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AutoPAP that travels well?
#1
AutoPAP that travels well?
My doc wants me on an autoPAP after 6 years on CPAP. Fine by me especially given all the favorable comments I see regarding autoPAPs. Question is, which one? ResMed, Respironics, DeVilbiss???
I'm not unhappy with the therapy part of my 6 yr old ResMed S8 Escape with humidifier. Pre-OSA I could fall asleep easily and sleep through most anything. Once I developed OSA the CPAP is required but I generally sleep well with only occasional humidifier issues. I'm also closing in on my pre-OSA weight so my requirements may be lessening. So while I'm looking forward to the upgrade in machines I don't think I'm a very demanding user. The one thing I don't like about my S8 is it doesn't travel remotely very well. Or at least not lightly as it takes a substantial battery to run just a couple of nights and it won't run the humidifier when powered via the ResMed DC converter. An inverter isn't recommended but I've used it that way. I've occasionally camped without the humidifier to get more nights service out of my battery source before having to recharge it but I get pretty uncomfortable after a couple of nights sans the humidification. So, since I'm getting a new unit I'd be interested in knowing which one peforms best off DC power. Which is the best camping companion? Anybody have experience with this?

Much appreciated,

MadtownMaxx
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#2
RE: AutoPAP that travels well?
Hi madtownmaxx,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I don't travel much at all but I would think my S9AutoSet would travel well.
Hang in there for other suggestions and best of luck.
trish6hundred
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#3
RE: AutoPAP that travels well?
Both the Resmed S9s and the Phillips-Respironics System One (PRS1) are compact units and come with their own travel case. Both also have battery kits available. They are both good machines with the main difference being what is and what is not displayed on the screen. Obtain the manuals (via this forum) and see which one clicks the best for you. There are other models with auto features. There's the Icon Auto.

There's a small, very lightweight CPAP called the Transcend. However, it is not cheap in my opinion. I was considering getting one for winter black outs but just cannot afford it.

Check out Supplier #2 in the Supplier's List. In their Accessories page, they have the battery unit and the connections needed. There's also several "camping" threads here that may help as well.

How to get the manuals:
http://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-pr...tup-manual

Supplier's List:
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...plier-List
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#4
RE: AutoPAP that travels well?
The DeVillbiss has a self-contained power supply and you can plug a 12 V battery directly into it without any kind of converter. The S9 is nice, and with the ResMed DC converter, uses less energy than the DeVillbiss. By the time you stack the power converter that the S9 needs next to it, you don't have much space savings over the DeVillbiss. Just say no to the inverter. I don't understand the fascination with those wasteful little contraptions. Would passive, not heated humidification be a help in remote/blackout scenarios? Much power savings. DeVillbiss does the passive humidification without any prompting. I don't think the ResMed will unless you set the temp way low?

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.... I have both. Would be pretty happy with either one on an exclusive basis. DeVillbiss costs much less. For travel, I would think the DeVillbiss may have the edge.

Note that the DeVillbiss, while it does have some native data reporting capabilities, is not as user-friendly in that way (it spits out a code you go online to enter and then it gives you some kind of report breakdown). You can buy an extra module for it I understand though. If that is a very important feature to you, as it is to some to the list, that may be a consideration. Again, I could do without most of the time - the novelty of viewing reported data has lost its allure - I've quit bothering to pull the card out of the S9 and download.

Cannot comment on the Respironics as I have not used it.

OMyMy
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#5
RE: AutoPAP that travels well?
I am not sure which would be best for you as I have little experience with a variety of machines.

I do wonder if you are having a new sleep study before you order a new machine.

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#6
RE: AutoPAP that travels well?
The humidifier on the S9s can be turned completely off and have the passive/passover humidification. That's what I do in the summer.

Anything that has to generate heat will demand more power.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#7
RE: AutoPAP that travels well?
(09-18-2013, 11:59 AM)PaulaO2 Wrote: The humidifier on the S9s can be turned completely off and have the passive/passover humidification. That's what I do in the summer.

Summer time temps in the house - AC is set on 78. S9 temp is set at 73, so I doubt the heater ever came on.

OMM
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#8
RE: AutoPAP that travels well?
(09-18-2013, 09:09 PM)OMyMyOHellYes Wrote: Summer time temps in the house - AC is set on 78. S9 temp is set at 73, so I doubt the heater ever came on.

OMM

Temp setting is for the temperature of the interior wall of the ClimateLine hose, not temp of humidifier. If the humidity of ambient air is low, the humidifier might still kick on - even though the Climateline would not turn on under those circumstances. If the air is dry, there is always a chance the H5i will kick on when Climate Control on Auto and a hose temp is set. When set to manual controls the humidity control is separate from ClimateLine temp control and can be turned off or on settings 1 through 6.

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#9
RE: AutoPAP that travels well?
Thanks for all the responses.

Being pointed towards the camping threads was helpful as are the links to manuals. These should help answer many of my questions. If I'd have caught there were camping threads I might've jumped right in there since that is my motivation.

I had what I thought was a good deep discharge battery that worked well a year ago but didn't work at all 10 months later having sat idle... not sure what happened there. Having confirmed that these newer units allow humidifiers to run off DC power but also allow passive/passover humidification is key and leaves me with mostly battery related questions.

OhMyMyOhHellYes: despite the ResMed w/ converter using less wattage you give the DeVilbiss the slight edge - can you expand upon that? It sounds like the DeVilbiss has a converter built-in (?) which would be handy if it's the case. One less item to account for.
Does your comparison include humidification 'on' at both machines? Paula02 says the S9 does allow passive/passover humidification. I'm assuming the DeVilbiss does as well (I need to dig into those manual links)?

jgjones1972: so both the humidifier heat and the hose heat can be turned off or on separately on the S9?

Paula02: I had eyeballed the Transcend in the last 6 months and investigating it was one reason I scheduled a follow up with my doc (I was overdue anyway). Sounds a bit noisy (user reviews-mask related?) and it's not a autoPAP so it probably won't be my main unit. However, what really caught my eye was the waterless humidification. I'd love be able to try that or get reliable feedback from users.....

trish6hundred: thanks for the welcome

me50: I'm following my docs orders so far.... I assume a sleep study will be ordered if indicated?

Thanks again all,

MadtownMaxx

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#10
RE: AutoPAP that travels well?
S9 machines require an inverter or the overpriced DC-DC converter for operation off of DC.

S8 machines work fine off of an inverter as long as you remove the humidifier. (The humidifier, not just the water tank.) Removed, not just turned off.

Anything will use more battery if it needs an inverter.

Respironics PRS1 machines work directly off of 12V DC. The humidifier works off of DC as well.

Anything will use a LOT more power with a heated humidifier than without.

Heated hoses also add to the DC power draw.

The PRS1 and S9 units have removable humidifiers that make them considerably smaller. However, consider the size of everything you have to carry. i.e. blower unit, power supply, hose, mask, battery, etc. when comparing units.

Be sure to have a checklist for travel to be sure you don't forget something.
Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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