Caregiver Device Desk

Inogen One G5 Column Error: How to Fix It

Inogen One G5 · Updated August 26, 2026

The column alert on an Inogen One G5 almost always means the two metal sieve columns inside the unit have reached the end of their service life and need to be swapped for a new pair. The columns are a wear item, like a filter, and Inogen says they last roughly 12 months, with a replacement cycle of about 12 to 18 months depending on use and environment. If the columns were already changed recently and the alert is still on the screen, the timer reset step was probably skipped, and that is the first thing to try.

One safety note before anything else. Never change the flow setting on the concentrator to compensate for an alert. Flow settings come from the prescriber only. If your parent depends on the unit for continuous oxygen, have a backup oxygen source ready before you power it down, because every fix below starts with the unit off.

Quick fix first

If new columns went in within the last few days and the alert never cleared, the concentrator is still counting down the old column life. The sieve reset tells it a fresh pair is installed. Only run this reset after new columns are actually in the unit. Resetting the timer on old columns hides a real maintenance need and lets oxygen purity slide.

  1. Press the power button to turn the concentrator off. Leave it plugged into AC power with the wall adapter.
  2. With the unit off, press and hold the plus (+) and minus (−) buttons together for 5 seconds. The screen displays “sieve reset.”
  3. Release both buttons, then press the bell (mode) button once.
  4. Confirm the screen shows “sieve reset success.”
  5. Press the power button to turn the unit back on and use it normally.

If the confirmation message never appears, make sure the AC power supply is connected and start again from step 1. The button hold has to be a full 5 seconds on both buttons at once.

If that did not work

1. Replace the column pair

This is the real fix for a column alert on columns that are a year or more old. Order the official Inogen OEM replacement column pair first. Inogen sells the pair directly from its website, listed at $118 at this writing, and the same pair fits both the Inogen One G5 and the Inogen Rove 6. Check your unit’s identification label if you are not sure which model you have. Columns are sold and replaced as one connected two-column assembly, with no tools needed.

  1. Press the power button to shut the unit down. Remove it from the carry bag, take out the battery, and unplug the AC adapter.
  2. Lay the concentrator on its side so you can see the underside.
  3. Find the latch button near the columns. Push the latch button away from the columns and hold it open.
  4. Pull the column pull handle and slide the whole column assembly out of the device. Both columns come out as one piece.
  5. Unpack the new assembly and pull the dust caps off the ends. Work quickly here. The replacement instructions say not to leave the open column ends sitting exposed — the assembly should go into the concentrator as soon as the caps come off.
  6. Slide the new assembly in and push until it is fully seated. The spring-loaded latch button should snap fully back to the closed position on its own.
  7. Reconnect AC power but do not press the power button yet.
  8. Run the sieve reset from the section above: hold + and − for 5 seconds, release at “sieve reset,” press the bell button once, and confirm “sieve reset success.”
  9. Power the unit on and reinstall the battery.

Save the swap for when the unit actually asks for it. The replacement steps are meant for real maintenance, and practicing the removal just leaves the column ends exposed for no reason.

2. Do a hard reset

If the display is showing an odd or stuck alert rather than the routine column notification, clear the electronics.

  1. Turn the unit off with the power button.
  2. Remove the battery and unplug the AC and DC power cables.
  3. Let it sit for about 10 minutes with no power source attached.
  4. Reconnect AC power and turn the unit on without the battery. If the alert is gone, put the battery back in and use it normally.

3. Check the cannula and connections

A flashing yellow light with repeated beeps and an oxygen delivery message points at output rather than the column timer. Check that the cannula is seated on the nozzle, the tubing is not kinked or pinched under a chair leg, and your parent is breathing through the nose so the unit can detect breaths. If the columns are past a year old and this alert keeps returning, worn columns can be the underlying cause, and the replacement in step 1 is the next move.

Symptom table

Symptom or signalLikely causeWhat to do
Column icon (two columns with arrows) on screenColumns at end of life, typically around 12 months, up to about 18Order the OEM column pair, replace, then run the sieve reset
Column alert stays on after new columns installedSieve reset never completedUnit off, AC connected, hold + and − 5 seconds, press the bell button, confirm “sieve reset success”
“Sieve reset” never appears on screenButtons released early or unit not on AC powerPlug in the AC adapter and repeat the 5-second hold with the unit off
Oxygen delivery alert, flashing yellow light, repeated beepsCannula or tubing problem, or failing sieve bedsCheck cannula and tubing, hard reset, replace old columns, call the provider if it persists
Alert returns soon after a fresh column pairInstallation problem, or a fault inside the unitCall Inogen or your equipment provider

When it is a hardware problem

You have likely moved past user-serviceable territory if a brand-new, properly seated column pair plus a successful sieve reset still produces a column or oxygen alert within days, if the latch button will not close over a fully inserted assembly, or if the assembly will not slide in or out smoothly. Do not force the latch, do not open the columns themselves, and do not run the unit while an oxygen alert is active if your parent has no backup supply.

Columns are a consumable, so the pair itself is normal maintenance rather than a warranty claim, but a unit that refuses to accept new columns or keeps alarming may need service under the concentrator’s warranty. If the G5 came through a home oxygen provider, call that provider first. They handle service, loaners, and warranty paperwork, and many rental agreements require repairs to go through them. If you bought the unit directly, call Inogen customer support with the serial number from the device’s identification label. Have the alert wording or a phone photo of the screen ready. That one detail usually gets you to the right fix on the first call.

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