Cooling the CPAP inside a ventilated mini-refrigerator during hot nights

[TropicalDiver]

I admire your thoughtful approach but the solution strikes me as overly complicated. FWIW, this is how I would approach your problem.

a) I would set the AC to the room temp that I will be actually sleeping at. It is best to test solutions in the conditions you are sleeping.
b) I would turn off both the humidifier and the heat to the tube. These are typically two different menu picks.
c) I would now run some tests. Both objective and subjective measurements. I would try four scenarios:
-- As things are set above.
-- As things are set above except I would add ice to my humidifier tank. I might try both cubed and crushed.
-- As things are set above, no ice, but add an ice pack wrapped around the hose fairly near the unit.
-- As things are set above except use both ice in the tank and ice packs on the hose.

Why wouldn't I just start with the fridge?
You will need to somehow modify your CPAP inlet to accept the type of hose you are suggesting. You will also need at least three holes in the fridge (one for your inlet and one for the power and one for your hose -- and you will want to seal those at least to some extent). You don't really know how bad condensation will be without testing. It will be more difficult to clean your hose (or even dump out any condensation).

[ChicagoGranny]

Note to everyone who suggested the OP (dpascal) turn his humidifier off --->

... This solution would probably not be good for CPAPs with humidifiers

[Dog Slobber]

Note to everyone who suggested the OP (dpascal) turn his humidifier off --->

... This solution would probably not be good for CPAPs

Fixed.

[Goofproof]

For the cooling down the water in the HH Crowd: Getting the HH temp below the dew point can cause water to form on the heater plate, that could cause damage to the HH! Jim

[dpascal]

I updated my profile and signature to include my equipment:
I only use the french Sefam Echostar auto CPAP + Joice One full face mask (no humidifier). This device is somehow not shown in the options to choose from.
I tried humidifiers and I couldn't stand them. I grew up in a 30% max humidity climate.
Please read my original post. I mentioned that the air coming out of my CPAP is only 0.5 degree Celsius above ambient temp. This means that the CPAP itself does not over heat the air it exhales.
I also mentioned in my original post that I did an experiment and managed to bring air temperature down by 7 degrees Celsius using a refrigerator.
As for the quite ingenious large device with pipes in it running through ice water, my wife put a veto ("I'd rather sacrifice a 70$ refrigerator than having this nuclear reactor in my sleeping room").
As for all the technical concerns for sealing the pipes and loss of heat of the refrigerator, no worries... I just finished handling a more complicated challenge and I can handle this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BGeaNA-T38

[Gryphon]

one other thing to consider before you maim an innocent mini fridge...

I skimmed this post so I missed who said it, but someone mentioned that the compressor in a mini fridge, and even a big fridge, are designed to cool and maintain an insulated environment that is sealed, heat is removed from inside the fridge and transferred to another part of the outside of the fridge. The compressors on even large refrigerators are not designed or intended to run all the time. They're made to cool something down that isn't creating it's own heat, and keep it cold by turning on now and then as the temp inside very slowly grows warmer.

If you start adding additional heat to the inside of a fridge, by adding a vent hole and sucking out the cool air, your going to eventually burn up the compressor, as it will be having to run almost constantly to try and keep the temp down inside the vented fridge.

There a few ideas you could look into doing that might help, but you don't want to use a mini fridge, at least not long term.

This idea has been tried multiple times with mixed results in the Desktop PC Modding world, people were cutting pluming lines and running their radiators inside of a mini fridge to help cool down the liquid cooling systems even more then ambient to cool the computer. Long term they burned up the mini-fridge and it didn't work out so good.


Best bet, I think would be to get something like this, if you want ready made cpap gear. A large pass-over humidifier would be better for adding ice then the smaller built in units that are made to be heated.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... ifier-hose

and fill it full of ice cubes. If your willing to mess around with a DIY solution you could modify a container like this with an inlet and outlet so you can fill it with ice.

https://www.amazon.com/Komax-Biokips-St ... B00NMRDQRM



Regardless... putting your whole CPAP device into a container with a air-temp that is different then ambient is asking for problems, as you could have water forming on parts inside the CPAP that you don't want getting wet.

I wish you the best of luck getting your temps down. Just be careful if you go with the fridge idea, you may also find that because the compressor is running all the time the noise may make it hard for you to sleep.

Rest well,

Gryphon

[ChicagoGranny]

As for all the technical concerns for sealing the pipes and loss of heat of the refrigerator, no worries... I just finished handling a more complicated challenge and I can handle this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BGeaNA-T38

Mick is the greatest.

[dpascal]

one other thing to consider before you maim an innocent mini fridge...

I skimmed this post so I missed who said it, but someone mentioned that the compressor in a mini fridge, and even a big fridge, are designed to cool and maintain an insulated environment that is sealed, heat is removed from inside the fridge and transferred to another part of the outside of the fridge. The compressors on even large refrigerators are not designed or intended to run all the time. They're made to cool something down that isn't creating it's own heat, and keep it cold by turning on now and then as the temp inside very slowly grows warmer.

If you start adding additional heat to the inside of a fridge, by adding a vent hole and sucking out the cool air, your going to eventually burn up the compressor, as it will be having to run almost constantly to try and keep the temp down inside the vented fridge.

There a few ideas you could look into doing that might help, but you don't want to use a mini fridge, at least not long term.

This idea has been tried multiple times with mixed results in the Desktop PC Modding world, people were cutting pluming lines and running their radiators inside of a mini fridge to help cool down the liquid cooling systems even more then ambient to cool the computer. Long term they burned up the mini-fridge and it didn't work out so good.


Best bet, I think would be to get something like this, if you want ready made cpap gear. A large pass-over humidifier would be better for adding ice then the smaller built in units that are made to be heated.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... ifier-hose

and fill it full of ice cubes. If your willing to mess around with a DIY solution you could modify a container like this with an inlet and outlet so you can fill it with ice.

https://www.amazon.com/Komax-Biokips-St ... B00NMRDQRM



Regardless... putting your whole CPAP device into a container with a air-temp that is different then ambient is asking for problems, as you could have water forming on parts inside the CPAP that you don't want getting wet.

I wish you the best of luck getting your temps down. Just be careful if you go with the fridge idea, you may also find that because the compressor is running all the time the noise may make it hard for you to sleep.

Rest well,

Gryphon

Thanks Gryphon for the wise thoughts. I'll delay the refrigerator idea for a few days and invest time inquiring the ideas you and others mentioned.
I'm Israeli. I just can't think inside the box

[wm_hess]

I seem to recall another user having similar issues a couple of years ago. His solution or idea was run a hose through a cooler with ice.

Found the thread. Look here for ideas.

viewtopic/t111080/Ice-in-humidifier-cha ... 5#p1066427

-Bill

[chunkyfrog]

Superglue a Peltier device diectly to the outside of the mask.
Problem solved.

[Dog Slobber]

Superglue a Peltier device diectly to the outside of the mask.
Problem solved.

I'm sure the OP is familiar with Peltier devices as he's an expert in all heat exchange technologies, because after all he built a motorcycle...........

[chunkyfrog]

Oops, my bad.
I have trouble distinguishing genius from long-winded bullcrap.

[zonker]

Oops, my bad.
I have trouble distinguishing genius from long-winded bullcrap.

lean in, you'll be able to smell it soon enough.

[dpascal]

Superglue a Peltier device diectly to the outside of the mask.
Problem solved.

I'm sure the OP is familiar with Peltier devices as he's an expert in all heat exchange technologies, because after all he built a motorcycle...........

I spent roughly 30 years of my life making a living from innovation.
Innovation is a process in which you throw ideas which to most people seem to be funny/hilarious/outrageous (choose the right option). Eventually, you end up throwing away 95% of these ideas but the 5% you don't, move humanity forward.
What moves humanity backwards are these sarcastic comments which shallow the discussion and poison the atmosphere.
This forum was founded to help people with medical issues. On the other side of the keyboard there are human beings.
This forum is not a pub for people to have beer and spill out any nasty thought that comes to mind…

Gryphon,
After thoughtful consideration and some test I conducted, I reached the conclusion that I accept your advice and while the refrigerator solution works, the little heat that the CPAP produces stresses the tiny refrigerator and the compressor will not last.
I will pursue the path of the plutonium reactor and keep you updated

[palerider]

This forum was founded to help people with medical issues.

> Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2019 5:01 am