Can Manufacture Date Be Determined From Serial Number?

DerekB · Post by **DerekB** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 6:56 am

Can Manufacture Date Be Determined From Serial Number?

Just interested in knowing when my Apap was manufactured because I received it with 480 blower hours. It was used as a loaner for sleep study purposes before I got it.

Would be nice to know should any problems arise down the road.

Thanks

DB

Sleeper007 · Post by **Sleeper007** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:25 am

Yes. Medical equipment manufactures must maintain this information, per FDA regulations.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:56 am

Yeah, but .... can "we" tell the date of manufacture by the serial number w/o having to contact the manufacturer for that info?

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 10:30 am

A serial number usually doesn't have anything to do with the date of manufacture. Some products include the date on the label, but all will have a listing of when they were made according to the range of the serial number. Jim

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 10:42 am

I would say contact the manufacturer. I don't see any reason for them to NOT give you that information. What's the worst they can say?

Den

SelfSeeker · Post by **SelfSeeker** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 10:49 am

Derek,

My first question to you for the DME, from what day are they giving you the warranty from?

Is it 2 years from your date of purchase/start of rental. Get it in writing.

480 hours even if you give a generous 8 hour night is 60 days. How long of a sleep study was it???

Also straight out, call the company of the machine, and ask them how much warranty is left on the machine? Give them the serial number. Was it registered to someone else before? They may be able to tell you. Do you trust that the DME told you the truth, or was it a returned machine.

Did you and your insurance pay for a new machine, if yes, then you want a new machine.

[quote="DerekB"]Can Manufacture Date Be Determined From Serial Number?

Just interested in knowing when my Apap was manufactured because I received it with 480 blower hours. It was used as a loaner for sleep study purposes before I got it.

Would be nice to know should any problems arise down the road.

Thanks

DB

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:02 am

Did you receive the machine from a DME or purchase through a private individual?
480 hours is pretty minimal.....but not QUITE "new".
If it has C-Flex (as is in your profile), it was probably manufactured within the last three years.

If through a DME, get warranty information.

Best wishes,

Den

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:48 am

The Respironics Warranty states it is 2 years from date it is shipped to dealer or distributor.

So if it sat on your dealer/DME's shelf for 6 months, there is only 18 months worth of warranty remaining that will be honored by the manufacturer.

This is why I like to purchase from cpap.com, they turn over so many machines so fast you are unlikely to get a machine that has sat on the shelf or 6 months or longer.

DerekB · Post by **DerekB** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 1:11 pm

Thanks everyone for the help. I was just wondering if there is a code within the serial number that relates to say a month and a year. Usually with some products this can be determined. Some use the first digit as the month and the next 2 digits as the year or something like that. Maybe a DME on here can chime in.

As for the warranty left on my machine, I have a receipt showing it as new when I received it. The machine was used for week long studies in different locations. I figure it was loaned out for about 10 of those week long studies before I received it. I had a RemStar Plus Cpap for 7 months before I got this Auto. Here is a link to the thread I posted of my experience of changing the Plus to the Auto:

viewtopic.php?t=15015&highlight=

I would be happy if it had 18 months left on the warranty as I think it is highly unlikely I will need to use the warranty anyway.

DB

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 2:23 pm

One way I have determined the date of manufacture was by taking the machine apart as there are usually stickers showing when various components were inspected (pulled all mine apart so far) .

But for some odd reason I don't find these inside the Respironics (square box shaped models). The Tranquility range are always the easiest to date. The respironics quartet had these sticker in as well.

There could be something somewhere that is more specific but looking for the DOM was never my goal.

DSM

Sleeper007 · Post by **Sleeper007** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 3:16 pm

There is no date code imbedded in the serial number.

Call Respironics Customer Support or visit their web site and send them an email. Give them the serial number and model number from the bottom of the unit. They have the information you are asking for. (Where they give it to you is another question! Let us know if they do!)

DerekB · Post by **DerekB** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:06 pm

I called Respironics and gave them my serial number. They said my warranty is good through 4/20/2008.

I'm happy with that. I started my therapy with the original Plus model on 4/21/2006. Heck this Auto was probably in the same shipment as the Plus unit I received.

Thanks for the help!!

They really should put a date of manufacture on each unit though. Hells Bells, even my Budweiser has a Born On Date. Just my opinion.

DB

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:14 pm

See..... That was easy enough.

Glad you got the info.

Den

Sleeper007 · Post by **Sleeper007** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:14 am

Respironics sell their devices to Home Care dealers, who wouldn't be happy with the units having a "born-on" date!

Can Manufacture Date Be Determined From Serial Number?

Can Manufacture Date Be Determined From Serial Number?

Re: Can Manufacture Date Be Determined From Serial Number?