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[CPAP] Is it normal to hear a subtle whistle when the machine is working?
#1
Is it normal to hear a subtle whistle when the machine is working?
I've new to this treatment, so I'm still getting used to wearing a mask and sleeping next to a CPAP machine (A Resmed air sense 10 auto set) which makes a subtle sound (like a whistle). I wonder if that's normal considering it has a powerful fun in-built. It must surely make a sound - I guess!  

When I sleep I don't even realize the machine makes a sound, but my wife says she can hear my inhalation. Nothing to worry about, just a sound similar to Darth Vader's. 

Should your cpap produce any sound? What's your experience? 

Thanks in advance for your help.

Juan
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#2
RE: Is it normal to hear a subtle whistle when the machine is working?
The sound mine makes is minimal. I have a white noise machine running which masks most of it, along with masking some of the intermittent traffic outside my window.
                                                                                                                          
Note: I'm an epidemiologist, not a medical provider. 
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#3
RE: Is it normal to hear a subtle whistle when the machine is working?
I would agree with beej, a little white noise does do wonders.

Another thing you could check is to make sure your humidifier is correctly seated in the machine.  Sometimes, if you don't push it in 100% of the way it doesn't seal properly and can make a little more noise than usual.
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#4
RE: Is it normal to hear a subtle whistle when the machine is working?
The Airsense 10 has an all too common defect in what is called the pneumatic block.  These machines are replaced under warranty, and here is one of the more prominent examples of what it sounds like.  If your problem is anything like this, just tell your DME you got one of the lemons.



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#5
RE: Is it normal to hear a subtle whistle when the machine is working?
Sounds like the CPAP is snoring! Laugh-a-lot
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#6
RE: Is it normal to hear a subtle whistle when the machine is working?
Hi juanjo,

Yeah, if it sounds like THAT, and if is under warranty, do, exchange it.
trish6hundred
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#7
RE: Is it normal to hear a subtle whistle when the machine is working?
"Darth vader" inhaling noise is very common on the Resmed Airsense 10 machine, and is made worse by the humidifier, particularly when it's not full.
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#8
RE: Is it normal to hear a subtle whistle when the machine is working?
I have an airsense 10. Fortunately it is very quite.
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#9
RE: Is it normal to hear a subtle whistle when the machine is working?
Got my Air Sense 10 about a week ago.  It whistles when its on and gets a little louder when I take a breath.  I took it back to my provider this morning and was told they all do that and it was the seal in my humidifier tank.  The tech then proceeded to reseat the tank and the seal inside the tank and the noise really diminished.

Of course when I got it home, reassembled everything and put my mask on the noise was back.  I agree with some others that the bedroom is much quieter than the office and as such I'm more sensitive there than in a room full of people also working on their CPAP machines.

The tech told me that if I didn't want or didn't need the humidifier then I could purchase the side panel and do away with the humidifier.  I just placed an order at an online CPAP supplier to get the panel.  Ought to have that in a day or two.

In the meanwhile I've seen one or two posts saying they'd tried soaking the seal inside the tank to expand it and give a better seal.  I'm going to try that tonight.  My wife doesn't hear the whistle but I'm afraid that I'm a little more sensitive on this one.  Besides, the engineer in me wants to try and solve the problem for those times when I want to pop off the side cover and use the humidifier. 

It's a real shame that ResMed doesn't have a fix for this problem. I was really resistant to go to a CPAP machine but when I tried a loaner Air Sense 10 with the side panel and no humidifier I took to it like a duck to water and was getting a great night's sleep for the first time in a while.  This whistling is really souring me to the whole CPAP thing.
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#10
RE: Is it normal to hear a subtle whistle when the machine is working?
(02-21-2017, 04:10 PM)SithLord Wrote: Got my Air Sense 10 about a week ago.  It whistles when its on and gets a little louder when I take a breath.  I took it back to my provider this morning and was told they all do that and it was the seal in my humidifier tank.  The tech then proceeded to reseat the tank and the seal inside the tank and the noise really diminished.

Of course when I got it home, reassembled everything and put my mask on the noise was back.  I agree with some others that the bedroom is much quieter than the office and as such I'm more sensitive there than in a room full of people also working on their CPAP machines.

The tech told me that if I didn't want or didn't need the humidifier then I could purchase the side panel and do away with the humidifier.  I just placed an order at an online CPAP supplier to get the panel.  Ought to have that in a day or two.

In the meanwhile I've seen one or two posts saying they'd tried soaking the seal inside the tank to expand it and give a better seal.  I'm going to try that tonight.  My wife doesn't hear the whistle but I'm afraid that I'm a little more sensitive on this one.  Besides, the engineer in me wants to try and solve the problem for those times when I want to pop off the side cover and use the humidifier. 

It's a real shame that ResMed doesn't have a fix for this problem. I was really resistant to go to a CPAP machine but when I tried a loaner Air Sense 10 with the side panel and no humidifier I took to it like a duck to water and was getting a great night's sleep for the first time in a while.  This whistling is really souring me to the whole CPAP thing.

My Airsense 10 Auto is back with Resmed for the same problems as posted. It seems as though one fixed problem creates another. However it is under warranty and I will just keep at them to provide me with an acceptable machine. I too am very conscious of slight noises at night and we do have a very quiet room.  My wife sleeps like a log though and doesn't hear a thing. Oh-jeez

James
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