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Old 09-30-2015, 12:31 PM   #21
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I think this is close to what we ended up with before. Bottom line, you need 120V power all night with this O2 machine at the current settings.
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Old 09-30-2015, 12:41 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by Vermilye View Post
While it doesn't improve the picture, a simpler way to do the calculation is to use the Kill-O-Watt's 3KWH for the 10 hour period & use 12V rather than 120 to get a rough idea of battery needs. 3000 / 12 = 250 amp hours. This does not include efficiencies, etc but does point out that with that specific oxygen concentrator even a pair of 6 volt batteries is not going to cut it...
My wife uses a different version of the same Oxygen concentrator at home and I came up with similar "not gonna work" numbers. I bought a pair of smaller, 12v capable machines. One for sleeping (continuous) and the other for hiking & skiing (pulse and 6#). Yes, she skiis on oxygen ... I'm married to one stubborn woman.

I have a Trimetic installed; but haven't really played with it much, yet. The numbers provided by the manufacturer of her smaller machines seem accurate.
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Old 09-30-2015, 01:40 PM   #23
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"...not gonna work." Right. Just as I suspected. The unit we use was provided by a home services agency serving our hospital and is rented, thank you Medicare.

It looks like an industrial strength machine to me so I'm wondering about finding one less robust, i.e., workable but drawing fewer amps hence boondockable. We also got the big bottles but they won't last (continuous) through the night.


PS Not only will my wife never get on skis... she wouldn't even go on a Ferris wheel.


Sturski, Just re-read what you said... "My wife uses a Sequal Equinox for sleeping while camping. She runs it at 2 lpm continuous flow at high altitude, 1.5 if lower. It uses 40-45% of my battery capacity overnight on 2lpm, and 30-35% on 1.5. She uses a different machine for hiking, so it gets turned off in the morning."


I just realized ...you have 2 ea 12 volt batteries in your trailer? Forgive me if I sound obtuse, but will your machine run continuously all night on two 6-volt trailer batteries? ...and all you need do is recharge them with your generator next morning, no harm no foul?
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Old 09-30-2015, 02:25 PM   #24
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Sturski, Just re-read what you said... "My wife uses a Sequal Equinox for sleeping while camping. She runs it at 2 lpm continuous flow at high altitude, 1.5 if lower. It uses 40-45% of my battery capacity overnight on 2lpm, and 30-35% on 1.5. She uses a different machine for hiking, so it gets turned off in the morning."


Forgive me if I sound obtuse, but does this mean your machine will run continuously all night on two 6-volt trailer batteries and all you need do is recharge them with your generator next morning, no harm no foul?
Correct, I have 2x6v Interstates, as provided by ETI. I also make sure that the battery installed in the concentrator is fully charged as a backup. The Equinox is inherently a 12v machine ie: no transformer, just a cable on 12v.

My wife has the home healthcare version, as well. It's fine at home; but not exactly portable or camping friendly. I paid for the Sequal out of pocket.

FWIW, I was able to recharge every other night in Banff this summer. Longer days, less shade, and a lower flow rate.
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Old 09-30-2015, 02:59 PM   #25
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I tried to fight with Medicare over the need for a portable machine rather than the 120V one they provided for my wife. I lost here in NY, but during the process talked with others in other states that managed to get them to go for a portable. The more time they spent in the RV, the better their chances were that Medicare would consider a portable system. It might be worth checking.

As to tanks, we took a trip to Nantucket, MA where there was no Lincare service (our oxygen supplier in Oswego). They provided 8 - 3' tall tanks to cover us if the power failed or while driving.

Another possibility to look into is a Liquid Oxygen system. I haven't any experience with one, but they use less power than many concentrators. No idea how often they need to be refilled, etc. Here is a quote from Lincare describing the system:

"Liquid Systems

A thermos-like tank (about 40" tall) filled with liquid oxygen that is converted to gaseous oxygen within the reservoir—this makes it possible to inhale oxygen into your lungs. A smaller, lightweight portable unit can be filled from the reservoir so you can take the oxygen with you when you leave home. Liquid oxygen is especially good for active people who need to be outside the home on a frequent basis.
Features:
Suitable for frequently-mobile patients and/or high-flow need patients (above 4-5 liters per minute)
No electrical costs to patient
Regular refills necessary"
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Old 09-30-2015, 03:28 PM   #26
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I have a Trimetic installed; but haven't really played with it much, yet. The numbers provided by the manufacturer of her smaller machines seem accurate.
The trimetric can show you the AMPs as they are being used.
You need to see how the AMPs out change when the 12v units are plugged in...
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Old 10-04-2015, 12:20 PM   #27
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The SeQual Equinox oxygen concentrator costs $2995. Holy crap. For that money I might go instead for a Honda generator.
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Old 10-04-2015, 02:57 PM   #28
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BUT in most campgrounds quiet hours are 10PM - 6AM so no overnight generators.
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Old 10-04-2015, 05:30 PM   #29
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The SeQual Equinox oxygen concentrator costs $2995. Holy crap. For that money I might go instead for a Honda generator.
Ya, between the price of the Escape 19 (built to support her oxygen habit), 2 oxygen concentrators (because you can't ski or hike with the Sequal), batteries, chargers, and a generator to charge em all ... the cost of taking my wife camping and keeping her active is more than I'd care to admit.

It's a moving target; but the Sequal was the lightest, smallest, and quietest machine when I was looking for them. It's been tested in Afghanistan; so it may up to what my wife dishes out. There is a used market for oxygen concentrators that runs around 50%, the Sequal was new to market when I bought ours.
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Old 10-04-2015, 08:12 PM   #30
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"...There is a used market for oxygen concentrators that runs around 50%, the Sequal was new to market when I bought ours."

Stursk... how do I find that market?
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Old 10-04-2015, 08:45 PM   #31
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... the cost of taking my wife camping and keeping her active is more than I'd care to admit.
The only thing you really own are the memories everything else stays here when you leave!
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Old 10-04-2015, 09:08 PM   #32
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True that. There are no pockets in caskets and I've never seen a hearse
stop at a bank and make a withdrawal. Lots of things cost a lot of money for various reasons. Sounds like you have done a exhaustive research and it's now a matter of making the go ahead purchase. I wish you and your wife the best of luck in future camping endeavors.
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Old 10-04-2015, 09:43 PM   #33
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"...There is a used market for oxygen concentrators that runs around 50%, the Sequal was new to market when I bought ours."

Stursk... how do I find that market?
Most companies that sell them will buy them back and resell them. I bought mine from these folks, I can't recommend them. They were like dealing with a used car dealer; but they had a local office.
https://shop.1stclassmed.com/used-po...-concentrators
It would surprise me if you find that model available, used. It hasn't been around very long; but it's predecessor is the eclipse 5, which is fairly common.
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Old 10-04-2015, 09:55 PM   #34
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... I brought a borrowed Honda EU2000i generator and used it nightly to top things off.

The EU2000i seems overkill, it never really ran faster than idle. Has anyone used a EU1000i? Smaller and quieter seem desirable to me, I will never use it for anything other than a glorified battery charger.
Right - even if the Escape's converter is putting out the full rated 40 amps, and doing it at 14 volts, that's still only 560 watts (plus whatever extra for inefficiency). The EU2000i doesn't need to work very hard to do that, and the EU1000i can certainly handle it. On the other hand, slower is better for both noise and efficiency.
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Old 10-04-2015, 10:00 PM   #35
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I believe you can purchase a battery charger and plug it into the generator and then directly to the batteries, this will be quicker.
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I have Honda EU1000i and I just connect to the battery terminals with alligator clips ( came with genset ). I don't use a battery charger
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It looks like both the honda 1000 and the 2000 can put 8 amps out of the DC charging plug.
That would be the fastest way to charge/top up your batteries.
Yes, there's a 12V DC output from these generators, using a separate set of output windings in the generator; unfortunately it only puts out that 8 amps and is controlled like a good battery charger.

If this 8 amps is more than you get using the 120V AC output to drive a battery charger, it doesn't seem like a very large or very good battery charger. The Escape's converter has a maximum 40 amps output, but if it doesn't go to high enough voltage it won't push much current into a nearly charged battery.

One of my RVs came with a converter that just ran at a constant 13.6 V DC ouput. That's perfectly good as an alternative to running from a battery, but is a lousy battery charger.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye View Post
In general, you will get more charging current with most 120V battery chargers connected to even a 1000 watt generator than the 8 amps, 12V connection on the Honda inverter generator. Even many converters will do better, although the WFCO used by Escape is an exception.
I agree. Either a converter which charges more effectively, or a separate battery charger with much more than 8 amps output, is the way to get the battery back up to full charge with minimum generator run time.

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Originally Posted by Vermilye View Post
As to alternators, my RAV4 with tow package has a 150 amp one...
Good point - even with a tow package and running at idle (max alternator output requires a higher engine speed), and tug can provide lots of charging current. Too much wiring resistance between the tug's voltage regulator input and the trailer's battery will keep the system from producing a full charge, but heavy cables fix that.
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Old 10-04-2015, 10:02 PM   #36
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Ya, I knew solar wouldn't cut it for this trip and brought along a generator. My Tacoma has the towing package and a 170something watt alternator, though it only puts out 12.6v through the 7 pin plug.
I believe we have the same truck.

While the alternator is quite capable, its output goes to the truck battery, while the 7 pin plug gets its power from the same circuit that is controlled by the ignition switch.

I was curious to see if I could run the 6 cu ft refrigerator on 12 v directly from the 7 pin connection, with the truck running. Answer was no - the voltage drop was about 1.75 volts, bringing down the voltage below the trailer batteries, when measured at the distribution panel. So even connected and running, the truck would not contribute much, and the trailer batteries would be supplying most of the power. Not suitable for a day's drive.

It would take a major re-wire and perhaps an additional relay to get alternator power into the trailer. I'm not even going to think about it.

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