Thanks for your response on this thread:
I'm guessing you are absolutely correct: water+dust --> disastertimbalionguy wrote:Some of the problems with dust that gets inside xPAP machines may happen when water gets mixed with it. This could create conductive goo that shorts out PWA's. Especially modern ones with lots of surface mount parts. But I think manufacturers are starting to 'compartmentalize' their machines so that the PWAs can not easily get exposed to the air flow. I strongly suspect my IntelliPAP machine is like that because it has an internal power supply, and is 'double insulated'. It also has an 'IPX 1' rating, which indicates a certain amount of resistance to water. You might see if your M series is also like this (although double insulation is not needed if it uses an external 'brick' power supply. I bet it is IPX 1 as well.
My M series uses an external brick power supply. From the outside, it looks fairly well buttoned-up, but that says nothing about the situation inside. Who knows, maybe it is designed so that the incoming air flows directly over the circuit board? Just joking!
Right, they can. I may never find out exactly the cause of my problem, so I'll probably just assume it was due to bearing failure. (If I discover what actually happened, I'll post back.) I'm a little surprised about the issue of bearing failure, though. This technology is fairly well known. We have amazingly accurate fabrication techniques now, at a low cost, and I think nowadays most bearings are sealed. Even the cheapest appliances (say, box fans) are amazingly reliable in this respect.timbalionguy wrote: Bearings can fail without an external cause. If they didn't get built with enough lubricant, for instance. I bet though, that more than 80 percent of the mechanical failures in xPAP machines are blower bearing failures. You are right in that properly designed modern electronics are extremely reliable.
Interesting. I agree with your conclusion, but I think each person must establish control according to their particular situation. In my case, I started 30 months ago unable to remember a telephone number long enough to punch it in, and no knowledge that OSA existed. I have years of relevant technical experience, and an unusual amount of medical knowledge for a layperson. Yes, as soon as I was diagnosed AND I recovered enough to think straight, I set about learning about OSA, therapeutic techniques, and the equipment I was using. But there are limits. No matter what I did, there was no one cooperating on the rest of the supposed team and that limits what I can do. I can't write prescriptions for myself. Yes, I have the technical capability of reading the machine, and making adjustments to it. But I don't have the ability to make an informed medical decision about what settings to use.timbalionguy wrote: The biggest issue I can see here though is a little 'fear' of taking your therapy into your own hands. You should get the clinician's manual for your machine, and learn how to adjust pressure, etc. You should learn how to adjust your mask, if you don't know already. You should also learn how to choose a new mask using the various online fitting guides. You are learning how this therapy works here, and that is an important basic step. With the advice given here about dealing with doctors and DME's, you will soon find that you have mastery over your therapy. You will control your therapy, instead of the therapy controlling you.
Exactly! My insurance, unfortunately, offers no options. At this point, on balance, my condition is clearly improving, so even if my DME vendor is a pain-in-the-butt, it seems extreme to cut loose and pay for an independent sleep doc out of my own pocket.timbalionguy wrote: Unless you insurance offers you no other options, you should also find yourself a competent sleep doctor. Although managing your own therapy is a very good thing, you should have expert input available when you need it, and to monitor your long-term performance.
Thanks,
hen3ry
