Air filter maintenance for PR System One, 60 Series

What are Advantages of the Disposable White Fine vs. the Reusable Black Foam Filters, the Sleep Lab Tech told me the Disposable ones were HEPA rated, are the Foam ones also HEPA rated?

The Tech also said that I'd automatically receive a new mask and filter every three months, do you really need to replace the mask that frequently? At any rate there has been no compliance or support followup from the Clinic and I suspect I may be on my own regarding consumables.

I use both as the paper filters seem to filter out smaller particles than the foam filters. They are inexpensive and I change them out every other week.

It's my understanding that insurers,especially Medicare, no longer allow automatic supply fulfillment. A company that wants to send a mask every three months is all about profit, not needs. You may need to replace the cushion as often as monthly, but the plastic frame rarely wears out.

That said, it's a good idea to always have at least an extra mask on hand in case of disaster.

Janknitz
Do you mean disaster, as in our new puppy dragging the hose assembly down and using the the cushion as a chew toy?

Makes you want to dip the ruined cushion in hot sauce and let the little dickens "find" it again.

rkuntz123 wrote:What are Advantages of the Disposable White Fine vs. the Reusable Black Foam Filters, the Sleep Lab Tech told me the Disposable ones were HEPA rated, are the Foam ones also HEPA rated?

The Tech also said that I'd automatically receive a new mask and filter every three months, do you really need to replace the mask that frequently? At any rate there has been no compliance or support followup from the Clinic and I suspect I may be on my own regarding consumables.

Goodness no, the person doesn't know what he's talking about. The filters are far from HEPA rated. The two are better than nothing but not HEPA level. Do use them both. The white ones should be disposed of each month and the grey foam washed every two weeks.

That may be the next best thing in cpap units, true HEPA filtration. It would be a boon for allergy sufferers.

And no, you don't need to change masks every three months. Cushions, perhaps. But the plastic masks last a long, long time when cared for properly. It is always good to keep a spare or two, however.

rkuntz123 wrote:Do you mean disaster, as in our new puppy dragging the hose assembly down and using the the cushion as a chew toy?

Yep, that qualifies...also the cat using the hose as a new scratching post...that qualifies too.
Fortunately it was a cheap gray standard hose that was used for travel.

hyperlexis wrote:

rkuntz123 wrote:What are Advantages of the Disposable White Fine vs. the Reusable Black Foam Filters, the Sleep Lab Tech told me the Disposable ones were HEPA rated, are the Foam ones also HEPA rated?

Goodness no, the person doesn't know what he's talking about. The filters are far from HEPA rated. The two are better than nothing but not HEPA level. Do use them both. The white ones should be disposed of each month and the grey foam washed every two weeks.

That may be the next best thing in cpap units, true HEPA filtration. It would be a boon for allergy sufferers.

HEPA filters must be folded or else they clog up over time and that is exactly what HEPA is designed not to do.

There are ratings that range from bad to nothing shall pass but air.

On the 60 Series, The white filters are to keep small stuff out of the system. The black filter is there to hold the white one in and provide 1st level of filter to keep things like pet hair from clogging up the white filters.

I'm looking for a tube that will go in the hole of an S9. I have a design worked up to add a replaceable true HEPA filter (that is even rated) as a filter but I need something that will stay stuck in that hole. I'm thinking it might be time to use a 3d printer to make that part but it is the right size for lots of other medial adapters so something cheap should fit it.

I got my BiPap unit on July 8, 2013. It is a PR System One, Model 760.

When the DME tech person went over the operation and cleaning instructions with me, she pointed out that the unit came with 2 black foam filters, and 1 white micro filter. The unit had the white filter already in the machine and it was being held in by one of the black foam filters. She took them both out and had me put them back into the machine so I would know how that was done.

As to the cleaning of the filters. I was told to take the black foam filter out every couple of weeks and run clean water over it and wring it out good. Then I was to set it aside to dry totally, and insert the second filter which would already be dry. She also told me to throw away the thin white micro filter and not even bother with it. She said it was not needed. And this is from the DME that sells that stuff.

From the few times I've washed that black foam filter (3 times in 4 months) I can find no dirt of any type coming out of it. Just the clean, clear tap water I used to wash it and then squeezed out with my fingers.

Lambeau wrote:... She also told me to throw away the thin white micro filter and not even bother with it. She said it was not needed. And this is from the DME that sells that stuff.

From the few times I've washed that black foam filter (3 times in 4 months) I can find no dirt of any type coming out of it. Just the clean, clear tap water I used to wash it and then squeezed out with my fingers.

Did you throw away the white filter? Mine get grey in about two weeks.

-tim wrote:

Lambeau wrote:... She also told me to throw away the thin white micro filter and not even bother with it. She said it was not needed. And this is from the DME that sells that stuff.

From the few times I've washed that black foam filter (3 times in 4 months) I can find no dirt of any type coming out of it. Just the clean, clear tap water I used to wash it and then squeezed out with my fingers.

Did you throw away the white filter? Mine get grey in about two weeks.

The original white filter is still in the machine, going on 4 months now. The last time I rinsed out the black foam filter, the white filter was still pristine white. I plan to toss it rather than buy new ones one day. Maybe my house and town have less dust than normal, but if three and a half months go by and it is still white, clearly there is not enough dust to even matter.

Lambeau wrote:She also told me to throw away the thin white micro filter and not even bother with it. She said it was not needed.

DME told me they remove the white filters prior to dispensing the machines "because most people don't bother to change them and besides the black one is just fine." How dare they make that assumption for everyone!

Lambeau wrote:

-tim wrote:

Lambeau wrote:... She also told me to throw away the thin white micro filter and not even bother with it. She said it was not needed. And this is from the DME that sells that stuff.

From the few times I've washed that black foam filter (3 times in 4 months) I can find no dirt of any type coming out of it. Just the clean, clear tap water I used to wash it and then squeezed out with my fingers.

Did you throw away the white filter? Mine get grey in about two weeks.

The original white filter is still in the machine, going on 4 months now. The last time I rinsed out the black foam filter, the white filter was still pristine white. I plan to toss it rather than buy new ones one day. Maybe my house and town have less dust than normal, but if three and a half months go by and it is still white, clearly there is not enough dust to even matter.

Believe me -- hold the old filter up next to a new one! You WILL notice it's not so white at all!

For the amount of air these machines suck through them each day, the filters should be vastly bigger than the postage stamp size ones they now supply.

-tim wrote:I'm looking for a tube that will go in the hole of an S9. I have a design worked up to add a replaceable true HEPA filter (that is even rated) as a filter but I need something that will stay stuck in that hole. I'm thinking it might be time to use a 3d printer to make that part but it is the right size for lots of other medial adapters so something cheap should fit it.

When you complete your design, be sure to start a new topic to share the details with us. Thanks, Earl

Remember the filters are there to protect the machine from dust buildup, not to protect the patient. Us humans breathe unfiltered air any time we're not on CPAP. By the way, a dirty filter actually filters air more thoroughly than a clean one, but it makes it tougher to pull air through it. A layer of dust actually traps even more dust.

If you have allergies, the filtered air may be a good thing, but it's not needed for your health other than keeping the machine from clogging up. Ever look at the inside of an old air conditioner, fan, or PC computer at the dust?

The DMEs take the white filters out because if you don't change them, they offer more and more resistance as the dust builds up and the machine has to work harder and may overheat.