PR System 1 filters popping out

[retrodave15]

Has anyone had the problem of the filters popping out of the machine? I found mine on the kitchen floor this morning! I am trying to figure out if the popped out and the kitten took them down stairs, or did the kitten play with the machine and bring them down and pull them out?

[Sir NoddinOff]

The only time I've had my PR System 1 filters pop out is when I didn't insert the black foam filter in all the way and left an edge sticking out. That edge must have caught on something on my night table and then popped out. Once that happens the white paper filter falls out easily when nothing's holding it in. It's just happened once, however that left me sucking somewhat less than clean air for two days... now I frequently check to see if the black filter is flush with the machine's back.

[Grand-PAP]

Has anyone had the problem of the filters popping out of the machine?

Hey retrodave,

I had planned to do a post on this today as well. Yesterday I noticed that both the gray and white filters were on the floor behind the bedside table.

I can't imagine what could have caused it (we don't have cats). The only "longshot" that I could think of was, a couple of nights ago when I put the mask on, the flapper was stuck and the machine sort of made a "discharge" sound. Is it possible that some back pressure from the PR S1 blew them out?

The bi-PAP is never even moved. So I can't see how they could have come out. Plus I've used it for over 200 nights and it has never happened before.

I'll be interesting to see if anyone else has had the problem!

[Sir NoddinOff]

The only "longshot" that I could think of was, a couple of nights ago when I put the mask on, the flapper was stuck and the machine sort of made a "discharge" sound. Is it possible that some back pressure from the PR S1 blew them out?

Hmmmm. I've never heard of the back pressure discharge thing before. I hope some other folks weigh in on the issue. I'd hate to see that happening and I really don't really want to put tape on the filter if I can avoid it!

[mayondair]

There was a bit of this going around, the latest filters I've gotten are tabless and stay in better. I did resort to a rubber and around the filter and machine to keep the old ones in . kathy

[2 B Sleeping Soundly]

On the white filters with a tab I just cut off the tab/top edge of the filter so that it fits in without wanting to pop out. The amount removed is very little; take to much and you compromise the fit.

As far as finding the filters laying behind the machine (both grey foam & white fine particulate), do a little experiment for me if you will. Take your hose and connect it to the PAP machine (or to the humidifier if you have that hooked up to your PAP machine) and then blow very gently into the hose... watch what happens. The filters will go flying out of the machine like shot out of a cannon! Chances are, what happens when you find the filters out behind the machine is that your exhaled breath blew them out when the machine was turned off. I know that I lay there for a few seconds after I turn off my machine still breathing through the mask/hose as the machine blower shuts down, so that would do it. Another thought, may be if you are using the auto on feature for your machine you exhaled slightly before inhaling to turn it on and that is when the filters were blown out .

Or, it is the aliens again...

John

[RandyJ]

It's never happened to me but people have posted that the filters can pop out if you cough into your mask.

[grillhead]

I had that happen once. I think I exhaled really hard and it popped out. I wondered if I had put the white filter in backwards or something. I still get confused about which side goes in using the OEM filters... Is it the webby looking side?

[DoriC]

My husband coughed one night as I was getting him ready for bed and I saw the filters dislodge. When I use the PR I cut the tab off the white filter and it stays in place.

[Gerald?]

If you are using tabbed filters, I found they stay in better if you put the tab up the top, rather than the bottom.

[rubberbandit]

wrap a rubber band around your machine and have it to cross over the sponge filter, after the manufacturer changed design of the white filter normally that took care of it....i still have my rubberband over the sponge filter even though i quit using the white filter...tks==FA

[J-Mac]

Aha! So it's not just me finding the filters on the floor behind my nightstand! I found my last two pairs of filters on the floor recently. I didn't consider that a cough into the mask might have caused it; I don’t do that consciously but I certainly may be doing it while asleep or partly asleep. I have noticed, however, that right after inserting a new pair of filters they start pushing back out. I know it's the doggone microfilter with tab that goes in first, before the black foam filter. I have tried tucking that in every way possible - at least that I could find - and yet it still wants to push back after insertion. I think that, plus possibly a cough or two is the reason they pop out. I'll have to experiment with different ways to hold the filters in place. Cutting off the tabs sounds good - the tab doesn’t stay bent after you insert the microfilter; as it starts to straighten itself out that pushes on the foam filter, and it doesn’t take much to pop the foam filter out.

I can't remember which was the last model that came with a cover that snapped on over the filter inlet. It had what appeared to be a charcoal filter built in to it, and it had a ninety degree turn so that air had to enter through the bottom of the cover. Possibly the original REMStar Auto, or the REMStar Plus - I had both at one time or another. I don’t know why they abandoned the concept of a cover over the inlet/filter area. It wasn’t difficult to put on and it just worked!

Well, my first act will be to cut the tabs off the microfilters and see if that helps. I considered bending a paper clip into a configuration that could be lodged somehow into the sides of the filter compartment but I don’t want to have it possibly protrude into the air intake; that wouldn’t be a good thing.

I notice that Respironics doesn’t offer a Whisper Cap like they do for the M-Series machines. Their purpose is noise reduction but it looks like they would also offer protection from the "filter pop-out" problem.

Thanks!

Jim

[Mom2ericha]

My cat pulls mine out. I am trying to figure out a way ton"tape" them in, around the edge, so make it hatder to get them out! I am going to get some wide elastic too and try the rubber band idea. Since wide elastic is wider, may work better.

[palerider]

My cat pulls mine out. I am trying to figure out a way ton"tape" them in, around the edge, so make it hatder to get them out! I am going to get some wide elastic too and try the rubber band idea. Since wide elastic is wider, may work better.

I've heard of people putting a rubber band around the machine so it passes over the filter.

[Broken Bob]

My filter started popping out after 4 years of use, the machine that is, not the filter. I get a new machine this year so I am just leaving it out. I was more worried that my cat might eat it.