Battery Backup for an Oxygen Concentrator

Quick answer. An oxygen concentrator should never be your only oxygen source in a power cut. Keep a backup supply that needs no electricity, such as cylinders from your oxygen supplier. A battery or generator can then help cover short gaps, but only if your supplier and the concentrator maker agree it is suitable. Several power station makers say not to rely on their products for medical equipment.

If you or someone you care for uses a home oxygen concentrator, a power cut is more than an inconvenience. The machine needs electricity to make oxygen. That is why this guide starts with safety and only then gets to watts and batteries.

We are not medical professionals and we have not tested any of these machines on a power station. Everything below comes from maker manuals, health agencies and utilities that we link. Any runtime numbers are our own arithmetic from those published figures. Please read this as background for a conversation with your oxygen supplier and your healthcare provider, not as a plan on its own.

Backup oxygen comes first

The Inogen At Home manual says that an alternate source of oxygen is recommended in case of power outage or mechanical failure. Its technical manual adds that several certifying bodies for home health care providers require that backup oxygen be available to the patient. MedlinePlus is blunt about it, saying you must have a backup tank of oxygen gas in case your power goes out.

The American Lung Association gives the same advice for people with portable concentrators. It says to talk to your oxygen supply company about a backup emergency supply that does not need electricity, to make sure you know how to set it up and use it, and to share that information with a friend or neighbour nearby.

This matters for how you think about batteries. A battery or generator is a way to keep your concentrator running for longer. It is not a replacement for cylinders. Concentrators can fail for reasons other than the grid, and the manuals tell you to switch to backup oxygen if an alarm persists.

Ask your oxygen supplier these questions before the next storm.

• How many cylinders do I have, and how long will they last at my prescribed flow?
• Do I know how to connect them and switch over?
• How do I get more during a long outage?
• Does my concentrator model work with a battery, an inverter or a generator, and what kind?

How much power concentrators use

Home concentrators are stationary machines that make a continuous flow. Portable ones pulse oxygen as you breathe and run on a battery. The watts are quite different, so we cover them separately.

Stationary concentrator	Power figure from the maker	Source
Inogen At Home	100 W on flow setting 2, 275 W maximum	Inogen product page and manual
Philips EverFlo	350 W average at 120 V	Philips brochure

Our arithmetic from those figures shows how large a full day is. A concentrator running at 100 W for 24 hours uses 2,400 Wh, or 2.4 kWh. At 275 W it is 6.6 kWh a day, and at 350 W it is 8.4 kWh. Those are the amounts a battery or generator would have to cover for a full day without grid power.

Your own draw depends on your model and your prescribed flow. Check the label on your machine or the manual. The Inogen figures show how much the setting can matter, with 100 W at setting 2 against 275 W at the top end.

The Inogen At Home manual also says to avoid extension cords with the concentrator. If you must use one, it says to use a UL marked cord with at least 18 gauge wire and to connect nothing else to it. Keep that in mind when you plan where a battery or generator will sit.

Portable concentrators and their batteries

A portable concentrator is designed for outages and travel, because it runs from a rechargeable battery. Inogen publishes run times for the One G5 by flow setting.

Setting	Power use	Run time on 8 cell battery	Run time on 16 cell battery
1	14.6 W	6 hours 35 minutes	13 hours 28 minutes
2	18.7 W	5 hours 3 minutes	10 hours 22 minutes
3	26.9 W	3 hours 27 minutes	7 hours 1 minute
4	37.8 W	2 hours 25 minutes	4 hours 55 minutes
5	48.5 W	1 hour 51 minutes	3 hours 48 minutes
6	61.5 W	1 hour 26 minutes	2 hours 58 minutes

These figures come from the Inogen One G5 brochure, and Inogen’s spec sheet lists up to 6.5 hours and 13 hours on setting 1, with up to 3 and 6 hours to recharge. Battery time varies with the flow setting and conditions, and batteries lose capacity as they age.

The power draw is small, so the charging side is easy to plan. The G5’s AC power supply accepts 100 to 240 V, and Inogen lists a DC power cable for car use. By our arithmetic, a 500 Wh power station could in theory keep the unit running directly for about 22 hours on setting 2, or about 7 hours on setting 6, using a 0.85 planning factor. That is a rough guide only. The oxygen supplier’s advice on spare batteries and charging comes first.

The American Lung Association suggests that portable concentrator users keep extra batteries and a car charger on hand. Check the charge on all of them before bad weather arrives.

What power station makers say about medical use

This is the part many articles skip. If you plan to run a concentrator from a portable power station, read what the maker says.

• Jackery. Its support page says that for safety reasons its power stations are not recommended for medical devices, life support equipment, or any application where a power interruption could cause injury or loss of life. Jackery’s FAQ says interruptions can happen because of battery depletion, overload protection or other factors.
• EcoFlow. The DELTA 3 Ultra manual says the product is not intended for powering life sustaining medical equipment, and that you should consult the equipment’s manufacturer first if you plan to use it for other medical equipment.
• Anker. The SOLIX F1500 manual says not to use its UPS function with medical equipment that directly affects human life, and disclaims use for high risk activities.
• BLUETTI. The AC2A manual says the company is not liable for damage from using the product with devices that need a high performance UPS, including medical equipment.

None of this means a power station will not work. It means the makers do not stand behind it for this job, and a failure could be serious. Only you, your supplier and your clinician can judge the risk for your situation.

EcoFlow’s manual also contains a practical tip. A station can switch off its AC output after a period of light use, and the manual tells you to set the timeout to never in the app for critical loads. It adds that its UPS mode switches to battery within 10 ms. We do not know whether a given concentrator rides through that gap without an alarm.

What we do know is that the Inogen At Home manual lists a continuous “Power Error” beep when power is lost during operation. Its electromagnetic table also says that if you need continued operation during power mains interruptions, the equipment should be powered from an uninterrupted power supply or a battery. Ask your supplier what they recommend.

Runtime by station size

Here is what the arithmetic looks like if your supplier approves a battery for your model. Hours equal usable watt hours times 0.85, divided by watts. The 0.85 is our planning factor for inverter and conversion losses. These are not test results.

Station capacity	At 100 W (Inogen At Home, setting 2)	At 275 W (Inogen At Home, maximum)	At 350 W (Philips EverFlo, average)
1,000 Wh	about 8.5 hours	about 3.1 hours	about 2.4 hours
2,000 Wh	about 17 hours	about 6.2 hours	about 4.9 hours
3,000 Wh	about 25.5 hours	about 9.3 hours	about 7.3 hours

One thing changes the picture quickly. Anything else on the same station, such as a router, lamp or phone charger, takes capacity from the same battery, so the hours above are the best case.

You can run your own numbers with our power station runtime calculator, and look up other devices in the appliance wattage chart. For how the real world differs from the label, see how long a power station lasts.

Generators and safe operation

A generator can cover a long outage, but it adds carbon monoxide risk. The FDA tells people who use medical devices never to run a generator inside a basement, garage or enclosed space, even with doors or windows open, and never outside an open window or door where exhaust can drift in.

The FDA also advises that you read your user instructions or call the distributor or maker to find out if your device can be used with batteries or a generator. Our guide on standby vs portable generators explains the safety basics, and our generator size calculator helps with sizing. If you want to connect backup power to the house, read how to connect a power station through a transfer switch and use a licensed electrician.

Whatever backup power you pick, plug the concentrator in with its own supplied cord where you can.

Tell your utility and fire department

The FDA and MedlinePlus both advise telling your electric company and your local fire department that you rely on a medical device. MedlinePlus says they will try to restore power sooner, while health systems such as Banner Health add that it may help with priority but does not guarantee fast restoration.

Many utilities run medical programmes. PG&E’s Medical Baseline Program lists a compressor or concentrator and an oxygen generator among qualifying devices. It sends extra alerts before a Public Safety Power Shutoff, at 48 hours, 24 hours and just before the shutoff, and it offers extra energy allowances. Its own application form says PG&E cannot guarantee uninterrupted service and that you are responsible for alternate arrangements. PG&E also says that during a Public Safety Power Shutoff all customers on an affected line lose power, including Medical Baseline customers.

Other utilities have their own programmes and rules, so check yours. This is the same advice we give for CPAP users in our guide to what size power station you need for a CPAP, where the FDA steps are covered too.

Fire safety with oxygen

Backup planning also means thinking about fire, especially if you add heaters or candles during a cold outage. The Inogen manual warns that concentrated oxygen makes it easier for a fire to start and spread. It says not to use the device when smoking or near open flame, radiant heaters, grease, oil or aerosols, and not to leave the cannula on bedding or clothing when the machine is on but not in use.

MedlinePlus says to keep your oxygen far away from open fire such as a gas stove, and from any other heating source, and never to smoke while using oxygen. The FDA says to use battery powered flashlights or lanterns rather than gas lights or torches while oxygen is in use.

If you are tempted to warm a room during an outage, read our guide on heating with a power station and space heater first. Never place a heater near an oxygen user, and never use a fuel burning heater indoors.

A simple plan to build now

1. Talk to your supplier. Confirm your backup cylinders, how long they last at your flow, and how to get more.
2. Ask the concentrator maker. Ask whether your model can run from a battery, inverter or generator, and what output type they require.
3. Register with your utility. Sign up for a medical programme if one exists, and tell your fire department.
4. Keep portable batteries full. Rotate them, and keep the car charger and manual with them.
5. Write down the numbers. Keep the model, serial number, supplier phone and your prescribed flow on one sheet. The American Lung Association suggests keeping the make, model and serial number together with the manuals.
6. Line up people. Ask a neighbour or relative to check on you, and know your nearest shelter that supports medical needs.
7. Practise the switch. Try the changeover to cylinders in daylight with your supplier’s guidance, so it is not new in an emergency.

Our outage preparation checklist covers the rest of the household, and backup power for apartments and renters covers options where generators are not allowed. For a wider look at the choices, see home backup power options.

Bottom line

Backup oxygen that needs no electricity comes first, every time. A battery or generator can help keep a concentrator running through a short outage, and the published watt figures are modest, but power station makers say not to rely on their products for medical equipment. Ask your supplier and the concentrator maker, tell your utility and fire department, and keep your batteries charged. If your oxygen supply is at risk and you cannot breathe comfortably, call 911.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Follow your oxygen supplier’s and clinician’s instructions, and never change your prescribed flow on your own.

Frequently asked questions

Can a portable power station run an oxygen concentrator?

On paper the power is small. Inogen lists its At Home stationary concentrator at 100 W on setting 2 and 275 W at most, which many power stations can supply. The harder question is reliability. Jackery, Anker and EcoFlow all say in their documents not to rely on their stations for life support or life sustaining equipment, so ask your oxygen supplier and the concentrator maker before you depend on one.

How long will a power station run an oxygen concentrator?

Divide the usable watt hours by the concentrator's watts. A 2,000 Wh station running a 100 W concentrator lasts about 17 hours with a 0.85 planning factor for losses, and about 6 hours at 275 W. These are our arithmetic from published watt figures, not test results, and your own draw depends on your flow setting.

What do I do for oxygen if the power goes out?

Switch to your backup oxygen source, such as cylinders from your supplier, and keep track of how long it will last. Call your supplier and your power company. Get emergency care if you cannot keep your oxygen supply going or have trouble breathing. Make this plan with your supplier before an outage.

Can I turn down my oxygen flow to make the supply last longer?

Only with advice from your healthcare provider. The American Lung Association says not to reduce your flow rate to stretch your battery or oxygen supply without talking to your provider first, and MedlinePlus says not to stop or change your flow. PG&E suggests asking your provider ahead of time whether a lower rate is acceptable.

Do portable oxygen concentrators work during a power outage?

Yes, for as long as their batteries last. The Inogen One G5 gives up to 6.5 hours on a single battery and up to 13 hours on a double battery on setting 1, and less at higher settings. Keep spare batteries charged and ask about a car charger, as the American Lung Association suggests.

Will a utility medical programme keep my power on?

No. PG&E says it cannot guarantee uninterrupted service, and during a Public Safety Power Shutoff all customers on the affected line lose power, including Medical Baseline customers. These programmes mainly give extra notice, so you still need your own backup.