Lincare DME offered to sell me So Clean or other CPAP cleaning device

[MarylandCPAPer2]

Well....I for one actually would like to try to sort out the rust issue. I am not doubting you one bit but I do know it is a very rare issue but that doesn't mean I don't believe you or wouldn't want to fix it because as someone who has experienced rare issues...that doesn't mean they don't happen but I would want to try to sort them out and prevent further issues. Never know who it might help in the future.

I used to think that people who developed leaks with the chamber must have damaged it in some way.....until it happened to me and then I became a believer. Now I know that 2 of my failed water chambers were my own dumb ass errors but the 3rd one.....no way in hell did I do anything to potentially harm it and when it failed it was less than 6 months old and I babied that chamber with kid gloves and it still leaked all over my night table and onto the floor. Heck, I didn't even breathe hard on that water chamber.

So I do know that crap happens. Is it a ResMed quality control problem???? Dunno but wouldn't be impossible.
Let's face it...if we look closely most of the components are like everything else...."made in China"....hell, look at the mask parts.
Assembled in the USA or wherever but from parts made in China.

The only thing I can think to add that might relate to the rust is that the bottom of the humidifier tank sometimes has seemed quite HOT when I got up in the middle of my sleep to refill it. I have at times smelled the nasty smell when the tank is running with all the water gone. I don't know how hot is normal for the humidifier tank and whether it is always that hot, because I am asleep when I refill the tank and don't remember whether it is hot all the time or just sometimes.

I don't tend to sleep that many hours at a time because of the call of nature and other interruptions such as the phone, so when I get up for any reason, I check the tank and almost always have to refill it because it is empty. When I get up for good, the humidifier tank is usually empty. I may have gotten a crappy A10 from the start. If the next one misbehaves in ways that are not consistent with the experience of the vocal members of this board, I will make more of an issue of it with the DME.

I notice that most every time I post on this board there may be one or 2 active member listed as being online, a dozen or more guests, plus bots. So, there are probably a lot of people who read here and never post. The silent majority may be too intimidated by the snark here to post their questions and unusual experiences. I have referred new CPAP users here who I hope experienced people here will treat seriously and with respect. It was a long time ago, but I remember how scary starting CPAP was and how it totally did not work for me until I posted here and got some help from experienced users. My experiences may not always be typical, but I am truthfully posting about them.

[Okie bipap]

The problem with the tanks could be something in the water, even if you are using "distilled" water. I have found that "distilled" water from one grocery store chain leaves deposits in our water tanks while the ""distilled" water from the other two grocery store chains we use do not. I have learned not to purchase our water from the first store. Up until then, I just presumed all "distilled" water was the same. Obviously, it isn't.

[Pugsy]

Well....once you get the new machine lets see what happens.
Try to sort out the problem if it continues. I use a setting of 6 (max is for humidity and I don't live in a rain forest and I just now topped off the tank for tonight and I had 8 hours of sleep last night and there was still about an 1/8 of a tank of water in the chamber.
What you describe is NOT normal. Now why it isn't normal....I don't know but it's NOT normal.
I have never had rust of any kind show up anywhere either. Again...I don't know why you did but it is NOT normal.

And yes...a lot of time who you see online are bots....and you won't ever see me online because that is my preferred setting for several reasons but rest assured...I am here a lot of the time and while I might not always post something it is usually because someone has already said what I would have said and I see no sense in saying the same thing in duplicate.

You get your new machine and if you still have the same problem with water consumption....post and I will respond. Now we might have to do some detective work to try to figure out what is going on and you have to be willing to be a part of that work...but we can get it done.

[MarylandCPAPer2]

Thank you, Pugsy.

Maryland CPAPer2

[wm_hess]

The need for a refill every night before a full night of sleep is something I posted about when I first got this A10 machine five years ago. I posted my charts then, as I recall, and none of you came up with any reason for the need for a refill, based on my data. I recall that the advice was to complain about my A10 to the DME. The DME did nothing about it, so for five years, I have been having my sleep disturbed to have to get up and refill the tank at least once every night. I start with a full tank of water, to the maximum line on the A10 humidifier, and not a hair above, or else i will have rainout.

Maryland CPAPer2

Hi MarylandCpaper2

I was thinking about this part of your issue and thought of this external humidifier https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... t-900hc105

It has two external tanks and a shelf for around $75.00. For that and the cost of a couple of the short cpap hoses you could daisy chain the two tanks together and not have to refill/change tanks during the night. This would be passive humidification but if that is sufficient it might solve your problem. You could even just purchase two of the tanks and the short tubes for $14.00 each https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... umidifiers. Just winging it here but if you needed heated humidification you could use a heating pad to bring the temperature up some as well. Just make sure it's not the type that turns off after an hour or so.

Just some random thoughts in the middle of the night! Hope it helps.

-Bill

[MarylandCPAPer2]

The need for a refill every night before a full night of sleep is something I posted about when I first got this A10 machine five years ago. I posted my charts then, as I recall, and none of you came up with any reason for the need for a refill, based on my data. I recall that the advice was to complain about my A10 to the DME. The DME did nothing about it, so for five years, I have been having my sleep disturbed to have to get up and refill the tank at least once every night. I start with a full tank of water, to the maximum line on the A10 humidifier, and not a hair above, or else i will have rainout.

Maryland CPAPer2

Hi MarylandCpaper2

I was thinking about this part of your issue and thought of this external humidifier https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... t-900hc105

It has two external tanks and a shelf for around $75.00. For that and the cost of a couple of the short cpap hoses you could daisy chain the two tanks together and not have to refill/change tanks during the night. This would be passive humidification but if that is sufficient it might solve your problem. You could even just purchase two of the tanks and the short tubes for $14.00 each https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... umidifiers. Just winging it here but if you needed heated humidification you could use a heating pad to bring the temperature up some as well. Just make sure it's not the type that turns off after an hour or so.

Just some random thoughts in the middle of the night! Hope it helps.

-Bill

Thank you for sharing this interesting potential solution to my humidification problems. I wonder how well it would work with a ResMed Airsense 10 Autoset machine. Would the hose just be added to the A10 hose that hooks into the back of the A10? Thank you for this "out of the box" idea. When winter comes and the forced hot air heat is very dry, this might be just what I need, if I can figure out how to hook it up.

Maryland CPAPer2

[jnk...]

You get your new machine and if you still have the same problem with water consumption....post and I will respond. Now we might have to do some detective work to try to figure out what is going on and you have to be willing to be a part of that work...but we can get it done.

Just to emphasize Pugsy's kind words and generous offer. Sounds like a solid first step before rigging anything else up.

[wm_hess]

Thank you for sharing this interesting potential solution to my humidification problems. I wonder how well it would work with a ResMed Airsense 10 Autoset machine. Would the hose just be added to the A10 hose that hooks into the back of the A10? Thank you for this "out of the box" idea. When winter comes and the forced hot air heat is very dry, this might be just what I need, if I can figure out how to hook it up.

Maryland CPAPer2

Without a doubt, I'd second what JNK suggested in posting some graphs of your current therapy for others to look at and make suggestions. Pugsy and others are very knowledgeable and helpful.

If that fails, your autoset humidifier holds 380ml water. The external tanks hold 400ml. You could turn the humidifier off, run the hose from the machine to 1 of the 2 external humidifier hose ports. You would then use a second long hose to go from the second external humidifier hose port to your face mask and you. This would give you the 2 tanks you said you were using for the cost of 1 tank (about 14$ I believe) and 1 long hose. Remember as well you probably would want passive humidification. If you leave the humidifier on, the tank in the machine is going to run out first, and it smells terrible when you run dry

Here is an interesting and conversation from years ago regarding hose length and pressures needed. viewtopic/t21043/Can-using-a-longer-hos ... hange.html

I have the Fisher Y Paykel manometer from when I first started CPAP therapy. I've found the pressure gauge (a graduated 'straw') but the humidifier has managed to escape and has yet to be found. I'll try to locate it in the near future and see what differences might show up using this method.

As I said first though, please post some additional graphs for others to view and make suggestions!

-Bill