Cruising with medical issues

[ivoryjohn]

Vision of vaporizing in a flash of white light comes to mind when even I think of my present situation. Yes.....I do know pure oxygen supports fire and burns rapidly. Probably dangerous huh?

I have COPD and have been prescribed 24 hour oxygen. I have to walk around tagging a little trailer with a bottle of oxygen and am greatly limited in my mobility because I get so out of breath. It basically sucks as a disease but the biggest down side issue is it puts a huge crimp on my desire to cruise my '29 Fordor.

I don't expect to run with the youngsters or even the fit eighty years old but I'm only sixty four and don't plan on giving up easily. I am not ready to lay down and die. I don't want to quit cruising.

There has got to be a way to carry around the tanks and the oxygen generator that runs on 110v. I could use the tanks to go move around with when I can't use the machine which is the size of a large suitcase.

The problem is that I can't get the tanks refilled in route. The company only wants their tanks so I can't exchange them out for new filled ones and I have to take enough to cover me the entire time I am gone. With the flow level I am prescribed a bottle only last a bout an hour and a half. I have a machine that runs on 110 volts and will put out the necessary amount of oxygen. The small battery powered one won't put out as much as I need and their batteries only last about an hour.

You may begin your lectures on how I should know when to hang up my spurs and turn in my licence following my described plan of action, and you consider what you would honestly do were you in my situation?. I am single and don't have a wife to back you up so I am gonna keep going till I cant'.

I may be the first guy to land a Model A on the moon when she blows up but I am thinking of a trailer and generator to run the oxygen generator tagging along with me while I drive. I could also store bottles of oxygen or also carry a electric scooter.

My plan is run the generator to run the oxygen machine and run a tube to the driver's seat. At night I could dismount the machine and run it into my motel room. This would cut my tank use to nearly zero but I would carry enough tanks to cover the time it takes to drive me home from the farthest should the generator go down.

Yes.....Mildred , I wonder if there are restrictions as to how much oxygen I can carry in a private vehicle and yes it is probably a bad idea to carry any on the trailer!

Now please, if you have something constructive to say please do so. If you don't and insist on hijacking the post to discus your corn crop park you Model A for a month and see how it feels to know you may never get to play with it again before you make smart ass remarks!

[Mike V. Florida]

Take your A and convert it to 12 volts if you have not already done so. Put in a big Alternator and use an inverter of sufficient size to supply 110v needed for the oxygen generator. Be careful and see if you need a true sine wave inverter for your oxygen.

I did some more research and yes you need a ture sine wave inverter. May I suggest a web search "using a inverter to power an oxygen generator" you will find a large number of RV'ers doing what you want to do.

Hang in there, carry reserve bottle and a cell phone for 911 if all else fails on your trip.

Best of luck!

[MikeK]

I have helped with a few people who had COPD. A few things come to mind:

1) Your problem with refills- A cylinder "bump" line can easily be made up to permit on the road refilling of your small med cyls from a much larger cylinder with a CGA valve at any welding supply outlet. The med supply company of course doesn't want you to know this.

2) I don't know if you are on constant flow or pulse/demand, but constant flow is extremely wasteful. Talk to your Dr.

3) Have you considered liquid oxy instead of compressed? You can get home liquefaction units and make your own liquid. Portable walk around units for liquid will give you the higher flow you need and will go several hours on a back-pack fill at high flow.

4) 5 lpm 110V concentrators draw 3-4 amps. If you had a big 12V alternator (NOT a 10SI !!!) and battery in your A and a properly wired in and ventilated 600watt inverter you could put your concentrator in the back seat, eliminating the generator and trailer. If you needed 500 watts from the inverter that would be 42 amps or less. Having a big 80+ amp/hour AGM battery in your A along with a CS 130 alternator you could easily run off the battery only while stopped for up to an hour and have plenty of battery left to restart and get back on the road.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Two very positive responses offering apparent solutions. It reinforces to me the attitude of 'When there is a will, ...there's always a way!". I applaud both of you gentlemen for offering your thoughts!!

[QGolden]

My Mother in Law as COPD and a list of ailments longer than my wish list at Snyders. She uses Lincare and travels all over the country Casino Hopping. They live in KY and are in Deadwood SD today. My Father in law works his route out with Lincare ahead of time and they take care of her. She also has an O2 generator in the house and small liquid O2 bottles for short trips. You are to safe to travel with the O2.

Depending on how long you have been on O2 therapy (5years I think) you qualify for a portable O2 generator from Medicare. It would fit in your 5 quart cooler. You can buy them, but I think my Father in Law told me they run about 4 grand..

Drive on my friend. You still have options, I am sure there are others here in your current situation.

[sidhartha]

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I admire your determination. I see no reason for to "hang up your spurs" as you put it. If you can me a PM, I may have something to help out.

[RonC]

Get a small battery o2 maker. Newer ones go for hours on battery and you can charge it while driving in a cigarette lighter socket. Convert to 12 volt

[ivoryjohn]

What wonderful responses! My hat is off to the true gentlemen of the Barn!

I never thought of what RV people are doing or that there may be other folks doing the same. I can try the generator today just by running a cord and air tube to my car from the trailer.

I will investigate the refill supplies next week.

Thank you all!

[Mitch//pa]

john all are great ideas my hats off to theses guys, and i am sure with a little tweaking and investigating you will work out your problem.
keep us posted on your progress
keep on A'ing

[Rowdy]

Honstly I think a trailer will be required by law to have a DOT plaquerd if oxygen is in it. Just one thing to consider to keep you out of trouble with the law. Rod

[Fred K-OR]

Keep on A'ing John. Great attitude to have! And the help these guys have suggested looks like you can find a solution.

[1931 flamingo]

God Bless You ! !
Paul in CT Where there's a will, there's a way.

[dankurth]

Instead of a trailer, how about mounting a luggage rack on the back of the car and carrying a small generator on that? Seems like it would be easier to handle.

[ctlikon0712]

Those little Honda Gen's are small, light and very quiet....
http://www.hayesequipment.com/eu1000.htm

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by ctlikon0712

Those little Honda Gen's are small, light and very quiet....
http://www.hayesequipment.com/eu1000.htm

I sure like my Honda EU1000 and I'd bet it would fit on the running board.

I bought it from a pawn shop in Oregon on ebay for $425. It looks like new.

[Mike V. Florida]

We are talking about electric powered Oxygen generators not gasoline powered electric generators.

[m4banger]

I would suggest the small enclosed trailer as a better option with an external covered mount for the Honda generator (like was said quite and reliable) and a secure mount for the oxygen generator, also I would vent the enclosed trailer
Those oxygen generators produce quite a bit of heat I keep mine in a separate room in my house and in raises the temperature to over 80 degrees when used over night.
I know nothing about liquid oxygen for civilian use but I worked with LOX in the
Military and it was not my favorite task, highly explosive around petroleum based products so I would consider this option bad ju ju.

Mike

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

We are talking about electric powered Oxygen generators not gasoline powered electric generators.

Right, and the Honda is to power it.

[Geo. H]

It may not make any difference, but I detect an error in people's thinking about Oxygen. It is not flamable, and will not explode. Combustion requires oxygen but it isn't the oxygen that burns. Stuff that is flamable, such as oil, gasoline, rubber, etc. will burn a lot better in the presence of oxygen, but again, the oxygen isn't burning. Keeping this fact in mind should help you decide how to carry an oxygen generator.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Right, and the Honda is to power it.

Just what are the legalities of carrying gasoline cans and a running generator in a trailer while driving?

Use the alternator and an inverter. Simple, effective, and safe.