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

"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 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

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