Why a One Foot Extention Hose?

[SleepyJoeMS]

I was using the ResMed Activa mask which came with one foot hose extension. I just switched to the Activa LT, which does not come with the hose extension. Any ideas why one does and the other does not? Is there any benefit to use or not use the extension hose? I went ahead and put it on my LT because I liked the overall longer hose. I know I can get an 8 foot hose too though. So the final question is should there be any concern over pressure issues / changes using 8 vs. 6 foot hoses? I'm using and M series Auto BiPap in Auto Bipap mode.

Thanks. Joe

[DreamStalker]

Technically there is an added resistance which results in "slightly" lower end pressure. Functionally there is no difference to worry about.

If you try and go for a 20 ft hose, you are asking for trouble(s) ... and the girls say bigger is not always better

[SleepyJoeMS]

If you try and go for a 20 ft hose, you are asking for trouble(s) ... and the girls say bigger is not always better

I was clicking around for hose covers and came across a comment concerning hoses on one of the .com sites that said CPAPs are calibrated for up to 12 feet of hose. I don't know if that's true, but I take it to mean any pressure difference up to that length at least, is negligible. That seems to match your end result as well as the conclusion of the girls you mention, functionally speaking, at least

I guess ResMed sends the hose extension with their Activa just for added fun then

Thanks for your input DreamStalker.

Joe

[GumbyCT]

Saying .com sites is kinda generic and offers no real clues. fwiw - this is a .com site.

My experience after using the Activa (with added hose) on a 10ft hose with my auto bipap was that it reduced the sensitivity of the machines' ability to sense events. So fewer events appeared to happen but my overall feeling was like BEFORE cpap.

I removed the short hose and am more conscious of hose length now, preferring a 6 hose esp. when using the HC-150.

[SleepyJoeMS]

Saying .com sites is kinda generic and offers no real clues. fwiw - this is a .com site.

Yeah, you're right. I just couldn't remember which cpap supply site I read it on. Maybe it was cpap-supply.com. Anyway, it was in the particular product description, so I'm sure it's written to sell the product.

Thanks for you experience on the extra length too GumbyCT. It's good to know.

Joe

[boston]

id sure like to hear from an expert on this, i have a 10 ft hose plus the 1 ft on the swift lt, so 11 ft of hose, my numbers are the same as before and i feel the same.
i could use the 6ft hose fine, i just always worried about yanking the machine off my night stand.

[GumbyCT]

id sure like to hear from an expert on this, i have a 10 ft hose plus the 1 ft on the swift lt, so 11 ft of hose, my numbers are the same as before and i feel the same.
i could use the 6ft hose fine, i just always worried about yanking the machine off my night stand.

How do you feel? Try a 6ft at same pressure to see.

[boston]

i feel the same, nothings changed. in fact last night i think i found my sweet spot, i had been using pressure of 12-15 for awhile now, noticed i was hitting 15 quite a bit.
last night i bumped it to 12-16, had my first ever ahi of 0.0!!!! and i feel better than nusual, on 1 hour less sleep than usual. (happy dance)(i know, i look like a dork when dancing)

[Hawthorne]

I like that extention hose. Some masks have it already attached, like the Swift LT and for some Resmeds, it comes with them, if I understand what you are talking about.

Because I have arthritis quite badly, that extra foot on the mask makes it easier for me to attach the 6' hose to the mask since I am not working up under my chin. I also use it on my Hybrid when I need that since it fits.

I guess, with the hose for the Fisher Paykel stand alone humdifier and the 1' extention hose for these masks, I have an 8' hose.

It doesn't seem to make any difference to my therapy at all.

[JimW203]

This is my interpretation based on my observation of the short hose in use with my Liberty and looking at those masks that typically come with short hoses attached.

Some masks seem to lack the mass and mechanical characteristics to use a swivel near the mask frame. Consequently, by extending the position of the swivel to the end of a short, very flexible, hose it minimizes the torque on the mask itself during movements in sleep.

Other interpretation are welcome.

Jim Wingo

[GumbyCT]

I think both the short hoses used are 18 in. that is another 3ft, in addition to the volume of the HC150 then whatever hose you choose. So with a std. 6ft we are at between 9 & 10 ft. Something we don't think about.

Oh then with the M series if you still have the HH attached like I do, there is an additional volume BEFORE you get to the pressure sensors inside the machine.

I could swear my RT told me the limit was 10ft. which is why I was curious to see the .com that mentioned 12ft. After my experience with the 10ft hose with ALL the other equip. I would NOT recommend going longer UNLESS you are NOT using an auto sensing machine. Straight CPAP fine but you prob should compensate 1 or 2cm for the pressure loss on its way to you. But that is easy enuff to do.

Then understand your AHI may in fact be higher than the machine will detect because of this distance from the sensors it just will NOT be as sensitive.

[SleepyJoeMS]

Hey GumbyCT, you mentioned...

I could swear my RT told me the limit was 10ft. which is why I was curious to see the .com that mentioned 12ft

Here's the link to the cpap-supply.com page where I saw that statement. They were trying to sell a coupling to put two hoses together and say not to put more than two six foot hoses together.

http://www.cpap-supply.com/Air-Tubing-C ... 4911-1.htm

Some masks seem to lack the mass and mechanical characteristics to use a swivel near the mask frame. Consequently, by extending the position of the swivel to the end of a short, very flexible, hose it minimizes the torque on the mask itself during movements in sleep.

JimW203.. I think I get this. But the original Activa and Activa LT are pretty similar frames. The former comes with the extension, the latter does not. It's just curious and perhaps I'll call ResMed for grins and see if they have an answer.

Thanks all, for thoughts on this.

Joe