Water level alert

[AlabamaAl]

Does anyone know of a commercially available water level alert, or an extra capacity humidity tank for the PR 60 series? I sleep so soundly with my machine, that many nights the tank will run bone dry several hours before I wake up with stuck together mouth parts..

[Sheriff Buford]

Even if you had the temperature cranked up on your humidifier, your humidifier will use more water but should last a few nights. Your tank should not rune bone dry and the fact that you sleep soundly has nothing to do with the level in the humidifier. When I first started cpap therapy, I used a humidifier and it ran dry. I called my DME and they gave me replacement humidifier while mine was being repaired. Maybe you should do the same.

Sheriff

PS: ask yourself if you really need a humidifier. If you think maybe not, it will reduce hassle and the time and attention that sucker causes.

[Pugsy]

Water consumption is based on several things and using all the water during the night doesn't mean that something is wrong with the humidifier.

Pressures used will affect water consumption...the higher the pressures the greater the water consumption.
Leaks...the greater the leaks the greater the water consumption.
Ambient bedroom humidity...the drier it is the more water the humidifier will use trying to maintain whatever humidifier selection you have chosen.

Depending on the above combination of factors it wouldn't be uncommon at all to use all the water in a Respironics machine setup. Unfortunately there isn't any sort of higher capacity water chamber available.
I know one person who piggy backed another humidification system to their PR S1 system in an effort to maintain humidity needs all night long.

The other options would be the usual....reduce the humidifier setting or add more moisture to the bedroom air with a humidifier for the room.

What are your current setting in terms of humidifier (Classic mode or regular mode) or are you using the heated hose option and if you are at what setting for humidity?

[AlabamaAl]

My sinuses are happier when I use a setting of three on the humidifier. Some nights I use half a tank, while others I use two or three tanks. Much depends on the room humidity. Each person has to find the settings that work for them and go with it. I don't mind refiling between sleep cycles, but am looking for a warning device, or larger capacity tank to aid with or discontinue the need for refilling. I also use the heated hose set on two. I didn't know there were two modes on the humidifier, How are these set?

[Krelvin]

Even if you had the temperature cranked up on your humidifier, your humidifier will use more water but should last a few nights. Your tank should not rune bone dry and the fact that you sleep soundly has nothing to do with the level in the humidifier. When I first started cpap therapy, I used a humidifier and it ran dry. I called my DME and they gave me replacement humidifier while mine was being repaired. Maybe you should do the same.

I think a lot of it depends on where you are. I am in a very dry climate, here in Arizona, using the defaults the machine comes with, my tank will run dry after 7.5 hours on my S9. I really don't need the default settings so it is not a problem (set Heated Hose to 60F and Humidity at 2.0) and as a result only use about 1/2 a tank a night now. Filling the S9 is actually easy compared to my previous M-Series and I do it every time I go to sleep.

On my previous M-Series unit, it would last, but it was such a pain to refill it that I normally kept the humidity setting to off and either ran it dry or with water in it. The biggest problem is that you had to take the tank out to fill it. The machine before that one (Respironics REMStar BiPap Auto w/Bi-Flex) had a much bigger tank and I could go 2 days with it, but you still had to take the tank out.

[Pugsy]

I also use the heated hose set on two. I didn't know there were two modes on the humidifier, How are these set?

The other modes are available without the heated hose.
Classic Mode uses strictly heat to increase the humidity in the air...it's what we used for years before these newer machines that utilize humidity sensors.

The default humidification system when NOT using a heated hose is for the system that utilizes the humidity sensor in the machine. It will use less water than Classic Mode and probably less than with the heated hose but it may not add enough moisture to keep your nose happy and it sure doesn't add enough warm air to prevent ice cube nose (been there myself).

The heated hose allows for probably the optimum humidity delivery and consistency while preventing rain out.
If you weren't using the heated hose that would have been my next idea.

I don't know of any sort of water level alert thing nor anyway to increase the size of the water chamber area.

[pbriggs]

you have to wonder if there is a way to use the glass globe watering devices to add water as the water level drops. Basically an upside down bottle into the humidifier. Might need to modify the humidifier cover to do this. If the bottle was low enough in the humidifier, the water from the bottle would only come out once the bottle opening could get air, then the water would come out until the bottle opening was under water again.

[chunkyfrog]

The chamber is pressurized, disabling the bubble-filling process.
If I had a similar problem, I would pre-fill a spare tank, and swap them out as needed.
A pair of makeshift plugs could keep night-crawling "snacks" out of the water.

[palerider]

The chamber is pressurized, disabling the bubble-filling process.

in theory... if the extra container were also pressurized, so there's a good seal between the regular reservoir and the supplemental one, it *should* work.

my 'solve problems' mind set has wondered about how to do something like that for a while, even though I normally don't even use the humidifier *lol*. it would require some cutting and drilling and sealing, but should be in the realm of possible.

[Guest]

you have to wonder if there is a way to use the glass globe watering devices to add water as the water level drops. Basically an upside down bottle into the humidifier. Might need to modify the humidifier cover to do this. If the bottle was low enough in the humidifier, the water from the bottle would only come out once the bottle opening could get air, then the water would come out until the bottle opening was under water again.

why not just use a passover tank (or heated) added to the circuit?

[Krelvin]

you have to wonder if there is a way to use the glass globe watering devices to add water as the water level drops. Basically an upside down bottle into the humidifier. Might need to modify the humidifier cover to do this. If the bottle was low enough in the humidifier, the water from the bottle would only come out once the bottle opening could get air, then the water would come out until the bottle opening was under water again.

why not just use a passover tank (or heated) added to the circuit?

You have a diagram how they can do that with a PR System One???

[Guest]

You have a diagram how they can do that with a PR System One???

No not with me but why would you need one? The extra tank has the same diameter connections and is connected to the output of the PRS1 humidifier with an 18" hose between the two tanks. The 6ft hose is connected to the output of the added external tank - follow?

[M'ohms]

I have the same problem of running out of water during the night. Like Pugsy, my nose likes lots of humidity. During the winter, I need warm air, so I need the heated tube. I have ruled out the idea of adding an external humidifier tank to the circuit because I couldn't use my heated tube in that configuration. I have decided to get a room humidifier to increase the humidity in my room, which will in turn, reduce the water demands on my PRS1 humidifier. Tis way, I think I will be able to make it through the night without a refill.

[Guest]

I have the same problem of running out of water during the night. Like Pugsy, my nose likes lots of humidity. During the winter, I need warm air, so I need the heated tube. I have ruled out the idea of adding an external humidifier tank to the circuit because I couldn't use my heated tube in that configuration. I have decided to get a room humidifier to increase the humidity in my room, which will in turn, reduce the water demands on my PRS1 humidifier. Tis way, I think I will be able to make it through the night without a refill.

That is another way and certainly helps the skin too. But don't forget you can add an Aussie heated hose to the above config if you like or need more heat.

[AlabamaAl]

Since there is no commercially available water level sensor available for my machine, I have ordered a fish tank water level sensor. http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Aquarium-Fi ... 20ecb536d9 I have an extra water chamber, so I will try to notch the bottom half of the chamber to allow for the wire, then secure the wire, and fill the rest of the groove with Epoxy in order to preserve the airtight seal. It may not work, but I have nothing to loose but the cost of the Aquarium sensor, The water chamber, epoxy, and my time. It will take a month to get the sensor from Hong Kong, but this is the best fit I have found. The sensor itself looks small enough to fit well in the water chamber. I will have to play with the location of the sensor, so that it will alarm before the chamber runs completely dry. I also want to experiment with the sensor to make sure it works well before I cut the slot for the wire in the chamber. I'll let y'all know if it works when I get the sensor, and get it installed.