What is a Continuous Flow Portable Oxygen Concentrator?

Do you need a Portable Oxygen Concentrator? Do you need continuous flow? Lets figure out what machine would be the best match for your needs.

Continuous Flow POC's deliver an uninterupted supply of high purity oxygen, up to 3LPM continuous, and generally will also give you pulse mode that can deliver 6LPM and in some cases up to 9LPM!

Choosing the right POC can be intimidating. They are a hefty investment in your quality of life. You want to make sure that you purchase one that will meet your needs, and also not be a burden to travel with. There are four major continuous flow portable oxygen concentrators to show for comparison.

• SeQual eQuinox
• SeQual Eclipse 3
• SeQual Esclipse 5
• Oxlife Independence
• Respironics SimplyGo

In no particular order, let's get familiar with these wonderful and reliable units! Keep in mind, all of the units we will discuss are all FAA Approved for use on all major airlines!

SeQual Eclipse 3 and 5

This unit is a very reliable unit. They are very similar to each other, although the Eclipse 5 is a newer unit, and offers marginally better battery life. The Eclipse 5 can also deliver up to 9LPM on Pulse where the Eclipse 3 reaches it's peak at 6LPM. Both units will deliver continuous flow up to 3LPM which makes it a great match to use with your cpap or bipap unit while you sleep at night. It weighs about 18 pounds, which seems like a lot, but comes with a very sturdy and handy travel cart. This makes it simply to pull the Eclipse behind you. No matter your height, the adjustable handle on the included travel cart will suit your needs!

The control panel of the Eclipse units have always been very easy to use. Simple push buttons allow you to turn the unit on and off, adjust oxygen delivery modes, and view operating perameters. It has a green backlight for easy night time usage. This handy machine will deliver from 1-9LPM on Pulse Flow settings, and will deliver .5-3LPM on Continuous Flow Settings. This machine is designed to run non stop around the clock, and the compressor inside is rated at 20,000 hours of use!

If purchased new, this unit will come with a 3 year manufacturers warranty. If purchased reconditioned, you can get up to a 1 year warranty!

This unit always comes with the following accessories:

• Eclipse Oxygen Concentrator
• AC Charger for home
• DC Charger for car
• Travel Cart
• Accessory travel bag
• Nasal Cannula

You can purchase an accessory humidifer bottle kit which attaches to the machine using an elastic "belt" type adapter that wraps around the machines exterior.

There is also an accessory desktop battery charger so you can charge extra batteries without having to install them into the POC.

Respironics SimplyGo

The SimplyGo is a fantastic POC! It is the lightest, weighing in at only 10 pounds. Its ergonomic design make it very easy to carry in your hand, over your shoulder with the included strap, or even pull behind you with the standard rolling cart.

SimplyGo can deliver from .5-2LPM on the continuous flow setting, which will cater to about 90% of all oxygen patients! On the pulse flow setting, it will deliver up to 6LPM. This unit features a very easy to use control panel with minimal buttons and a easy to see blue blacklit display.

When purchased new, this unit will come with a full 3 year manufacturers warranty. When purchased as a reconditioned model, you will receive up to a 1 year warranty, at a considerable discount!

Included with this unit, are the following accessories:

• SimplyGo Oxygen Concentrator
• AC Charger for home
• DC Charger for car
• Travel Cart
• Accessory travel pouch
• Nasal Cannula

This unit also has an accessory humidifier option as well as an auxilliary desktop battery charger.

SeQual eQuinox

The SeQual eQuinox is the latest offering from the folks at SeQual industries in Ball Ground, GA. The eQuinox POC is a little power house of a machine. Breaking the mold of the Eclipse machines, eQuinox delivers a real punch! Delivering up to 9LPM on the Pulse setting, and 3LPM on the Continuous setting, while weighing only 14 pounds, it is the most compact and lightweight 3LPM POC on the market! eQuinox is compatible with cpap and bipap machines!

The eQuinox features an extremely simple to change front-mounted battery. It will never be easier to change a battery again! The top of the battery has a release button. Simply push the button and pull the battery out of the machine. To install, just push the battery into the correct spot until you hear it click in place! With 12 and 24 cell extended use batteries as an option, you will have all the power you need for reliable oxygen while you are on the go!

One of the most revolutionary features of the eQuinox has to be the Multi-Lingual voice interface! After selecting one of the 8 included languages, the eQuinox will give you voice commands of the selections you make, to ensure that you make the correct changes. Some of the notifications include:

• Changing your flow rate up or down
• Checking remaining battery life
• Low battery warning
• Low oxygen purity warning
• Unit malfunctions

You can also mute the voice if you choose not to hear it.

eQuinox comes with the standard accessories such as:

• eQuinox Oxygen Concentrator
• AC Charger for home
• DC Charger for car
• Travel Cart
• Accessory travel bag
• Nasal Cannula

Oxlife Independence

The Oxlife Independence® takes POC performance to the next level. With patented EnergySmart® technology, it boasts the longest battery life in class, and delivers over three times the flow of the leading POC. With the Oxlife Independence by your side you will enjoy unlimited oxygen. No longer constrained by the limitation of tanks, the world is yours. Feel free to travel – airplanes, cruise ships, rental cars, and hotels.

With your Oxlife Independence POC you will enjoy:

• Best battery life in class
• Continuous flow up to 3.0 LPM for safe sleep
• An integrated cart and POC that stores under an airplane seat without disassembly
• A two-battery configuration allowing you to swap batteries while the device is running
• Better vehicle performance with DC run power on all settings and run + charge up to 2.0 LPM continuous and 4.0 pulse
• Two times the oxygen pulse volume per setting compared to the leading POC

With DNA Technology, the Oxlife Indpendence is the world’s first smart POC. We stay connected to your POC to ensure it runs optimally.

The Oxlife Independence by O2 Concepts is the only concentrator on the market with all light-weight metal construction and standard 5 year warranty. It was specifically designed to handle the rigors of 24/7 use. With continuous flow up to 3LPM and pulse settings up to 6 (96 mL), the Oxlife Independence is the ideal solution for most oxygen therapy patients!

Included with this new unit is the following:

• Concentrator
• 2 Batteries
• Pull Handle and Wheels
• AC Power Supply
• DC Power Supply
• Accessory Bag Inlet
• Filter User Manual
• 5 Year Warranty
• Cannula