New Remstar Pro
Question:
"Dennis White" <dennyb…@attbi.com> wrote: >Monday I went to pick up a >new machine at the respiratory supply house and was given a Respironics >Remstar Pro (again, with the heated humidifier). I had recently been >re-titrated down to 16 and this was the first opportunity for a technician >to make that change for me. The technician found that the machine did not >calibrate correctly, and set it to 13. Her water gauge read it at 16…the >machine read 13. Is this a normal problem with Remstar?
No, and I’d have demanded another machine. She may have compensated for the inaccuracy at the time, but you can’t know that the error’s consistent. >Aside from this one problem, I like the Remstar allot.
The Pro’s been very favorably reviewed here. My only reservation is that the optional heated humidifier can’t be run from most DC to AC converters. Tom
Response:
In one sleep study i had, they used a murcury swtich to determin what position i was sleeping in! — Beth in Australia Ha! Mercury-fobia again… Yes, we used to play in chemistry class with Hg, rolling drops over the floor etc. Did we know. Only reason we did not drink it at the time is we could not catch it… However, in electronic marcury switches it is encapsulated in glass and produces great high current switching capabilities for heaters with NO OPEN FIRE ARCS as standard switches and relays would. Test: flick an ordinary switch on an electric heater in the dark and see what happens… Would you prefer those next to your bed? And when you smoke in bed, never use matches but a safe gas lighter 
) Maria – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Paul R wrote: > "Tom Devlin" <tomdev…@ameritech.net> wrote in message > news:ak5uiukcg4p1cc3ktho0takafn5ii347ve@4ax.com… > > "Paul R" <nos…@nospam.please> wrote: > > >> The heater control’s basically a lamp dimmer. It works fine with > > >I guess you could use things like chopper circuits, but I can’t for > > >the life of think why you’d do something like that when a simple, > > >non-proportional thermostat would work just as well. Without > > >doing the math on it (who’s lazy? me?) I’d think a one or two > > >degree temperature float wouldn’t cause all that much problem. > > It wouldn’t cause any problems at all. Most of the current heated > > humidifiers are open loop, with no temperature sensing, so the > > temperature at a given setting will vary with the ambient air > > temperature. > > >Then again, I’m always surprised by engineering that makes a > > >sophisticated circuit cheaper than a mechanical contact. Makes > > >sense when you think about it, but it’s just *wrong* somehow. <g>. > > The first F&P’s used a mechanical thermostat, one fellow said that his > > made a "click" when it cycled. Maybe that bothered some people? > > Tom > I suppose. And mercury switches are EVIL! and NOT TO BE USED! > Ah well. Maybe I wear a nose-hose because I used to play with > a small puddle of Hg when I was a kid. (But somehow, I doubt it). > Paul R
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Tom Devlin wrote: > NormC <no…@socal.rr.com> wrote: > >> The first F&P’s used a mechanical thermostat, one fellow said that his > >> made a "click" when it cycled. Maybe that bothered some people? > >Are you suggesing that the newer ones don’t <g>? I have often noted that my HC200 > >makes a ’sound’ (click?), with the ramp turned off, just as I am about to fall > >asleep. It has always been my guess that the sound indicated something was > >happening at the time. Since the ramp was off, figured it was the thermostat. > Do you hear the same sound when you increase or decrease the > temperature? I thought that all recent F&P humidifiers had solid > state switching, maybe that’s not true of the blowers? > Tom
I’ll try to remember to give it a check.
Response:
NormC <no…@socal.rr.com> wrote: >> The first F&P’s used a mechanical thermostat, one fellow said that his >> made a "click" when it cycled. Maybe that bothered some people? >Are you suggesing that the newer ones don’t <g>? I have often noted that my HC200 >makes a ’sound’ (click?), with the ramp turned off, just as I am about to fall >asleep. It has always been my guess that the sound indicated something was >happening at the time. Since the ramp was off, figured it was the thermostat.
Do you hear the same sound when you increase or decrease the temperature? I thought that all recent F&P humidifiers had solid state switching, maybe that’s not true of the blowers? Tom
Response:
Paul R <nos…@nospam.please> wrote: > I guess you could use things like chopper circuits, but I can’t for > the life of think why you’d do something like that when a simple, > non-proportional thermostat would work just as well. Without > doing the math on it (who’s lazy? me?) I’d think a one or two > degree temperature float wouldn’t cause all that much problem.
If you mean a mechanical bi-metalic thermostat, the reliability of the contacts when switching a load such as a heating element is not good. > Then again, I’m always surprised by engineering that makes a > sophisticated circuit cheaper than a mechanical contact. Makes > sense when you think about it, but it’s just *wrong* somehow. <g>.
Mechanical complexity is expensive, in chips, the cost is in the engineering as the chips are very inexpensive to produce and do not scale linearly with added complexity. In fact some early IC’s got so inexpensive that the manufacturers quit making them. The LM707 op amp got so replaced by the more expensive LM747, but the 747 got so inexpensive that there was no market for the 707! Ross Bernheim
Response:
Dennis White <dennyb…@attbi.com> wrote: > Anybody have > comments on the Remstar? I know it’s a very popular machine
I’ve had a Remstar Plus since the first of the year. Like it a lot. As to the discrepency of the pressure readings, did the technician take into account the exhaust port when doing the comparison? Have you bought or sewn an insulating cover for the hose? If not, do so as it helps immensely with condensation problems. Ross Bernheim Vulcan aerobics, "Live long and perspire."
Response:
> I suppose. And mercury switches are EVIL! and NOT TO BE USED! > Ah well. Maybe I wear a nose-hose because I used to play with > a small puddle of Hg when I was a kid. (But somehow, I doubt it).
In one sleep study i had, they used a murcury swtich to determin what position i was sleeping in! — Beth in Australia =================== FAQ for alt.support.sleep-disorder can be found here http://www.anchorweb.com.au/sleepdisorders this site is a work in progress – feel free to submit info/articles
Response:
"Tom Devlin" <tomdev…@ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:ak5uiukcg4p1cc3ktho0takafn5ii347ve@4ax.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> "Paul R" <nos…@nospam.please> wrote: > >> The heater control’s basically a lamp dimmer. It works fine with > >I guess you could use things like chopper circuits, but I can’t for > >the life of think why you’d do something like that when a simple, > >non-proportional thermostat would work just as well. Without > >doing the math on it (who’s lazy? me?) I’d think a one or two > >degree temperature float wouldn’t cause all that much problem. > It wouldn’t cause any problems at all. Most of the current heated > humidifiers are open loop, with no temperature sensing, so the > temperature at a given setting will vary with the ambient air > temperature. > >Then again, I’m always surprised by engineering that makes a > >sophisticated circuit cheaper than a mechanical contact. Makes > >sense when you think about it, but it’s just *wrong* somehow. <g>. > The first F&P’s used a mechanical thermostat, one fellow said that his > made a "click" when it cycled. Maybe that bothered some people? > Tom
I suppose. And mercury switches are EVIL! and NOT TO BE USED! Ah well. Maybe I wear a nose-hose because I used to play with a small puddle of Hg when I was a kid. (But somehow, I doubt it). Paul R
Response:
"Tom Devlin" <tomdev…@ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:n7kriuslfefgfthn4pul5eeto934a6r4e2@4ax.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> "Paul R" <nos…@nospam.please> wrote: > >> You can still go camping, the blower portion runs fine on 12VDC, but > >> the humidifier won’t be heated. The humidifier problem’s mostly > >> important for people who want seamless battery backup, they’ll need a > >> True Sinewave inverter, and those tend to be more expensive than the > >> common Stepped Sinewave type. > >I’ve heard this many times, but I’ve never understood it. Isn’t the > >heater just a resistance heater with a thermostat? (in which case > >wave-shape shouldn’t matter), or are they using something like > >induction controlled by a thermistor? > The heater control’s basically a lamp dimmer. It works fine with > reasonably clean AC, but the voltage "steps" in the output of most > inexpensive inverters confuse it and (I assume) cause it to turn on > almost 100% of the time. This causes overheating, and either trips an > internal thermal overload or blows out a part, I don’t know which. > F&P solved the problem some time ago, recent units (check the serial > number with F&P) work fine on common inverters. It’s disappointing > that Respironics didn’t do a little reverse engineering before > releasing the Pro, it looks like a very good machine in all other > respects. > Tom
I guess you could use things like chopper circuits, but I can’t for the life of think why you’d do something like that when a simple, non-proportional thermostat would work just as well. Without doing the math on it (who’s lazy? me?) I’d think a one or two degree temperature float wouldn’t cause all that much problem. Then again, I’m always surprised by engineering that makes a sophisticated circuit cheaper than a mechanical contact. Makes sense when you think about it, but it’s just *wrong* somehow. <g>. Paul R
Response:
"Paul R" <nos…@nospam.please> wrote: >> The heater control’s basically a lamp dimmer. It works fine with >I guess you could use things like chopper circuits, but I can’t for >the life of think why you’d do something like that when a simple, >non-proportional thermostat would work just as well. Without >doing the math on it (who’s lazy? me?) I’d think a one or two >degree temperature float wouldn’t cause all that much problem.
It wouldn’t cause any problems at all. Most of the current heated humidifiers are open loop, with no temperature sensing, so the temperature at a given setting will vary with the ambient air temperature. >Then again, I’m always surprised by engineering that makes a >sophisticated circuit cheaper than a mechanical contact. Makes >sense when you think about it, but it’s just *wrong* somehow. <g>.
The first F&P’s used a mechanical thermostat, one fellow said that his made a "click" when it cycled. Maybe that bothered some people? Tom
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Tom Devlin wrote: > "Paul R" <nos…@nospam.please> wrote: > >> The heater control’s basically a lamp dimmer. It works fine with > >I guess you could use things like chopper circuits, but I can’t for > >the life of think why you’d do something like that when a simple, > >non-proportional thermostat would work just as well. Without > >doing the math on it (who’s lazy? me?) I’d think a one or two > >degree temperature float wouldn’t cause all that much problem. > It wouldn’t cause any problems at all. Most of the current heated > humidifiers are open loop, with no temperature sensing, so the > temperature at a given setting will vary with the ambient air > temperature. > >Then again, I’m always surprised by engineering that makes a > >sophisticated circuit cheaper than a mechanical contact. Makes > >sense when you think about it, but it’s just *wrong* somehow. <g>. > The first F&P’s used a mechanical thermostat, one fellow said that his > made a "click" when it cycled. Maybe that bothered some people?
Are you suggesing that the newer ones don’t <g>? I have often noted that my HC200 makes a ’sound’ (click?), with the ramp turned off, just as I am about to fall asleep. It has always been my guess that the sound indicated something was happening at the time. Since the ramp was off, figured it was the thermostat.
Response:
"Paul R" <nos…@nospam.please> wrote: >> You can still go camping, the blower portion runs fine on 12VDC, but >> the humidifier won’t be heated. The humidifier problem’s mostly >> important for people who want seamless battery backup, they’ll need a >> True Sinewave inverter, and those tend to be more expensive than the >> common Stepped Sinewave type. >I’ve heard this many times, but I’ve never understood it. Isn’t the >heater just a resistance heater with a thermostat? (in which case >wave-shape shouldn’t matter), or are they using something like >induction controlled by a thermistor?
The heater control’s basically a lamp dimmer. It works fine with reasonably clean AC, but the voltage "steps" in the output of most inexpensive inverters confuse it and (I assume) cause it to turn on almost 100% of the time. This causes overheating, and either trips an internal thermal overload or blows out a part, I don’t know which. F&P solved the problem some time ago, recent units (check the serial number with F&P) work fine on common inverters. It’s disappointing that Respironics didn’t do a little reverse engineering before releasing the Pro, it looks like a very good machine in all other respects. Tom
Response:
On Thu, 11 Jul 2002 01:27:45 GMT, "Paul R" <nos…@nospam.please> wrote: >I’ve heard this many times, but I’ve never understood it. Isn’t the >heater just a resistance heater with a thermostat? (in which case >wave-shape shouldn’t matter), or are they using something like >induction controlled by a thermistor?
IIRC, somebody said they use a triac. — NEWS FLASH: Pacifists declare jihad on war toys! 
Response:
"Tom Devlin" <tomdev…@ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:jm0piu00fe7b3cl28qgm8no956jgqi1kn8@4ax.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> "Dennis White" <dennyb…@attbi.com> wrote: > >> The Pro’s been very favorably reviewed here. My only reservation is > >> that the optional heated humidifier can’t be run from most DC to AC > >> converters. > >In practical concerns I assume you mean I won’t be going camping with my > >machine. > You can still go camping, the blower portion runs fine on 12VDC, but > the humidifier won’t be heated. The humidifier problem’s mostly > important for people who want seamless battery backup, they’ll need a > True Sinewave inverter, and those tend to be more expensive than the > common Stepped Sinewave type. > >Any idea if there is a problem converting to 220 volt or other > >international standards? > No, everything, including the humidifier, seems to work fine. > Tom
I’ve heard this many times, but I’ve never understood it. Isn’t the heater just a resistance heater with a thermostat? (in which case wave-shape shouldn’t matter), or are they using something like induction controlled by a thermistor? Paul R
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Dennis White wrote: > "Tom Devlin" <tomdev…@ameritech.net> wrote in message > news:r6hoiugs40cso5a694doquahuspctko4ic@4ax.com… > > The Pro’s been very favorably reviewed here. My only reservation is > > that the optional heated humidifier can’t be run from most DC to AC > > converters. > > Tom > In practical concerns I assume you mean I won’t be going camping with my > machine. Any idea if there is a problem converting to 220 volt or other > international standards? > Dennis
No, he means you won’t be using your humidifier while you’re camping, I think, unless you want to invest in an expensive true sine wave converter. Most machines will convert to 220, but check with one of the on-line CPAP sales outfits or on-line with the manufacturer.
Response:
"Tom Devlin" <tomdev…@ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:r6hoiugs40cso5a694doquahuspctko4ic@4ax.com… > The Pro’s been very favorably reviewed here. My only reservation is > that the optional heated humidifier can’t be run from most DC to AC > converters. > Tom
In practical concerns I assume you mean I won’t be going camping with my machine. Any idea if there is a problem converting to 220 volt or other international standards? Dennis
Response:
"Dennis White" <dennyb…@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:aWJW8.466159$cQ3.37846@sccrnsc01… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> "Lee Babcock" <leebabc…@pathcom.com> wrote in message > news:3D2B5A1E.87E3778@pathcom.com… > > Dennis…… did they know how to calibrate it properly. > You would think that they didn’t. > Look at your > > manual and if it is like mine, there will be a list near the back that > > shows the pressure decrease caused by various addons. i.e. I have a > > passover humidifier and that drops the pressure by .5 cm. The machine > > has to be overcalibrated to compensate for this as it is the pressure > > delivered at the mask that is important. > > Regards > > Lee in Toronto > I didn’t get a manual with it. Maybe it was an oversight. The technician > didn’t seem as knowledgable as the one’s where I used to go. Previously I > had all of my needs taken care of at Swedish Sleep Institute’s medical > supply. For insurance purposes they now sent me to an outside provider. > BTW, my machine is now UNDER calibrated…but the pressure feels about > right. > Dennis
Also check with your sleep lab. When they specified the "16", did they correct for the add-ons? Or not. If they didn’t, then so long as you use the same add-ons, you should use the same pressure. Paul R
Response:
"Dennis White" <dennyb…@attbi.com> wrote: >> The Pro’s been very favorably reviewed here. My only reservation is >> that the optional heated humidifier can’t be run from most DC to AC >> converters. >In practical concerns I assume you mean I won’t be going camping with my >machine.
You can still go camping, the blower portion runs fine on 12VDC, but the humidifier won’t be heated. The humidifier problem’s mostly important for people who want seamless battery backup, they’ll need a True Sinewave inverter, and those tend to be more expensive than the common Stepped Sinewave type. >Any idea if there is a problem converting to 220 volt or other >international standards?
No, everything, including the humidifier, seems to work fine. Tom
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Dennis White wrote: > "Lee Babcock" <leebabc…@pathcom.com> wrote in message > news:3D2B5A1E.87E3778@pathcom.com… > > Dennis…… did they know how to calibrate it properly. > You would think that they didn’t. > Look at your > > manual and if it is like mine, there will be a list near the back that > > shows the pressure decrease caused by various addons. i.e. I have a > > passover humidifier and that drops the pressure by .5 cm. The machine > > has to be overcalibrated to compensate for this as it is the pressure > > delivered at the mask that is important. > > Regards > > Lee in Toronto > I didn’t get a manual with it. Maybe it was an oversight. The technician > didn’t seem as knowledgable as the one’s where I used to go. Previously I > had all of my needs taken care of at Swedish Sleep Institute’s medical > supply. For insurance purposes they now sent me to an outside provider. > BTW, my machine is now UNDER calibrated…but the pressure feels about > right. > Dennis
Dennis….. you can download the manual in PDF format from their web site. Regards Lee in Toronto —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–== Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–
Response:
"Lee Babcock" <leebabc…@pathcom.com> wrote in message
news:3D2B5A1E.87E3778@pathcom.com… > Dennis…… did they know how to calibrate it properly.
You would think that they didn’t. Look at your > manual and if it is like mine, there will be a list near the back that > shows the pressure decrease caused by various addons. i.e. I have a > passover humidifier and that drops the pressure by .5 cm. The machine > has to be overcalibrated to compensate for this as it is the pressure > delivered at the mask that is important. > Regards > Lee in Toronto
I didn’t get a manual with it. Maybe it was an oversight. The technician didn’t seem as knowledgable as the one’s where I used to go. Previously I had all of my needs taken care of at Swedish Sleep Institute’s medical supply. For insurance purposes they now sent me to an outside provider. BTW, my machine is now UNDER calibrated…but the pressure feels about right. Dennis
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Dennis White wrote: > For the past two years I’ve been using a Fisher & Paykel HC200 series > (with heated humidifier) normally set at 18 or 19. Last week it died on me > and I had to spend the weekend without any CPAP. Monday I went to pick up a > new machine at the respiratory supply house and was given a Respironics > Remstar Pro (again, with the heated humidifier). I had recently been > re-titrated down to 16 and this was the first opportunity for a technician > to make that change for me. The technician found that the machine did not > calibrate correctly, and set it to 13. Her water gauge read it at 16…the > machine read 13. Is this a normal problem with Remstar? I’ll have it > rechecked on the 19th of July, but I’m wondering, because the machine I have > is a loaner. Aside from this one problem, I like the Remstar allot. Much > quieter than my old F&P and the reservoir can be taken apart for cleaning. > Not being able to really clean my old reservoir really annoyed me. I’m > prepared to buy it unless I come up against any really negative advice. > Even with CPAP I have a difficult time sleeping. Not a problem with > open mouth or mask or any of the equipment. But after sleeping with it last > night I think I did a bit better than normal. When I finally got to sleep > (went to bed at 10:45PM -got to sleep about 1:30 AM) I seem to have slept > continuously until about 7:00. That’s alot of sleep for me! Anybody have > comments on the Remstar? I know it’s a very popular machine. > Dennis
Dennis…… did they know how to calibrate it properly. Look at your manual and if it is like mine, there will be a list near the back that shows the pressure decrease caused by various addons. i.e. I have a passover humidifier and that drops the pressure by .5 cm. The machine has to be overcalibrated to compensate for this as it is the pressure delivered at the mask that is important. Regards Lee in Toronto —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–== Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–
Response:
For the past two years I’ve been using a Fisher & Paykel HC200 series (with heated humidifier) normally set at 18 or 19. Last week it died on me and I had to spend the weekend without any CPAP. Monday I went to pick up a new machine at the respiratory supply house and was given a Respironics Remstar Pro (again, with the heated humidifier). I had recently been re-titrated down to 16 and this was the first opportunity for a technician to make that change for me. The technician found that the machine did not calibrate correctly, and set it to 13. Her water gauge read it at 16…the machine read 13. Is this a normal problem with Remstar? I’ll have it rechecked on the 19th of July, but I’m wondering, because the machine I have is a loaner. Aside from this one problem, I like the Remstar allot. Much quieter than my old F&P and the reservoir can be taken apart for cleaning. Not being able to really clean my old reservoir really annoyed me. I’m prepared to buy it unless I come up against any really negative advice. Even with CPAP I have a difficult time sleeping. Not a problem with open mouth or mask or any of the equipment. But after sleeping with it last night I think I did a bit better than normal. When I finally got to sleep (went to bed at 10:45PM -got to sleep about 1:30 AM) I seem to have slept continuously until about 7:00. That’s alot of sleep for me! Anybody have comments on the Remstar? I know it’s a very popular machine. Dennis
