Heated Hose - Higher Humidity?

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 8:10 am

Those of you out there using the heated hose...Have you turned up the humidity since you've gotten the hose? If so how much?

I keep my F&P HC150 at 1.5-2 without the hose and would like to turn it up when my hose arrives.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 11:12 am

I like to keep the humidity somewhat low anyway, so I really didn't up the heat when I added the heated hose. Except (and this is really why I wanted the heated hose) when I switch to a full face mask on some nights. Since I use the full face mask in order to mouth-breathe exclusively when my nose is congested, I wanted to be able to turn the heat up considerably on my humidifier on those occasions and not get rainout. Actually, with the heated hose, I've found that I can still keep my humidifier on low with my Breeze and Activa (and turned up halfway when I use a FF mask) yet get sufficient humidification, since the air holds its moisture better if it can stay warm while it makes the long trip through the hose.

I keep mine low since:

a: Too much humidification and I feel like the air is too warm and heavy - thick like molasses.

b: Too much humidification causes me to have coughing fits during the night and part of the next day.

c: Too much humidification (even without rainout) can make the mask or nasal pillows get a bit slippery, more prone to leak.

Everyone's mileage may vary, depending on how cool a person likes the bedroom to be, and how much heated humidified air they prefer. The heated hose makes obtaining one's exact comfort preference (without rainout) so much easier.

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 12:02 pm

Hi R G,

My suspision about the appropriate humidity was correct. I'm convinced that the heated hose should be standard equipment. I think I read that one of F&P cpaps with the integrated humidifier now comes with a heated hose. When are the rest of the bunch going to get the idea.

Thanks for the valuable and timely feedback.

Are you planning on getting the new integrated humidifier for your PB420E when it comes out? Or do you already have two on order

I like my HC150 but I will also like getting rid of that extra hose between it and my apap.

Nev · Post by **Nev** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 8:33 pm

I think the new PB humidifier still uses a short intermediate hose?

See http://www.sleepzone.com.au/ and go to products, CPAPs and scroll down to Puritan Bennet, 420G with humidification (about third item down) for picture.

SleepZone reckon the heated hose should obviate the need for a heated humidifier as it will warm the humidified air enough as it passes through (except in very cold places)

I spent some time living in the tropice and sub-tropics and get worried by a dry nose in the less humid climate where we live now so I tend to turn my DeVilbiss heater on to about No4 (out of 10) as well as using the heated hose and that keeps me happy.

I've just been looking at what I would do in a power outage and have gone for a "jump atarter" with a 20Ah battery which should work the GK420E and the heated hose for about 5 or 6 hrs, but will do without the heater in emergencies.

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 9:14 pm

Hi Nev,

Glad to see you on the cpaptalk forum. I don't think the humidifier picture you're looking at is the right one. See the cpap.com October newsletter https://www.cpap.com/DisplayNewsletter/17 for the right picture.

As far as the heated hose being a substitute for a heated humidifier the problem with that is that you need to heat the water to get it ito the air and thus into the hose.

Good luck on your search for a reliable battery back-up for your cpap. I haven't seen what I would call the ideal solution.

Please let us know how your set-up works for you in real use.

Nev · Post by **Nev** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 12:15 am

Thanks Muckwader

The PB one certainly doesn't have a short hose and DOES have a heater.

I wonder what the one in the SleepZone pic is?

Looks like the PB one sends the air in under and around and out so it should pick up a fair bit of humidity on the way whereas some of the integrated ones rely more on heat than surface air flow to get moisture into the air.

Hope it gets to the market soon!

Spiritus · Post by **Spiritus** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 10:05 am

Nev wrote: SleepZone reckon the heated hose should obviate the need for a heated humidifier as it will warm the humidified air enough as it passes through (except in very cold places)

Hi,

i don't think the heated hose will replace the heated humidifier.

The reason I think this is because the main reason for using heat in the humidifier is to increase the water saturation in the air. Warmer air can hold more moisture than cooler air. This is why condensation occurs in the hose or mask - the saturated air is cooled, causing it to dump some of the water it's holding. I see the chief purpose of the heated hose as keeping the air warm so that condensation doesn't take place in the hose or your mask.

Rob

sharonokc · Post by **sharonokc** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 11:13 am

By heated hose, do you mean the c-flex or the one by fisher paykel?

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 12:24 pm

My take on the machine/passover humidifier/heated hose package that Nev mentioned seeing on sleepzone was that it was being offered as a good combo to use while camping or traveling where a battery will be the power source. Heated humidifiers are such a big power drain, so most people probably don't try to use their heated humidifiers if they are going to be running their cpap from a battery. Apparently the heated hose doesn't use much power, so might help a leeeetle bit to make the cpap treatment more comfortable when one is trying to eke out every hour possible from a limited power source.

Perhaps the heated hose could at least:

1. help carry whatever small amount of moisture that's picked up from a passover humidifier.

2. warm the air some even if there's not much moisture being carried.

Yoga · Post by **Yoga** » Mon Dec 06, 2004 10:30 pm

I have turned my humidifier up to the max when using the heated hose. It seems to help nasal blockage along with irrigation of the nasal passages at night.

A hint on cleaning the heated hose:

Find a cork that will fit in one end of the heated hose.

Moisten the cork with water before inserting it in one end of the heated hose as it will make it seal better.

Fill a 2 cup measuring cup with a mild detergent (I use liquid Dreft) and water mixture. Pour the mixture SLOWLY into the heated hose. Hold the hose shut with your hand over the open end and slosh it around a bit. Empty the mixture into the sink.

Fill the heated hose up from the faucet with clean water and slosh it around. Then pour out the water.

Note: You are going to get a small leakage of water on the floor even if you use a cork.

I keep a mop in the bathroom.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 7:18 pm

Hi Spiritus

I guess I ahould qualify my remark bu saying SDleepZone were talking about the DeVilbiss passover humidifier which I bought from them. It has an optional heater and I was trying to decide whether to buy the heater or not. (I did in the end!)

The passover humidifers that don't have a heater or have an optional heater seem to be flat and run the air around over the surface of the water to pick up moisture by evaporation. The smaller integrated ones that come with Resmed or RemStar machines don't have anything like the surface area and rely mainly on heat to evaporate water.

Mask