Respironics Dreamstation Auto - or is it?

I have been using a CPAP machine for 10 years, but I recently got a Respironics Dreamstation and, according to the "My Info" setting, it must be an Auto, which should have auto on-off capability when I put the mask on and start breathing in it, but mine doesn't automatically start. A friend of mine has one and said it takes about 10 seconds to start, but mine does not.

My questions is this: Is there a way to turn the automatic on-off feature on so when I take my mask off, it will stop; and when I put it on and breath, it will start without having to touch any buttons?

Respironics machines have 2 separate auto on and auto off settings. There are in the clinical setup menu area and you may have to go in there and turn them on.

Go here and request the provider/clinical manual for your machine via email. Download a read it. It's all explained in the manual as to how to get to the clinical menu setup area (combination of button pushing).
https://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap- ... tup-manual

Auto On setting....this is the one where the machine will start up on its own once you take a few breaths. When set to "On" it should start right up. Sometimes if a person is using the ramp or a low pressure the machine can't sense that a human is on the other end. You might need to do a few really strong breaths to trigger it.

Auto Off setting....the is the one where the machine will turn itself off once you take the mask off. When set to "ON" the machine will turn itself off once the mask is removed but bear in mind it is not immediate. It takes approximately 60 seconds for it to shut itself off and it's a long 60 seconds.

I have been using the ResMed AirSense 10 Auto for about 5 years until a few days ago. My insurance was paying for a new machine so I tried the DreamStation. The auto on works after two or 3 big breaths to kick it on, the auto-off is useless because it takes upwards of a minute or more for it to kick the machine off. I do like the machine but I am seeing different numbers with my treatment. I will post later if I continue to see an upward climb with my AHI. Good luck with the auto-on and off functions. They are in the clinical menu under therapy to toggle on and off. Auto-on works fine but I hit the start-stop to turn it off when I get up during the night.

bac007 wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 10, 2020 12:24 pm

the auto-off is useless because it takes upwards of a minute or more for it to kick the machine off.

It's always been that long for auto off to turn the machine off when it comes to a Respironics machine.
60 seconds by design...they did it on purpose...stupid design but that's the way it is.
It was the same way on the first Respironics machine I got back in 2009.

So yeah...it does take 60 seconds but that's the way it was designed.

Yes, my older System 1 was similar, 3 or so breaths to get it to turn on, and forever to turn off. I shut all that down and did it manually.

I will also comment that when I switched to ResMed my treatment improved a bit.

That's not to say ResMed is superior, I believe some machines work better or worse for different people, depending on their physical needs.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 10, 2020 12:41 pm

bac007 wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 10, 2020 12:24 pm

the auto-off is useless because it takes upwards of a minute or more for it to kick the machine off.

It's always been that long for auto off to turn the machine off when it comes to a Respironics machine.
60 seconds by design...they did it on purpose...stupid design but that's the way it is.
It was the same way on the first Respironics machine I got back in 2009.

So yeah...it does take 60 seconds but that's the way it was designed.

Maybe to dry the hose, like the ResMeds ?

I have been using the ResMed AirSense 10 Auto for about 5 years until a few days ago. My insurance was paying for a new machine so I tried the DreamStation. The auto on works after two or 3 big breaths to kick it on, the auto-off is useless because it takes upwards of a minute or more for it to kick the machine off. I do like the machine but I am seeing different numbers with my treatment. I will post later if I continue to see an upward climb with my AHI. Good luck with the auto-on and off functions. They are in the clinical menu under therapy to toggle on and off. Auto-on works fine but I hit the start-stop to turn it off when I get up during the night.

LSAT wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:41 pm

. . .
Maybe to dry the hose, like the ResMeds ?

Doubtful, as the air still goes through the humidifier--which holds warm water.
Nothing is getting dry.
My guess is to allow the motor to slow down gradually while the fan parts cool off.
Hot plastic can warp, but continued spinning will prevent deformation.
A sudden power failure could damage your machine if it is too warm inside.

LSAT wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:41 pm

Maybe to dry the hose, like the ResMeds ?

Doubtful. 60 seconds won't dry the hose. Most likely they just want to annoy me.

Actually there is, or was on the machines that I had, a feature that the machine would beep to alert a person that the mask was off or there was a really big leak. It wasn't a very loud beeping though...almost totally useless.
Maybe it's tied in somehow to that feature and they want to give people enough time to maybe wake up and fix the leak before they give up and turn it off. Probably some college educated idiot came up with the 60 second thing and he had zero experience with cpap and thought it was a good thing for some reason. I much prefer ResMed's quick auto off. Even though it didn't auto off so great with my P10...it does with the Bleep.