Auto vs Manual Humidity

I just started using a cpap and have the ResMed S9. The DME set it up so I can set the temp and humidity independently. I currently have the temp on 80 and started with the Humidity on 6, but am down to 5 after the 6 days I have been using it.

The issue is that I still get just a couple of droplets of water that build up in the mask. Not a lot, but one cool droplet on my nose at night is enough to wake me. I end up taking the mask off and wiping it out.

My question is two fold. 1. Is this normal or do I need to lower the humidity? 2. Would I be better off letting the machine decide the humidity since the S9 is supposed to hold the humidity to 80% relative humidity regardless of the temp if it is in automatic mode?

I am leaning toward letting the machine decide the humidity.

I set my thermostat to 68 at night but the bedroom probably is colder than that due to its location compared to the stat if that matters.

Make sure your machine is at a lower level than your head, so that there is a downslope on the hose. I have a hook above my pillow so that the downward part of the hose is longer. Wrap the hose in some kind of cover - I have a heated cover that I bought several years ago from Australia, but the sponsors of this site have Hybernite heated hoses that would be easier to get (and quicker). If the hose exits down from your mask, you may be able to have at least part of the hose under the bedclothes with you - the warmth of the bed is enough to stop the rain-out (water in the mask). In extreme cases you may need to make a cover for the mask itself, but try the other things first. Humidity is something that you have to experiment with, and no one else will have exactly the same conditions as you. Try lowering the humidity a notch at a time. I would not raise the temperature - you are just increasing the difference between the warm and cool parts of the system: remember that warm air holds more moisture, so when it hits a cold area the water will condense out. So maybe you want to lower the temperature in your humidifier as well. I only use pass-over humidification, and my machine does not have a separate temperature control, so I can't advise further.

SleepyToo2 wrote:Make sure your machine is at a lower level than your head, so that there is a downslope on the hose. I have a hook above my pillow so that the downward part of the hose is longer. Wrap the hose in some kind of cover - I have a heated cover that I bought several years ago from Australia, but the sponsors of this site have Hybernite heated hoses that would be easier to get (and quicker). If the hose exits down from your mask, you may be able to have at least part of the hose under the bedclothes with you - the warmth of the bed is enough to stop the rain-out (water in the mask). In extreme cases you may need to make a cover for the mask itself, but try the other things first. Humidity is something that you have to experiment with, and no one else will have exactly the same conditions as you. Try lowering the humidity a notch at a time. I would not raise the temperature - you are just increasing the difference between the warm and cool parts of the system: remember that warm air holds more moisture, so when it hits a cold area the water will condense out. So maybe you want to lower the temperature in your humidifier as well. I only use pass-over humidification, and my machine does not have a separate temperature control, so I can't advise further.

Thanks for the input.

The machine is slightly lower than the be and I have the "Climate" hose that I believe is heated all the way to the mask. The way it was described to me, the hose has a wire coil that heats the air and reads the air temp and Humidity right when it exits to the mask. You can see the wire coiled on the hose and a sensor at the mask end.

I am just thinking that if all my info is correct and the S9 with climate hose combo does all that, then letting the machine decide how much humidity to add would keep it at the optimal humidity for any given temp rather than me trying to guess.

I am hoping someone here with the same machine has already been down this road and knows. I also will have to figure out how to change it to auto humidity if I decide to try it.

I am going to PM you with the clinical guide. It will walk you through the process.

I use the S9 series, and can tell you that the only time I experience rainout is when I decide to set the humidity level myself. I suffer from a dry throat and mouth, and thought more humidity was the answer. Not only did I get wet, the machine made a nasty noise and I used up all the water midway through the night!

Now I leave the humidity setting to Auto, and only set the temp myself, which I like at a toasty 80.

Hope that's helpful.

Jeannh wrote:I use the S9 series, and can tell you that the only time I experience rainout is when I decide to set the humidity level myself. I suffer from a dry throat and mouth, and thought more humidity was the answer. Not only did I get wet, the machine made a nasty noise and I used up all the water midway through the night!

Now I leave the humidity setting to Auto, and only set the temp myself, which I like at a toasty 80.

Hope that's helpful.

I think I am going to try that. I assumed the DME set it up for manual configuration for a reason, but the more I read, the more I think auto is the way to go.

I have not looked at how to change the setting to auto, but I am hoping it is pretty obvious. I will look when I get home tonight.

I get a little dry mouth but not too bad. I did wake up with a VERY dry mouth last night and realized I was sleeping with my mouth open. I wear a mouthpiece my dentist recommended and I forgot to put it in last night. When I woke up dry, I reached over and got it and did fine the rest of the night.

I think the guard forces my tongue back a bit and keeps it toward the roof of my mouth which keeps it blocked. This is just what I think, but keep in mind that I have only been on a cpap since Friday.

The guard is to keep me from grinding my teeth, and is readily available without a prescription. It is called Doctors Night Guard.

Thanks.

Look in the clinical manual that Bobby269 sent you.

Thanks to the manual that Bobby269 sent I was able to set it to auto. I am a little surprised that you have to go to the clinical setup to do that (vs patient setup) but It is what it is.

I think I am going to like this much more. I noticed the mask being just ever si slightly damp last night but never a true drop of water that forced me to remove the mask.

Thanks everyone.