Lights on CPAPs

darthlucy · Post by **darthlucy** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:29 pm

Something I just read on another thread made me wonder about lights on the CPAP machines. My husband is extremely sensitive to having lights in the room while sleeping, so much so that he wants to put tape over the little light on our smoke detector. Apparently red lights aren't as bad a green lights....I don't get it, I just try to deal! Anyway, my question is this: Do any of you have any advice for not-too-brightly lit machines? Alternatively, do you think there would be a problem with the machine's operation if I put some kind of cover over it?

TIA.

Kattitude · Post by **Kattitude** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:34 pm

Hi Lucy,
I saw another thread on this somewhere. Sorry but I don't remember which forum or the name of the thread. However, the easiest solution I remember was folding a wash cloth and laying it over the lights. Hope this helps!

Connie

mhacker · Post by **mhacker** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:42 pm

Had a similar problem.

I made a cover out of a card board box. Every time I moved, the hose either popped off the cover or made so much noise it woke her up. I also found that restricting the airflow to a "narrow" window made the filter plug up faster, think it was vacuuming the floor. Mine fits under the bed but she likes total darkness. Oh, and we have hardwood floors so the carpet does not collect the dust, the CPAP does.

Told her to deal with it, she is the one that made me so to the sleep study in the first place...

Janine · Post by **Janine** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:23 pm

Unless I am totally wrong, the machine I have (see below) has a setting to turn light off altogether. I will go check! I am the same and put duct tape over the phone light. The cpap is on a shelf below the bed and light is blocked...

Yep, the Remstar auto classic with cflex has a setting so that all lights go off when the unit is operating.

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:57 pm

So long as you don't block the air intake, I don't see were it would be a problem. Someone posted about taping an index card(or paper) over the buttons. A small piece of fabric would work also.

Brenda

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:27 pm

I have a dark blue bandanna that I throw over the way too bright lights on my "M".

Craig-Tx · Post by **Craig-Tx** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:32 pm

Ok, let me preface this by stating that I am an electrical engineer and have never had a problem taking anything apart, modifying where I see fit, etc. "If it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet."

I too have a M-Series that puts out enough Blue light to read a book by. I prefer total darkness, or at least as close as I can get.

Here is what I did, and I'm not necessarily recommending it as it may void a warranty, it may end up breaking something, ... etc. etc. I took the unit apart, and on the circuit board I found the three blue LEDs. Using a dab of Liquid Electrical tape (dries to a thin black rubbery substance), I placed a medium sized dab over both of the two side LEDs and a smaller dab on the center LED. While the center was drying, I poked it with a push pin to make a very small hole in the new black coating.

After all had dried, I reassembled the unit and sure enough, I now only light the center button with a nice blue glow that is bright enough to spot the button, but not bright enough to shine on anything else. The other two buttons only have the faintest of bleed over light from the center button.

I also had to do the same thing to the humidifier knob. Unfortunately, you really can't take it apart to get to the LED. Or at least I couldn't without breaking anything. And I did give it a good try. As it turns out, if you are careful with the application of the liquid electrical tape, you really don't notice it unless you look very closely.

For those not familiar with liquid electrical tape, it's made by Performix
http://www.plastidip.com/consumer/products.html
You can buy it at places like Home Depot.

Overall I was very pleased with the outcome of the final product. Plus, the liquid electrical tape will easily peal off of the LEDs if you need to do so in the future.

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 10:01 pm

The older Remstar "tanks" have lights that can be turned off, but the M's don't have that function.

I would think that electrical tape or duct tape could be put over the lights to dim them.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:44 pm

Linda3032 wrote:The older Remstar "tanks" have lights that can be turned off, but the M's don't have that function.

I would think that electrical tape or duct tape could be put over the lights to dim them.

Black electrical tape works, also taping a business card over them sorta helps.

Red and green lights are not so bad for me, but those blue high tech lights just draw your eye to it and light up the whole room.

Yes, it is unfortunet you cannot turn them off on the M series.

ScottH · Post by **ScottH** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:55 pm

I'm of similar bent, but it's the pump noise rather than the lights that I notice at night. However, my lovely wife is sensitive to the extra photons, so after the first night with the machine sitting on my headboard I went looking for a way to turn the lights off, and had the same lack of success as the other "M" series owners here.

I cleared out the lower shelf on my headboard (below mattress level but raised up from the floor) and parked the machine there. The hose still reaches my head, and the machine, it's noise and lights are happily tucked away.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 6:18 am

I just put a small notebook (the spiral kind, that looks like what cops/reporters use to take notes) over the three buttons on my M and it blocks the light and only cost about 50 cents. As for the humidifier button light, I only use it as passover this time of the year so it is dark, but in the winter I just put a sticky note pad on top of it (the small ones and I just use the whole thing not one individual one).

TM

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 7:29 am

You know, they make alarm clocks that light up and blink on and off instead of a sound alarm for the hard of hearing. Now, wouldn't you think that the manufacturer of a product for those w/SLEEP problems would know enough to make that product w/a way to KEEP the button lights OFF if the patient needs and so desires???? Duh!

Its not that the lights interfere w/my sleep or getting to sleep BUT when I turn something OFF I expect the darn lights to go OFF! I hate to tell you how many times when I first got my CPAP that I returned to the bedroom, the button lights on the CPAP were ON and I pushed the OFF button only to have the darn machine turn on!!!! I HATE those button lights! I'd rather have to use a flashlight to see them or have to find the buttons by touch than have them lit up all the time. Grrrrrrr!

Jefe · Post by **Jefe** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 8:58 am

I use a washcloth over my M. Blocks the lights, and easily moveable if I need to hit a button. It also comes in handy if I slosh water filling the humidifier, or have to swab funk off my mask.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 9:08 am

Wipe funk off your mask?? You funk on your mask, Jefe??? Tsk, tsk. You aren't supposed to do that!

Oh well. Keep reading this forum and you will learn. Thanks for sharing your tip for the button lights tho.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 9:21 am

I don't know why you folks are up all night staring at lights......

I CLOSE MY EYES!

I sleep better that way.

Den

Mask

Additional Comments: Equipment isn't correct, S9 ASV w/H5i