cpap - electrical smell!

cpap machime: DeVilbiss - intellipap - auto adjust.

My machine is about 2yrs old. Recently in the middle of the night (with my mask in place) I have awakened to the smell of electrical wires burning. The machine is not hot to the touch, although is does appear to have turned off. For several months I have noticed that I have to 'wiggle' the electrical connection at the back to make a connection - so last month I purchased a new connection cord - the problem continues. Help? Anyone had this problem? Anyone find a solution? thx

Hi,
Is there a reason, you cannot return cpap to DME for replacement ? Heat from the prongs may be expanding the connector wire, causing bad connection/smell. Replace unit for safety reasons

Most machines have a 2 year warranty...hopefully you are within that period.

wanderingward wrote:cpap machime: DeVilbiss - intellipap - auto adjust.

My machine is about 2yrs old. Recently in the middle of the night (with my mask in place) I have awakened to the smell of electrical wires burning. The machine is not hot to the touch, although is does appear to have turned off. For several months I have noticed that I have to 'wiggle' the electrical connection at the back to make a connection - so last month I purchased a new connection cord - the problem continues. Help? Anyone had this problem? Anyone find a solution? thx

Those machines have 3-year warranties. I'd be contacting the place you got it from and asking THEM.
If you don't have a back-up machine, I'd also recommend getting one.

Den

This sounds similar to the ResMed problem with the S8 AutoSets where the power chord/supply was shipped faulty and liable to catch fire and were replaced under a product recall.

I would contact the manufacturer and double check. The burning smell could also be coming from the blower. Either way I would be careful with it and get it checked out asap.

The last thing you want is to be breathing in burning fumes.

many plastics give off smoke that has poison gasses in it and you only need a few lungs full to die

I do hope CPAPs have a smoke detector that turns them off if this happens
do try another power cord, they are usually the IEC type that is used for many other things including computers, electric kettles, etc

Watching a smoke detector alertness advert the other day on TV in the UK they said it only takes 2 seconds of breathing toxic smoke to render you senseless not to wake up. Not sure if that's the actual real truth or if it's more of a scare tactic to ensure people buy and check their smoke alarms weekly, but either way it's a good thing to do and check.

I've always wondered what it would be like in a fire to be using a CPAP. The air isn't clean like an O2 cannister that a fireman would use, but the filter will filter out dust particles. I suspect the CPAPs wouldn't last long if there was a fire in the house, but the thing I've never considered once is that the CPAP itself might go up in flames.

Thanks
Dave

I also use a C-PAP. About a week ago I woke up around 2am coughing really bad. The smell of wires burning coming from my mask was extreme. I was taken to the ER where I was diagnosed with smoke inhalation, bronchiospasms and dyspenia. I was told by the DME provider that I should consult an attorney on this matter. I really don't.

This has become a rather frightening thread. I hope I don't have nightmares tonight when I hose up. I feel paranoia setting in.

dave21 wrote:I've always wondered what it would be like in a fire to be using a CPAP.

The filters won't help you in a fire. It's the lack of oxygen, toxic chemicals, carbon monoxide, heat, etc. that's the killer.

However, if the machine is on the floor, you would be breathing the cleaner air from near the floor for a while.

i have a cpap it has a wires burn smell . nothing hot like to know what to do?

Unplug it, send it in for repair, odds are the orgional poster got his fixed 4 years ago. Jim

Also check the Hh for burning....

Use the regular precautions you'd do for any electrical device that seems to be burning.

However, if the water tank runs dry, that often causes a burning smell in your mask.