can we talk about airline travel again?

My lady and I are both "hose-heads"........and we just returned from a week in Las Vegas and Phoenix. We went through (3) different screenings.....we requested fresh gloves (they complied)......we removed the machines from their cases. No problems with TSA. One of them even suggested that I try a different brand machine....the one he uses. It was pleasant conversation....and I suggested that he monitor this forum.

During our trip, we used tap water.....completely draining.....and re-filling our M-Series tanks every night before turning in.

My thinking on the use of tap water is that it's OK so long as we completely drain and re-fill every day. My reasoning comes from long-ago experiences......a story that might bore some, but will graphically explain the problem.

I grew up in the school bus distribution business.....we were dealers for new equipment......and we handled lots of used buses. We purchased a lot of them in West Texas.....a long way from Central Louisiana. In my teenage years, my father would send me 500-miles or so to pick up a bus.......to lots of little rural towns....each with its own favorite cafe. I visited many of those cafes....and because I liked Hot Tea, I would sometimes order it......AFTER I was sure the hot water was FRESH.

Every one of these little cafes had a Bunn commercial coffee maker....with a warmer on top for the Hot Tea Water. The Hot Tea water would sit up there all day......some would be poured out......and more tap water put in. During the day, the water was steaming all the time......evaporation was taking place.......and the evaporated water would be replaced periodically.

What resulted was the most HORRIBLE tasting tea water imaginable. As the water evaporated, the salts and impurities would be left behind......and would continue to build up.....until someone thought to clean the container.
Sometimes, it was DAYS before the pot was cleaned out.

So long as the Tea Water pot was dumped every few hours.......and fresh tap water installed......the salts and impurities wouldn't build up to nasty levels.

What we're doing with our humidifiers is the same as those West Texas cafe tea pots. They "steam" all night......and the impurities in the residual water builds up....UNLESS we "swish", "dump", and re-fill every day.

We can get away with just "adding" water....provided it's distilled....but the nasty stuff in tap water will accumulate in our tanks and cause problems if we try to handle it as if it is pure, distilled water.

Gerald

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): clean

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): clean

Great post Gerald! You've hit the nail on the head with this issue. Thanks for spelling it out in ways the average Okie (like me) can understand.

Cheers,
Babs

(Well, maybe new Zen saying, recently recieved by email...)

Wherever you go, there you are. Your luggage is another story.

O.

I flew yesterday out of the West Palm Beach Airport.
In crossing security they asked me to take the machine off the carrying case and put it on a bin for screening same as my laptop.
All have a happy holiday season.
David

Babs.....

Glad you could relate.......I'm a cross between an Okie & a Texan. Both parents were Texans.......and went to OKC so that I could be an Okie.

Gerald