Portable Oxygen Concentrator Repairs. The How-Tos

People often ask me: Can a portable oxygen concentrator be repaired?

The answer is: Yes, portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) can be repaired and kept running for many years. Some repairs are very simple and can even be done at home. Others are more complex and must be done by a certified technician.

Key Repair Categories

·       Accessories and consumables: In some cases, a POC does not require repair. Instead, there may be a problem such as a kinked cannula tube, a very dirty filter, a bad battery, or a defective power supply.

·       Sieve canister replacement: The sieve canisters of all POCs must be replaced periodically (usually every 1 to 2 years). In many cases, the user can replace the sieve canisters themselves in a few simple steps. In other cases, they must be replaced by a certified technician.

·       Mid-range repairs: In some cases, less expensive parts such as valves, control panels, and other important components can fail. These types of repairs are less expensive than the compressor or circuit board repairs, and can often help keep a machine in very good health for a long time.

·       More complex repairs: As a machine ages, some of the more expensive parts, such as the compressor or circuit board, may fail and require replacement. These repairs need to be completed by a trained technician.

What to do if you think your machine needs repair:

If you think your machine needs a repair, you should generally call the company you purchased the unit from for assistance. You can also call the manufacturer of your machine and they may be able to guide you to a repair facility.

Before calling anyone for repair guidance, you should be sure your tubing is in good shape and you have a clean filter (if it’s accessible to you). Your user manual should have information on how to change the filter.

Many POCs now have sieve canisters that can be easily replaced by the consumer. These include the GCE Zen-O and Zen-O Lite, sold by CPAP Z, and other retailers. Other POCs in which the user can replace the sieve beds include Inogen G3, G4, G5, and Rove 6 as well as the Caire Freestyle Comfort. If you prefer not to work on your own machine, your retailer or an authorized repair center, can usually do the replacement for a cost of approximately $150.00 to $400.00.

More complicated problems generally require that a unit be returned to the location where you purchased your machine so that it can be repaired by a certified technician. These repairs are sometimes done on site, but often, the unit will be shipped to a repair center for repairs. While such repairs may present an out-of-pocket cost for the machine’s owner, the repairs are almost always much less costly than a new machine.