Drying the hose?

[nanuke]

Hi all

While I'm new to the this really cool site, I've been using a CPAP for over 25 years.

I'm disposed to be lazy, but I've resolved to be more diligent about keeping the equipment clean and sanitary. Love the post about taking the mask into the shower with you... great suggestion! Of course, every so often I will take it apart to clean it.

I read a few posts about drying the hose after cleaning / disinfecting. Would it be a viable alternative to just connect the hose to the machine and let it run for a few hours? Wouldn't the moving air help move the moisture out?

Another question... I found the Encyclopaedia, but could not find what AHA means.

My equipment is so old and jerry-rigged that I had to list it as part of my signature ! Last week I had a sleep study and I'm waiting to hear that my insurance will cover new equipment. Thanks to this site and you all I am now armed with lots of knowledge to argue for a better quality machine, but I'm sure glad that I didn't discard the Sullivan V.

Thanks,

Nanuke

[Pineapple]

Nanuke,

I would never use my machine to dry my hose, think of the extra wear and tear you will be putting on it (not to mention, if your tracking your data, it will screw that up too).

If hanging it out to dry isn't doing the trick, I found using an air mattrest pump (electric) does a nice job.

[nanuke]

Pineapple - good suggestion... I think I have one. Thanks

Nanuke

[Billy6]

I just use hot tap water to fill the hose, pour in a bit of Listerine, slosh the water around, dump it out and place it over a hanger. Its dry by the time I get home from the office. Rinse it the morning and it will easily dry by night

[Gerald]

Nanuke....

I rigged a boot drier from Harbor Freight with a computer fan, an air filter, and a bilge pump hose....to dry my system all day.

The little fan blows a tiny breeze thru the system...and it dries quickly. Every morning, I switch my hose off of the CPAP...slip it on the end of the bilge pump hose (from Academy Sporting Goods), turn the little fan "on"....and forget about it....until I'm ready to go to bed. I fill up my humidifier, switch the hose back onto the CPAP.....and I'm ready to go with a perfectly dry system.

By the way, I use (2) pieces of cotton string inside my nose-piece....to catch any rainout before it gets to me.....and the drier makes sure the string has no moisture left in it....before I'm ready to "suit-up" for bed.

Gerald

[roster]

Welcome Nanuke! It is good to have such an experienced hose head sign up. I hope we can learn more about your quarter century+.

Far be it from me to offer advice to someone so much more experienced that me, but "fools rush in where angels fear to tread", so hear I go.

Why clean the inside of the hose at all? Only filtered air and water vapor pass through it. My hose is probably 18 months old and has never been cleaned inside. I would be more concerned that cleaning and drying the hose could inadvertently inject something into the hose that I don't want to breathe.

I do occasionally wipe down the outside of the hose connectors where my hand touches them and maybe deposits body oils.

Best regards,

[newname]

What's the correct way of cleaning the hose? I usually soak in liquid dish soap and water, rinse, then soak in water and white vinegar, then rinse thoroughtly. I hang it to dry, but it never seems to dry completely.
there's always droplets of water inside the hose so I end up blowing the machine air in it to dry.

[Guest]

Thanks for your suggestions, everyone! - I wish I had discovered this site earlier in life.

Nanuke

[Bluebonnet_Gal]

I love your new AV Rooster!

[tomjax]

I cannot help but wonder why a person would even want to dry the hose.
It contains water and will turn to vapor when you turn the macine on.

Is this not what you are trying to do with the HH?

What is the reason one would want to remove the water?

I am easily confused anyway.

[newname]

I'd want to remove the water so it doesn't go into my lungs

[Insulation Tim]

I'd want to remove the water so it doesn't go into my lungs

The humidity (Water) goes in your lungs, so what's the dif? Think of those droplets in the hose as a passive humidification system.

[OutaSync]

I can't figure out why people are washing their hoses. What is making them dirty? I've had mine for over a year. Never washed it and it's clean as new.

[roster]

I can't figure out why people are washing their hoses. What is making them dirty? I've had mine for over a year. Never washed it and it's clean as new.

Thank you. I have been feeling like the odd one out by never washing the inside of the hose. Glad to be InSync with you.

[roster]

I cannot help but wonder why a person would even want to dry the hose.
It contains water and will turn to vapor when you turn the macine on.

Is this not what you are trying to do with the HH?

What is the reason one would want to remove the water?

I am easily confused anyway.

The water vapor coming from your humidifier is only water vapor - if there are any contamanints in the humidifier tank water they stay behind in the tank and only pure water comes as water vapor into your airways. (Horrible sentence, I know, but I am multitasking.)

Most people wash their hose with tap water. Any rinse tap water left in the hose can possibly enter your airway as water. Here is a list of contaminants found in municipal tap water around the U.S.:

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
1,1-Dichloroethane
1,1-Dichloroethylene
1,1-Dichloropropanone
1,1-Dichloropropene
1,2 Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP)
1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene
1,2,3-Trichloropropane
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene
1,2-Dibromoethylene
1,2-Dichloroethane
1,2-Dichloropropane
1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene
1,3-Dichloropropane
1,3-Dichloropropene
1,4-Dioxane


2
2,2-Dichloropropane
2,4,5-T
2,4,5-TP (Silvex)
2,4-D
2,4-DB
2,4-Dinitrotoluene
2-Hexanone
2-Nitropropane
25-Manganese-54


3
3-Hydroxycarbofuran


A
Acenaphthene
Acenaphthylene
Acetochlor
Acetone
Acrylonitrile
Alachlor (Lasso)
Aldicarb
Aldicarb sulfone
Aldicarb sulfoxide
Aldrin
Alpha Chlordane
Alpha particle activity
Alpha particle activity (excl radon and uranium)
Alpha particle activity (incl. radon & uranium)
Alpha particle activity (suspended)
alpha-Lindane
Aluminum
Ammonia
Aniline
Anthracene
Antimony (total)
Aroclor 1016
Aroclor 1221
Aroclor 1232
Aroclor 1242
Aroclor 1248
Aroclor 1254
Aroclor 1260
Arsenic (total)
Asbestos
Atrazine


B
Barium (total)
Baygon (Propoxur)
Bentazon (Basagran)
Benzene
Benzo[a]anthracene
Benzo[a]pyrene
Benzofluoranthene
Benzofluoranthene & Benzo[k]fluoranthene
Benzo[g,h,i]perylene
Benzo[k]fluoranthene
Beryllium (total)
beta-Lindane
Bromacil
Bromate
Bromide
Bromobenzene
Bromochloroacetic acid
Bromochloromethane
Bromodichloroacetic acid
Bromodichloromethane
Bromoform
Bromomethane
Butachlor
Butyl Acetate
Butyl Benzylphthalate
Butylate (Sutan)


C
Cadmium (total)
Carbaryl
Carbofuran
Carbon disulfide
Carbon tetrachloride
Chloramben
Chloramine
Chlorate
Chlordane
Chlorine dioxide
Chlorite
Chlorodibromoacetic acid
Chloroethane
Chloroform
Chloromethane
Chloropicrin
Chromium (hexavalent)
Chromium (total)
Chrysene
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
Combined Radium (-226 & -228)
Combined Uranium (mg/L)
Combined Uranium (pCi/L)
Copper
Cyanazine (Bladex)
Cyanide


D
Dacthal
Dalapon
Desethylatrazine
Desisopropylatrazine
Di(2-Ethylhexyl) adipate
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
Di-n-butylphthalate
Dibenz[a,h]anthracene
Dibromoacetic acid
Dibromochloromethane
Dibromomethane
Dicamba
Dichloroacetic acid
Dichloroacetonitrile
Dichlorodifluoromethane
Dichlorofluoromethane
Dichloroiodomethane
Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)
Dichlorprop
Dieldrin
Diethylphthalate
Dimethylphthalate
Dinoseb
Diquat
Diuron


E
Endosulfan I
Endothall
Endrin
EPTC (Eptam)
Ethion
Ethyl ether
Ethyl-t-butyl ether (ETBE)
Ethylbenzene
Ethylene dibromide (EDB)


F
Fluoranthene
Fluorene
Foaming agents (surfactants)
Formaldehyde


G
Glyoxal
Glyphosate
Gross beta particle & photon emitters (man-made)
Gross beta particle activity (dissolved)
Gross beta particle activity (mrem/yr)
Gross beta particle activity (pCi/L)
Gross beta particle activity (suspended)


H
Heptachlor
Heptachlor epoxide
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)
Hexachlorobutadiene
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
Hydrogen sulfide


I
Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene
Iodomethane
Isophorone
Isopropyl alcohol
Isopropyl ether
Isopropylbenzene


L
Lead (total)
Lindane
Lithium


M
m- & p- Xylene
m-Dichlorobenzene
m-Xylene
Manganese
MBAS
Mercury (total inorganic)
Methiocarb
Methomyl
Methoxychlor
Methyl ethyl ketone
Methyl isobutyl ketone
Methyl methacrylate
Metolachlor
Metribuzin
Molinate (Ordram)
Molybdenum
Monobromoacetic acid
Monochloroacetic acid
Monochlorobenzene (Chlorobenzene)
MTBE


N
n-Butylbenzene
n-Hexane
n-Nitrosodiphenylamine
n-Propylbenzene
Naphthalene
Nitrate
Nitrate & nitrite
Nitrite
Nitrobenzene


O
o-Chlorotoluene
o-Dichlorobenzene
o-Xylene
Oil & Grease (total)
Orthophosphate
Oxamyl (Vydate)


P
p,p'-DDT
p-Chlorotoluene
p-Dichlorobenzene
p-Isopropyltoluene
p-Xylene
Paraquat
Pentachlorophenol
Perchlorate
Phenanthrene
Phenols
Phosphate
Phosphorus
Picloram
Potassium-40 (total)
Prometon (2,4-bis -6-(isopropylamino))
Propachlor
Pyrene


R
Radium-226
Radium-228
Radon


S
sec-Butylbenzene
Selenium (total)
Silver (total)
Simazine
Strontium
Strontium-90
Styrene
Sulfate


T
tert-Butylbenzene
Tetrachloroethylene
Tetrahydrofuran
Thallium (total)
Thiobencarb (Bolero)
Toluene
Total haloacetic acids
Total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Toxaphene
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene
Tribromoacetic acid
Trichloroacetic acid
Trichloroethylene
Trichlorofluoromethane
Trichlorotrifluoroethane
Trifluralin
Tritium


U
Uranium-234
Uranium-235
Uranium-238


V
Vanadium
Vinyl chloride

Plus you have chlorine and flouride added by the municipalities. Do you want any of these substances to enter your airway?

What you are cleaning out of the hose (if anything) may be safer than the rinse water you are using. If you say you dry your hose out by some type of evaporation, none of the substances listed above will evaporate, so they are left behind in the hose as residue to maybe work their way into your airway.

Why wash your hose?