Help for a newbie

Hi Everyone - I'm new to CPAP treatment and this forum and I'm wondering if I can get some help?

I'm using a RESMED S9 Elite with the H5i humidifier and slimline tubing. I have a Philips Easy Life Mask and also use the Sequal Comfort pad as well. I find that the mask is a good fit and have very little problem with leakage. What I do have a problem with is dry throat and mouth. This has only started recently. I've had this set-up for about 6 weeks and it's only been the past 2 weeks or so that I've had the dryness. I should mention that it's been a lot cooler than normal here and we are moving into fall. I've turned the humidy up on my machine but I'm getting rain out and don't know how much more I want to turn it up.

I have 4 questions, the first one in regard to the humidifier.... Does it automatically come on to heated when I turn it on? I can't seem to find an answer in the booklet that came with it.
secondly, would insulating the tube help?
third, does anyone use the Climate Line system and how effective is it?
fourth - If I'm experiencing rainout do I want to increase the humidity any further?

Hi Eeyore and welcome. If you would, please to up to the User Control Panel in the upper left and click on Profile and then edit equipment....choose your machine, mask, humidifier and software as applicable. Please show them in text not pictures, please. This way, each time you post, your equipment will show in blue at the bottom of the post as mine does below.

I do not use your machine so those who do will be along to help you. However, from my extensive reading on this forum I do know that rainout is most like due to you not having your hose above your head. Your need to have your machine below the level of your head while lying down and the hose should be snaked up and above your head.....most of us have it come up and over the headboard; others have hose caddies that do this. Some others here will recommend those.... I have mine over the headboard and I've never had rainout. I also use a tube cosy cover.... it makes the tube less susceptible to condensation and it also makes it softer to the touch.

I also believe the slimline tubing does not heat up...that is the climateline hose that does that. I'll leave that to the ResMed users to explain to you.

Best of luck!! Keep reading and asking questions.....

Thanks Emilia - I'll edit the profile right away. I'll try putting the hose over the headboard, I din't know about that tip.

Hi From Ontario! I have the same machine. I use the slimline tubing only. Have the humidity set at 4. I agree with keeping the tubing over the headboard. Also would suggest making sure your machine is lower than you.
Try not to over fill the humidifier. When it is filled to the max more likely to get rainout. (At least this happens for me)

Welcome and good luck.

Thanks for the replies! lbw - does the heated humidifier come on when you push start? I'll try the hose over the headboard and a tubing cover. Since we like to keep our room fairly cool for sleeping it should help. If not I'll look into the Climateline hose.

Rainout occurs because the air in the tube cools below the temperature at which the relative humidity is 100%. The two solutions are:

1. Do not allow more water to be vaporized into the airstream than the end temperature will support. You can do this by turning down the humidifier.
2. Do not allow the temperature of the airstream to fall below the condensation point. You can do this by insulating the airstream.

Hanging the hose on the headboard will insure that any condensation that occurs between the machine and the apex of the hose will run back to the humidifier instead of your mask. However, it encourages all condensation that occurs after that point to run into the mask. The further your mask is from the apex of the hose, the more rainout you will get inside your mask.

A better solution, in addition to the hose cover, is to take the hose in under the covers and run it along side your body, if you can. Other solutions include heating the hose--there are various methods for that, and preheating the air that goes into the machine.

I use a combination of:
1. Preheating the air (winter only)
2. Running the hose beside my body (winter only)
3. Heating the hose with a repti cable (all but the hottest nights)
4. Heavy insulation, including a tube cover as well as a series of doubled up socks. (year-round)
5. Making a tent from the sheet or blankets over my head so that the mask is insulated, as well (whenever I feel like the air is cold)
6. Turning down the humidifier (summer only)


You can also deal with condensation in the mask, but it is probably better, especially in Ontario brrrr, to prevent condensation in the first place.

If you push and hold the knob on the S9 for 3 seconds, it will preheat the humidifier. It takes about 5-10 minutes. If you get impatient, just hit start and away you go.

Thanks Jimbo, I kinda figured if I hit start that the heater came on but wanted to double check that.
LoQ - here in Edmonton I'm going to have a problem with condensation in the winter for sure. It gets darn cold! I've been putting the hose under the covers but I'm still having a problem with dry throat and mouth as well as some rainout. I think I'll mke myself a hose cozy as I have a lot of fleece leftover from another project.

I'm so glad I found this forum. I've been looking around and reading a lot of different material. It's quite interesting.

Eeyore_1 wrote:Thanks Jimbo, I kinda figured if I hit start that the heater came on but wanted to double check that.
LoQ - here in Edmonton I'm going to have a problem with condensation in the winter for sure. It gets darn cold! I've been putting the hose under the covers but I'm still having a problem with dry throat and mouth as well as some rainout. I think I'll mke myself a hose cozy as I have a lot of fleece leftover from another project.

I'm so glad I found this forum. I've been looking around and reading a lot of different material. It's quite interesting.

Just MHO, you're going to need more than insulation. Suggest you consider also heating the hose and pre-heating the air that goes into the machine.

I admit that may well be a problem but for starters I will try the insulation. I agree that given our temperature extremes I will probably have to invest in a climateline hose sooner rather than later. Hmmmm, I think it would probably be a good idea to keep the distilled water in a warmer room and definately prewarm the humidifier.

Eeyore_1 wrote:I admit that may well be a problem but for starters I will try the insulation. I agree that given our temperature extremes I will probably have to invest in a climateline hose sooner rather than later. Hmmmm, I think it would probably be a good idea to keep the distilled water in a warmer room and definately prewarm the humidifier.

Why not invest in a repti cable that can be used with a generic hose, and any machine, for a fraction of the cost and a fraction of the problems of the climateline?

You'll probably want the 15W one. The first 6 feet of cable are unheated, so you get about 5 feet heated at the end of it.


I do prewarm my humidifier, but in the winter, I prewarm the air going into the CPAP machine, before it even gets to the humidifer. This helps a lot with rainout. If you don't like warm air, though, you won't want to do this.

Interesting device and much cheaper option than heated hose. I'll have to look into this.

LoQ and Eeyore
It sounds as if you don't heat your bedroom to nead all that insulation .
I think most of us just use a hose cover and route the hose over our head boards. There's such a thing as overkill
And Eeyore, welcome from one Albertan to another, my daughter is an Eeyore nut too.
Nan