CPAP refill system for humidifier

[Jaerin]

So I put together a system that allows for a much larger capacity for my humidifier on my new Airsense 11

Two silicone tubes attached to the humidifier tank with inner tubes that end in the middle of the water level. One tube attaches to a 1/4" barb that has no tube and the other attaches to a tube that goes to the bottom of the jar. Used silicone sealant to make air tight at all the junctions. Just need something to set the jar upside down in a stand. Because its a standard canning jar lid I can go to a larger jar as well if I wanted.

The tubing is long right now because I'm not sure where I want to put the extra tank.


This is what the inside of my tank looks like with the inner tubes attached to the barbs.


Here you can see the inner tubes end about the same point below the max water line.


Inside the jar showing the long tube for air return and the short barb for the water.


Note this is a prototype and will be cleaned up to be neat. The electrical tape was a temporary attempt to make it air tight since I didn't have a rubber gasket or anything. I'm planning on sealing with a food safe silicone sealant. The 1/4" barbs allow for the tubes to be removed easily for tank cleaning and refilling. If you're unsure how it works. As long as no air can enter the jar a vacuum is maintained preventing the water from moving. When the humidifier level drops below the end of the air tube air enters the top of the jar releasing the vacuum and water can flow down until the tube is then covered again. A single tube could be used if it was sufficiently large diameter to allow the air and water pass by one another, but this two tube solution is much more reliable.

Here's what I used:
Tubing:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08BRFM416
Screw in barbs:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08SC4ZXJ2

Drill holes in the tank and the jar lid with a 3/8" bit.

[Jaerin]

Final setup works great! Estimate that I will have to refill about once a week. This definitely helps with my issue of the humidity dropping as the tank emptied. I need to make a more permanent stand for the extra water, but this has worked so far. I thought the loops in the tube might affect it, but the vacuum nature of the system deals with that fine.

[ChicagoGranny]

Estimate that I will have to refill about once a week.

Would seem easier to just top off the tank every night???

[Pugsy]

Estimate that I will have to refill about once a week.

Would seem easier to just top off the tank every night???

Or just have a spare water chamber handy and just swap it out as needed. I probably wouldn't be coherent enough in the middle of the night to refill a water chamber but I imagine I could easily swap water chambers.

What's so hard about adding water each night at bedtime or every 2 or 3 nights? Is it that critical that someone only do the chamber refilling once a week. Geezzz. That's an awful lot of work just to only have to refill once a week. That means they aren't using all the water in one night anyway. I got a word for that....and it starts with L and ends with Y.

[compujas]

As an Airsense 11 user for a grand total of one night so far, having come from a Dreamstation that is extremely easy to refill water, with the Airsense machine I would settle for a removable cap where you put the barb connector on the front corner of the tank that I could fill the tank through. Having to gently slide the tank out, unclip the lid, awkwardly pour water in because my nightstand isn't big enough to fully open the tank, then close and reinsert the tank, all without spilling the water, is quite annoying. Maybe I'll figure out an easier way as I get more used to it, but so far it leaves a lot to be desired in the way of usability for refilling. Even a 1" hole with a twist-lock cap would probably be sufficient to stick the spout of my squeeze bottle in to refill. I guess you can't have everything though, and it's already the better machine, so they had to sacrifice something.

[Dog Slobber]

Having to gently slide the tank out, unclip the lid, awkwardly pour water in because my nightstand isn't big enough to fully open the tank, then close and reinsert the tank, all without spilling the water, is quite annoying.

Not being able to fill your humidifier on a nightstand that isn't sufficiently large enough to accommodate the fully opened tank is not a tank design flaw. It's a problem with your usage.

You're also asking for a disaster when the day comes that you spill it into your CPAP device. You wouldn't be the first person to wreck a CPAP by filling it beside or still within there device.

Maybe I'll figure out an easier way as I get more used to it, but so far it leaves a lot to be desired in the way of usability for refilling.

Walk to the nearest, more appropriate surface, fill it then walk back.

[Wulfman...]

Estimate that I will have to refill about once a week.

Would seem easier to just top off the tank every night???

I have no idea how much time it took to put that contraption together, but with my old Legacy humidifier tank which holds over 400 ml, and using cool, passover humidification (which means my water supply lasts longer), it only takes me 15 - 30 seconds to pull the hose (which is plugged onto a a 90 degree plastic plumbing elbow) off the tank, insert the funnel and top mine off every 4 - 5 nights from some plastic 20 oz. soft drink bottles which I keep my distilled water in and have saved and repurposed specifically for this use.

Den

.

[SleepGeek]

First I would advise anyone who is thinking about trying this not to do so unless and until you have a spare water chamber.

If you need more water I use the one in this link - I only use passover (No Heat) but it lasts me all week long.
NO Drilling or glue required.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=183391&p=1400135&hi ... 0#p1400135