whistling, help!!!!

mild6 · Post by **mild6** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:20 pm

I bought my system (PB450E & Breeze) in Feb 06 and started using it since then. I started hearing whistling this morning, which was quite annoying. I was using earplugs but still hearing the whistling. I couldn't fall back to sleep until I had pulled my mask off. Have any of you had that before? Is it the mask or the machine?? what can I do?

Thanks for your help in advance!

njy · Post by **njy** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:43 pm

I get whistling everyonce in a while too, not sure why either. I have noticed that it doesn't seem to be the seal. when I put my hand over the exhaust at the connection to the mask, it stopped. think I would blow up like a balloon if I covered it.

I am going to tag along on this to see if others have ideas.
NJY

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:40 pm

Same thing happened to me talked to an RT about it-her first comment was "if it is a musical/harmonic sound it is most likely to be water-that is condensation-in the area of the exhaust port." I didn't think so as I wasn't having any trouble with rainout-but that night when it happened I flicked my finger against that area of the mask and it stopped. I turned the humidifier down a notch & made a double layer hose cover to keep the air as warm as possible until it reached the mask. Only an occasional problem now. When it get warmer here I don't think it will happen at all. A heated hose would help too. That area of the mask gets a "double whammy" of warm humidified air-the air from my heated humidifier on inhalation and the warm humidified air from my lungs on exhalation and the plastic ic cool/uninsulated. To insulate it would close off the exhalation port and cause CO2 buildup/rebreathing.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier, hose, rainout

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:00 pm

Every once in a while, if I don't get the hose onto the humidifier good and snug, my machine will make more noise. Kinda like a whistle. So, check your hoses, both on the humidifier and where it connects to your mask. That could be the problem.

Also, check the seal where the humidifier connects to the cpap machine. It might not be seated good.

mild6 · Post by **mild6** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 12:46 am

I didn't even have the humidifier on. I got it hooked up just to eliminate the noise of the machine......... I checked all the connectors and they were nicely sealed.....um....frustrated....

mild6 · Post by **mild6** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 2:04 am

Tried to take a nap just now and the whistle woke me up right after I had fallen asleep. The sound comes when I inhale.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 5:51 am

Check all the mask connections - the pillows, the vent, the small hose.

See if it happens when the machine is idling, or on higher pressure. Check the filter placement.

And if it's not the mask or filter, if the machine is emmitting a whining kind of whistle....
Well, snork1 had his machine of a few months changed because is started whistling, and mine had this bad habit of whining until it more or less expired at about a year old. Both snork and I got a new one from the DME.

Yes, both were 420E

O.

mild6 · Post by **mild6** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:13 am

ozij,

Now i'm worried that mine is one of those defected...... Both you and snork1 got a new replacement. I bought it from CPAP.com. You think I can get a replacement if the problem persists? But I live in HK, gee......... holy smoke! I bought it becoz it was on sales (buy the machine and get the Breeze gear free). Do you think the manufacturer knew there was a lot of defected items and therefore pushed to clear up their stocks? I shouldn't have been tempted by the bargain.....

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:03 am

You'll have to contact cpap.com on those question.

I can tell you that I bought mine in Israel from a local DME, in April 2005.
Since the warranty on machines sold in the states is 5 years, I can't see why PB would try to push potentially defective machines - they have to return them if they turn out bad, they get a bad name for quality control (if not for service) and this medical equipment, not milk close to its sell by date.... so, all in all, I don't believe there was anything fishy about the sale - and when the machine works, its a good one. Do check the other things I mentioned.

Is HK Hong Kong?

O.

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:22 am

Has anyone tested their gear the old innertube way???? I don't know if it would work-I don't have this particular interface.

Make a bowl of water with a little dish detergent in it-hook up the hoses & maskturn the blower on plug the holes where the air would go into your nose then put the pillows under water and see if all the leaks are where they are supposed to be.

Are there any valves that could get seated improperly?

Any holes in the hose?

The other thing I did with my flexifit was to put a large pin through all of the tiny exhaust area holes. I noticed some of them were not exactly round and had little excess plastic attachments?? from the molding process I think. I used a magnifying glass and some dental tools to make sure all the holes were round and had no tiny projections. Since you have a different mask what you would be doing is checking any openings where air passes through-with a magnifying glass to make sure there are no leftover molding tags or tiny progections near the holes that the air could be rushing past and creating a whistle. Be careful not to enlarge the holes-I don't know what that would do to the aerodynamics of the thing.

PS The water I was talking about in the first post was not particularly visible-it was just a very this film of condensation and the tinyest bit was collection at the exhaust holes- It was more by eliminating it that I knew it had been condensation water.
I have a comfort classic that does the same thing only worse-can't seem to find the precise source of the problem in it

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 1:02 pm

Mild6,

If it is a constant noise, then you need to determine if it is the mask or the machine. So, when you hear the whistle, remove your mask and put your ear down to the machine to see if the whistle gets louder. Do the same with the mask.

If the whistle stops when you remove your mask, then keep it on and try to determine where is whistle is coming from.

Also, try to hit your ramp button (if there is one), and see if the whistle stops at the lower pressure.

Are you sure the vent holes in your mask don't get obstructed by something after you fall asleep?

mild6 · Post by **mild6** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:58 pm

Hi all,

Thanks so much for your responses which are very helpful!! I detached the small hose from the Breeze hose guide part, filled it up with water, lifted it up with both ends covered with my fingers. Then I saw a tiny droplet slowly dripped out from an invisible hole on the hose. I think it's highly likely that this tiny hole is the cause of the whistling sound. The good news is that the whistling is not from the machine but from the interface. The bad news is, how can I find a replacement of this small hose of Breeze? I looked all over cpap.com and couldn't find it! What do you think I should do? Any chance to get it fixed? How? Any of you have this part sitting idle in your drawer and want to sell to me?

Anything wrong with my system is a nightmare for me as I live in Hong Kong where OSA is largely ignored. No insurance coverage whatsoever related to purchase of CPAP and accessories. There are a few agents here selling Respironics and Resmed products at sky high prices. I buy everything out of my own pocket via CPAP.com. Earlier this year, I was lucky when a friend of mine living in LA came to Hong Kong for vacation and brought along my order of the system, which saved me USD 120 on shipping charges!

Thank you all again for your valuable input!

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:47 pm

http://www.puritanbennett.com/_Catalog/ ... epGear.pdf

You'll find all Breeze part numbers here. The hose and swivel are coded Y-101976-00.

Maybe if you call cpap.com with the numbers you'll find a solution.

O.

mild6 · Post by **mild6** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:53 pm

ozij,
I used my Respironics Comfort Gel last night, and the whistling sound was still there, even louder actually. I observed it for half an hour, with mask on and off, confirming that the whistling sound is from the lovely PB420E. I feel really bad. I was so glad that I bought it, but it only lasted for four months! So disappointed!

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:29 pm

I'm sure that cpap.com will replace it for you. Just contact them.

Mask