Any schematics for Remstar

[goober]

I am an electronic engineer (read geek), and I would like to have the ability to repair my own CPAP. The basic CPAP (constant pressure presumably via constant motor speed on the fan) would seem to be a pretty simple device. It's probably something like an H-Bridge motor control but I don't know. I would also like to also be able to repair machines for friends and associates. Has anybody ever come across schematics for these machines? Thanks.

[Wulfman]

I am an electronic engineer (read geek), and I would like to have the ability to repair my own CPAP. The basic CPAP (constant pressure presumably via constant motor speed on the fan) would seem to be a pretty simple device. It's probably something like an H-Bridge motor control but I don't know. I would also like to also be able to repair machines for friends and associates. Has anybody ever come across schematics for these machines? Thanks.

Which ones? I have quite a few "shop manuals" for many of the "pre-M Series machines" (in PDF files).
The problem with doing something like you're talking about is that there is some specific software and smartcard-computer connection cable to do the diagnostics......and I've been periodically trying to find any that might be available.....so far.....nuttin'.

Den

[goober]

I am an electronic engineer (read geek), and I would like to have the ability to repair my own CPAP. The basic CPAP (constant pressure presumably via constant motor speed on the fan) would seem to be a pretty simple device. It's probably something like an H-Bridge motor control but I don't know. I would also like to also be able to repair machines for friends and associates. Has anybody ever come across schematics for these machines? Thanks.

Which ones? I have quite a few "shop manuals" for many of the "pre-M Series machines" (in PDF files).
The problem with doing something like you're talking about is that there is some specific software and smartcard-computer connection cable to do the diagnostics......and I've been periodically trying to find any that might be available.....so far.....nuttin'.

Den

Hmmm, A good starting place might be the Remstar Plus w/o C-Flex. It doesn't have a smartcard and perhaps if we looked at it hard enough we could figure out what an interface cable should look like and fabricate one.

[Wulfman]

Hmmm, A good starting place might be the Remstar Plus w/o C-Flex. It doesn't have a smartcard and perhaps if we looked at it hard enough we could figure out what an interface cable should look like and fabricate one.

That one's about a 6.5 MB file.

Somehow, I doubt that "fabricating" one is gonna be an option.

Den

[Goofproof]

You would be better off building one from scratch. first you get a tank vacume cleaner, the........

The companies that make them will sell you no parts. Jim

[goober]

You would be better off building one from scratch. first you get a tank vacume cleaner, the........

The companies that make them will sell you no parts. Jim

The companies that make them buy the parts from other companies that will sell them to you like TI, Analog Devices, Linear, Freescale Semiconductor etc... Most of the time, the device manufacture doesn't even bother trying to obscure the label on the component because it makes assembly difficult and QC impossible .

A vacuum cleaner would be a bad place to start as it has an AC motor in it. Unless you can magically change your line frequency, you'll be stuck with one speed.

[Handgunner45]

Of those 10 types of people I am in the former.

If you spend any time working on medical equipment you will quickly find that most equipment manufacturers have proprietary chips manufactured for their medical devices. This precludes the average tech from repairing to the component level and ensures that the manufacturers can charge an arm and a leg for a replacement PC board

[goober]

Of those 10 types of people I am in the former.

"Remember, I'm pulling for you. We're all in this together." --Red Green

Keep your stick on the ice.

Also, the 1911 has an effective range as far as you can throw it.

[Goofproof]

You would be better off building one from scratch. first you get a tank vacume cleaner, the........

The companies that make them will sell you no parts. Jim

The companies that make them buy the parts from other companies that will sell them to you like TI, Analog Devices, Linear, Freescale Semiconductor etc... Most of the time, the device manufacture doesn't even bother trying to obscure the label on the component because it makes assembly difficult and QC impossible .

A vacuum cleaner would be a bad place to start as it has an AC motor in it. Unless you can magically change your line frequency, you'll be stuck with one speed.

Considering you can't even set the clock without specisl tools and the software, I think it unlikely you will get far.

As for as the A/C Motor, how about a universal A/C motor, controlled by a Tridac, or using the motor at a set speed and controlling the flow with a waste-gate. Jim

I know how a T.V. works, but I don't feel the need to paint the electrons on the tube by hand.

[jules]

hmm --- a good engineering tech can look at the printed circuit boards, read the componnets loaded on the boards, follow the wiring embedded into the board and write their own schematics

In my previous lifetime one of my jobs was to actually compare boards, schematics, and parts lists for engineers and draftsmen for prototypes of products being developed for a specialized electronic manufacturing company. I wasn't an engineer or even an engineering tech at the time as I was a lowly high school graduate doing a summer job before going onto college. I realize semiconductors and all have gotten to me more sophisticated over time but there are normally identifying codes on them.

[Goofproof]

hmm --- a good engineering tech can look at the printed circuit boards, read the componnets loaded on the boards, follow the wiring embedded into the board and write their own schematics

In my previous lifetime one of my jobs was to actually compare boards, schematics, and parts lists for engineers and draftsmen for prototypes of products being developed for a specialized electronic manufacturing company. I wasn't an engineer or even an engineering tech at the time as I was a lowly high school graduate doing a summer job before going onto college. I realize semiconductors and all have gotten to me more sophisticated over time but there are normally identifying codes on them.

Have to have good eyes, to read the traces on a 7 layer motherboard, on my computers, my eyes are so bad I can't hardly read the revision numbers. Jim

[jules]

hmm - so you think we should send him the schematics (assuming of course we have them)

[Guest]

"I am an electronic engineer (read geek)"

I would agree that you are a geek. Why would you want to go through all that rrouble to replicate or repair a $300 machine, which is what you have. You might be able to duplicate a circuit board that may look similar but unless you have access to proprietary information I really don't think you will be able to duplicate the machine...At least not for $300. For a simple fix why not just get shop vac and run it in reverse?

Haven't visited this sight in quite a while and see I have missed nothing. Looks like just a lot of people with no lives, tryining to fix something that isn;t broken, obtain pirated software (1.8i software), obsessing over numbers, etc.

Personally I feel great and have for quite some time. I have the software but check the preports once a month at most. I rely more on how I feel, don't obsess over the numbers, leaks, etc. Oh, and by the way, my AHI index is consistently less than 1.5. Leak rate is sometimes a little high but I don;t get very concerned about it when the large leak is shown as 10 to 15 minutes out of an 8 hour night on APAP.

[goober]

"I am an electronic engineer (read geek)"

I would agree that you are a geek. Why would you want to go through all that rrouble to replicate or repair a $300 machine, which is what you have. You might be able to duplicate a circuit board that may look similar but unless you have access to proprietary information I really don't think you will be able to duplicate the machine...At least not for $300. For a simple fix why not just get shop vac and run it in reverse?

Well that's nice of you to say. Did it ever occur to you that not everything needs a profit motive? Perhaps it is beyond your ability to understand but some people just find enjoyment in understanding how something works and perhaps figuring out how to do something better...different or seeing the genius in the way something has already been done. I am also a ham radio operator and nobody pays me for that either. Since it is so unprofitable perhaps I should just abandon that as well....

Haven't visited this sight in quite a while and see I have missed nothing. Looks like just a lot of people with no lives, tryining to fix something that isn;t broken, obtain pirated software (1.8i software), obsessing over numbers, etc.

Well then perhaps you shouldn't waste your time here.

[goose]

Having never popped the top I don't know what's in the box, but my engineer brain tells me there are probably proprietary ASIC's or other proprietary components involved, non-standard interfaces based on those proprietary designs etc. Even with schematics, if a proprietary chip is bad, throw it in the bin, cuz unless you're an authorized repair station you ain't gettin' the part. There may also be potted circuitry inside....(circuitry buried in resin so you can't see it or get to it for the non-techies reading)

Even though they have the best pictures, I used to refuse to buy Sony TV's because I couldn't get the parts to fix 'em. I could find the problem but I couldn't buy the part. I finally came to the realization that with the cost of televisions, I wasn't going to spend my time trying to fix one -- had better things to do with my time.
Just a way of saying ya gotta choose your battles. If it's just for fun, go for it, but to try to save a few bucks....wasted effort in my estimation!!!
Good luck!!
cheers
gg