Mountain High oxygen systems

Christmas is a-comin' etc. and I'm thinking of replacing my old A14 diluter
demand system with a Mountain High EDS system. The A14 hasn't been used for
years; now I'm living in the mountains I want something I know I can trust

Can I trust the EDS system? Anybody out there got anything good or bad to
say about it? Should I swap my old steel bottle for a new one - if so,
aloominum or kevlar? I like the idea of the canular - is it reliable?

"Simon Waddell" wrote in message
...
Christmas is a-comin' etc. and I'm thinking of replacing my old A14
diluter
demand system with a Mountain High EDS system. The A14 hasn't been used
for
years; now I'm living in the mountains I want something I know I can trust

Can I trust the EDS system? Anybody out there got anything good or bad to
say about it? Should I swap my old steel bottle for a new one - if so,
aloominum or kevlar? I like the idea of the canular - is it reliable?

EDS is good, a freshly overhauled A-14 is better.

With a good mask fit, the A-14 will keep your blood oxygen saturation at a
steady 98-99% up to 40,000 feet. It's a safe and solid bit of equipment.
I've never seen anything that good with a nasal cannula. Also there is
cost. I hear that an A-14 can be overhauled for about $350 and the purchase
price of an EDS is three times that.

Below 18,000' a cannula is much more comfortable than the old olive drab
masks, however

Steel bottles are heavy but cheap. Aluminum and kevlar are light but very
expensive. I guess it depends on what the overall W&B of your glider (and
wallet) looks like.

Bill Daniels

One other point related to bottles. With the aluminum and the steel you
can get them hydro tested at the prescribed intervals and they are
basically not a life limited item. The composite bottles have a
specified service life of about 10 years. After the 10ish year life (I
think it's the DOT) says they are to be destroyed. Hopefully this life
expecancy will be extended as they build up a succesful track record.

Bill Daniels wrote:
"Simon Waddell" wrote in message
...

Christmas is a-comin' etc. and I'm thinking of replacing my old A14

diluter

demand system with a Mountain High EDS system. The A14 hasn't been used

for

years; now I'm living in the mountains I want something I know I can trust

Can I trust the EDS system? Anybody out there got anything good or bad to
say about it? Should I swap my old steel bottle for a new one - if so,
aloominum or kevlar? I like the idea of the canular - is it reliable?


EDS is good, a freshly overhauled A-14 is better.

With a good mask fit, the A-14 will keep your blood oxygen saturation at a
steady 98-99% up to 40,000 feet. It's a safe and solid bit of equipment.
I've never seen anything that good with a nasal cannula. Also there is
cost. I hear that an A-14 can be overhauled for about $350 and the purchase
price of an EDS is three times that.

Below 18,000' a cannula is much more comfortable than the old olive drab
masks, however

Steel bottles are heavy but cheap. Aluminum and kevlar are light but very
expensive. I guess it depends on what the overall W&B of your glider (and
wallet) looks like.

Bill Daniels

Simon Waddell wrote:

Christmas is a-comin' etc. and I'm thinking of replacing my old A14 diluter
demand system with a Mountain High EDS system.

Go for it, you'll love it!

One point: Theoretically, the cannula is even more efficient than a mask
- as long as you make sure you're breathing through the nose! (This is
the only reason why the manufactorer recommends a mask at altitude.)

Stefan

"Mark Zivley" wrote in message
...
One other point related to bottles. With the aluminum and the steel you
can get them hydro tested at the prescribed intervals and they are
basically not a life limited item. The composite bottles have a
specified service life of about 10 years. After the 10ish year life (I
think it's the DOT) says they are to be destroyed. Hopefully this life
expecancy will be extended as they build up a succesful track record.


I believe the life-limit term you're referring to is actually 15 years. But
there are other differences - DOT requires steel bottles be hydro-tested
every 5 years. Most composites need to be tested every 3. There are a few
composite bottles (including the carbon fiber full wrap bottle I sell to
other Stemme owners) that have a 5 year test interval.

I haven't used an A14, but have used an older Oximizer cannula system and
Mountain High's EDS. I much prefer the EDS. The EDS's calibrated pulse of O2
tends not to dry out nasal passages as much as the other and just feels
better. O2 saturation remains acceptable higher than the 18 K the FAA
considers the limit for cannula.

--
bumper
"Dare to be different . . . circle in sink."
to reply, the last half is right to left


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Simon:
See my article on pulse oximeters and the EDS system in the Sept. issue of Southern
California Soaring, the online newsletter of the Region 12 Soaring Council:

http://www.socalsoaring.com

Click on Sept 2003 issue.

Regards,
Jim

You've touched on the shortcoming of the system. There is no
indication of actual flow to the mask (I am assuming the mask as the
worst case). Red/Green indicators are worse than worthless because
they may decrease the delivery.

Use an pulse oximeter with the system.


In article , "dusty"
wrote:
I have had occasional problems. My breathing does not always activate the
sensor so that no squirt of oxygen is receive. I had the experience of
flying most of the afternoon at over 17k and noticing toward the end that I
felt like I had hypoxia. But I would take a breath and look at the EDS and
get the green light so everything seemed ok.

I do not hear too well at certain frequencies. But during the afternoon I
kept hearing (barely) a buzzing. Finally I realized that my EDS was saying
that there was a problem.

After some investigation after landing, I realized that when I would 'check'
the EDS by inhaling, the inhalation was slightly larger than my normal
breathing. This would activate the EDS. My normal breathing does not always
activate the EDS.

Changing the cannulus and tubing seems to helps for the first time or two
but then it begins not always noticing my inhalation.

I do have to use a sleep apnea machinge. Maybe there is some relationship.


Later I notice
"Simon Waddell" wrote in message
...
Christmas is a-comin' etc. and I'm thinking of replacing my old A14
diluter
demand system with a Mountain High EDS system. The A14 hasn't been used
for
years; now I'm living in the mountains I want something I know I can trust

Can I trust the EDS system? Anybody out there got anything good or bad to
say about it? Should I swap my old steel bottle for a new one - if so,
aloominum or kevlar? I like the idea of the canular - is it reliable?

You typically do not use a mask with an EDS its a canular based system.

If you breath out of you mouth then the EDS will not get the pressure change
to fire off its next shot of O2

So in order to achive this you have to remember to exhale through your nose.
The latest version of the EDS will sound a warning if you have not had a
proper breathing cycle in X nunber of mins depending on your altitude.

I suspect people earlier in this thread saying they do not have it work for
them are exhaling by their mouths.

Al

"dennis brown" wrote in message
ink.net...
You've touched on the shortcoming of the system. There is no
indication of actual flow to the mask (I am assuming the mask as the
worst case). Red/Green indicators are worse than worthless because
they may decrease the delivery.

Use an pulse oximeter with the system.


In article , "dusty"
wrote:
I have had occasional problems. My breathing does not always activate the
sensor so that no squirt of oxygen is receive. I had the experience of
flying most of the afternoon at over 17k and noticing toward the end that
I
felt like I had hypoxia. But I would take a breath and look at the EDS
and
get the green light so everything seemed ok.

I do not hear too well at certain frequencies. But during the afternoon I
kept hearing (barely) a buzzing. Finally I realized that my EDS was
saying
that there was a problem.

After some investigation after landing, I realized that when I would
'check'
the EDS by inhaling, the inhalation was slightly larger than my normal
breathing. This would activate the EDS. My normal breathing does not
always
activate the EDS.

Changing the cannulus and tubing seems to helps for the first time or two
but then it begins not always noticing my inhalation.

I do have to use a sleep apnea machinge. Maybe there is some
relationship.


Later I notice
"Simon Waddell" wrote in message
...
Christmas is a-comin' etc. and I'm thinking of replacing my old A14
diluter
demand system with a Mountain High EDS system. The A14 hasn't been
used
for
years; now I'm living in the mountains I want something I know I can
trust

Can I trust the EDS system? Anybody out there got anything good or bad
to
say about it? Should I swap my old steel bottle for a new one - if so,
aloominum or kevlar? I like the idea of the canular - is it reliable?

What you are saying makes sense. As I have gotten older I have gotten more
hay fever. I may be breath a little through my mouth now to compensate for
partially blocked nostrils. When I check the EDS, I may subconsciously
'shape up' and do it right.

"Al" wrote in message
...
You typically do not use a mask with an EDS its a canular based system.

If you breath out of you mouth then the EDS will not get the pressure
change
to fire off its next shot of O2

So in order to achive this you have to remember to exhale through your
nose.
The latest version of the EDS will sound a warning if you have not had a
proper breathing cycle in X nunber of mins depending on your altitude.

I suspect people earlier in this thread saying they do not have it work
for
them are exhaling by their mouths.

Al

"dennis brown" wrote in message
ink.net...
You've touched on the shortcoming of the system. There is no
indication of actual flow to the mask (I am assuming the mask as the
worst case). Red/Green indicators are worse than worthless because
they may decrease the delivery.

Use an pulse oximeter with the system.


In article , "dusty"
wrote:
I have had occasional problems. My breathing does not always activate
the
sensor so that no squirt of oxygen is receive. I had the experience of
flying most of the afternoon at over 17k and noticing toward the end
that
I
felt like I had hypoxia. But I would take a breath and look at the EDS
and
get the green light so everything seemed ok.

I do not hear too well at certain frequencies. But during the afternoon
I
kept hearing (barely) a buzzing. Finally I realized that my EDS was
saying
that there was a problem.

After some investigation after landing, I realized that when I would
'check'
the EDS by inhaling, the inhalation was slightly larger than my normal
breathing. This would activate the EDS. My normal breathing does not
always
activate the EDS.

Changing the cannulus and tubing seems to helps for the first time or
two
but then it begins not always noticing my inhalation.

I do have to use a sleep apnea machinge. Maybe there is some
relationship.


Later I notice
"Simon Waddell" wrote in message
...
Christmas is a-comin' etc. and I'm thinking of replacing my old A14
diluter
demand system with a Mountain High EDS system. The A14 hasn't been
used
for
years; now I'm living in the mountains I want something I know I can
trust

Can I trust the EDS system? Anybody out there got anything good or
bad
to
say about it? Should I swap my old steel bottle for a new one - if
so,
aloominum or kevlar? I like the idea of the canular - is it
reliable?

Martin Hellman wrote:

Just so I'm not accused of being a MH schill, I agree with the two
downsides that have been mentioned: higher initial cost and only legal
to 18k.

I'm repeating myself, but: Believe it or not, there's actually life
outside the USA! The original poster posted with an *.ch address. If
he's really living in Switzerland, as this address implies, then there's
absolutely no legal concern. There are *no* regulations for oxygen use
by private pilots here.

Stefan