How do you guys clean out your cpap hose?

[chunkyfrog]

. . exhaled air is entertaining at least part of the hose. After all, that is what we're talking about potentially needing cleaning in this thread.

Talk about entertainment!

[palerider]

Those of use using nasal pillows have no check valve on our masks to prevent exhaled air from blowing back trough the hose.

show me one mask that has a 'check valve'.

Any mask with a so-called "anti-asphyxia" valve (which includes, I believe, nearly every FFM) has a check valve. What else would you call a valve whose purpose is to allow flow of a gas in only one direction? Specifically, both my Quattro Air mask and the Simplus I tried for one night had swing check valves.

no, they do not.

the are *not* check valves. they are anti-asphyxia valves, not "so-called" as you incorrectly put it.

they open to the outside air when the machine is off, they do not move under normal operation, as soon as the machine starts, they close, and stay closed until the machine ceases operation.

they in no way operate as a one way check valve. when there is machine pressure, they close off the outside opening, when there is no machine pressure, they flutter in the airflow and let air go in any direction.

try it, sometime, put on your mask, cover the large holes by the valve, and exhale. feel the air coming out of the hose connection?

[palerider]

. . exhaled air is entertaining at least part of the hose. After all, that is what we're talking about potentially needing cleaning in this thread.

Talk about entertainment!

I'm entertained, aren't you entertained???

[WildMtnHoney]

So, wait, you're watching your humidifier to see if there are changes in flow during inhalation vs exhalation, right? So that means you have no exhalation relief turned on then, right? Because I do, therefore I would expect to see a difference.

[palerider]

So, wait, you're watching your humidifier to see if there are changes in flow during inhalation vs exhalation, right? So that means you have no exhalation relief turned on then, right? Because I do, therefore I would expect to see a difference.

what flow do you see in your humidifier???

[WildMtnHoney]

Palerider, *I* don't, but apparently Latinist does?

Indeed, when I exhale through my P10 mask, a significant amount of air blows back into my humidifier, indicating to me that my exhaled breath is making it at least some of the way down the hose.

[Jay Aitchsee]

How do you guys clean out your cpap hose?

I get a new one every couple of years.

[Guest1]

Why? The only thing going through it was filtered air from the machine to you, not the other way around.

I don't think that is necessarily true. Those of use using nasal pillows have no check valve on our masks to prevent exhaled air from blowing back trough the hose. Indeed, when I exhale through my P10 mask, a significant amount of air blows back into my humidifier, indicating to me that my exhaled breath is making it at least some of the way down the hose.
.

I have a P10. It's dead space with nasal pillows is ~123ml. I use a 15mm hose. At 6 ft length the space in the hose is 323ml. Total of 446ml. If your tidal volume is 500ml, there is some chance of your breath reaching the humidifier if you breathe out forcefully your normal Tidal Volume (500ml) and your expiratory reserve volume (another 1000ml) and within 0.5 a second.

It's theoretically possible but unlikely for 99%+ time of the night.

[palerider]

I have a P10. It's dead space with nasal pillows is ~123ml. I use a 15mm hose. At 6 ft length the space in the hose is 323ml. Total of 446ml. If your tidal volume is 500ml, there is some chance of your breath reaching the humidifier if you breathe out forcefully your normal Tidal Volume (500ml) and your expiratory reserve volume (another 1000ml) and within 0.5 a second.

It's theoretically possible but unlikely for 99%+ time of the night.

I love these kinds of calculations.

does that include the vent rate, and, at what pressure? one would think that if the mask is venting 40lpm, that would cut down on the time for the breath to fully vent, as well as how far it might get back up the tubes.

I've got a 10 foot 22mm hose where's my calculator ..

[Guest1]

That's why I said theoretically possible.

Vent rate 18 Lpm for P10 at 4cm H2o. ~ 300ml/second
Dead space in circuit 446ml
Total of 746ml.

TV + ERV = 1500ml expelled in 0.5 second.

It can potentially overcome the dead space and the vent rate to reach the humidifier.

PR: For your calculator, google volume of a cylinder and brush up on your high school math.

[The Latinist]

Guys, I have never claimed that exhaled air is getting into the humidifier itself, only that it is getting into at least part of the hose. I really not sure why this is so hard for people to believe.

[palerider]

That's why I said theoretically possible.

Vent rate 18 Lpm for P10 at 4cm H2o. ~ 300ml/second
Dead space in circuit 446ml
Total of 746ml.

TV + ERV = 1500ml expelled in 0.5 second.

It can potentially overcome the dead space and the vent rate to reach the humidifier.

PR: For your calculator, google volume of a cylinder and brush up on your high school math.

yeah yeah, I got that, I just can't do it in my head

[palerider]

Guys, I have never claimed that exhaled air is getting into the humidifier itself, only that it is getting into at least part of the hose. I really not sure why this is so hard for people to believe.

maybe the same reason that it's hard for some people to accept that there aren't 'check valves' in masks. they see a little flappy thing there, and misinterpret it's function.... and then cling onto that desperately.

besides, I don't know that anybody was saying what you seem to think they were... mainly discussing the possibility.

[Sleeprider]

If you're compulsive, clean the damn hose.

If you've been doing CPAP for years and never cleaned the hose...welcome to the club. I did change mine in December.

[Lukie]

I soak mine in warm water and Ivory liquid once a week and use Control III in the water if I have had the flu or a cold.