Oxygen Conservation Devices

petrolero

petrolero

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petrolero
Oxymizer:

I've been using Oxymizers and I think they are overhyped. The oxygen flows out at a fixed rate no matter whether there is a "reservoir" there or not. The claim is that you can reduce the rate because there is this bolus of oxygen available in the reservoir. I don't buy that claim either.

My setup is factory built-on Cessna ox with a manual flow-controller for each place, followed by oxymizer cannula. We adjust the flow for each person to maintain 91% SpO2 based on a portable pulse oximeter. Works well but my family plows through 1400 psi in about 2 hours at FL190. 1800 psi down to 400. It would be way worse without individual flow controllers because the Cessna factory system is very hard to fine-tune for four people (or even one!)

I've looked up some clinical research on oxymizers and found a few smallish trials that showed oxymizers to be negligible: 5 to 8% savings over non-oxymizer cannulas. To my mind that's not enough savings to justify flying with a maxipad on my face.

O2D2 On-Demand Systems:

Anyone using these? I think I'm going to switch to 4-place on-demand. I have seen clinical studies that show on-demand delivery can provide a 75% or more savings vs ordinary cannula. A bit HD (high-dollar) plus a bit unwieldy. I wish I could install the things someplace - I'll need two O2D2$ to cover all four places. Then again the cannulas and flow controllers are unwieldy now so won't be much different there.

Are there any other on-demand systems out there?
 
You can build one from scuba gear. Do it with new gear for $1300, pawn shop gear $250 for 4 seats.
 
petrolero said:
Are there any other on-demand systems out there?
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Hello

First, thanks for the 496.

I don't know if it would work for you but I use M6 oxygen cylinders and Easy Pulse 5 regulators - one tank per person. The cylinders are available on ebay for around $20-30 each and the regulators are available for around $50 each. The regulators are pulse regulators which allow settings of continuous at 2 lpm or pulse of 1,2,3,4 or 5 lpm. The pulse setting only delivers a bolus of oxygen when you breath in and it senses the decrease in pressure of a breath. They are compact and conserve oxygen fairly well.
 
A lot of soaring pilots use the Mountain High system. It pulses the O2 when you breathe in. And if it senses you are not breathing (or mouth breathing) it beeps at you.
 
I have the O2D2 setup in my plane. It dramatically reduces O2 usage. Way more than an Oxymizer. It also automatically adjusts for altitude so you do not have to change anything when you climb. Most people I know use this with an Oxyarm (http://www.oxyarmaviator.com). Personally, I find the cannula that came with the O2D2 more comfortable.
 
FORANE said:
Hello

First, thanks for the 496.

I don't know if it would work for you but I use M6 oxygen cylinders and Easy Pulse 5 regulators - one tank per person. The cylinders are available on ebay for around $20-30 each and the regulators are available for around $50 each. The regulators are pulse regulators which allow settings of continuous at 2 lpm or pulse of 1,2,3,4 or 5 lpm. The pulse setting only delivers a bolus of oxygen when you breath in and it senses the decrease in pressure of a breath. They are compact and conserve oxygen fairly well.
Click to expand...

Gladly!

I'm on a factory 4-place ox system. Would those regs work in my situation? I have a factory bottle installed with a factory reg.
 
petrolero said:
I'm on a factory 4-place ox system. Would those regs work in my situation? I have a factory bottle installed with a factory reg.
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Those regulators are designed for 1 user per tank. I do not believe it would function correctly with more than 1:1 tank:user.
 
The demand regulators greatly increase tank life. The two on the market I know of are the Nelson/Precise Flight PreciseFow (which I have) and the Mountain High (which I looked at extensively).
 
The demand regulators save so much oxygen that many health insurance companies now require they be used in order for the insurer to pay for the oxygen.
 
flyingron said:
The demand regulators greatly increase tank life. The two on the market I know of are the Nelson/Precise Flight PreciseFow (which I have) and the Mountain High (which I looked at extensively).
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Thanks - I had only seen the Mountain High ones.
 
It's a toss up between the two these days. The Precise is entirely mechanical and the MH is electronic. They made some changes to the MH after I made my purchase decision which addressed the issues I initially had with them.
 
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