Transcend Waterless Humidification, anyone try it?

[Arthurs]

Just curious if anyone has tried the Transcend waterless humidification kit. How well does it work?

Here's a link to the product: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/transc ... ystem.html

[bhneely]

The Transcend is great. The waterless humidification is amazingly bad. I'm not sure why, but it's designed to be extremely loud on the inhale. My wife says it's as bad as my snoring. When I've tried to use it, I unconsciously hold my breath until there's no choice but to breathe, and then the noise wakes me up. And then I unconsciously hold my breath...it's exactly like paying a lot of money to have sleep apnea.

So I use the machine without the waterless humidification - just my regular mask and no tank - and it's fantastic (if a bit dry).

[RipVW]

Look like it works only with the Transcend II Travel CPAP Machine--don't use that machine, so of course haven't tried the product. I'm intrigued, though, about how it can produce humidified air with no water.

[chunkyfrog]

I have an ultrasonic humidifier.
Wonder if there's any way to link that into an air hose.

[redjoe]

This is the first I've heard of it. Based on bhneely's reply, I think I'll stick with warming up distilled water.

[Arthurs]

Ok, following up, I bit the bullet and bought the Transcend II CPAP along with the bedside kit for waterless humidification kit with a Resmed DoubleGel cushion for Mirage SoftGel masks. Nope, not going to wear the machine on my head, so don't even go there! I posted reviews for both the machine and waterless humidification mask at CPAP.com, hopefully they show up soon....

First of all, you don't need to buy the separate Resmed Activa LT cushion clip, despite what CPAP.com recommends. The appropriate Somnetics Transcend adapter ring is all you need, to go with the cushion of your choice. Oh well...

The Transcend II CPAP is awesome! Lightweight, quiet, tiny, everything I've been looking for in a travel machine. The small carrying case fits the machine, hose, mask, power adapter, even a 10 ft AC extension cord and tiny surge protector I added to the kit! I can fit the carrying case easily in my Travelpro carryon bag if I didn't want to carry it separately. Was great for a week's trip to Europe with my daughter. As a rule, if I can't carry everything with me on board in my roll aboard and briefcase, it doesn't come with me on my travels. I travel as light as possible, and this machine is a perfect fit in meeting that goal.

The waterless humidification mask is different story. The first night I tried it at home, I could only use it for 5 minutes before my wife complained it was too loud! I measured 70+ dB SPL 1 meter away with my professional SPL meter. Almost all the noise comes from the mask vent when I breathe in. Almost sounds like darth vader!! The holes in the mask vent are too big! Somnetics should take note from other mask manufacturers that use lots of tiny holes to mitigate noise issues. I sure hope they fix this, because otherwise this mask fits good, and the waterless humidification system really works!

So just this week I tried out the waterless humidification mask when I was on the road by myself and didn't have to worry about bothering anyone else. I slept with it on for two nights, woke up in the morning without the dry throat and clogged sinuses that occur without humidification. I was amazed! Almost as good as my Fisher & Paykel 608 with Mirage Swift II nasal pillows, maybe even a bit better because the mask doesn't leak as much! For a waterless humidification system, it works, and works well, and can potentially be a solution for those who are deaf and looking for a passover type system without the fuss of finding distilled or reverse osmosis water on the road.

Once adjusted, the mask was a comfortable fit, I could sleep in all sorts of positions that I couldn't with my nasal pillows without fear of mask leaks. Maybe I was dead tired the first two nights sleep with this mask on that the noise didn't bother me, but the third night, as much as I tried, the noise really bothered me and I couldn't get to sleep! I tried to bury my head and mask under the covers in an attempt to muffle the vent noise, it worked somewhat as I was finally able to fall asleep around 3 am. Ugh!

So unless you want to sleep with earplugs for you and any others in the same room (how are you supposed to wake up to the alarm?), you will need to settle for no humidification with this excellent portable CPAP machine. I use my Resmed Mirage Swift II nasal pillow mask without any trouble with the Transcend II, just that when I wake up in the morning I need to drink a bottle of water to take care of my dry throat, maybe blow my nose a couple times to clear my sinuses.

So Somnetics, I hope you're listening, because you have a great start of something here with your super portable CPAP machine and waterless humidification system, just that the mask needs some refinement on the vent hole noise. In the meantime, I'm sticking with my almost silent nasal pillows and drinking lots of water in the morning.

[TheDuke]

After reading the users comments, I find that I have no interest in the "Waterless Humidification" it appears that it isn't really such a great idea. I looked up the operating principle of the device, and apparently it somehow recaptures the moisture from exhaled breath and recycles it. When I first saw an ad for the system it reminded me of the old PT Barnum circus ad that he was exhibiting the world's largest midget. ( And yes, I know that "midget" is a politically incorrect term).

I am a firm believer in humidification, and always keep several jugs of distilled water on hand. At home, it is really no trouble at all- I do concede that when I travel by air our protectors in the TSA won't let be have a bottle of water in my BiPAP case, and it isn't always easy to find distilled water the first night out , but in a pinch tap water will do.

TheDuke

[RipVW]

Yep, I'm staying with the the old fashioned water tank as well! That device sounds like a noise nightmare!

[Arthurs]

As much as I love tank humidifaction and heated hose of my F&P 608, using this waterless humidification even for two and a half nights turned me into a believer that the humidification function of this mask actually works! If only it wasn't so noisy! I really hope that Somnetics comes up with a solution, because if they do, they'll make a lot of frequent travelers like me even more happy.

I simply got tired of having to hunt down the right distilled or reverse osmosis water every time I flew into a new location. I find most tap water to smell awful in my machine, I'd rather go without water than to smell chlorine all night long!

To cpap.com's credit, they issued me a refund for the extra part I didn't need. A very happy customer here.