Cleaning Transcend and Dry Mode

Hello Apneatic Brothers and Sisters!

I just bought a Transcend II - supposedly the lightest CPAP on the market - and am VERY satisfied with it. Great Freedom Machine! But here's my question: The manual says you should:

- remove mosture from the interior of the CPAP by running it in "dry mode" (a low pressure mode that runs 30 minutes, then turns off automatically) EVERY day.
- clean your hose EVERY day in soapy water.

I have had a regular nightstand CPAP (Breas ISleep) for almost two years and (embarrassingly?) never ever cleaned my hose (and ain't dead yet!). And there is no such thing as "dry mode" on my Breas.

Are these extensive cleaning procedures really necessary?

I am especially curious about "dry mode". Is there something about the Transcend II that makes "dry mode" necessary for it (while it is not necessary/available on other machines)?

I do not use any form of humidifier.

Thanks,
Dave

ResMed machines run for a period of time under a very low pressure after mask is removed to dry out the hose..supposedly.. but of course we use humidifiers and there could be some moisture in the hose. I forget how long and never have timed it but 30 minutes sounds about right. Respironics machines don't have this feature and make no mention of any such low level pressure use in their literature. Don't know about any other machines but haven't ever read anything from someone using the other machines and having that recommendation or suggestion.

Does seem a bit over kill since a humidifier isn't used. I suppose in theory some minor moisture from our own exhale breath could enter the hose via the mask but that would be a stretch and I don't see the need to worry about it.

Even back in my strict cleaning mode I never cleaned the hose every day (once a week was what I did for about 3 months) and now I am in lazy mode and I clean it when I think about it seriously and that is maybe once a year. I ain't dead yet either and I have had 2 colds in 3 years and no other health issues. Now someone with a compromised immune system..yeah I could see doing some extra precautions for cleaning but I still don't see daily hose cleaning.

Pugsy,

Thanks for your thoughts. According to the Transcend II literature, the 30-minute "dry mode" procedure is designed to dry out "the CPAP machine" itself, not the hose. This is even weirder (than if it were the hose), as it would suggest that moisture is getting up (from my breath?) against all that pressure and into the CPAP machine itself. The apparent unlikeliness of this (especially when no humidifier is used) and the fact that most other machines don't seem to have this "dry mode" feature is what caused me to wonder/ask.

And note: This is a "travel CPAP" (small) which can run on batteries when camping. I haven't tried it yet, but the manufacturer says that my multi-day battery will run my Transcend II "three of four days." I want as many days as possible, of course, which makes it even more important for me to find out whether running the machine an extra 30 minutes each day for dry out is really necessary.

I'll try asking Transcend and write back if I learn anything interesting.

Best, Dave

I just read another thread titled "condensation in the tube" that explains that if the CPAP is below the level of your head, condensation will run down the tube (and presumably into the machine). Probably not good to have the CPAP above your head, however, since then condensation will run toward your mask.

This starts to point toward an answer to my original question, but then it raises the question of why most other machines DO NOT have a "drying mode."
Dave

The machines that have a humidifier...lower than the mattress...means that any moisture in the tube that condenses will flow back into the humidifier and not into the machine because there is no way for the water to get over into the blower machine unless the machine gets turned over. The machines are safe from any water via the hose when the humidifier tank is the first stopping point. There is no real need to dry out the hose because the hose is attached to the humidifier tank and not the machine.

Any moisture that makes it to the mask and then maybe to the hose from the moisture in our exhaled breath is going to be minimal to start with and it would take have to travel the entire distance of the hose to make it back to the machine level. If no humidifier is adding moisture to the air...chances of enough moisture being exhaled and then condensing and then making the trip back to the machine....pretty slim but I suppose not impossible.
I would think turning off the machine and removing the hose would be one possible safeguard from that occurring.

CPAP Dave wrote:Pugsy,

Thanks for your thoughts. According to the Transcend II literature, the 30-minute "dry mode" procedure is designed to dry out "the CPAP machine" itself, not the hose. This is even weirder (than if it were the hose), as it would suggest that moisture is getting up (from my breath?) against all that pressure and into the CPAP machine itself. The apparent unlikeliness of this (especially when no humidifier is used) and the fact that most other machines don't seem to have this "dry mode" feature is what caused me to wonder/ask.

And note: This is a "travel CPAP" (small) which can run on batteries when camping. I haven't tried it yet, but the manufacturer says that my multi-day battery will run my Transcend II "three of four days." I want as many days as possible, of course, which makes it even more important for me to find out whether running the machine an extra 30 minutes each day for dry out is really necessary.

I'll try asking Transcend and write back if I learn anything interesting.

Best, Dave

Dave,

The Transcend has a HME (heat moisture exchange) circuit for humidification vs a heated humidifier. The dry mode is to dry the HME circuit or you can use it to dry the standard tube but there would be no need because you are not running a humidifier on the standard tube.