How to connect Swift FX short tube to regular machine tube

[chickwriter]

Hey gang - newbie(ish) here - on FFM since Feb, but trying out Swift FX nasal pillows. Just got my shipment from an online vendor - pillows, headgear & short tube. Question is, I'm having the darndest time trying to figure out how to connect the Swift FX short tube to the regular tubing that is on my machine.

I'd started out with a Quattro FX but that didn't work for me. Then switched to a Mirage Quattro - which is doing okay but so bulky. When I switched FFMs, I had to pull off a grey adapter on the tubing to fit the Mirage connector.

Now, I'm just scratching my head, because the Swift short tube piece doesn't seem to fit in to the tube - well, it fits, but doesn't have any sort of locking or connecting mechanism.

Am I missing a piece? I looked at the product user guide, but there's nothing in there as regards to hooking up the short tube to the regular tubing.

Any thoughts?

[HoseCrusher]

There should be an adapter that snaps on the end of the short tube and forms a friction fit to the regular tube. You may be missing a part.

[robysue]

Now, I'm just scratching my head, because the Swift short tube piece doesn't seem to fit in to the tube - well, it fits, but doesn't have any sort of locking or connecting mechanism.

Am I missing a piece? I looked at the product user guide, but there's nothing in there as regards to hooking up the short tube to the regular tubing.

Any thoughts?

You are right. There is no "locking' mechanism to connect the short (skinny) FX hose to the main hose. Instead there is a hard, clear plastic coupling/connector piece that can actually be pulled out of the bottom of the Swift FX hose if you tug on it hard enough. Here's the picture from the FX user guide:

The part I'm talking about is roughly labeled as #8. Only it doesn't really look like that on any of the four FX hoses that I've used in the last 18 months. I'll be honest, I can't remember if the connector was already on the small hose when I opened up the mask package or not. I think it was already attached though because I vaguely remember pulling it apart at one point while cleaning the hose and being surprised that it came off the small hose.

All I do to connect the two hoses is this: If the plastic connector is not already on my small hose, I firmly push the small end of the plastic connector into the small hose (it sometimes feels like it "clicks" in some way that's hard to desribe). And then I stick the large end of the clear plastic connector into the rubber coupler on the large hose. It fits snuggly into the rubber coupler of the big hose and feels very secure, but is also easy to pull apart when I want to disassemble the hoses for cleaning.

When I get up in the middle of the night, I just take the mask off since putting the Swift FX on is easy and does not require me to make any adjustments to the straps.

[chickwriter]

AHA! Robysue - you helped me figure this out.

Turns out - there was another gray plastic adapter on the end of the regular hose that needed to be removed. Now my short hose fits perfectly.

Thanks!

[robysue]

Where did that extra grey piece come from? Was it part of one of the other masks you've tried? None of my hoses have come with anything that looked like that.

[chickwriter]

Where did that extra grey piece come from?

It was on the hose when I got the machine. I hadn't realized it was actually a separate piece until you said "rubber end" - then I clued in.

Perhaps the DME set it up that way? Not really sure.

[HoseCrusher]

It looks like it got pulled out from another mask hose...

Glad you figured this out.

[Bobby269]

It's a quck disconnect. https://www.cpap.com/productpage-replac ... dgear.html. With this you don't have to pull on the hose end and risk tearing it. But It's not for the Swift FX.

You need to remove it when using your Swift FX.