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Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:00 pm
by RogerSC
Okay, I'm going on my first real trip after being on CPAP for about 6 months. I've already got a battery, inverter, converter, unheated tubing, etc. Since I don't plan to take my powered ResMed humidifier (some camping, battery not big enough for both the CPAP and humidifier), I'm thinking about passive humidification, and saw this:

http://www.cpapxchange.com/HC300-long-l ... aykel.html

I was wondering if I got this and the 2 foot connector tubing for it, if this would be likely to all fit together and work for me for traveling with the ResMed S9?

Anyone know? Are the tubing connector sizes pretty universal? I'm looking for a passive humidifier approach, and this seems suitable if it will all connect together with the ResMed CPAP?

If not, any other ideas?

Thanks.

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:14 pm
by RogerSC
On the write-up for the 2-foot connnector hose, this looks promising:

"These CPAP/BiPAP tubes work with all machines that use "standard" CPAP/BiPAP tubing including most machines from DeVilbiss, Fisher & Paykel, AEIOmed, Puritan Bennett, ResMed, Covidien, Respironics, and others."

I'd still like to get verification from someone who has a ResMed S9 that these things all connect together, though.

Thanks again.

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:51 pm
by GumbyCT
I can't confirm if it will fit cuz I don't have an $9. While it will work if it does fit - two points.

1. this one is cost less http://www.cpap-supply.com/Fisher-Payke ... /hc325.htm

2. IF there is a passive unit designed just for the $9 it will fit and work better.

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 7:09 pm
by RogerSC
GumbyCT wrote:I can't confirm if it will fit cuz I don't have an $9. While it will work if it does fit - two points.

1. this one is cost less http://www.cpap-supply.com/Fisher-Payke ... /hc325.htm

2. IF there is a passive unit designed just for the $9 it will fit and work better.
Thanks for replying. That was the first thing that I looked for, passive humidification made by ResMed, but did not find it. If anyone is aware of this, please give me a pointer to it.

Also, I like the water tanks better that you can open to clean, I'm not likely to be carrying distilled water around with me *smile*. And I really like being able to clean things well when it makes sense.

So I'm still wondering if anyone knows if the Fisher and Paykel humidifier tank and tubing will fit together with the ResMed S9 tubing and connectors?

Thanks again.

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 8:13 pm
by msla
Try using the humidifier as normal but turn the manual nob so the heat to the humidifier is off. You have passive humidity.

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 10:23 pm
by Xney
Just run it "off" with water in there, as the posters above were suggesting. It will run the air over the water giving you a bit of humidity.

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:15 am
by RogerSC
Cool idea, I hadn't looked at playing with the settings on the S9 yet. So if I can turn off the power to the humidifier and the tubing, I guess that would do it. Do you know if the cloth cover for the slimline tubing fits over the heated tubing? I guess I can look at that one myself *smile*. If the tubing isn't heated, I'd like to prevent condensation in the tubing if I can.

Thanks for the thought, it's a good one.

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:45 am
by RogerSC
Hmmm...maybe I can use the regular air tubing instead of the climateline heated tubing to disable the heating. As long as the S9 doesn't require feedback from the tubing that it is a complete circuit (like won't operate without a complete circuit through the tubing from the back of the humidifier), that should work. And turning the heat off for the humidifier should do the rest.

Hey, this could work.

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:09 am
by msla
Just use the regular slimline tube and put the tube cover on the tube. When you power up the S9 and the orange screen appears, turn the knob on the right side counter clockwise untill the display says OFF. You are now in passive mode.

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:49 am
by wilsonintexas
Where are you going that you are worried about rain out on a passover humidifier, in this heat wave???? can I carry your bags as you do down to antartica to see the penguins????

I would take the tube I have, turn off the heater on the tube, turn off the heater on the humidifier, and you are good to go.

check your manual for how to take the water tank apart..... I have had two humidifiers so far, The first one had tabs that pulled down to clean and dry the inside of the tank. I need to read up on the bipap resmed tank, it has an extra baffle and is not as easy to take apart..... (bit I am going to down load the manual later today to see how it works...) I only had the machine since friday.

If you do not know how to do that (and up to now there is no reason you would) then I suggest that you download the manual...... I an not being snippy here, but I just had me DME set me on straight bipap, when it should have been auto bipap.... I did not check the machine and had a really bad weekend....

I will never again not know every setting on my machine, and verify it myself. (Then again I am also an engineer, and want to fix things)

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 11:18 am
by RogerSC
wilsonintexas wrote:Where are you going that you are worried about rain out on a passover humidifier, in this heat wave???? can I carry your bags as you do down to antartica to see the penguins????

I would take the tube I have, turn off the heater on the tube, turn off the heater on the humidifier, and you are good to go.

check your manual for how to take the water tank apart..... I have had two humidifiers so far, The first one had tabs that pulled down to clean and dry the inside of the tank. I need to read up on the bipap resmed tank, it has an extra baffle and is not as easy to take apart..... (bit I am going to down load the manual later today to see how it works...) I only had the machine since friday.

If you do not know how to do that (and up to now there is no reason you would) then I suggest that you download the manual...... I an not being snippy here, but I just had me DME set me on straight bipap, when it should have been auto bipap.... I did not check the machine and had a really bad weekend....

I will never again not know every setting on my machine, and verify it myself. (Then again I am also an engineer, and want to fix things)
I don't know if I'll run into much condensation this time of year...going to Glacier Park in Montana, then up to Canada. I've never used a CPAP in whatever weather we'll run into, but extra condensation is something I want to avoid.

Yes, I have the water tank for the S9 that you can take apart easily, and clean it. Very handy. I've also taken apart the "sealed" tank, but that has the feel of something that may not last too long if it is done every day.

While I'm not currently aware of how to change the settings on my CPAP (the manual that came with it talks about that), I'm well aware of the settings, and that they seem to be working. I've downloaded the data from it and looked at it with ResScan, which includes the "therapy mode" settings, and everything looks as good as could be expected to me. Also, the airflow is warm and comfortable enough. No reason to change any settings now. I'm an engineer as well, but I'm a software engineer *smile*. Hands-on with hardware, though *smile*.

Thanks for the reply, I'm pretty sure that I can turn off the power to the humidifier itself, it's more the powered tubing that I was concerned with. And I got some advice above for that.

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 11:20 am
by RogerSC
msla wrote:Just use the regular slimline tube and put the tube cover on the tube. When you power up the S9 and the orange screen appears, turn the knob on the right side counter clockwise untill the display says OFF. You are now in passive mode.
This sounds good to me, thanks very much.

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 11:55 am
by -tim
Put a label on the bag that says "did you dump the water out?"

If your late while traveling.... bad things happen to cpap machines.

Also with the S9, get some foam about the size of the top and cut out a hole for the knob. It might save you the effort of trying to fix it later if it gets sheared off. (someone here glued his back on and it worked).

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 3:18 pm
by RogerSC
-tim wrote:Put a label on the bag that says "did you dump the water out?"

If your late while traveling.... bad things happen to cpap machines.

Also with the S9, get some foam about the size of the top and cut out a hole for the knob. It might save you the effort of trying to fix it later if it gets sheared off. (someone here glued his back on and it worked).
Wow, good thought...since I was going to carry it on, it hadn't occurred to me that there might be damage. But that's a good idea. The bag that it's in seems pretty well padded, but I'd hate to have to deal with damage.

Thanks.

Re: Traveling with CPAP, humidification?

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:47 pm
by archangle
The Repironics passive humidifier looks like it would produce more humidity than the F&P. It's got baffles and a large surface area. It should work with any machine.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... -hose.html