Oxygen cylinder at home: sizes, how long it lasts, and safe use

1Two common sizes

The small B-type fits in a car and one person can carry it. The jumbo D-type needs a tempo and two people on stairs. Medical oxygen from an authorised refiller is about 99% pure or more, and a cylinder needs no electricity.

2How long a cylinder lasts

Litres inside ÷ prescribed flow = minutes. At 5 L/min a small cylinder lasts about 5 hours and a jumbo about 23 hours. Keep a 10% reserve and change it a little early.

3Oxygen cylinder price in Delhi

For continuous oxygen, cylinders alone get expensive fast: at 5 L/min all day, a month is 144 small cylinders. The refill never changes; renting more cylinders at once cuts the number of trips. For most patients on daily oxygen, a concentrator with a cylinder as backup costs far less.

4Open and use it safely

1. Stand it upright Chained or in a trolley so it can’t fall.
2. Fit the regulator Hand-tight on the valve, no oil, grease or tape on any joint.
3. Open slowly Turn the cylinder key slowly, a full turn. Check the pressure gauge.
4. Set the flow To the prescribed number on the flowmeter.
5. Close after use Close the cylinder valve, then let the flowmeter drop to zero.

5Oxygen cylinder on rent

1. Tell us the flow The litres per minute the doctor prescribed and hours of use.
2. Pick the size Small B-type for backup or travel, D-type for home.
3. Delivery and setup Regulator, flowmeter, humidifier and cannula fitted and checked.
4. Refills We swap empty cylinders for full ones; refill charged separately.
5. Return Deposit refunded when the cylinder and regulator come back.

6Refilling a cylinder

Medical oxygen cylinders are refilled only at licensed filling plants. Refilling "at home" with a machine is not safe or legal. Your supplier swaps empty cylinders for filled ones.

7Cylinder or concentrator

Patients who need oxygen 24 hours a day should have a concentrator, with a cylinder as backup for power cuts.

8Portable cylinders for travel

Small aluminium cylinders with a carry bag or trolley are used for hospital visits and car travel. Keep them upright and secured in the car, out of the sun, with windows slightly open. Airlines do not allow your own oxygen cylinder; ask the airline for medical oxygen in advance.

9Choose a cylinder

1 models we hold

Cheapest rentCheapest to buyBy brand

	Brand	Model	Capacity	Contents	Pressure	Rent	Buy
	INOX	Type D 46L	46.7 litres water	~7000 litres O₂	150 kg/cm²	₹1,800/mo	—

Prices are what we charge in Delhi NCR. Which model arrives depends on the prescribed flow and what is free on the day.

10Which brand of oxygen cylinder do we give you?

We do not sell one brand. These are the oxygen cylinder brands actually in our Delhi stock today, with the number of models we hold and the lowest monthly rent for each. Which one arrives depends on the prescribed flow or size and what is free on the day — tell us the prescription and we will say exactly which machine is coming.

1 brands and 1 models in stock. Rent across the range runs ₹1,800–₹1,800 a month.

Questions families ask