how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
fergi
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how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by fergi » Sun Mar 24, 2013 6:02 am

Hi , i have a resmed autoset s8 spirit 2. i have had this machine for 4 years now and it hasnt missed a beat, well nearly hasnt missed a beat.
about 12 months ago i started having a problem with the on/off switch. some nights it would take me 5 minutes of continually pressing the on/off switch to get it to kick in, This was very frustrating especially if it was a late night and i was tired. the last thing i needed was trying to coax my machine into taking part in my nightly sleep routine.
Eventually after a month or so i went into a cpap shop and asked whether i could buy a replacement switch, i was asked what the problem was and was told that this particular machine had this as a common problem. Ok then sell me the switch and i will be on my way, i will fit it myself.
The girl on the front desk told me that they couldnt sell me a a switch and that i would have to bring the machine in and they would send it away to be fixed, They would then hire a machine out to me for the two weeks it was going to fix the fault in my machine, the approximate quote to fix my machine was going to be around $250. Plus a rental fee for two weeks for their rental machine.
I declined the offer, mainly because of their attitude , it was obvious they wanted to make some money out of the deal, in fact for the easy fix i did it was a ridiculous amount of money, would have cost me with the fix and hire of their machine it would have been $300.

So what was the problem with the switch, i pulled the on /off button/cover up and out of the machine,it just pulls out with a little bit of force, it isnt held in by anything except a tight fit and a rubber surround around the cap. On the underside of the cap are two tiny pieces of carbon about the size of a match head, with constant use the carbon tips are gradually worn out of shape and when the button is pressed they dont make proper contact on the small circuit terminals under the switch, What i did was borrow my wifes nail file, i think its called an emery board, looks like a nail file only its made from cardboard with a rough face. I just ran the emery board across the two small carbon tips about 20 times approx,lightly, the carbon is fairly soft so there is no need to really get stuck into it.
after i smoothed off the carbon tips i just pushed the cap back onto the switch, then turned the machine back on, pressed the button once and away it went, i have had it now fixed for a week and it has worked perfect every time, such a relief to be able to hit the button and away it goes,
i could probably post a few pics if anyone isnt sure what to do but if you follow what i have written it will be an easy fix and save you a few hundred dollars.
also make sure you disconnect your machine from the power socket before you start playing with it.
fergi

sleepstar
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Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by sleepstar » Sun Mar 24, 2013 9:54 am

Wow. Good to know.

Actually had a patient with this problem the other day. It still worked fine but he had to hold the button down real hard for 5 seconds for it to work.

It was well out of warranty (2007) and I told him I really wouldn't bother getting it looked at because they will charge you $100 just to look at it, god knows how much to fix.

Thanks I shall give him a call tomorrow.

fergi
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Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2013 4:28 am

Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by fergi » Mon Mar 25, 2013 3:45 am

good to know that the info might be of use to someone and save them some money. let us know how he goes fixing it.
fergi

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LinkC
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Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by LinkC » Mon Mar 25, 2013 10:54 am

A tiny shot of WD-40 will often clean the switch contacts without abrading them. Much easier on the switch.

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Uncle_Bob
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Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by Uncle_Bob » Mon Mar 25, 2013 11:18 am

Well that saved you some $$$

Back in the days when i had a commodore 64 I used this fix to repair the contacts in my joystick

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jdm2857
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Location: South Jersey

Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by jdm2857 » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:59 pm

There are aerosol contact cleaner sprays designed especially for this purpose.

You can find them at Home Depot near the canned air dusters in the electrical dept.
jeff

fergi
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Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2013 4:28 am

Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by fergi » Thu Mar 28, 2013 7:09 pm

i am not sure wd40 is ideal but a electrical contact cleaner is probably better as the soloution evaporates away better, however i tried the electrical contact cleaner and it made no difference, then i pulled the cap off the switch and found the two tiny carbon contacts, i think the problem here as to why the electrical cleaner wont work is the fact the carbon contacts have worn uneven and needed to be resurfaced gently to make them flat again on the contact end, further to what i discussed in my previous thread re sanding the carbon contacts i notice that mine have not got a lot of length left in the carbon contacts, i am going to try using a tiny drill to drill out the carbon and then glue in some new carbon contacts that i will be making from the inside of a 1.5 volt ever ready battery, i havent pulled a battery apart for a few years but i remember about 20 years ago pulling a battery apart and it had a small carbon rod inside which i managed to fit into my electric drill that needed new brushes.
anyway i will see what happens.

cosmo
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Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by cosmo » Thu Mar 28, 2013 7:36 pm

Dielectric grease?

lightofday

Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by lightofday » Thu Oct 10, 2013 8:28 pm

This is just the information I've been looking for! I have owned my Resmed s8 unit for 5 years and I have been struggling with the power button for the past year. Sometimes I would have to push for several minutes before I could get the unit to start. I finally just left it on and have been plugging and unplugging for on and off. I call Resmed and they told me that they are not able to accept the unit for repair and to take it back to the dealer (Kaiser) where I purchased the cpap. I called the dealer (Kaiser) and they told me that they could send it back to the manufacturer but that the repair would be expensive. They were encouraging me to buy a new and very expensive Resmed S9 unit. So today I followed these instructions and pulled the Start/Stop switch out of the unit and filed, burnished and cleaned the carbon tips and reinstalled the switch. I am amazed that the unit now Starts/Stops just like it did when new. Great information!

medicalrepairguy
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Location: colorado springs, co

Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by medicalrepairguy » Thu Oct 10, 2013 9:50 pm

Do Not use WD40 on the buttons as it leaves a residue that will contaminate the circuit board over time.

BOBAZ

Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by BOBAZ » Sat Apr 19, 2014 10:12 am

BEEN W/O CPAP FOR 2 NITES & FEEL LIKE S___! I HAVE 17,000 HRS. ON MINE & JUST HAD TO SAND CONTACTS & IT WORKS LIKE IT HAS'NT DONE IN THE 2 YRS. I'VE HAD TO PLUG & UNPLUG. tOOK IT TO SLEEP LAB & THEY COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT. A GREAT BIG THANKS TO FERGI AS I WOULD HAVE HAD TO WAIT FOR SLEEP TEST & THEN WAIT FOR NEW RX FOR CPAP. NOW I'M GOOD.

Harv
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Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by Harv » Sat Jun 14, 2014 9:35 pm

Can someone who has done this fix confirm whether they have had to unscrew the shell of the machine first? I have tried to pry off the on/off switch cover and all I have succeeded in doing is tearing the rubber. It looks as though mine may have a rubber boot over the switch which may be part of a sheet covering all the switches, much like the boot covering the switches in a computer keyboard. I'm a bit concerned that I may have already ruined the switch cover!!!

Moodyblue5000

Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by Moodyblue5000 » Sat Aug 30, 2014 4:08 am

I usually start mine automatically by breathing hard through the mask. It also stops automatically if you take off the mask. No need to use the switch at all.

EDG

Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by EDG » Mon Dec 15, 2014 1:13 pm

I have never used my switch more than 4 or 5 times. I just put on the mask and it starts automatically.
When I remove the mask it shuts off automatically. My machine has 23,000 hours and I only touch the main unit to add water and touch the warm up button

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Sir NoddinOff
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Re: how to fix on/off button resmed s8 autoset spirit 11

Post by Sir NoddinOff » Mon Dec 15, 2014 2:37 pm

I used google to search CPAPtalk and found quite a few tips on switch problems. Here's how to do it:

Type the phrases one after another shown below into your internet browsers search engine ... (NOT the CPAPtalk search box). You have to put in the site:cpaptalk.com header. Type it exactly as shown and try some various search terms one after another... lots of hits will pop up:

site:cpaptalk.com resmed on/off
maybe try:
site:cpaptalk.com resmed switch problem
maybe:
site:cpaptalk.com resmed power

You get the picture... there's a wealth of info on the first phrase I typed in. Good luck.

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