Humidifier settings question

After reading and posting in the Bad Machine thread started by Clint (viewtopic/t83465/Bad-Machine.html), I got to looking online for more info on the PR System One humidifier settings, since I don't have my manual in front of me. (Clint and I both have the same system)

I found some info on cpap.com that seems contradictory.

In the link to the PR System One humidifier, https://www.cpap.com/productpage/3042, under Specs it shows this.

Heater Settings: 1 to 5 (104° to 158° F / 40° to 70° C)

System One Relative Humidity:
-Setting 1 = 80-90%
-Setting 2 = 70-80%
-Setting 3 = 60-70%
-Setting 4 = 50-60%
-Setting 5 = 40-50%

Yet, on the same page, when you go to Important Tips you see this.

Humidifier Modes PR System One Heated Humidifiers Version 1.22 or higher have two modes:

-Classic
-System One Humidification

NOTE: The version of software installed on a machine is displayed on the screen when the unit is plugged into an outlet. The Humidification settings are displayed only when a PR System One Heated Humidifier is attached to the machine.

Classic Mode
The CPAP user who wants to control the heat setting on the humidifier should select "Classic" mode settings C1,C2, C3, C4 or C5. The "C" in front of the humidification setting indicates "Classic". This allows you to set the level of humidification.

System One Humidification Mode
The CPAP User who wants to allow the technology of the System One Humidification to set the level of humidification delivered based on the humidity present in the room air should select "System One Humidification". The humidification setting will show 1 - 5 but WITHOUT a "C" preceding the number.

Heating Off
-If set to zero “0”, the humidifier will act as a Passover Humidifier.

Accessing Humidification Settings:

Humidifier must be attached to the machine
-Access the Set Up menu
-Scroll down the menu offerings to locate: "System One Humidification"
-If set to "On", the technology will set the amount of humidification delivered to the system based on the setting of 1 -5 with 1 being the least and 5 being the most
-If set to "Off", the user controls the heat setting based on C1-C5 with C1 being the lowest heat and C5 being the highest heat.



So the question is, when using System One Humidification, what setting provides the highest level of humidification?

5

lazer wrote:5

Then what is this about?

Heater Settings: 1 to 5 (104° to 158° F / 40° to 70° C)

System One Relative Humidity:
-Setting 1 = 80-90%
-Setting 2 = 70-80%
-Setting 3 = 60-70%
-Setting 4 = 50-60%
-Setting 5 = 40-50%

Conrad wrote:

lazer wrote:5

Then what is this about?

Heater Settings: 1 to 5 (104° to 158° F / 40° to 70° C)

System One Relative Humidity:
-Setting 1 = 80-90%
-Setting 2 = 70-80%
-Setting 3 = 60-70%
-Setting 4 = 50-60%
-Setting 5 = 40-50%

I'm not sure what that part exactly reflects, I'm just going by first hand experience with the machine, what the DME showed me, and what other members here on the board have said in the past. Maybe those settings are suggested for actual "room humidity" conditions, thus you would want more (higher) humidity per the lower % shown. I honestly don't know beyond that

Conrad wrote:System One Relative Humidity:
-Setting 1 = 80-90%
-Setting 2 = 70-80%
-Setting 3 = 60-70%
-Setting 4 = 50-60%
-Setting 5 = 40-50%

I believe that these % are pertaining to the ambient relative humidity in the room.

If you lived where the relative humidity was say 80 to 90 % most of the time you would probably want to use a setting of 1 which delivers the least amount of added moisture. Don't need much more (if any) because the room air is already loaded.

Conversely if you lived somewhere with relative humidity much less you would want to add more moisture with a higher setting.

The higher numbers definitely produce more added moisture though. It is that way whether you use the Classic mode (old fashioned heat only without using the room humidity sensors) or the new way that includes the use of the ambient room humidity sensors.

lazer wrote:

Conrad wrote:

lazer wrote:5

Then what is this about?

Heater Settings: 1 to 5 (104° to 158° F / 40° to 70° C)

System One Relative Humidity:
-Setting 1 = 80-90%
-Setting 2 = 70-80%
-Setting 3 = 60-70%
-Setting 4 = 50-60%
-Setting 5 = 40-50%

I'm not sure what that part exactly reflects, I'm just going by first hand experience with the machine, what the DME showed me, and what other members here on the board have said in the past. Maybe those settings are suggested for actual "room humidity" conditions, thus you would want more (higher) humidity per the lower % shown. I honestly don't know beyond that

Well if you have first hand experience with the System One Humidification Mode and say that the higher numbers offer higher levels of humidity (which makes sense), that's good enough for me. Thanks.

I've been using the 'Classic' mode, which is what the DME setup, so I didn't know what was what with the System One Humidification Mode. Now I see that this mode takes the room's humidity into account I think that I'll give that mode a try.

A minor "warning" about using the System One new humidification system.
It will use less heat and less water and still yet maintain a fairly stable delivered humidity level.
In Classic mode my nasal mucosa were happy with a setting of 3 but using the new mode my nasal mucosa wanted a little more.
Not a big deal BUT in winter time if you like a really cold bedroom (I like 50 degrees) the new mode doesn't deliver as much heat and the air going to the nose can seem down right cold. I call it "ice cube nose". Not very pleasant. For this reason some people prefer Classic mode in the winter and the new mode in the summer when room air temps are warmer and we don't want really warm feeling air going up our nose.

So if your nose starts getting cold in the new mode...and max setting with a hose cozy still gave me ice cube nose...you may want to re-evaluate things.

Pugsy wrote:A minor "warning" about using the System One new humidification system.
It will use less heat and less water and still yet maintain a fairly stable delivered humidity level.
In Classic mode my nasal mucosa were happy with a setting of 3 but using the new mode my nasal mucosa wanted a little more.
Not a big deal BUT in winter time if you like a really cold bedroom (I like 50 degrees) the new mode doesn't deliver as much heat and the air going to the nose can seem down right cold. I call it "ice cube nose". Not very pleasant. For this reason some people prefer Classic mode in the winter and the new mode in the summer when room air temps are warmer and we don't want really warm feeling air going up our nose.

So if your nose starts getting cold in the new mode...and max setting with a hose cozy still gave me ice cube nose...you may want to re-evaluate things.

What the nasal mucosa wants the nasal mucosa gets!

I've been using a setting of 2 in Classic mode and that seems to be ok for now. I do like a colder bedroom, as does my wife, so that's a good thing. I'll do a lil experimenting and see how it works out for me.

Thanks Pugsy and Lazer.

You're welcome Conrad and Pugsy definitely explained it much better than I could.

I'm still at a mix between the "Classic" and "System One" modes myself. I don't believe I have ever toyed with changing anything between them but looking forward to it soon hopefully as it seems I am getting an "official" Insurance covered machine issued to me tomorrow finally..

lazer wrote:...looking forward to it soon hopefully as it seems I am getting an "official" Insurance covered machine issued to me tomorrow finally..

Excellent Lazer! That has to be a huge weight off of your shoulders to be getting your own machine finally. That deserves a round of...

2 B Sleeping Soundly wrote:

lazer wrote:...looking forward to it soon hopefully as it seems I am getting an "official" Insurance covered machine issued to me tomorrow finally..

Excellent Lazer! That has to be a huge weight off of your shoulders to be getting your own machine finally. That deserves a round of...

Sure is and it's accomplished! viewtopic/t83510/Finally-my-insurance-is-kicked-in.html



Oh on a side note: When I was at the DME this morning getting issued my new PR System One Auto Model 550P, We were going through the "Patient" settings and there was a setting called "System One Humidification" or something to that nature in with the Cflex, ect... I asked her about this and brought up that I heard there was a "Classic" and "System One" mode and she had never heard of that and just advised me that if I toggled the "System One Humidification" to OFF, that would totally turn off the humidifier. I'm not sure if she was correct on this or not Would that not be were you would default it to the "Classic" mode by having that "Off"

lazer wrote: I asked her about this and brought up that I heard there was a "Classic" and "System One" mode and she had never heard of that and just advised me that if I toggled the "System One Humidification" to OFF, that would totally turn off the humidifier. I'm not sure if she was correct on this or not Would that not be were you would default it to the "Classic" mode by having that "Off"

She is not correct. Turning the System One Humidification to "off" in the clinical menu simply reverts the humidifier to the Classic mode with heat only. To turn it off completely one just turns the humidifier setting to 0 in either mode.

lazer wrote:

Oh on a side note: When I was at the DME this morning getting issued my new PR System One Auto Model 550P, We were going through the "Patient" settings and there was a setting called "System One Humidification" or something to that nature in with the Cflex, ect... I asked her about this and brought up that I heard there was a "Classic" and "System One" mode and she had never heard of that and just advised me that if I toggled the "System One Humidification" to OFF, that would totally turn off the humidifier. I'm not sure if she was correct on this or not Would that not be were you would default it to the "Classic" mode by having that "Off"

The way the text below reads, this would appear to be the case.

Accessing Humidification Settings:

Humidifier must be attached to the machine
-Access the Set Up menu
-Scroll down the menu offerings to locate: "System One Humidification"
-If set to "On", the technology will set the amount of humidification delivered to the system based on the setting of 1 -5 with 1 being the least and 5 being the most
-If set to "Off", the user controls the heat setting based on C1-C5 with C1 being the lowest heat and C5 being the highest heat.

Scarey when supplier doesn't know their equipment isn't it?
Such a simple little detail. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to read the manual.

Pugsy wrote:

lazer wrote: I asked her about this and brought up that I heard there was a "Classic" and "System One" mode and she had never heard of that and just advised me that if I toggled the "System One Humidification" to OFF, that would totally turn off the humidifier. I'm not sure if she was correct on this or not Would that not be were you would default it to the "Classic" mode by having that "Off"

She is not correct. Turning the System One Humidification to "off" in the clinical menu simply reverts the humidifier to the Classic mode with heat only. To turn it off completely one just turns the humidifier setting to 0 in either mode.

Thanks for clearing that up. I sorta thought that was the answer already but as you know, you can't tell the DME anything if their mind is set one way.