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So far so good with my humidifier holding up pretty well (since early Feb). I stopped taking mine apart too once I read on a post here that they eventually leak. Now I empty it, rinse with hot water and air-dry every day. I only put a small amount of distilled water in the tank each night. Once a week I soak the tank in vinegar for 10 minutes rinse and air day. I have to say the design of that tank is less than optimum the seal is the weak part for sure. However, it is what my insurance will pay for so I deal with it.

The A-flex is awesome and the machine is very quiet. I keep it on a (non metal) cookie sheet (with sides) on top of an old cabinet with an old plastic table cloth under the cookie sheet just in case! The card and hose connection is a pain on the back of he machine so I have it on an old cabinet behind the bed and just turn the machine with the rear facing the head of the bed so I can get to the card, the filters and the hose connection. I don’t have a headboard so it’s easy to reach.

Smart setup, dreamchick.

Great job on the avatar pic, too!! Funny!

Thanks Rested Gal for the compliments

I actually read the manual that came with my machine and they suggested the cookie sheet. The table was what I had and I added the table cloth after a post on a ruined night stand. The set up lowers the machine below the mattress and stopped the rain out.

I have learned a lot from this forum!

As to the Avatar I am a graphic artist and was searching my computer for a good avatar and saw the cute chicken in some clip art and decided to customize it. I must confess I was inspired by Rip VW's!

[quote="RonS"]Hi all,

I am looking at getting an M series machine and looking at the pics sent to me of the plastic water tank, I am struck by the fact that I have no idea how this thing works (other than "it must work pretty well." )

I don't see any ports for the air to flow in and out of the water chamber, I don't see hose attachments, and the outside lid of the machine doesn't look particularly pressureised air-tight, so can someone tell me how the thing works?

Thanks!

For what it's worth, count me another satisfied M series A-flex user with no humidifier leaks in 10 months. Every 10 days, I take the humidifier chamber apart to soak in vinegar-water solution, and still no leaks. I just check that the gasket thingy is in place before putting the two halves back together. I know others have had lots of problems, it's annoying that Respironics doesn't have better quality control on these things.

I wonder why Respironics no longer includes the elbow coming out the back for the hose. My unit (purchased last June) didn't come with it, but I ordered it extra on cpap.com for $5 bucks - I highly recommend it, especially if you're just using the standard 6-foot hose.

On another item here, someone posted the first pictures of the redesigned M series humidifier chamber. If anyone gets a new M series humidifier with the redesigned chamber, please let us know how it comes to the previous generation, in terms of leak propensity, ease of filling and cleaning, etc.

Ron

[quote="roncron"]For what it's worth, count me another satisfied M series A-flex user with no humidifier leaks in 10 months. Every 10 days, I take the humidifier chamber apart to soak in vinegar-water solution, and still no leaks. I just check that the gasket thingy is in place before putting the two halves back together. I know others have had lots of problems, it's annoying that Respironics doesn't have better quality control on these things.

I wonder why Respironics no longer includes the elbow coming out the back for the hose. My unit (purchased last June) didn't come with it, but I ordered it extra on cpap.com for $5 bucks - I highly recommend it, especially if you're just using the standard 6-foot hose.

On another item here, someone posted the first pictures of the redesigned M series humidifier chamber. If anyone gets a new M series humidifier with the redesigned chamber, please let us know how it comes to the previous generation, in terms of leak propensity, ease of filling and cleaning, etc.

Ron

I have the box in front of me that my heated humidifier came in and these are the numbers printed on the box.

SN-H001483672

#1037652

M037424 - this number appears on a yellow sticker off to the side from the main label on the box which the first 2 numbers are listed on.

The water fill level is way below the seal to me. I only use the humidifier at "2" and I really don't put that much water in (way below the seal), and I still have to pour the extra water out in the morning. No concerns with leaks.

Have to agree on the hose coming out the back design. I use mine facing backwards off the nightstand.

[quote="sleeplessinseattle"]The water fill level is way below the seal to me. I only use the humidifier at "2" and I really don't put that much water in (way below the seal), and I still have to pour the extra water out in the morning. No concerns with leaks.

Have to agree on the hose coming out the back design. I use mine facing backwards off the nightstand.

I have an m-series bipap with humidifier (10 months). It isn't the best design in the world, but I have only had one problem with it. The ONLY time I ever took it apart for cleaning I got the O-ring messed up and had problems with the humifier leaking--it did ruin my nightstand by the way.

Now I only refill it and only use distilled or RO water in it and haven't had another problem with it. If I ever take it apart again (unlikely) I will be VERY careful when I put it back together again.

One day I wouldn't mind getting a stand alone humifier, but for now this is working fine.

Jen

I have had no problems with leaks over the two months I have had mine. During this time I have twice pulled my machine off the dresser and onto the floor, aprox. a 2 foot fall. That is a very disturbing noise to wake up to. I also discovered that the blower makes a much different sound when the machine is resting upside down.

Anyway, both times this happened the tank was dislodged and spilled water everywhere. The second time was especially violent because I found the smart card module on the other side of the bedroom floor. So I can say, with a fair amount of confidence, that the humidifer chamber has been rather durable for me. I have also fixed the pulling the machine off the dresser thing.

The pictures of the R3B chamber are here, the O-ring (teal in color) which was a cause of many of the leaks in the original chamber has been eleminated. This new chamber design seems to be more user friendly, I have been using it for about 2 months now and have not had a leak yet. Ofcourse I never had a leak with the original one, but many people did.


http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg210/akcpapguy/

akcpapguy wrote:The pictures of the R3B chamber are here, the O-ring (teal in color) which was a cause of many of the leaks in the original chamber has been eleminated. This new chamber design seems to be more user friendly, I have been using it for about 2 months now and have not had a leak yet. Ofcourse I never had a leak with the original one, but many people did.


http://s249.photobucket.com/albums/gg210/akcpapguy/

That looks like the one I received with my DS400S less than 2 weeks ago and it's very easy to open, wash, reassemble and put back into the machine. So far I haven't had any problems but when I fill the chamber up to the black fill line each night, I set the humidifier on "2" come morning time the water is almost gone.

If I set the humidifier from "2" to "3" obviously the water would go sooner but would I also notice warmer moisture coming through my mask? With the humidifier set to "1" or "2" so far it feels like the humidifier is totally off but I keep my room temperature cool too. If I set the humidifier to a higher number than "3" will I feel a difference in the temperature of the air or only the amount of humidity in the air coming through the hose to my mask?

[quote="travismcgee"]I have had no problems with leaks over the two months I have had mine. During this time I have twice pulled my machine off the dresser and onto the floor, aprox. a 2 foot fall. That is a very disturbing noise to wake up to. I also discovered that the blower makes a much different sound when the machine is resting upside down.

Anyway, both times this happened the tank was dislodged and spilled water everywhere. The second time was especially violent because I found the smart card module on the other side of the bedroom floor. So I can say, with a fair amount of confidence, that the humidifer chamber has been rather durable for me. I have also fixed the pulling the machine off the dresser thing.

The dresser was right next to my bed and it is actually slightly shorter than the height of my mattress. I was using a 6' hose as well.