Portable Oxygen Concentrator Battery Life
- Beth McCormick, MS
- Jun 15
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 21
Q: What is the battery life of a portable oxygen concentrator?
A: The battery life of a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) can vary from about 45 minutes to more than 12 hours, depending on the size of the device and how much oxygen it is delivering.
Key Factors:
· Pulse vs Continuous flow: Units that only deliver pulses of oxygen use less energy and their batteries tend to last longer than units that provide continuous oxygen flow.
· Double battery option: Some POCs, such as the GCE Zen-O, the GCE Zen-O Lite, and the Inogen Rove 6 have the option to install two batteries (or an extended battery), which will double the time the unit can run before charging.
· Carry backups: If planning a long trip without access to AC power, it is a good idea to carry extra batteries that can be swapped out with the main battery to keep your unit running.
· Follow recharging instructions: To maximize the overall life of your battery, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recharging instructions.
What affects battery life
The volume of oxygen delivered per minute is the main factor that determines how long your battery lasts. With pulse-only POCs, the higher the pulse setting, the sooner the battery will be depleted. For POCs with continuous flow options, the continuous flow settings will deplete the battery fastest. If you need higher amounts of oxygen per minute, it makes sense to have a double battery or to carry extra batteries for backup.
It is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for recharging batteries to maximize the overall life of your battery. Some units also have difficulty charging the battery on a car charger if the battery is close to depletion. Until you have a good idea of how long your battery will last, it’s a good idea to have back-up oxygen options or extra batteries.
Battery Life Comparison Chart
Model | Low Setting | High Setting |
GCE Zen-O w/1 battery | 4 hr @ pulse setting 1
| 45 min 2 LPM continuous flow |
GCE Zen-O w/2 batteries | 8 hr @ pulse setting 1 | 1 hr 30 mins @ 2 LPM continuous flow |
Respironics SimplyGo 1 battery * | 3 hr @ pulse setting 2 | 54 min @ 2 LPM continuous flow |
GCE Zen-O Lite | 5 hr 45 min @ pulse setting 1 | 1 hr 30 min at pulse setting 5 |
Inogen Rove 6 (standard battery) | 6 hr 15 min @ pulse setting 1 | 1 hr 15 min @ pulse setting 6 |
Inogen Rove 6 (extended battery) | 12:45 hrs @ pulse setting 1 | 2 hr 30 min @ pulse setting 6 |
*No double battery option
REFERENCE LINKS
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