Remstar Life Expectancy...my experience

[mikeln]

I've been on CPAP etc now for 8 years. But, I'm also on my 4th Respironics Remstar. About every 2 years, it sounds like the bearings wear out, and the machine starts making a whining noise heard mostly through the hose (not so much at the machine itself). Soon thereafter the machine dies completely or becomes too noisy to have around my bed.

Anyone else have this experience? What is your experience with machine life?

I getting tired of replacing these machines every 2 years, when they are supposed to last 5 years.....granted, the "upgrades" (cpap to cflex to apap) have been nice...but...

Also, I have a 420g for travelling...but now after 2 years...it is starting to make "the noise". (Maybe I just breath too much ! )

[Guest]

When did you get the last machine? I heard the earlier Remstars 3 + years and older apparently had issues where they broke down prematurely.

[6PtStar]

Most of the folks on this board that have the older Remstar classic model better known as the tank have gotten around 10 years out of them. Except for an occasional one they generally don't have much problems. I see more of the new "M" Series having problems than the Tanks. I have been trying to trade one of my "M"s for an older model because they are so reliable.

Jerry

[Guest]

I have been using the classic Remstar Auto tank since 2004 and have put over 5500hrs. on it. It runs just like it did when I took it out of the box four years ago. I tried the M-Series but didn't like the noise, lights or data recovery problems so I went back to the old reliable classic!

[Wulfman]

I've been on CPAP etc now for 8 years. But, I'm also on my 4th Respironics Remstar. About every 2 years, it sounds like the bearings wear out, and the machine starts making a whining noise heard mostly through the hose (not so much at the machine itself). Soon thereafter the machine dies completely or becomes too noisy to have around my bed.

Anyone else have this experience? What is your experience with machine life?

I getting tired of replacing these machines every 2 years, when they are supposed to last 5 years.....granted, the "upgrades" (cpap to cflex to apap) have been nice...but...

Also, I have a 420g for travelling...but now after 2 years...it is starting to make "the noise". (Maybe I just breath too much ! )

With that many machines you seem to be going through.......you're either one of the unluckiest hoseheads on this therapy or there's something in your environment or something you're not doing right in the care and use of your machines.

Den

[mikeln]

Well, that's the reason for my Q.

All my machines (expect my most recent) were supplied by DME and setup correctly. I've changed the filters, and cleaned etc, as per instruction. My pressure is low (5 cm), maybe that blower speed is just too slow for it!

I will say, my first straight CPAP never developed the whine...(old tank model)..but it did complete fail as in one night it would not turn on. The DME examined it and declared it DOA, gave me a new remstar with C-flex.

I will say, my new Remstar pro auto seems to work amazingly well...and extremely quiet. (my problem comes when the older machines woke up my wife ... I can sleep though almost anything )

[Wulfman]

I hope you have better luck with your new one.

My Legacy model Pro 2 (pictured in my profile) is now over 3 years old. It developed a slight "wheeze" in the C-Flex function at about one year (in 2006). I sent it in before the warranty expires and it's been great ever since. I have several other Autos that I rotate through, but that one is my sentimental favorite. It's got somewhere in the neighborhood of 5000 hours on it (I haven't really checked it lately) and when it "dies", I'm gonna be shedding a few tears over my "sleeping partner".

Den

[Snoredog]

do you live near the ocean? Salt in the air can shorten the life of the machine just like it can rust your car much faster.

[WorrypasCanada]

This topic bring back an issue I had with an air exchanger that was installed in my newly purchase 4 or 5 year old house back in 2004. I could hear a constant whistling sound from the air exchanger that was installed in a closet within my bedroom.

When I ask a technician and installer of these air exchangers, about the whistling, he indicated to me that the reason is merely the cleaning of the air exchanger filter. Once the filter gets full of dust and air particles, clogged, the amount of air that goes through them can be greatly reduce. I did clean the filter for the first time in 2004. It was extremely dirty. As this technician explained, the air exchanger motor or motors were running harder and less freely with a clogged or very dirty filter... same as like a vacuum cleaner. The air exchanger filter or filters cleans the air before going through the air exchanger, so to prevent air particles to come in contact with the bearings... like a car filter.

It made lots of sens back in 2004 when I purchase this house. Could possibly be a correlation with your cpap machine?

Hope this help.

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): cpap machine, clean

[clanrat]

Ahh, this is not good news. My machine suddenly started whining this morning. Sounds like dry bearings to me. I'm trying to find my receipt but I'm pretty sure I'm well out of warranty. Is it worth calling Respironics? The DME that this unit came from is a crook and I'm not expecting much from him.

Ok, I just found the receipt and I'm quite literally JUST out of warranty. I bought the unit on 9/20/2006. Not quite one month past. Any advice?

Thanks,

-Cam.

[Guest]

Yea, contact a DME & hope for the best. Prob is Respironics won't even talk to you. Maybe try a new DME??

[Goofproof]

Ahh, this is not good news. My machine suddenly started whining this morning. Sounds like dry bearings to me. I'm trying to find my receipt but I'm pretty sure I'm well out of warranty. Is it worth calling Respironics? The DME that this unit came from is a crook and I'm not expecting much from him.

Ok, I just found the receipt and I'm quite literally JUST out of warranty. I bought the unit on 9/20/2006. Not quite one month past. Any advice?

Thanks,

-Cam.

A good DME, could send it in, and it might be repaired under warrenty anyway, I have heard of this being done. Jim

P.S. I took the HH off my "Classic Tank" APAP, I was woke up by a noise like the error code on a computer, I got scared because I thought it was my defibulator alarm. In the morning, I figured out it was the APAP, puting the HH back on fixed it for me. 5,500 hours of clean air and still running @ 15 CM.

[clanrat]

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to give them a call in the morning and see what they have to say. Not holding my breath though, lol.

Take care,

-Cam.

[Snoredog]

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to give them a call in the morning and see what they have to say. Not holding my breath though, lol.

Take care,

-Cam.

and should you visit the local Brick and Mortar joint and the guy behind the counter has "thedean" on one of them Progressive tricked out ID tags or on a sticker pasted on his forehead written in crayon, keep your hand on your wallet

[leonardlake]

I have had three machines since diagnoses in November of 1999. I started with a Remstar "Tank" which lasted about 3 1/2 yrs but developed a whine. My DME said it couldn't be fixed and that insurance wouldn't pay for an auto so I got a P & B 420S. This one failed when I took it on vacation to San Diego just after the two-year warranty expired. (I live in Colorado at an elevation of 7000') You wouldn't think that the change in elevation would cause it to fail, but it's hard to believe it was just a coincidence. It wouldn't work when I tried it at sea level and wouldn't work when I got back to Colorado either.

I then got an M-series Auto w/C-Flex which I have used for two and a half years and hope it lasts at least as long as my Tank. By the way, someone on this forum told me that P & B don't usually refuse to fix or replace a machine even if it is out- of-warranty. I took my 420S back to my DME and (after two months of effort) got them to send it in and it was replaced with a brand new one. So now I have a good backup and travel machine.

My "Tank" actually still works and, since I sleep soundly and am a bit deaf, the high-pitched whine doesn't bother me. So all 3 of my machines are operational.