(04-15-2022, 04:57 PM)mesenteria Wrote: The water does not get contaminated as you use it. So, no, you needn’t do more than to refill it when it nears empty.
@mesenteria, If you only meant topping it off after a nap, then no worries I agree with you.
I might have mistakenly inferred you meant this on an ongoing basis, which is what I am responding to.
The water does not get contaminated as you use it -- I used to think that, too.
Then one day someone (I think it might have been Opal Rose) pointed out that whatever miniscule (or bigger) contaminants might get into the water will naturally accumulate and become more concentrated over time if the tank is not emptied and rinsed every so often.
This makes sense to me since the CPAP machine humidifies by blowing outside air over the surface of the water.
I only use distilled water unless I run out, then tap water for a night or two until I get another bottle of distilled.
And in my experience unchanged water eventually gets gunky. Maybe it's dust particles that make it past the air filter (it's not a HEPA after all) eventually form little sheets of tissue in the tank. Also I think from heating and cooling the tank bottom every night, some orange-ish film seems to eventually show up. Guessing maybe mineral deposits from times I didn't use distilled or maybe even the tap water I use to clean it, who knows.
I don't clean the tank very often myself, but I do keep an eye on it and wipe it out with hydrogen peroxide and thoroughly rinse with tap water when I see gunk starting to accumulate. Then it's good for a few more weeks until it happens again.
Saldus Miegas