Quattro Air mask not venting? Or is it??

I just received my new ResMed "Quattro Air" full face mask. I tried to wear it last night, but when fitting it for leaks I realized it was not venting?

This mask has some new design that is suppose to have a circular vent around the quick-release elbow that holds the tubing. The vent is part of the mask itself, it cannot be removed. I cannot feel hardly any air at all coming out of the vent, even with the mask leak check with high pressure air going to the mask.

My normal masks are the "Mirage Quattro" and the "Ultra Mirage" full face masks. Both of these have much larger, more pronounced vents that I can feel air escaping normally through.

I was afraid to wear the "Quattro Air" last night because I could hardly feel any air at all venting, and felt like I was re-breathing the air I was exhaling.

Does anyone have this new mask? Can you feel any air venting around the front elbow like it should? Thanks in advance for your reply!

Art

artpenjr wrote:I just received my new ResMed "Quattro Air" full face mask. I tried to wear it last night, but when fitting it for leaks I realized it was not venting?

This mask has some new design that is suppose to have a circular vent around the quick-release elbow that holds the tubing. The vent is part of the mask itself, it cannot be removed. I cannot feel hardly any air at all coming out of the vent, even with the mask leak check with high pressure air going to the mask.

My normal masks are the "Mirage Quattro" and the "Ultra Mirage" full face masks. Both of these have much larger, more pronounced vents that I can feel air escaping normally through.

I was afraid to wear the "Quattro Air" last night because I could hardly feel any air at all venting, and felt like I was re-breathing the air I was exhaling.

Does anyone have this new mask? Can you feel any air venting around the front elbow like it should? Thanks in advance for your reply!

Art

The advertisment for the Quattro Air says.....Circular Diffused Venting

I had the same weird sense that it wasnt providing air. It's one of the reason that I quit on it. I could feel the venting but at my high pressure, I felt suffocating. Yes, I had ramp off..

The Flow Rate curve for the Quattro Air is nearly identical to that of the Mirage Quattro. Any difference you are perceiving is purely psychological because you are used to a mask that blows air all over you. The Quattro Air is just doing exactly what it's supposed to do: dispersing the vented air quietly and diffusely.

Quattro Air:



Source: Quattro Air User Guide

Mirage Quattro:


Source: Mirage Quattro User Guide

I have Quattro Air; the vent does come off, push in on both sides of the larger, grayish vents on either side and the elbow will pop right off - "quick release". Unless you have a faulty vent, I don't see how it can "not vent". Put your pinkie finger or the eraser end of a pencil in and push in from the end that goes onto the hose, and push in the flap inside. If that doesn't move, then it's faulty and you'll need to exchange it for a working mask. That's where the air goes in, and if air can't get in, you won't get any therapy and no air will get in.

If the flap works, then as a test, take a "nap" with the mask on and the unit running ... hold a piece of paper over the vent, about a half inch away in all directions from the elbow. This will give you idea of the air that's coming out of it.

Edit: I can feel air blowing through the venting ... even the hole that is on the mask itself at the 12 o'clock position above the hole the elbow fits into. That is not detachable, but if I put my hand in front of it, I can feel the air coming from it... most of the air is vented through the elbow, and not through the mask itself. Don't worry about the ridge around the vent opening of the mask; I don't believe any air is supposed to come out there... it's just support for the elbow.

library lady wrote:I have Quattro Air; the vent does come off, push in on both sides of the larger, grayish vents on either side and the elbow will pop right off - "quick release".

That actually only removes the elbow. The vent is the circular ring of holes around the connector that the elbow attaches to: it surrounds the elbow, but is not part of it.

It vents fine, it's just very diffuse, soft, and quiet. Very nice, actually. I wore mine for the first time last night. It's a good mask except the headgear caused it to constantly ride up toward my nose and leak at the chin. VERY annoying, and sadly I think that (unless I can jury rig a fix) this mask is toast.

The Latinist wrote:

library lady wrote:I have Quattro Air; the vent does come off, push in on both sides of the larger, grayish vents on either side and the elbow will pop right off - "quick release".

That actually only removes the elbow. The vent is the circular ring of holes around the connector that the elbow attaches to: it surrounds the elbow, but is not part of it.

That ring doesn't have holes in it; I tested them with a pin... nothing gets through them except for the hole above the circle ... the vents are all in the elbow, as you will note if you cover half of them with tape, and try the blower briefly with the mask on as I did. The flap opens and the air goes out there. I don't think this mask would be very effective otherwise, the flap helps "diffuse" the air as needed. Maybe another Quattro Air user can help us out here...

And what are the holes in the elbow for if not for venting? I realize they are just on the sides of it, but they go in different directions... I feel lots of air blowing on me every night from the elbow up toward my face, but maybe I'm wrong about the circle... perhaps it also vents air; I just don't see how if I can't stick the point of a pin into it.. it just rests on surface, and when I'm washing it water doesn't go through the circle either.

@Janknitz, I had trouble at first with the mask coming up on my chin, but I finally got the headgear adjusted so that it doesn't do that anymore. Couldn't tell you exactly how I did that, it was a lot of trial and error.

Janknitz wrote:It vents fine, it's just very diffuse, soft, and quiet. Very nice, actually. I wore mine for the first time last night. It's a good mask except the headgear caused it to constantly ride up toward my nose and leak at the chin. VERY annoying, and sadly I think that (unless I can jury rig a fix) this mask is toast.

Janknitz, here is the answer to your problem: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/headge ... sk-fp.html

It was pure serendipity that I discovered this; until I did my mask would also ride up and I'd awake "eating the mask" every night with the bottom of the mask clenched between my teeth. The problem was that the stock top strap in non-adjustable and too small. This headgear turned the Air into the best FFM I've ever used. It's a perfect fit and as a side benefit it's about three times nicer and more durably constructed than the ResMed junky headgear that comes with the mask.

You might want to give it a try.

And what are the holes in the elbow for if not for venting? I realize they are just on the sides of it, but they go in different directions... I feel lots of air blowing on me every night from the elbow up toward my face, but maybe I'm wrong about the circle... perhaps it also vents air; I just don't see how if I can't stick the point of a pin into it.. it just rests on surface, and when I'm washing it water doesn't go through the circle either.

The holes on the elbow are for the anti asphyxiation valve. They let fresh air into the mask if the no air is coming through the hose. A little silicone flap covers those holes when air is coming in the hose.

Thanks, Old Dude, for the video. I'll take a look. My problem is the headgear is too big. But I like everything else about the mask and even invested in a Padacheek liner for it.

library lady wrote:And what are the holes in the elbow for if not for venting?

Those are the anti-asphyxia valves, not the vent. Check your user guide: the vent and the valves are clearly marked. And the reason you can't stick a pin through the vent holes is that they do not lead straight through: the air is forced to take an indirect route to the outside so that it will exit in a diffuse way rather than in a stream.

old dude wrote:

Janknitz wrote:Janknitz, here is the answer to your problem: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/headge ... sk-fp.html

Thanks for this. I will definitely give this a try. I have the feeling that the Air could be a great mask if I could just fit it correctly, and I had already come to the conclusion that the headgear is the issue but had no idea what headgear to try in its place.

I am going to trial the Airfit P10 next week, but I intend to keep my Quattro Air as a backup for cold and allergy season even if the P10 works for me.

If it's any help, it took me awhile to get used to the extremely diffused venting from my Airfit P10.
It is hard to feel the airflow; licking a finger helps.
Breathing feels the same as with Swift FX, but is quieter.

The Latinist wrote:

library lady wrote:And what are the holes in the elbow for if not for venting?

Those are the anti-asphyxia valves, not the vent. Check your user guide: the vent and the valves are clearly marked. And the reason you can't stick a pin through the vent holes is that they do not lead straight through: the air is forced to take an indirect route to the outside so that it will exit in a diffuse way rather than in a stream.

OK, my bad... thanks for the explanation.

Thank you all for your replies!

I think the steady blast of air from my Quattro Mirage and Ultra Mirage vents has led me to think I need that much air moving through the mask to expel the air I breathe out, so I am not re-breathing all night.

The Quattro Air has so little air coming out of the circular vent, I can't imagine it expelling all the air I breathe out from the mask between each breath. I'm a big guy!

Without a pulse oximeter I doubt if I would ever know if I am re-breathing, other than waking up with a headache maybe!

I just hope this mask isn't defective and the microscopic holes in this vent aren't suppose to be larger. Sounds like you good folks are having the same experience with the quiet and slow air flow though, so it must be normal. Call me paranoid