The HDM Z1

[brbo]

Okay - I'm ready to chirp in,,,

I got my Z1 yesterday with 2 batteries....by no means a veteran with it

Noise - it's not that bad at all - not sure why the complaints - unless you strap it 12" or less next to your ears - I didn't even hear it last night at all..3 feet away at ear level - but apples to apples compared to with S9 10%-15% louder - and yet I didn't hear it and was pretty much muted from the exhaust from my mask...

I have a ResMed Auto S9 for about 3 years - truly an amazing machine and I'd guess pretty much not fair to measure against a small portable unit like the Z1.. now the one thing I was concerned about was auto function and comments on this thread about it because that is a real issue - till the updated software comes fingers crossed - I set the ramp to the minimum 4cm at 15 minute intervals...because 12cm out of the gate is nearly impossible for me to breath... I was shocked and didn't realize what that much pressure was due to auto S9 never forces that kind of pressure at you ever - till I tried Z1 without ramp WOW - cant imagine that I need that much pressure at night but I do I guess....

I was very surprised it took only a couple minutes max or less to get use to the bit higher than auto start up pressure of the S9, from the Ramp at 4/cm - I fell asleep in about 10 minutes and never noticed a thing till i got up in the morning and I did not have one issue all night... thought about it in the morning and was very impressed that it was no issue to accustom myself to the new machine

Battery - no comments - had it plugged in - other than took a full 8hrs to charge 1st battery first time out of package...

Complaints - the powering on and off - I was like what ?? Okay - pet peeve since I have never had to do that but not a major deal breaker, and sadly the neoprene cover on unit was not centered when glued into place - so the display is covered by about 1/8" of neoprene... If you are reading this and saying Really ?? Exactly such small complaints after I was petrified finding this Thread AFTER I ordered the Z1,,,,

If auto function comes out - this thing will rock out !!! ****Providing battery lasts all night !!!

Don't be so worried from all the nay say.... I'm in no way affiliated to anyone of anything just an honest Joe with bad apnea that is happy with his new machine after day 1 !!!!!

brbo

PS I don't use humidifier on S9 or heated line after the first week that I realized I can stop using it...but live pretty near rain forest..

[johnnyashe]

OK here's one for you. I am a railroad contractor who travels most extensively around the east half of the country, at present. I am also a WWII reenactor, who reluctantly can't participate in any overnight events due to needing a CPAP. I currently have a S9 and, while it gets me by for work, there is no way for me to pursue my hobby with it. I'm looking for something portable (and battery powered for a 2 night weekend, on a pressure of 11cm) and that won't get me dirty looks from TSA every time I have to fly for work. I'm not too concerned about the noise issues I've read about, as I used to sleep with airplanes landing on my head every 90 seconds while I was in the Navy. I'm just concerned that I won't get the therapy I need and won't be able to continue the hobby I love so much. I would appreciate any advice.

Just some random babbling....

The S9 without the humidifier is pretty compact, for batteries you could either go hi-tech: http://www.thebatterygeeks.com/SearchRes...mit=search

Or get the resmed 12V DC to CPAP converter and get a low-tech AGM type battery that could be recharged during the day to make it thru the second night. One of the portable car-jump batteries might be good. Most have a 12V cigarette lighter plug to run the Resmed converter.

Resmed has some good tips on their site:

http://www.resmed.com/us/service_and_sup...ravel.html

http://www.resmed.com/us/assets/document...lo_eng.pdf

---

The humidifier is nice to have in dry climates, but is bulky and also draws considerable power...

Has anybody tried one of these as a no-power travel substitute?

Human Design Medical - Part Number: HD60-2100 costs about $5 ... google it and you can find a picture...

I've used the HDM HME and it works, sort of... I live in the desert and need a humidifier. This isn't a replacement for a humidifier but it's better than nothing.

A note on the HME, it was originally approved as a single use device (one night only) but has recently received FDA approval for 5 nights. I clean mine by running hot, soapy water through it and reuse it. The folks at HDM (and the FDA) might frown upon this practice - but it's my 5 bucks

[NCZzzz]

Thanks Johnny!

I'll pick up a couple of them! I'll assume a little risk on reuse - rinse with soapy water, vinegar, Clorox or whatever I have around!

I was in Colorado last summer on motorcycle trip and the humidifier was edged out of the packing list due to space constraints. The high altitude and low humidity were a bit of a sticking point, but I did OK.
If this thing helps even a bit it would be worth the $5 for sure, kinda makes me wonder why they didn't make the sponge element a bit larger ...

[stephenmoore1]

We live in a world of trade-offs and the HME is designed for your convenience when traveling. In most clinical circles it is believed that heated water base humidification will provide more humidity, however lugging around a CPAP with a 400 ml water chamber is bulky. The HDM HME has a large surface area when compared to most and this enables it to perform better than smaller HMEs.

We had an independent laboratory test the HME for 7 days and it was performing well and killing off bacteria up to that point. Therefore we are putting a 7 day change out on the HME label once we exhaust current inventory. What his means is that you may use it for up to 7 days, however if it fails to deliver adequate moisture at any time during that period you should replace it.

I would not recommend rinsing out the HME in water as it has properties within that enable it to trap moisture from your exhalation and give it back when you inhale. If you rinse the HME in hot water you may lessen it's ability to provide moisture.

OK here's one for you. I am a railroad contractor who travels most extensively around the east half of the country, at present. I am also a WWII reenactor, who reluctantly can't participate in any overnight events due to needing a CPAP. I currently have a S9 and, while it gets me by for work, there is no way for me to pursue my hobby with it. I'm looking for something portable (and battery powered for a 2 night weekend, on a pressure of 11cm) and that won't get me dirty looks from TSA every time I have to fly for work. I'm not too concerned about the noise issues I've read about, as I used to sleep with airplanes landing on my head every 90 seconds while I was in the Navy. I'm just concerned that I won't get the therapy I need and won't be able to continue the hobby I love so much. I would appreciate any advice.

Just some random babbling....

The S9 without the humidifier is pretty compact, for batteries you could either go hi-tech: http://www.thebatterygeeks.com/SearchRes...mit=search

Or get the resmed 12V DC to CPAP converter and get a low-tech AGM type battery that could be recharged during the day to make it thru the second night. One of the portable car-jump batteries might be good. Most have a 12V cigarette lighter plug to run the Resmed converter.

Resmed has some good tips on their site:

http://www.resmed.com/us/service_and_sup...ravel.html

http://www.resmed.com/us/assets/document...lo_eng.pdf

---

The humidifier is nice to have in dry climates, but is bulky and also draws considerable power...

Has anybody tried one of these as a no-power travel substitute?

Human Design Medical - Part Number: HD60-2100 costs about $5 ... google it and you can find a picture...

I've used the HDM HME and it works, sort of... I live in the desert and need a humidifier. This isn't a replacement for a humidifier but it's better than nothing.

A note on the HME, it was originally approved as a single use device (one night only) but has recently received FDA approval for 5 nights. I clean mine by running hot, soapy water through it and reuse it. The folks at HDM (and the FDA) might frown upon this practice - but it's my 5 bucks

[DaveP]

We live in a world of trade-offs and the HME is designed for your convenience when traveling. In most clinical circles it is believed that heated water base humidification will provide more humidity, however lugging around a CPAP with a 400 ml water chamber is bulky. The HDM HME has a large surface area when compared to most and this enables it to perform better than smaller HMEs.

Dear Mr Moore, (and all of you cpap manufacturers out there!)

I think there is a gap between the Z1's purpose and the user expectations... I can attest about mine.

I cannot afford having 2 cpaps at the same time, since I pay them out of my own pocket. Therefore, the Z1 would be the one I use every day.

So, a quiet unit with battery backup and a humidifier would cover all my basic needs. I haven't been in many power loss situations but I'd sleep much better (pun intended) if I could have a battery backup.

I also like the fact that the Z1 is small and portable as I travel quite a bit, but mostly by car, it's not as high on my list.

So a quiet Z1, with optional humidifier, and easy-breathe functionality, would be about ideal. I would use the HME when traveling and leave the humidifier home.

As far as noise goes, the unit itself is definitely quiet, but the noise comes from the mask-end, exactly like a central vac system... You may not hear the motor, but the fan noise is transmitted all the way to the mask. The mask is silent when it's hooked up on my other CPAP.


Thanks for reading!

[brbo]

To follow up from my original post.. a few nights at home 120v - no issues worked well - mask exhaust is louder than home machine however this does not bother me at all so happy happy happy...

On the road decided to go with Li-ion Battery packs only - works exactly the same as 120v no issues or problems... tested packs at 11 hours each at 10cm starting by ramp... so almost made two nights 6hrs each night for me... both batteries were first use first charge...

Okay - I'm ready to chirp in,,,

[mchad]

To follow up from my original post.. a few nights at home 120v - no issues worked well - mask exhaust is louder than home machine however this does not bother me at all so happy happy happy...

On the road decided to go with Li-ion Battery packs only - works exactly the same as 120v no issues or problems... tested packs at 11 hours each at 10cm starting by ramp... so almost made two nights 6hrs each night for me... both batteries were first use first charge...

Okay - I'm ready to chirp in,,,

I really wish I could get used to the z-breath functionality. I have lowered the pressure to 12 (my average on my S9 Auto) and on the 2 setting I am still unable to sleep comfortably with the unit. When I exhale, I feel high pressure in my ears and they also often pop. Not conducive to sound sleep. The sound of the machine doesn't bother me at all, but the exhale pressure is intolerable. I have tried my usual nasal pillows, my regular Mirage FX and even a fill face (my go to for those stuffed-nose sick nights) all with the same problem. I'm very disappointed, considering the money I spent out of pocket, and the fact that I am back to carrying my devilbiss auto when travelling. I really thought this would be the Holy Grail for travelling.

[bill-e]

I purchased the Z1 Unplugged the week before last and I took the Z1 without the battery pack on a business trip last week.

1. It's great for travel and getting through TSA...I didn't even take it out of my backpack.
2. It is louder than my REMstar but does not bother either me or my wife. But while on battery is is more quiet. It seems to be louder when you first start it up as a number times I woke up and didn't hear it running.
3. I am still getting used to Z-Breath but I'm sleeping fine. C-Flex seems to make exhale feel like I'm not wearing a mask, not so with Z-Breath, feel more pressure on exhale however if I wake up or when I wake up in the morning, either the Z1 or myself has adjusted because it feels fine.
4. The HME works great. I got 4 nights out of it in Charleston SC, one night in New Hampshire. The 6th night and my nose was dry. So for me it was good for 5 nights storing it in a zip-lock bag when not in use.
7. It definitely does not put out as much air (cfm) as my REMstar and because of that I'm not sure how well it is working. I mean I'm sleeping and feeling fine but if I assume that my REMstar is working properly then I think there's a lot more pressure in my airway with that then the Z1.
8. When I returned from my trip the battery, which when I left was half full, was dead. It recharged fine but I don't think that should act that way.
9. The Windows software is useless at this point with just the Leak graph implemented.
10. I'd like to see an inexpensive padded case for the Z1 and an opening in the Caddy so that the USB can be connected when the Z1 is on battery.

I left a comment on HDM's support page, we'll see how they answer.

[bill-e]

We live in a world of trade-offs and the HME is designed for your convenience when traveling. In most clinical circles it is believed that heated water base humidification will provide more humidity, however lugging around a CPAP with a 400 ml water chamber is bulky. The HDM HME has a large surface area when compared to most and this enables it to perform better than smaller HMEs.

We had an independent laboratory test the HME for 7 days and it was performing well and killing off bacteria up to that point. Therefore we are putting a 7 day change out on the HME label once we exhaust current inventory. What his means is that you may use it for up to 7 days, however if it fails to deliver adequate moisture at any time during that period you should replace it.

I would not recommend rinsing out the HME in water as it has properties within that enable it to trap moisture from your exhalation and give it back when you inhale. If you rinse the HME in hot water you may lessen it's ability to provide moisture.

I travel about 45 weeks a year and home most weekends. I was diagnosed 10 years ago and got a REMstar Pro M with humidifier through my DME. I used it for about a year during which time I was losing weight.

As some who only "visits" home on the weekend my normal carryon backpack and roller are crammed full with my life and therefore they are quite heavy. Adding the REMstar bag to this was just more than I could bear so that aggravation along with some better health habits (loosing 50 lbs) allowed me to convince myself to stop using the cpap.

Well I fell off the "healthy living" wagon and gained back a bunch of weight which of course worsened my apnea and drove me to investigate alternatives to my REMstar.

I was excited to get the Z1 and it does seem to work well enough but I don't look at it as a compromise as there are many, many traveling folk out there to whom the Z1 could/will be their primary machine.

6 bucks a piece for the HME is just too expensive. Is there any way to get quantity pricing? How about putting them in a warm oven to dry them out or maybe in a sealed bag of rice (just like your cell phone) or desiccant? For the HME to be useful for us road warriors we need to get the price down.

Thoughts?

[DaveP]

I was able to find them at $3 a piece. I tried them on my last trip and they're not for me. my nose was very dry with them, even if I poured hot water into them before going to sleep.