Oxy Con questions?

WhiskerWood · #1 2006-11-12, 7:24pm

So I have two oxycons, they are the reconditioned medical kind.
I see people all over referring to their units as to what they are and I just say I have two oxycons, I have no idea what to call them

One is an Invacare 5 and the other is a Mobileaire 5 by Invacare.

So is that what I call them or is there some other snazzy name for them???

How much difference is there between what I have and say an OG15 or an M-20?

kbinkster · #2 2006-11-13, 9:14am

The two concentrators that you have put out 5 LPM at around 5-5.5 psi.

The OG15 puts out a little over 7 LPM at about 9 psi. So, this unit would put out less volume than your two units combined, but it would be delivered at a higher pressure.

The M-20 was a concentrator that started out as a Respironics Millenium 10, but was altered by Unlimited Oxygen to put out 10 LPM at 20 psi. Unlimited Oxygen no longer offers this unit in the same case/configuration. They now have the unit in a different case and it is called something else.

Justin L · #3 2006-11-13, 9:17am

The Mobilaire 5 and Invacare 5 are the same. The Invacare 5 is just an updated Mobilaire 5 with a few different internal components.

LouiseI · #4 2006-11-13, 9:25am

where do you buy reconditioned units? I'm new to this and have just got started with a hot head, but who knows what I'll want a year or two down the road. An oxy con sounds preferable to me than having to deal with tanks of oxygen.

thanks

kbinkster · #5 2006-11-13, 10:36am

You can buy a reconditioned unit from all sorts of places, including from vendors here on LE (like me

).

I would advise caution if buying a unit off of eBay. "I tested it and it runs fine" is not enough. You want a unit that has been correctly reconditioned. That means that it has been gone over and has had all the necessary work done to make it like new - valves repaired or replaced, compressor rebuilt, seive beds repoured, filters replaced, unit disinfected/cleaned, etc. Some of the people out there may simply replace the filters and proclaim the unit reconditioned. That's not good enough.

WhiskerWood · #6 2006-11-13, 11:40am

Thanks for your responses!!! I am really happy with my concentrators, they work great!
I got mine from Paulette which is your company now right Kimberly??

So if I wanted more pressure I would get two OG-15s right?

edited to say: I think I will stick with what I have for now, those OG-15s are expensive!

LouiseI · #7 2006-11-13, 12:14pm

thank you kbinkster!

kbinkster · #8 2006-11-13, 12:30pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiskerWood

Thanks for your responses!!! I am really happy with my concentrators, they work great!
I got mine from Paulette which is your company now right Kimberly??

So if I wanted more pressure I would get two OG-15s right?

edited to say: I think I will stick with what I have for now, those OG-15s are expensive!

Yes, that is now my company.

For those who don't know, Paulette had Suncoast Beads and sold oxygen concentrators to lampworkers for many years. She decided to retire and handed over the concentrator part of her business to me. I named it "Pyronamix."

EDIT: And to answer your question, if you want more pressure than what you currently have, an OG15 would provide it. So would a Regalia, and a Regalia puts out more oxygen and costs less than an OG15.

WhiskerWood · #9 2006-11-13, 1:11pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by kbinkster

EDIT: And to answer your question, if you want more pressure than what you currently have, an OG15 would provide it. So would a Regalia, and a Regalia puts out more oxygen and costs less than an OG15.

I did see the cost difference. I will keep you in mind if I ever decide to upgrade

Thanks for all of the info.!

Justin L · #10 2006-11-14, 3:24pm

I sell concentrators also. I sell a lot of the Devilbiss machines which put out about 9PSI where most other machines put out 5 or maybe 6.

If you couple two of my devilbiss together, you will get the same output as a Regalia, and it will cost you only $740, including shipping and a 5 year warranty!

kbinkster · #11 2006-11-14, 7:23pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin L

I sell concentrators also. I sell a lot of the Devilbiss machines which put out about 9PSI where most other machines put out 5 or maybe 6.

If you couple two of my devilbiss together, you will get the same output as a Regalia, and it will cost you only $740, including shipping and a 5 year warranty!

Justin, when people call you and ask about the OG15 that you sell, do you tell them that two DeVilbiss units combined actually put out more than the OG15 for over $1000 less?

I sell the DeVilbiss units, as well. But, when I make recommendations to people, I take several things into consideration, including but not limited to their budget. I tell them that if they can do it, get the Regalia. It is a brand new unit shipped directly from the manufacturer and has lampworker-friendly features built into it (actually, the NEW Regalia was made specifically for lampworkers). The digital control panel makes it very easy to use. When you set it for a particular setting, it stays there. You can turn your oxygen off at the torch without having to shut down the machine. Unlike other concentrators, you can run your torch on a Regalia very much like you would run it on tanked oxygen.

The Regalia has patented technology that makes it superior to the standard two-seive bed operation machines like the DeVilbiss. For one thing, it does not breathe, something that causes flame fluctuations and can be annoying (this can be made less noticeable by running two machines in tandem). It has about 200 fewer parts than a single standard two-seive bed machine - less stuff to worry about.

When you are running two machines together, you are making twice the noise, using up twice the space, and consuming twice the electricity.

There are many benefits of using a single high-output machine over using two low-output machines. That is why when people are moving from a two machine combo, they are usually looking for a single unit that can give them better performance.

Like I said before, I sell the DeVilbiss units, too. They are good machines. I believe that they definitely have their place. But when it comes to the best option for supplying a torch with 10 LPM at 9 psi, the Regalia is the superior choice.

Justin L · #12 2006-11-14, 8:07pm

no, I offer them all available options. Most people opt for 2 concentrators knowing that they are getting a 5 year warranty, instead of a 1 year warranty with the Regalia or the OGSI machines. They also love the fact that they are paying less than half the cost.

Some people want the OGSI machines, some dont.

kbinkster · #13 2006-11-14, 10:20pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin L

no, I offer them all available options. Most people opt for 2 concentrators knowing that they are getting a 5 year warranty, instead of a 1 year warranty with the Regalia or the OGSI machines. They also love the fact that they are paying less than half the cost.

Some people want the OGSI machines, some dont.

Well, the important thing is being able to offer the right solution(s) for a particular torch/set-up. That's why it is crucial to understand the various torches out there and how they work - what they like, what they need, etc. It's also important to understand that different people have different working styles as well as different working environments. And, they also have different goals. It all plays a part in "fitting" the right concentrator to the artist. Sometimes a two unit combination is adequate. Other times, it really is not.

WhiskerWood · #14 2006-11-15, 1:33am

Thanks for the informative discussion; I am sure lots of people will benefit from reading this thread!