Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

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Rootnor

Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by Rootnor » Fri Sep 05, 2008 12:38 am

My wife has a Respironics Remstar Auto (tank) which is approximately 2 1/2 years old. It developed a burning smell. We changed humidifiers (F&P 150) and no burning smell for approximately 2 weeks. The humidity level is set at 1 so it's using very little water. The burning smell is back.

There is no water leakage.

Anone got any ideas on what is causing the burning smell?

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Snoredog
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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by Snoredog » Fri Sep 05, 2008 1:22 am

check for a dead rat floating in the tank doing the back stroke

or it could be the hose, runs some vinegar water solution or water with a teaspoon of bleach through the hose, water can condensate and settle in the "loop" of the hose depending on how it is routed, it can make all kinds of smells.

also wash the foam filter on the back of the machine and dry it in a towel, if it has a fine filter it probably needs replacing.
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dsm
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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by dsm » Fri Sep 05, 2008 4:00 am

Hmmm,

Burning smell ? in a REmstar tank.

These machines are long life troupers. The only possibility I can think of is that either the smell is entering through the filter (has anyone done anything with it or to it recently ?)

Another possibility is a seizing bearing in the motor but that would make lots of noise before it ever started smelling.

The air path through the machine is a closed circuit that is essentially isolated from the internal electronics and other mechanical parts. Air enters through the filter goes through the blower & into the exit port. If a component was failing inside the box (apart from the blower bearings) the smell is isolated from the air circuit.

Look outside the machine for any smell. (I am assuming you are saying the smell is coming through the mask).

The last possibility is the H/H is burning out bt I think you already bypassed it.

Good luck - one challenging mystery.

DSM
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birdshell
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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by birdshell » Fri Sep 05, 2008 1:11 pm



On another post about a burnt smell, it was quite possibly something other than the machine.

I use Flonase nasal spray (a corticosteroid) and when I have NOT used it enough will sometimes smell a burning odor. This also happens if I am re-accustoming my body to the Flonase. If I am 'compliant' about using my nasal spray, not only does it help with the prescribed problem, I am also blessed with a lack of that burnt odor.

I know that this must seem way off the track, but I throw it out for your consideration just in case it may apply to your wife.

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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by danw61 » Fri Sep 05, 2008 4:39 pm

I got sort of a burning smell once when I didn't put enough water in my humidifier & it dried up. It took a few days for the smell to clear up.

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manitoupix

Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by manitoupix » Sun Sep 05, 2010 2:18 pm

I have had several Respironics CPAPS, and most of them have developed the "burning smell" sooner or later.... one of them in just a couple of months. I was an electrician in the Navy and I recognize the smell. It's the laquer on the motor windings burning. It's always the same smell ... smells kind of sweet. It happens erratically and sometimes clears itself up. But I've turned the units in for this a couple of times for new ones. I don't want to be successfully treated for apnea only to die of lung cancer!

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Julie
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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by Julie » Sun Sep 05, 2010 2:21 pm

OR it could be that the previous owner was a smoker and that smell is almost impossible to get rid of.

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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by Janknitz » Sun Sep 05, 2010 2:47 pm

There was a recall on some older Respironics Humidifiers:
Respironics, the manufacturer of the Respironics REMstar® Heated Humidifier, has received complaints of failures of the AC inlet connector on the REMstar Heated Humidifiers manufactured between December 2001 and April 2003. A small number of these failures have resulted in thermal damage to the humidifier enclosure, and there is a remote possibility that a thermal failure could result in the ignition of materials external to the device.
NOTE THIS ONLY APPLIES TO THOSE MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 12/01 AND 4/03!!!! So if you have a newer Respironics machine, please don't misread this and go into a tizzy

Since you mention that your wife has had the machine for a few years, it might be worth checking--but it sounds like her machine is too new to be part of this recall.
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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by Stormynights » Sun Sep 05, 2010 3:09 pm

The first machine I got was a M series auto with A flex. It had that burning smell. I sent it back to the DME and bought another machine. I haven't had that smell again. It was horrible.

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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by OutaSync » Sun Sep 05, 2010 5:07 pm

This thread is two years old!
Anybody still smelling it?

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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by Goofproof » Sun Sep 05, 2010 9:37 pm

The rat is no longer doing the back stroke, he's down to hair and bones. Jim
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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by mr1217 » Tue Sep 21, 2010 4:05 am

My Remstar M Series broke down recently and stopped working. The machine was very hot. My provider had the machine checked out and said it was part of the recall. Even though the machine was over 2 years old, outside the warranty period, my provider was able to replace the machine with a brand new Remstar System One at no charge to me (or my insurance!).

I am really liking the System One.

Marilyn

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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by Rawbear » Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:46 pm

I have a Remstar. It's nearly two years old. It has developed a burning smell in the last few weeks. Itook it appart and the connector going to the water heater is ... burnt! So the heater is ... overheating. I use the machine at 4 for humidity and during winter months the house humidity goes down to about 20-30%. I guess that was too much for the machine. I will try to have my supplier exchange it. I'll let you know.

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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by rockasanted » Mon Dec 24, 2012 3:34 pm

Has anyone solved the burnt smell problem or received info as to what is causing it? I have used Cpap for over ten years and I like mine but the burnt smell problem must go as one person said " I do not want to successfully cure one problem and create a cancer problem.

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Re: Burning smell in Respironics Remstar Auto (tank)

Post by purple » Mon Dec 24, 2012 3:58 pm

Might be from what the tank is sitting on. I have my machine on a wooden bedstand, which seems to be covered with some kind of plastic sealant rather than lacquer. When room temps get cold, the humidifier gets hotter, the plastic stuff stinks, gets drawn in the through the air filter.

The smell might not be from that at all.