AirSense 10 air is too cool - Kills my sinus

[Retired_EEngr]

ResMed AirSense 10 - 3rd year - heated hose - hose covering in place. Pillow/Nasal masks. I'm new at this forum stuff but my experiences may help someone. Things I've learned (sample size 2): manual operation - the temperature is sensed at the hose plug-in connector NOT at the mask -- my manual temperature is set to 86 degrees with max humidity and the air at the END of the tube is so cool I spend my day in sinus pain. This is much worse in winter. The power supply is only about 100 watts total. The humidifier takes most of that. Not much left for hose heating. The hose heat does not stay ON full-time. Only start-up. Temperature at the mask (hose) is a max in my case of 73 degrees using a non-contact thermometer. Leaking air from the mask increases the amount of air needing heat and makes the temperature problem much worse. I used a "pillow mask" (of two masks it's the worst for leaking). The nasal mask is definitely better for not leaking. But the air is still "cold". Where the hose enters the mask there's a grid of exhaust or breathing holes. It's another place for "leakage of air" but those holes also provide an emergency air supply (you can breath through those holes) if the CPAP unit should quit functioning or power should drop out.

I wrapped PART of those holes with a trimmed elastic bandage held in place with a bread tie-wrap to block SOME of the leakage. More warm air breathed OUT by me is mixed with the colder air coming IN. Caution: never block all the holes! Your carbon dioxide has to escape somewhere. I've delt with local, California, and Australian customer service with no engineering success other than they gave me a new machine....which predictably acts exactly the same way. So I have become more aggressive and bought a 60 watt pipe heater tape, bypassed the 32 degree cut-in thermostat (so the tape heats all the time). Snaked along inside the hose cloth covering (homemade) this tape should provide additional heat this winter. If it's too much heat I plan to add a Variac AC voltage control to reduce the input watts lowering the temperature. Any SCR or TRIAC generic controller should work. For safety reasons, if you're not familiar with electrical safety, have a local shop bypass the thermostat and seal the operation site. I used several layers of heat-shrink tubing but that's not available at every work bench.

So basically my gripe is that the manual settings digital dial and readout seem to mean nothing to the user. I'm NOT getting 75, 80, or 86 (max) degrees where it counts....at my NOSE! And let me also add that the CPAP has been a godsend to my sleep. I was getting up 4-5-6 times a night. When I go back on the CPAP, I may get up ONCE per night and frequently sleep straight through. No transition time. The very next night! That shows up in the quality of sleep I get and within a month I knew I'd never give up using a CPAP whenever possible.

Another MUST is to use DISTILLED water ONLY! $.79/gallon here. Zero residue and never have to replace the water tank nor clean out crud. Wipe dry each morning to deprive bacteria of a survival home.

Hopefully someone may benefit. >< (Covid19 elbow bump)

[Pugsy]

To the OP ....welcome to the forum. You are going to get a lot of responses that differ from yours. That's okay everyone is different...

BUT you should NEVER tape the vent holes closed or even part of those vent holes. That's a lot more important than the distilled or not distilled water usage.

There are better ways to keep that air warm than blocking even part of the vent holes totally. The vent holes are need to expel carbon dioxide out the mask that comes from YOU when you breathe. When you block those holes you increase the chance of re-breathing increased levels of carbon dioxide laden air. This can kill you. This is dangerous. Taping even part of the vent holes closed with tape just so you can get warmer air to your nose....very dangerous. There are better ways of accomplishing this goal.
Not to mention any hose air temp will feel cool to your skin unless it's warmer than 98.6 degrees because that's your body temp.
Now it's not impossible for your nose to want warmer than 86 degrees...that is an individual preference but you are in a tiny minority with that preference. Most people are wanting cooler air and not warmer.
But if you prefer warmer ...that's fine but you need to figure out a solution that doesn't increase the chance of excess carbon dioxide killing you. There are other ways of getting that accomplished that are a lot less dangerous.

And for the record...distilled water or not...isn't that big of deal especially if you drain any left over the next morning and dry out the chamber only to refill it at night. I won't tell you what I do or don't do. You won't like it but that's okay too. Like I said...everyone is different in how they do things and that's okay.

I am out of popcorn...I think I will go get some. The show and responses will start later. Be gentle guys and gals...he's new to the forum. I got things I need to do this morning...be back later folks. I am up wayyyyyy earlier than usual.

[Dog Slobber]

The power supply is only about 100 watts total. The humidifier takes most of that. Not much left for hose heating.

The "lack of sufficient watts" in the power supply for both the humidifier and hose, is not the reason for your cool air experience.

To prove it, turn off the Humidifier and set the hose temperature to 86, if you'r theory is correct you will then be able to measure a noticeable temperate increase.

You won't.

So basically my gripe is that the manual settings digital dial and readout seem to mean nothing to the user. I'm NOT getting 75, 80, or 86 (max) degrees where it counts....at my NOSE!

You don't understand the role of the heated hose and what the temperature is measuring.

The heated hose's primary role is to heat the hose to prevent condensation (rain out) from forming. The temperature setting is not the desired air temperature, it's the tube temperature, though a slight increase of air temperature is a benefit. In order to achieve an air temperature of 86 degrees, the hose temperature would have to be considerably higher than 86.

Another MUST is to use DISTILLED water ONLY! $.79/gallon here. Zero residue and never have to replace the water tank nor clean out crud. Wipe dry each morning to deprive bacteria of a survival home.

Perhaps you should share your thoughts with ResMed, because according to them (and other CPAP manufacturers) distilled water is a cleaning convenience not a medical necessity.

There’s a shortage of distilled water where I live. What can I use as an alternative for my CPAP humidification?

As stated in our clinical and user guides, *optimal* humidifier performance requires distilled water. That’s because most or all of its minerals have been removed, preventing mineral buildup in the humidifier tub. That said, tap or bottled water may also be used. It will not harm the device or pose a risk to patients. It will, however, require more rigorous humidifier cleaning to prevent excess mineral buildup in the tub.

https://www.resmed.com/en-us/covid-19/

[jimbud]

Blah, blah and blah some more. But the air is still "cold".

Put a small electric heater pointed at the intake filter.

I wrapped PART of those holes with a trimmed elastic bandage held in place with a bread tie-wrap to block SOME of the leakage.

Be sure to check that your life insurance is up to date and your payments are current.

Might want to make provisions for your funeral so loved ones are spared the trouble in their hour of grief.

Maybe put 911 on speed dial.

JPB

[khauser]

I am confused, or OP is. I am pretty sure the temperature sensor is in the mask end of the hose where the little plastic protrusion hangs down as shown here:

20200719_135102.jpg

[Pugsy]

I am confused, or OP is. I am pretty sure the temperature sensor is in the mask end of the hose where the little plastic protrusion hangs down as shown here:

It's not you that is confused. It's the OP who is confused about several things.

[palerider]

I am confused, or OP is. I am pretty sure the temperature sensor is in the mask end of the hose where the little plastic protrusion hangs down as shown here: 20200719_135102.jpg

Yes, you're right, that is the temperature sensor, OP is wrong about many things, and that is one of them.

It would be stupid, and useless for the temp sensor to be before the heated area.

Resmed isn't stupid.

[chunkyfrog]

Perhaps the OP is using a mask that has its own extension hose.
(Like my P10, which places the temperature sensor a foot or so upwind from the mask)
I would suggest a short hose cover, to maintain temperature through that small hose.
And PLEASE uncover the vent holes.--you sound like a nice person,
too young to push up daisies.

[tlohse]

I just got my AirSense 10 not to long ago and have had no issues with it so far. I use a airfit p10 mask my machine is set to auto for the humidifier. I haven't bothered to change any settings and its recommended not too.