Oxycon troubles.....hellllp

[KCDesigns]

I have an Alliance 500 (?) which decided tonight was the night to DIE!!!!!!
UGH!! right in the middle of a large focal ( for me...I don't normally make focals) I hear a 'pop' then the alarm goes off. Luckily I have two oxycons and didn't loose my flame entirely but the bead is a gonner......

My questions are ... Has anyone had this happen?
About how much am I looking at having this thing rebuilt?
( I have had it over two years and used it almost 4 days a week at 5 or 6 hours a day since)

Do you think I can take it to a local o2 supplier and have it reconditioned?

Thanks for the help,
Kim

[Anastasia]

Hi Kim,
I had this happen a couple of weeks ago...not the Alliance 500, but Companion 492a.
Question: did it only die or got it hot, too?

In most cases oxycon troubles are due to the filters, I dunno exactly where the filters are in an Alliance, but most times there is one inside of it, too.
You can open it and have a look (don´t forget to unplug before)...if your lucky it is possible to change it.

Then, and that was the case with mine, it may be that the ventilator is jammed, you may open it, then re-plug and start it (but don´t touch;-)...to see whether that thing is working properly.

If this is ok, it may be something more serious, another option is the generator (if this is the right expression for that)....that is at least, quite expensive...

For having it repaired a rehabilitation supply store, in my opinion, would be a better option than an o2 supplier...sometimes they also got used ones for reasonable prices...this is what I did, got myself a new one...

Good luck!

[KCDesigns]

Anastasia,
Thanks somuch for your help and your reply.

It didn't get too hot, I have a fan I run to keep the air circulating around both of them. Plus I turned it off for a few hours and turned it back on and the alarm kept blaring.

I am hoping to find someone this morning to recondition this one for me.

I was wondering in general how long we should expect these machines to last between reconditioning?

Does the Oxygen generator work better for these conditions and possibly last longer between servicing?

So many questions???? I called about getting tanked o2 this morning and that is REALLY an expense I do not want to take on! Plus I don't have room for all the cyllinders I would need. ACK!!

I really thought my oxycon would last longer than a year and a half before needing service.
Oh well!!!




Any other advice would be greatly appreciated....since like a lot of others - I tend to fly by the seat of my pants most of the time. :rolleyes:

Kim

[Dale M.]

Generally a machine that makes a "POP" noise and immediately goes into alarm mode means a component has self destructed or a valve or hose has broken... Remove covers and look around. It may be as simple as a hose that has come off connector or some plastic part has given up... It may be possible to have local service company fix it!... Its probably not a problem with filters though it never hurts to check them out...

If you don't have owners manual on machine, see if you can find manufacturers site on web and download/view owners manual... Also check manufacturers site for any "trouble shooting" procedures.

A reconditioned machine, if done properly should have almost same life as new machine (25,000 hours or more) BUT as time goes on, its more prone to failure as components grow old....

If you choose to venture inside machine be sure you UNPLUG it from wall first ..

Dale

[KCDesigns]

Dale!!!!!!!!!


insert big mushy hug here!!!!!!

I never thought of actually venturing inside!!

you are simply a genius!!! It did sound like a hose in fact - at first I thought it was the 'y' connector.

Thanks SO much!!

I will let you know what I find.

Cheers,
Kim

[KCDesigns]

Dale,

Well, I took the back off and couldn't find anything loose but I did vacumn out the inside turned it on to see if I could see anything wrong......Like I would really know.... and low and behold it's running!!! Been running fine for 15 minutes now. I put the back back on and everything seems fine.

I am going to leave it one for a few hours and make sure but I think whatever happened may have corrected itself.....strange I know, but I don't look gift horses in the mouth.....know what I mean??

Any other advice is alway welcome.
Thanks again!!

Kim

[Shawn T]

Moved so your question wouldn't get lost in the family room.

Glad to see your Oxycon may have fixed itself. Hope it works from now on.

[Dale M.]

Keep fingers crossed!

Dale

[KCDesigns]

Dale,

Crossed fingers or not - it only ran for an hour got really loud then the alarm went off again.

I have pronounced death at 1:20pm. Oh well.....

Luckily I have a local supplier who said I can use one of his older (Invacare)machines until I can either get a new one or buy the Generator I would like to have.
Amazing to me there are still people in this world who will help out a total stranger for no reason at all.


Thanks for the help Dale!!

Cheers,
Kim

P.s.
And for anyone who is realing this thread....a little info...
Heathdyne Alliance Oxycons are no longer made and are very hard to find parts for or a repair person willing to work on them. This is after 4 hours of phone calls to 10 different Medical and Respiratory businesses.
And when I bought it I was told a WHOLE different story.

Kim

[Justin L]

Alliance Concentrators are indeed no longer made. This forced us who rebuild them to recognize the parts that are no longer available, and hire companies to custom manfacture these replacement parts. ;) I have had no issues with the replacement parts I use. The alliance is far too good of a machine to simply give up on them when they break. Make sure that whoever reconditions your machine, can put a good warranty on it!