Troubleshooting your Home Oxygen Concentrator - CPAPmyway

By Clay Rollyson
An oxygen concentrator can have a myriad of issues over time. Luckily, most of those problems can be fixed or corrected easily. I spent years on call 24 hours a day helping our oxygen customers with their oxygen equipment. In an effort to be able to go back to sleep at night I learned a lot about how to fix things with customers by phone. So, in this blog I am going to pass along some of what I learned from those midnight phone calls.

No Flow from Oxygen Cannula or Tubing:

Not feeling the flow of oxygen is a very common issue. There are a couple ways to determine whether this issue is a big problem or not. First thing to do is to make sure that the concentrator is on and running. Should be pretty audible. Next, check the liter flow gauge on the concentrator to make sure that ball is on your liter flow setting. If it is not try adjusting the dial to increase the flow to your prescribed level. If the ball is showing the correct setting, try covering the oxygen outlet to see if the ball drops then remove your finger to see if the ball jumps back up. If that is happening then you have flow, and the issue is somewhere down the line. If you are using a humidifier bottle, then that is probably the issue. Cross threading the water bottle will allow the oxygen to leak out. Unscrew the water bottle and rethread it back on carefully to make sure it is not cross-threaded. Then check your tubing to make sure that you do not have kinks or crimps restricting the flow. Replacing the entire tubing and cannula may be a good idea as well. Typically, if there is physical restriction you will see the ball drop on the liter flow gauge. After all of this has been done take a glass of water and dip the end of your tubing or cannula in the water. If it is bubbling, then it is likely working.

The Concentrator is Alarming:

If your Oxygen Machine is alarming, then there could be a bunch of potential issues. So, I am going to go over the top resolvable reasons that I have encountered for alarming Concentrators over the years. If none of these issues below help, then you may have a larger issue that will require replacement or repair.

Check your Power:

First thing you should do is make sure that the oxygen machine is still plugged in. Next, check to make sure that you do not have a light switch that controls the outlet that may have been accidentally turned off. If you are certain that you have power, then you should check the surge protector button. Usually, it is a little black or white button near the on and off switch.

Check your flow:

If there is a restriction in the tubing and the liter flow ball is dropping, then you may have a restriction. Check the adjustment on the liter flow ball first. You would be surprised how often a grandkid played with that setting. If that isn’t the issue then, that restriction is almost always from the water bottle if you have a humidifier on the machine. Many times, the down spout in the water bottle clogs and restricts the flow of the oxygen. Other times, the oxygen tubing is crimped or kinked and will restrict the flow. In either case it is a great idea to replace the water bottle and tubing to ensure proper functionality.

Check your Filter:

Most concentrators have a filter. It may be external, internal or both. Check the external filter first. That is usually a foam filter and is on the back or side of the concentrator. Make sure that this filter is clean and if not give it a good rinse and dry. If that filter is good, then check the internal filter. That filter should be changed every 6-12 months in most cases. If it has not been done, then it should be done.

Do you have room around the Oxygen Machine?

These machines have to circulate lots of air. This is because it pulls your room air at about 21% oxygen and 78% nitrogen and filters out all the nitrogen. Then it expels the nitrogen into the air around the concentrator. If your concentrator is in a confined space, then it may run out of usable oxygen. So, you should never have the oxygen machine covered or in a closet.

Things to have on hand if you are on oxygen:

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