to use these for safety purposes) or there are some great for sleep that reduce external sounds. Hope these suggestions help!
Take care,
Charlene.

[Old-John]

I have an Inogen Home Oxygen Concentrator and it runs at 42 db. I have it in my bedroom and I really don’t even notice it. Also it only uses around 110 watts when I have it running.

Examples & Comparisons:

· Quiet Room/Library: 40-44 dB.

· Refrigerator/Quiet Office: Around 40-45 dB.

· Rustling Leaves/Soft Whisper: Around 20 dB, so 42 dB is significantly louder but still very soft.

I also have an Inogen G5 Portable I use when I leave the house and it’s very quiet.