HORRIBLE SMELL

[darlaburley]

I AM UP ONCE AGAIN AT 3:30 A.M. DUE TO THIS AWFUL ODOR COMING FROM MY BI PAP. I ALSO HAD IT WHEN I USED THE C-PAP. IT'S NAUSEATING AND IT'S WINTER TIME AND TOO COLD TO OPEN THE WINDOWS. THIS METAL BURNING ODOR ACTUALLY MAKES ME SICK AND I HAVE TO LEAVE MY BEDROOM BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT SPREADS THROUGHOUT MY SMALL HOME. SO MUCH FOR GETTING SLEEP! IT'S NOT DUE TO RUNNING OUT OF WATER EITHER. WHAT IS GOING ON?

[ChicagoGranny]

Exactly which model machine do you have?

Can you take it to the local DME you got it from?

[Conrad]

I AM UP ONCE AGAIN AT 3:30 A.M. DUE TO THIS AWFUL ODOR COMING FROM MY BI PAP. I ALSO HAD IT WHEN I USED THE C-PAP. IT'S NAUSEATING AND IT'S WINTER TIME AND TOO COLD TO OPEN THE WINDOWS. THIS METAL BURNING ODOR ACTUALLY MAKES ME SICK AND I HAVE TO LEAVE MY BEDROOM BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT SPREADS THROUGHOUT MY SMALL HOME. SO MUCH FOR GETTING SLEEP! IT'S NOT DUE TO RUNNING OUT OF WATER EITHER. WHAT IS GOING ON?

Look at the information you provided here. How in the world do you expect anyone to help you out unless you provide more info?

What's with the all CAPS? Why are you yelling at us?

[ozij]

What's with the all CAPS? Why are you yelling at us?

Panic?

DUE TO THIS AWFUL ODOR COMING FROM MY BI PAP. I ALSO HAD IT WHEN I USED THE C-PAP.

That's interesting. How did you solve the problem the first time it happened?

[robysue1]

I AM UP ONCE AGAIN AT 3:30 A.M. DUE TO THIS AWFUL ODOR COMING FROM MY BI PAP. I ALSO HAD IT WHEN I USED THE C-PAP. IT'S NAUSEATING AND IT'S WINTER TIME AND TOO COLD TO OPEN THE WINDOWS. THIS METAL BURNING ODOR ACTUALLY MAKES ME SICK AND I HAVE TO LEAVE MY BEDROOM BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT SPREADS THROUGHOUT MY SMALL HOME. SO MUCH FOR GETTING SLEEP! IT'S NOT DUE TO RUNNING OUT OF WATER EITHER. WHAT IS GOING ON?

There is no need to yell.

In order to help you, we need to know the exact make and model of the machine you are using. We also need to know how long you've been using the machine and whether the problem started on the very first night.

Without that information, however, this is my best guess as to what you need to do:

1) Bring the machine back to the DME and politely tell them about the problem. Ask them to either switch the machine out for a new one (if its is still under warranty) or see if machine can be looked at and repaired; if the machine is not under warranty, be sure to ask for an estimate on the cost of repairing the machine.

2) Burning metal odors can also indicate a potential electrical problem in your house. It could be that the particular outlet you are using to plug the machine in has some kind of short in it. If this outlet is used for nothing except the CPAP/BiPAP machine, that would explain why you might never have noticed a problem before. You can test this theory out by plugging in something else into that outlet. If the thing you plug in doesn't draw much power, it may take a while for the odor to develop if there is a short in the outlet; if you plug in something draws more power, the odor should develop more quickly. If you get the same kind of odor after plugging something else into that outlet, then you know the problem is with your house's electric system instead of the CPAP/BiPAP machine.

[Dog Slobber]

Make sure the power brick is not located close the air inlet of yur device. Sometimes power supplies get hot and can smell bad.

[LSAT]

Empty humidifier water tub while the humidity is on can cause burning smell. Like an empty pot on a hot stove.

[lynninnj]

To follow up on the testing plug theory you might also try plugging cpap into a diff plug to see if it still smells.

[KittyMom22]

What's with the all CAPS? Why are you yelling at us?

This is a pet peeve of mine too, but I am aware that some people have issues with arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel or whatever, and can't simultaneously hold down the shift key to type capital letters, so either type all small letters or leave caps lock on. Just thought I'd throw it out there.

[KittyMom22]

I AM UP ONCE AGAIN AT 3:30 A.M. DUE TO THIS AWFUL ODOR COMING FROM MY BI PAP. I ALSO HAD IT WHEN I USED THE C-PAP. IT'S NAUSEATING AND IT'S WINTER TIME AND TOO COLD TO OPEN THE WINDOWS. THIS METAL BURNING ODOR ACTUALLY MAKES ME SICK AND I HAVE TO LEAVE MY BEDROOM BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT SPREADS THROUGHOUT MY SMALL HOME. SO MUCH FOR GETTING SLEEP! IT'S NOT DUE TO RUNNING OUT OF WATER EITHER. WHAT IS GOING ON?

I've had an issue with odor also but much milder. I'm guessing it's the heating element in the humidifier, because I did not smell it last night when I turned off the humidifier.

[chunkyfrog]

When my tank runs dry, there is a funk arising from the machine;
But not as bad as the time a mouse perished in the heat duct
leading to the vent under my end table.
Aaaaack! That was horrible. We could not reach the carcass, and it was RIPE!
After about a week, it dehydrated to the point that its odor was negligible.
An ugly week, for sure, but I continued using the cpap.

[ChicagoGranny]

some people have issues with arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel or whatever, and can't simultaneously hold down the shift key to type capital letters, so either type all small letters or leave caps lock on

If such a case truly exists, they should use all lowercase letters. It's much better than screaming. But please, punctuate and use paragraphs.

[Grumpy48]

I believe chunkyfrog is likely looking the the right direction. Winter months are close and the cool nights prompt the heating system to come on. Where the odor has occurred with two different CPAP machines it would seem unlikely those would be the source of the odor. A dead mouse may be the cause an obnoxious odor (although a burning metal odor would be unique for a mouse) and I have had one in my warm air furnace return plenum on occasion, as well as other hard to find locations. A rusted through heat exchanger in an older furnace once caused a burned odor throughout the house at night as well which expedited as speedy replacement of that furnace.

Or perhaps a significant other or pet by the bedside with a penchant for flatulence generating foods? Amazing what can get through the ultrafine filters in a CPAP :

[KittyMom22]

some people have issues with arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel or whatever, and can't simultaneously hold down the shift key to type capital letters, so either type all small letters or leave caps lock on

If such a case truly exists, they should use all lowercase letters. It's much better than screaming. But please, punctuate and use paragraphs.

It truly does. And some find all caps preferable to all lower case.

[chunkyfrog]

I use all caps for emphasis only.
None needed here.
I did not just wake up with a nervous breakdown.
Poor Darla--she must have been really freaked out!