Heated hose question

pokey · Post by **pokey** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 12:05 pm

Just received my heated hose the other day and hooked it up without changing my humidity setting. It stopped the rainout but now it seems that its TOO dry. Can anyone tell me if it has been common to have to RAISE the humidity setting after attaching the hose?

mikemoran · Post by **mikemoran** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 12:08 pm

I found I had to adjust it upward to compensate for the additional air heating.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 12:22 pm

I adjusted upward too -
O.

Ric · Post by **Ric** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:11 pm

The water capacity of air increases with temperature. Thus when you heat the air, a given amount of water results in a lower relative humidity, stated as a percentage of water content compared with the maximum possible water the air could contain at a given temperature. By heating the hose (and the air in the hose) you are actually LOWERING the humidity. The solution as mike and ozij have stated is to put more water back in the air, that is, turn up the water temperature on the humidifier.

Rainout occurs because the air can slightly cool after it leaves the heated humidifier, and the capacity of the air to hold water decreases by the time it reaches the mask. The heated hose helps in TWO ways: It prevents rainout, which is the usual reason. But by heating the air it also increases the AMOUNT of water vapor that can reach your nasopharyngeotracheobroncheoalviolar membranes, where the temperature is pretty much constant. An often overlooked yet worthy reason for springing for the heated hose.

pokey · Post by **pokey** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:39 pm

Thanks for all the replies. Greatly appreciated. Think I'll spend the rest of the day trying to pronounce that 35 letter word in Ric's post !

Jere · Post by **Jere** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 10:20 pm

Ric wrote:Tnasopharyngeotracheobroncheoalviolar

Put that baby on a triple word score and you will be a champion Scrabble player!

.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Thu Jan 05, 2006 11:15 pm

I agree, increase the humidifier setting, but if that doesn't work then use a lower voltage power supply with the hose.

You can use a 9VDC 800ma instead of the 12VDC 1amp unit and it will run a bit cooler.

pokey · Post by **pokey** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 8:39 am

Thanks Snoredog........the adapter I have provides for different settings , so that is an option. Can you or anyone give me some tips on how to effectively clean this hose? My previous hose was just immersed in water which is obviously not going to work here.

PEELS · Post by **PEELS** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 9:25 am

Pokey,

Make sure the hose is unplugged first

Actually, that's a good question and I just try to be very careful not to get the covering wet while running water thru one end and out the other.

Unless there are any good suggestions I'm thinking about winding up the hose and putting it in a sealing plastic bag but let both ends stick out. Then maybe taping where the hose ends come out of the bag so that all of the hose except for the ends are sealed and water proof. Then run soapy solution thru the hose. Hopefully it will all run out the other end even though the hose is wound up a little.

If you end up swallowing bubbles that night - either the hose needs more rinsing or this go to plan B - which I'm sure someone else will come up with a better idea.

George

mikemoran · Post by **mikemoran** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 9:25 am

Basically hold the hose in a u shape and fill paritally with water and white vinegar, see saw each end. I use a swivel connector from an old mask and actually make it into a circle to swish the cleaning solution around.

pokey · Post by **pokey** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 11:25 am

Thanks......I knew you guys would come thru

Heated hose question