Can anyone recommend one of the portable O2 systems? New they all look close in price but regulator quality, etc is hard to tell without seeing them.

I got a skyox system this summer that came highly recommended by other pilots on the Maule site.

http://www.skyox.com/

One piece of advice I got was get the big bottle because most places charge the same for a refill no matter what the size.
It really makes a difference on a long flight at altitude. For me I was fatigued and turned on the system and within less than a minute felt refreshed. The last hour and half of a 4 I/2 hour flight I was alert and feeling good. As a matter of fact I flew through Nevada toward McCall, Idaho.

I highly recommend this system. I use it in the glider with a 12 cu' aluminum bottle and it will last 12+ hours between 14k to 18k. Never adjust anything it does it all itself.
http://www.mhoxygen.com/images/EDS%20Oxygen%20Info.pdf

I have the Mountain High 4 place system. It is a great system and I like the straps to fit the seatback...easy access.

Not sure I can afford the 4 place system, I use the single in the glider and will buy the 2 place for the C-180. I have a 22 cu' bottle I'll use in the plane.

Glidergeek wrote:I highly recommend this system. I use it in the glider with a 12 cu' aluminum bottle and it will last 12+ hours between 14k to 18k. Never adjust anything it does it all itself.
http://www.mhoxygen.com/images/EDS%20Oxygen%20Info.pdf

+1 for Glidergeek's recommendation. In gliders, space and payload is even more limited than in small GA. In some single place gliders one is happy just to find a spot to stash a sandwich that can be reached. When cost is less important than effeciency, Mountain High's EDS system is the way to go, period. EDS is, according to Mountain High, about 5 times more effecient than other O2 delivery systems. It monitors the pressure in the canula and delivers a calibrated pulse of oxygen and the beginning of the inhalation cycle. Thus the oxygen goes deep into the lungs.

The FAA says canulas can only be used to 18K. However, someone I "heard about" has used the EDS w/canula up to 29,000 (while monitoring their O2 saturation of course - - and also with an emergency bail-out bottle). So the EDS pretty much lays waste to the logic behind the FAA's old rules.

As mentioned, Mountain High's prices are up there. So if something is available from other sources (the EDS unit itself isn't) then that would likely be a better buy. The EDS wants to see about 15 psi from the regulator, so an adjustable regulator from another source can be used. Also the bottle itself can be had for lots less. If you are concerned about weight, then consider a carbon fiber full-wrap bottle like Spiracle's DD-lite (13.5" X 4.6", 717 liters at 3000 psi and 535 liters at 2000 psi) bottle weighs only 4 lbs. (I sell that bottle to other glider pilots).

all the best,

bumper
Minden, NV

Skyox if your going for a 4 place, there are no electronics to go bad, you can turn up the O2 and use a mask if you want to go real high and it has as much endurance as any other system. Mountain is probably the best, but you had better be rich for a 4 pl.
I got mine at Sun-n-fun. There you get to walk around and play and see them all, and you can get it a little cheaper. Just don't try tp take it on a commercial airplane in your luggage, they will steal the O2 cylinder.
I would advise you stay away from the systems that have an individual needle valve and each cannula has to be set independately, they can self adjust especially if somneone isn't well edjucated on their use. In other words they aren't for kids.
There are a couple of cannula types available, either a "moustache" type or a type that has a disk that hangs on your chest. The disk on your chest is a lot more comfortable than the moustache type. You can even get real fancy and get one that mounts on you mike boom.
The operating principle of the skyox is dirt simple, basically a little O2 leaks into a small bag and it slowly fills, when you inhale you suck out the contents of the bag. Of course the amout of the leak self adjusts for altitude. The mountain system is a lot more elegant, as I understand it, it's an electronically operated demand type of regulator similar in operation to a scuba regulator, but obviously much more sensitive, it will only pulse O2 when there is a slight drop in pressure when you inhale. Pretty sure this system does not use the "bags" that others require.
Whichever you get, get the big, long thin bottle. It takes up no room whatsoever when put between the front seats, and the regulator and pressure gauge can easily be seen there.
If you use it much you will have to either buy or make an adapter to fill your bottle. A lot of the FBO's are set up to fill the built in systems and they have different fittings than your bottle will. Some have the adapter and a surprising number don't.
If you really start using it much, you may start re-filling your own bottles, but you can't buy medical O2 without a prescription. If you ask what the difference between medical, aviator and welding O2 is you will find the difference is the bottle it's put in, The source is the same and none of it has anything added to it.

Their is a difference in the definition of medical and ABO (aviators breathable oxigen) ABO is supposed to have less than I think it is 3 or 5 parts per million of moisture in it to prevent freeze up of the regulator and other moisture sensitive parts in the system. I've got 3-280 cu' ABO bottles in my hanger set up with a manifold to fill my bottles. I buy my ABO @ Calif. Tool & Welding Supply and they test each bottle for moisture content. Each bottle costs me $16. I know my local FBO needs to make money but I fill in a season about 12-15 times @ $25 a wack that saves me $300-$400 a year in O2. And if I didn't use the Mt. High EDS I'd use probably 3X as much O2.

Glidergeek wrote: And if I didn't use the Mt. High EDS I'd use probably 3X as much O2.

I think as long as the "oximizer canulas" (sp?) are used, the consumption is similar. I think.
Your source may test for moisture content, but I haven't found one that does, but if I do I plan to ask how they add or remove moisture. I've also been told the only difference is the medical bottles are sterilized?
I think this "aviators breathing oxygen" and "medical oxygen" is a myth. I think all O2 meets the standards whatever they may be. At least it seems to be down here. There may well be state laws that play in here as well though.
Around here the only source of O2 is in liquid form initally, apparently it is seperated at a "gas plant" by liquification from the other gasses in the atmosphere. I wonder how much moisture liquid O2 could contain ?
I know in hospitals it's common practice to bubble the O2 through a liquid, I assume saline to add moisture and help prevent drying out the airway.

http://www.mhoxygen.com/index.phtml?nav ... icle_id=18
I was wrong try this now I made my recommendation I quit.

Agree Mountain High. Pricey but worth it if you are a regular user.

Glidergeek, I don't mean to pick on you. ALL of us were duped by the O2 myth and have overpaid for O2 for years, I was right in there with you. If I hadn't been refused to have my O2 bottle refilled because I didn't have a prescription, I wouldn't have started researching and I would still be over paying for O2. That's an excellent link by the way, makes me feel better to see it in print from a reputable source.
BTW, you can buy O2 bottles for a fraction of what all of the aviation suppliers want to charge, just be sure to get the right valve, ours is usually different from what the normal med O2 bottle is.
The carbon fiber bottle is real light, but doesn't fit nearly as well in my airplane as the long thin one does and I think they have a lifespan stamped on them and you can't have them tested and re-certified, once they hit that expiration date, they are junk, and they are real expensive too.

Thanks for all of the replies on O2 systems. They all contained good information. Mine is a 4-place Experimental so looks like the SkyOx recommendation is the way to go and with the larger bottle.

I like the concept behind the Mountain High system and I can see where that is the one to get in a one or two place and especially a glider.

As was mentioned in the posts, I'll look at other sources for the cylinders to perhaps lower the cost.

I found Aerox to be very easy to use and the hardware is simple and robust. The SkyOx systems I've seen in person had more knobs, gauges and fittings than Aerox and seemed harder to deal with in flight.

The SKyox I have has one knob, adjust it to .5 and leave it. Whether you have one hose or four plugged in, it automatically compensates. You never have to readjust the knob unless you use an old fashioned mask in which case you need more flow, or use it for an emergency O2 source like on the ground for a heart attack victim or something, in which case you would turn the flow up.
Maybe the older ones were different?

O2 is supposed to be real good for a hangover, but I wouldn't know anything about that