Anyone familiar with this Concentrator?

[bellavistaglass]

Hi everybody
I have a question about the Respironics Millennium M10 Oxygen Concentrator...Anybody use one, familiar with them...good or bad experiences?
I saw a used one for sale with very little info about it...I was really hoping to find a 15 l one is hopes of being able to do a touch more boro with my Mega minor but....Any advice will be most gratefully accepted!
Thanks!
Patricia

[kbinkster]

Respironics does not make a 15 LPM machine, to the best of my knowledge. The Millennium 10 M10 is the largest unit I know of that they make.

Here is the web page with links to spec sheets and features: http://millennium10.respironics.com/

They are pretty quiet machines, but because they are standard two-seive machines, they still have the pause between switching from one seive cannister to the other that causes flame fluctuations and that valve purge noise.

When you look at the product specs, it says that the operating pressure of the machine is 10-30 psi. This is not the pressure that is being delivered out of the outlet. That pressure is roughly 5 1/2 psi, give or take a little.

Now, this information is for the original, unaltered Millennium 10 M10. If you are looking at an altered Respironics machine, then you will be getting something else entirely.

Unlimited Oxygen took used Respironics machines and tweaked them so that they were putting out more flow and more pressure than the manufacturer designed for the original machines. At first, they had a machine called the "M10 Custom" - a 10 LPM, 20 psi machine. I believe that that first unit was actually based on the Respironics 10 LPM machine. Later, they switched over to using the Respironics 5 LPM machines as base machines. They changed the name of the Custom M10 to the "M20" and then called the machines that put out 5 LPM at 10 psi "M10." Now, they no longer say that the "M10" they "make" is putting out 10 psi, but rather 7 psi.

[bellavistaglass]

Thanks Kimberly,
You are a big help! I was hoping to buy a 15 l but this one is being sold and as I had never seen or heard of them, I thought to ask here. This is an ex-medical one so I have no knowledge about the machine's history and it seems neither does the vendor. It going for a pretty good price tho so was wanting some help with the decision. I know nothing about the inner workings of them but I have has an older 5 lph for many years...It was purchased as reconditioned. If this one has better oxygen output then I have currently or if i can link the 2 I guess I will buy it to see. And if it is one that is "tinkerable" also.
But I really appreciate your time and attention, Thanks a lot!
Cheers,
Patricia

[kbinkster]

Hey Patricia, depending on what 5 LPM machine you have now and if this is an unaltered machine, you may be able to hook the two up.

[Elizabeth Beads]

I have a Respironics Millenium and it was sold to me as an M15 by ABR, however when it malfunctioned shortly after I got it, they referred me to Unlimited Oxygen to deal with the replacement (and that is another story). The replacement has been chugging along since October 2008 and I run it at 6 to 8 lpm for about 20 hours per week. So now I am unsure what I have, an M10 or M15 or if the designation even matters. It powers my Mega Minor for soft glass just fine, but I want to start using Boro, so I'm planning to patch in another machine. I picked up a Devilbiss 505 just to have a backup for now.

[bellavistaglass]

Cool, thanks you two!
Kimberly I have a DevilBiss SolAiris V (I think thats what it says I didn't have my glasses on so that's what it looked like to me) lol... Do you think I could link them?
Cheers,
Patricia

[kbinkster]

The DeVilbiss puts out 8.5 psi. Unfortunately, that is a 3 psi difference in output. Generally, if it is only a 2 psi difference, you can hook them together without a problem. You can try it and see what happens, but I think that the DeVilbiss might pressurize the line and not let the Respironics get in as much of its oxygen as it could. Make sure that you have backflow prevention valves in your Y connector if you decide to try hooking them together.

[bellavistaglass]

Do you think I would have better luck with another identical unit? I think she has one like mine too. So the new and old 5 l unit instead of only using the 10 l unit would put out more or would work with better odds of success?
Thanks again!!!
Patricia

[bellavistaglass]

I just checked her e-mail and she has ( or maybe had?)
one DeVilbiss 525DS
one Devilbiss MC64
one Nellcor Puritan Bennett 590 w/ OCI
and
one Respironics Millennium M10 Oxygen Concentrator
10-Liter model M10605 w/OPI
Assuming they are all in similar working cindition, Which would you buy?
Thanks!
Patricia

[kbinkster]

Well, when you connect two units together, you will always lose a little bit of flow. So, two 5 LPM units will not give you a full 10 LPM. So, in that regard, the 10 LPM machine would edge out two 5 LPM machines. But, for a Mega Minor, it's not that big of a difference. For a larger torch, it would make a bigger difference.

DeVilbisses don't like to share outlets with anything else, so keep that in mind. Two machines use up twice the electricity, take up twice the space, and make twice as much noise.

If it were me, I would think about getting the 10 LPM machine and keeping the old 5 LPM machine as a back-up

[bellavistaglass]

Wow, Thanks for all that Kimberly, I really appreciate your take on this!
I will post later and let you know how it goes.... My husband will just shake his head when I tell him what I want for my birthday THIS year lol!!!!
Cheers,
Patricia

[bgurden]

i have an m15 and although it is ok, it does breath and there are changes in the flame relative to that. it does power a lynx and a mega minor. i am saving up to buy the concnetrator that kbinkster sells as it is digital and does not breath. it does have awesome reviews here on the site. i am going to put my m15 at my sisters studio so that we can work together at times.

[bellavistaglass]

Hey again,
After a number of e-mails back and forth, looking for more info and not getting straight-forward answers..I drove 1 1/2 hours to meet with the seller...We met in the middle....She was moving a kid from an unpleasant renting scene....Very weird...
To make a very long and strange story short...I elected not to buy the concentrator... ( I actually brought along my torch and tried it out with that and my hoses and propane tank...it had not nearly enough O2) it ALSO had more than 23 thousand hours... a question completely ignored in ALL my e-mails) on and on ad nauseum...lots of dodging...
Not really sure what the whole agenda was ...but I did not buy the unit and will save to buy from someone like Kimberly who
A knows the product
B doesn't dodge the questions
C Offers some kind of Warranty/Guarantee
D Understands what refurbishing/conditioning means!
E Did not offer these for sale as her first post on a lampworking website. But hey, I learned lots and all I am out is one birthday present (to me)and a lot of gasoline
lol
Advice,
As I did, if you don't know them by reputation or history.... Bring your hoses, torch, a table, glass, wrench, screwdriver and your spine...If your intuition is SCREAMING at you...pay attention to it....
And go home and make some Beautiful glass things!
XOXOXOXOX to you glass peeps

[ginger2]

I bought my refurbished DeviLbiss from Kimberly over 2yrs ago & have been very happy with it....I run a Bobcat.
ginger

[bellavistaglass]

I know. Kimberly has an awesome reputation and looks after it.. But I do live in a different country and Shipping/Customs/the Border and Exchange have to play a part in every transaction. But she surely does shine like a beacon here, doesn't she?
Glad you love yer unit!!!!!!
Cheers,
Patricia