Correct usage of Oxygen

[brian257]

Can anyone tell me when using an Oxysaver type canula if you are supposed to breath out of your nose or out of your mouth, or does it not matter.

[Mel]

Originally Posted by brian257

Can anyone tell me when using an Oxysaver type canula if you are supposed to breath out of your nose or out of your mouth, or does it not matter.

The Oxysaver is designed to "cutoff" while exhaling so I believe you would be better off exhaling through the nose.
At least, that's the way WE do it.

[brian257]

That is what I was assuming, but nowhere that I look can I find any instructions that say one way or the other.

[az_gila]

Originally Posted by Mel

The Oxysaver is designed to "cutoff" while exhaling so I believe you would be better off exhaling through the nose.

More than that - I think you have to exhale through your nose to get the savings benefits...

From one of the sales descriptions -

This soft nasal cannula captures 18mL of your exhaled air in a dedicated reservoir and replaces/enriches it with O2 during the exhalation process. When you inhale, the reservoir diaphragm collapses, providing oxygen-rich air to the deepest part of your lungs.

It won't capture anything if you breathe out through your mouth...


And a more scientific explanation -

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...020556/?page=1

[scsmith]

If you really want to save O2, and be sure that you are getting exactly the proper O2 delivery all the time, you should check out the Mountain High electronic O2 delivery system.

Most all of us in gliders are using this system nowadays.

[Gisnar]

Actually, if you really, really want to know you are getting enough oxygen use a pulse oximeter!

[BobTurner]

Yes, get a pulse oxymeter.
Yes, exhale thru your nose. The little moustache or pendent captures and re-uses O2 that was in your nose or throat (so it didn't get used).

[Greg Arehart]

Originally Posted by BobTurner

The little moustache or pendent captures and re-uses O2 that was in your nose or throat (so it didn't get used).

Bob,

Not sure I understand how this part works. Can you explain how the thing captures oxygen to be re-released later? I am under the impression that the exhale essentially closes off the flow of oxygen from the tank/line, basically like a check valve. That would mean that any oxygen downstream of the check valve (i.e., downstream of the check valve in your nose/throat) would go out with your exhale.

Greg

[bret]

Anyone using one of these portable O2 concentrators?

http://www.inogenaviator.com/shop.html

[Ironflight]

Originally Posted by bret

Anyone using one of these portable O2 concentrators?

http://www.inogenaviator.com/shop.html

Yes, I have used them, and they work very well. You use O2 more often becaue you never have to worry about refilling them. Why don't I have one? Two reasons:

1) You need one for each person on board. Great if you always fly solo, but expensive if you have a passenger.

2) every time I run the numbers on cost, it is just very hard to justify when you add up the price of a bottled system and keeping your own big bottle to fill it, I just can't justify the concentrator.


I'd really like one for the RV-3, but there is no room in the cockpit for the device - it fits in the baggage area, but then you can't monitor or control it.

Paul