HELP my Oxygen concentrator just went “...”

sra-p96 · #1 2011-09-19, 7:30pm

HELP my Oxygen concentrator just went “...” well I can't make the sound it made but its a scary sound like a exploding balloon or a really bad fart... I just don't know how to describe it. The ball will stay between the 4 and 5 where is always is to start with, but after a second it makes this scary air rumbling air escaping sound. And I panic and turn it off. So I don't know if there is another sound to go with the first bad sound. I clean the filter on the back about once a month and none of the warning lights are on.
Its 5 years old and yes I use it a lot the hours on it says 34566 I don't remember how many it had when I got it, but I know it came right out of a box and was put together for me.

looking for my paper work next, and will be at the glass shop at sun up waiting for then to open... and on top of this panic I intended to stay up all night in the cool and make beads so I had two and a half cups of coffee and am now bouncing off the walls!!!!

has anyone had this happen??? is this a easy fix ??? is it all dead or am I in PANIC mode for nothing??? oh and I need to make like 100 more beads for a lady who is meeting me at at show Oct 1st I can get them done it 3 days but I am now scared to turn on my Oxygen concentrator.
Any information Please Please Please Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!

the name on it is
De Vilbiss 5 liter Oxygen concentrator with OSD
whatever that is,That's all I know.

Alaska · #2 2011-09-20, 1:35am

Here is a link copied from another thread that lists the manuals for a number of different brands of concentrators. Yours may not be listed, but the troubleshooting techniques are about the same for most medical models used for lampworking.

http://www.frankshospitalworkshop.co...e_manuals.html

clh · #3 2011-09-20, 6:48am

I'm curious to see the answer to this as I just purchased two of these used from a neighbor.

Have you confirmed that all of your hose connections and adjacent valves are tight?

cheng076 · #4 2011-09-20, 10:06am

Does it make the pop noise every time you start it up? If it only makes it the one time then I think you may have popped a hose loose or opened some other 'joint'. If it does it every time you start it up then you may have a compressor problem as the compressor is the only thing that actually runs/moves except the solenoids. They just make a ticking/snapping sound.

Try taking the case sides off. Turn it on and see where the sound is comming from. It may help to use a length of small hose inserted into your ear like a stethescope to isolate the sound. Listen for strange sounds from the compressor area. Listen for leaking sounds throughout the unit. Hope it's nothing serious.
PJH

Alaska · #5 2011-09-21, 1:54am

The first check to is turn on the machine and see if there is any oxygen/air coming out of the machine to your torch. Your flow meter should stay at 4 and the torch should work normally.

If not, then as suggested above, there is most likely a leak in the high pressure (30 - 40 psi) area of the system. There is a main large line from the compressor with a muffler that feeds the system. If that line came off then you should have no air. Or if the muffler split then some air but not enough.

To check, remove the back cover and take a look. Turn on the machine and carefully feel for leaks. i.e. keep fingers out of moving parts.....

Reconnect any hose that may have come loose. Or if the muffler has split then just bypass and go on with torching.

And check the service manual for troubleshooting hints.

sra-p96 · #6 2011-09-22, 4:20pm

Thank you all so much for your help!!!!
I took my oxycon to Lloyd at Harmony Stained glass and he took it apart and fixed it for me

it turned out it was a spring that wore out. And made one of the valves?? fail. I don't understand at all but it works now

Harmony Rocks!!!!!