How to Install a Filter in Your Oxygen Concentrator

Installing new Oxygen Concentrator Filters

Is your oxygen concentrator alarming? Does the Low Purity light turn on? When was the last time you changed your filters? A very common question we hear from customers is "Does My Oxygen Concentrator Even HAVE Filters?" The answer is YES! We try very hard to inform all of our customers of the required maintenance of your Oxygen Concentrator. Sometimes life gets in the way, and you forget. This guide will help you though!

Oxygen Concentrators have filters that will clean the air before it enters the machine. We start with a "Foam Cabinet Filter" that stops any large lint or pet hair from entering the machines case. Most machines also have a large plastic "HEPA filter" that can be identified by the pleated paper media inside of it. This filter stops any airborne dirt from entering the Compressor inside. This ensures the longest life of your Oxygen Concentrator. The journey ends with a "Final Bacteria Filter" that is found deep inside the machine. It looks like a child's toy Top. It is a flat disc with 1 barbed fitting on each end. It is placed internally right before the Oxygen Outlet. This filter stops any micro size dirt and bacteria from leaving the machine and entering the patients nose. Most manufacturers are now classifying this filter as a "lifetime filter" and only needs to be changed when the machine is receiving a major service, or if it is put on a new patient.

The cabinet filters are located on the exterior of the machine. They vary in shapes and size depending on what concentrator you have. They are generally made of a black porous, spongy foam material. They easily push into place. When you notice them getting dirty, simply pull them out of the cabinet, and rinse in your sink with warm water until they are clean. Let them air dry completely before placing them back in the machine. Moisture is very bad for the internal parts of an Oxygen Concentrator, so installing wet cabinet filters is not a good idea.

The Hepa Filter is the hardest working filter of them all. It will spend an entire year scrubbing all the microscopic dirt out of the air that you cannot even see! The longer you run your machine, you may notice that the white pleated filter material inside is becoming dirty looking. This is normal, it means the filter is doing its job! Stopping the dirt from entering your machine will absolutely help prolong the operating life of the machine. This filter can never be cleaned, as it would ruin the material inside the filter housing. Simply throw it away and replace it once a year. These filters are easily located. They are found inside the machine, and generally are accessed by removing an access panel found on the side, or rear of your Oxygen Concentrator.

The Final Bacteria filter looks like a spinning top, and is found deep inside the Oxygen Concentrator. Some disassembly of the case of the machine may be required. Make sure you unplug the unit before attempting to replace this filter, just to be safe. Once the cabinet is removed, look inside the machine, near where the Oxygen Outlet is on the outside of the machine. The Final Bacteria Filter will be an in-line filter and is generally held in place with zip ties, so make sure you have new zip ties for your new filter.

Once your new filters are all installed, put your cabinet back in place, plug the machine in, and use it as usual. Keep in mind that it is highly recommended to change all of these filters once a year to ensure the longest life of your Oxygen Concentrator!