Remstar AutoPAP used near cigarette smoking

noahmckinnon · Post by **noahmckinnon** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 6:58 pm

I just received a Remstar autoPAP w/C-flex that's been used for 192 hours from someone online. I noticed that the air filters and filter cap were still in their sealed bag. When I hooked up the machine to hose and mask, I noticed the smell of cigarette smoke. Unhooking the hose confirms that the smell is coming from the unit itself and I'm afraid it's been sucking in smoker's air for the time that it's been used. I'm awaiting a reply from the seller to confirm that someone's been smoking around this thing, so I can at least rule out something being fried inside.

If it indeed is cigarette smoke smell, would anyone know or dare to make an educated guess about whether this will simply go away over time or whether there's anything I do to remove the smell?

chrisp · Post by **chrisp** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:06 pm

Its friday night. Just let it run in your living room, put on some country music , really loud , have a few beers, Pretend you're in an old Texas dance hall. By midnight you will be wasted and the smell will be gone .

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:22 pm

Just put some activated charcoal by the inlet and let it run.

You will have to turn off the auto shut off feature.

noahmckinnon · Post by **noahmckinnon** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:29 pm

Get wasted, tape mouth, wear mask as pajama bottom, pass out, choke on vomit. Look for it on Sleep Apnea News!

noahmckinnon · Post by **noahmckinnon** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:31 pm

Wader, I'm assuming that one would take of the filter for this, but don't you think it's risky letting any particulate fly through the insides of this thing?

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:40 pm

Unless the pariculate passes through the machine it will not absorb the odor.

You could first try chrisp's method?

noahmckinnon · Post by **noahmckinnon** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:42 pm

I've got the hose stuck out the window (it was stinking up my room) and have the sucker on full blast. Beer and country music due shortly.

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:24 pm

Noah,

Turn off your machine ! I just walked by your window and the whole neighborhood smells like cigarette smoke.

Mikesus · Post by **Mikesus** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 6:17 am

If you have an ionizer you might try running that at the same time. I wouldn't get it right on top of the machine tho...

2listless · Post by **2listless** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 9:15 am

Actually the bigger problem is getting rid of the tar that will actually buildup inside of the machine, just as it builds up in smoker's lungs. The reason it came to you with no filters was because the white filter would have already accumulated the telltale yellow nicotine stain. Personally, I would not use any ventilation system that has been around cigarette smoke. I would get my money back! Heaven forbid the person was actually smoking while on the machine - but just smoking near the machine while it is running will suck in the smoke just like an air cleaner. Definitely replace the hose - do not attempt to get the smell out with the smoke contaminated hose connected - sort of like a dog chasing it's tail. Can offer no suggestions for looking inside the machine!!!! Good luck

Zees Pleez · Post by **Zees Pleez** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 9:17 am

Did you get the hose with it or are you using an "untainted" one? I suspect it would retain a lot and could be washed. You should also contact Respironics and see what they say.

airgust · Post by **airgust** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:46 am

i smoke 2 packs a day next to my cpap. wanna sell me that one? i need a spare anyway. can ya tell if the smoker enjoyed menthols or non menthols...or perhaps good cuban cigars.....? oh 2 get rid of the smell...why you would wanna is tough 4 me 2 figure...but if ya put the juice from a lemon or lime next to the intake.....and salt and lemon and dis, water in the hum. it will solve your problem. U may b the first person in the world 2 die from secondary cpap.....What a lawsuit!

noahmckinnon · Post by **noahmckinnon** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:10 pm

The seller is a trusting and helpful person who said that if I had any problems with it, I could return it. If all was well, then I was going to paypal him. He got back to me about the smell and said it had been used once in a smokey hotel room (I'm guessing without filters because, as I mentioned above, the original filter pack and cap were unopened and there were no filters attached when I received the machine).

A Remstar rep said:

We don’t have a procedure for eliminating smells like that. The only thing we can suggest is to run the unit until the smell is eliminated. Put the tubing on, take the filters out of the back and let it run for a day. Replace the filters with clean ones and the smell should be better.

I ran it for about an hour yesterday and will run it today for 24 hours. If that doesn't do it, I'm going to return it to the seller. Airgust, I can put you in touch with the seller if you'd like. PM or email me. Smells like generic cigarette to me. No menthol that I can detect, no distinct cigar smell either.

Mike, I do have an ionizer as part of an air cleaner I have, but I think that would only take care of airborne particulates. I think the bigger problem, as 2listless points out, is the tar build-up. I have an older REMstar Plus that I opened up to see how easy it'd be to clean and, though the parts are few, it would not be easy to de-stink. Part of the airway passes through the actual foam baffling which isn't unlike a cigarette filter. I would guess it would suck up smoke pretty well.

Zees, I used my own hose. The smell is definitely coming from the machine.

Remstar AutoPAP used near cigarette smoking

Remstar AutoPAP used near cigarette smoking

creative

won't that contaminate the insides?

testing chrisp's now

CPAP and cigarette smoke

smell of cigs

the good news is I haven't paid for it yet