Icon Motor Swap

I wanted to leave this here in case it helps somebody else.

I have two Fisher & Paykel Icons. One is the icon+ (plus) [ICONAAN-HT] the other is the standard icon [ICONAAN]. Both of these crapped out on me.

Icon
This unit failed me. The unit would start to power on but the motor sounded terrible and the screen would show ERROR. I used the Icon+ as the replacement.

Icon+
This unit suffered from the internal humidity sensor issue where whenever it was unplugged, I had to remove the base and blow the boards with a hairdryer to get it to turn on. This was annoying, but I kept it running this way until it completely failed to work. One night it just shut off on me and wouldn't come back on.

I only attempted this repair, because I was without a CPAP. I slept one night with a snoreRX guard so I'd have something, and the next day was terrible. Since I cannot seem to figure out how to completely disassemble these units non-destructively to see if a part burnt out on a board, the original icon seemed the most likely to attempt a repair.

According to a manual I found online https://www.cpapman.com/manuals/ICON_.pdf The error codes could be Flow Sensing Fualts, Pressure Sensing Faults, Ambient Sensing Faults, Heater Plate Faults, Motor Faults, USB Faults, Model Configuration Faults, or Power Faults.

First I tried swapping the USB from the Icon+ (InfoUSB 2) to the Icon (smartstick). This did power on the Icon initially, but the same bad motor noise came back followed with ERROR.

I took the base of the icon and manually spun the motor. There's definitely a bearing issue. The motor/blower assembly appears to be identical on both units so I decided to swap them.



These have some sort of potting material on the to cover the connections and PCB that in my experience is normally used to make service difficult. I used a pocketknife to cut away this material on the broken motor so I could figure out how it connected, and then used that information to non destructively do the same to the icon+ motor. I ended up pulling the plastic connector header off of the PCB on the Icon+. Now I know where and how to cut on the good motor. I carefully cut the potting material away from the good motor from the icon+ to expose the PCB connector, and then carefully cut out the wire harness and it's connector. I separated the two and swapped over to the other unit. I'll continue on in another message since I can only seem to attach 3 images to the post.

The icon motor harness and connector
A better view of the connector

I did order a new CPAP machine yesterday morning, but it won't arrive until this afternoon. I did this so I'd have *something* to use. It worked fine last night without any issues.

Note: I don't use the humidifier at all, but I wouldn't expect this repair would cause any issues with that either. In order to get this to work, I did have to use the usb stick from the Icon+ in the Icon. It's much more likely that both the motor, and original USB flash drive failed than that there's some special firmware embedded in there that requires this.

For fun, I disassembled the broken motor. Here's what the PCB for it looks like with the potting material removed (mostly). Note: The connector for the wiring harness broke off of the PCB when I did the initial disassembly, and the connector wires were bent upward.

And the back side has the motor coils actually embedded in. I think it's pretty safe to say this is a custom part. It's actually a very clever design.

Cutting away that potting material had to be a bear.
That stuff is 2 part EPOXY.
Most solvents remotely able to get through it can destroy the componenrs underneath.
Evil, but effective--but not for a really determined DIY-er.
Icon is not on my recommended list for a new machine.
IMHO, Resmed Airsense 10 Autosets are worth the extra coin.

Thankyou for an interesting post. I used to have a F&P Icon+, but now use a Resmed Autoset S10. I agree that it is better than F&P.

I have worked with non-CPAP electric motors. Every one that I have seen that has embedded electronics uses epoxy potting. I think that is it to protect the circuitry rather than to foil any repair. I also noticed corrosion in the pictures. My F&P Icon+ did not have the cooldown cycle that Resmed has. If I turned off the machine and did not empty the humidifier, I would see heavy condensation in the tube and humidifier. You can't see it, but you would have the same condensation in the blower. This can't be good for it.