ClimateLine / Humidifier Question

So I just got my brand new machine (first one!) and tried the ClimateLine and humidifier for the first time and I think I'm doing something wrong.

I didn't change anything at first and kept it at Auto. It was really stuffy and hard to breathe (perhaps I got used to my loaner machine sans humidifier more than I thought?). I checked and the hose temp was set to 81 and the humidifier was on Auto at 4. I'm not one to mess with settings but I wasn't able to fall asleep so I turned the humidifier down to 2 and the hose down to 78. My Nest keeps the room at 68 (I also live in the Bay Area where it gets cold at night but not relative to place is gets REALLY cold). I slept fine after that and could have sworn I still felt warm humidified air (and my sleepyhead numbers were all great which I know is all that really matters).... BUT I woke up with a dry nose and the water in my humidifier didn't decrease at all (I had it right at the halfway line when I went to bed and it still was exactly there when I woke up).

What did I do wrong? I know temp settings are personal preference and purely there as a comfort feature so it may just be that I need to keep fiddling with it - but the dry nose and no decrease in water suggested to me that I messed something up. I also don't want to fiddle with it so much I cause rainout. Thoughts?



Also - unrelated - the Airsense 10 Autoset For Her has this hum that I never heard with my loaner Airesense 10 Autoset - is is just a matter of each machine will be different and have it's unique quirks? OR is a machine that should be the same making a new noise a indication something wasn't set up right?


Thanks everyone!

Humidifier setting of 2 is really a minimal amount of added moisture. Probably the reason for the machine not using much water is your ambient humidity is high enough it didn't need to add much water to meet the amount that the setting of 2 will give.

Unfortunately your nasal mucosa feels dried out because they wanted more moisture than they got.
The fix is easy...increase the humidity setting...go back to the setting of 4 but keep the hose air temp on the lower side for comfort.
See what happens.
Worry about condensation if and when it happens..it's annoying but won't hurt you. Worry about how your nasal mucosa feel first.

Water consumption..don't worry about how much water gets used. Ambient humidity plays a big factor in water consumption.
Example...when it's raining outside and I have the windows open the bedroom ambient humidity will be higher and I won't use much water at all even with my relative high setting of 6 for humidity.
But for times like now when it's colder and I have the furnace on and the air is drier I might use up almost all the water in the chamber at that same setting of 6.
Water consumption is going to vary...it doesn't mean something is wrong.
It just means that sometimes the machine has to add more water to maintain the so and so setting and sometimes it doesn't because the ambient humidity is already fairly close to what that so and so setting might mean.

The machine hum....what mode and what settings? Is it horribly loud or barely noticeable? It's probably just a motor noise quirk but my AirSense 10 for Her AutoSet is essentially quiet. I can barely hear the motor even if I put my ear 2 inches from the machine itself.
If it is very loud and very annoying....tell the DME that it is a problem because of the noise.
You are paying out of pocket for this machine and you shouldn't have to accept a machine that is noisy and annoying.
Now if you just barely hear it and it's not annoying or keeping you awake...probably not a big deal.

Pugsy wrote:Humidifier setting of 2 is really a minimal amount of added moisture. Probably the reason for the machine not using much water is your ambient humidity is high enough it didn't need to add much water to meet the amount that the setting of 2 will give.

Unfortunately your nasal mucosa feels dried out because they wanted more moisture than they got.
The fix is easy...increase the humidity setting...go back to the setting of 4 but keep the hose air temp on the lower side for comfort.
See what happens.
Worry about condensation if and when it happens..it's annoying but won't hurt you. Worry about how your nasal mucosa feel first.

Water consumption..don't worry about how much water gets used. Ambient humidity plays a big factor in water consumption.
Example...when it's raining outside and I have the windows open the bedroom ambient humidity will be higher and I won't use much water at all even with my relative high setting of 6 for humidity.
But for times like now when it's colder and I have the furnace on and the air is drier I might use up almost all the water in the chamber at that same setting of 6.
Water consumption is going to vary...it doesn't mean something is wrong.
It just means that sometimes the machine has to add more water to maintain the so and so setting and sometimes it doesn't because the ambient humidity is already fairly close to what that so and so setting might mean.

The machine hum....what mode and what settings? Is it horribly loud or barely noticeable? It's probably just a motor noise quirk but my AirSense 10 for Her AutoSet is essentially quiet. I can barely hear the motor even if I put my ear 2 inches from the machine itself.
If it is very loud and very annoying....tell the DME that it is a problem because of the noise.
You are paying out of pocket for this machine and you shouldn't have to accept a machine that is noisy and annoying.
Now if you just barely hear it and it's not annoying or keeping you awake...probably not a big deal.

With the known problems with the HH's running out of water I don't think I'd use less than a full tank to start my night, just to keep it from running out. Jim

Just to show you the difference..... I left mine set at auto and it was horrible for me..... I woke up 3 hours after going to sleep with my mouth and nose having a burning feeling it was so dry...

You have to play with the settings I found that out...my house is very dry for some reason and I need lots of humidity...I have a humidifier installed on my furnace and still need more at night.... I turned off the auto and set it at 76 (the tube setting), and the humidity setting of 6... that seems to be fine for me at this moment..... as to the water, I fill it to the max line and almost all of it is gone in the morning... it barely tops the metal bottom......

All this works right for me but obviously not for you... I just added this to show you that it is ok to move those settings around a bit to find what is comfortable for you.... I have only had my new machine a week.......... so i needed to find my happy place with the settings...LOL

Good luck with your new AirSense 10

Pugsy wrote:increase the humidity setting...go back to the setting of 4 but keep the hose air temp on the lower side for comfort.
See what happens.
Worry about condensation if and when it happens..it's annoying but won't hurt you. Worry about how your nasal mucosa feel first.

OK cool.

Pugsy wrote:The machine hum....what mode and what settings? Is it horribly loud or barely noticeable? It's probably just a motor noise quirk but my AirSense 10 for Her AutoSet is essentially quiet.

On the Auto For Her mode, Auto ramp that starts at 4, 5-15 pressure range but my average is around 7 I think. I'll have to pay attention again tonight. It wasn't horribly loud but was loud enough that my husband noticed it was louder too and we were both amazed at how we couldn't hear the loaner AT ALL. I wasn't sure if it was something to do with the hose hook up or humidifier since those were new factors in the equation. I'll see what it's like tonight and see if it's something that I can get used to or if I should contact CPAP.com about it.

Goofproof wrote: With the known problems with the HH's running out of water I don't think I'd use less than a full tank to start my night, just to keep it from running out. Jim

Known problems? Like what?

Lou Cypher wrote:All this works right for me but obviously not for you... I just added this to show you that it is ok to move those settings around a bit to find what is comfortable for you.... I have only had my new machine a week.......... so i needed to find my happy place with the settings...LOL

Good luck with your new AirSense 10

Thanks! yeah - I just need to get over the worry that I'll mess something up if I fiddle with it - but clearly everyone's needs are different.

If hubby can hear it and notice the difference then it's probably that you got a lemon. It happens from time to time with all these machines.
It shouldn't be so loud that the spouse can notice the difference.

Now you might put it back on the regular Auto mode just to make sure that it isn't mode related.
Match up whatever settings you were using on the loaner.

Goofproof wrote: With the known problems with the HH's running out of water I don't think I'd use less than a full tank to start my night, just to keep it from running out. Jim

Yeah, I agree.
In fact I always try to top off the chamber every night because if I run dry my nasal mucosa hate me and they get really ugly when they hate me.
I always fill to the very max. If I don't use it all that's fine but I want as much water available as possible...just in case.

Now people who use a minimal setting and they never see much water used...that might be a different story but not for those of use who need lots of moisture.

Should I pour out what wasn't used last night and get fresh water or just use what's still in there tonight?

When using distilled water I just top it off.
Now when away from home and using tap water or when using tap water at home I try to dump it and let it air dry and refill at night.
Mainly for lessening the chance of mineral accumulation than anything. My water here (and where I usually go visit to get me away from home) is very hard with lots of minerals in it.

Not a big deal either way though....do whatever you are comfortable doing.