CPAP user

[Realist]

The CPAP machine should make sure you get a full night of good sleep every night. No more excessive sleepiness. I aim for 7 hours plus and my RESMED machine tells me how well I have done in the morning, not just how many hours but Apnoea level and leakage rate.

Tell my machine that sentence, I get on average 6hrs a night and that’s broken sleep with my machine, Sefam the black NHS machine.

Used to be great I’m sure the bloody thing is faulty.

 

[Pausim]

Tell my machine that sentence, I get on average 6hrs a night and that’s broken sleep with my machine, Sefam the black NHS machine.

Used to be great I’m sure the bloody thing is faulty.

Not heard of Sefam previously. Mask type and fit can make a big difference.

 

[Jon Stuart]

Tell my machine that sentence, I get on average 6hrs a night and that’s broken sleep with my machine, Sefam the black NHS machine.

Used to be great I’m sure the bloody thing is faulty.

Have you had your sleep hygiene interrogation and lecture lately?

 

[Jon Stuart]

Tell my machine that sentence, I get on average 6hrs a night and that’s broken sleep with my machine, Sefam the black NHS machine.

Used to be great I’m sure the bloody thing is faulty.

As Pausim said, fit is important which means getting the tension right on the straps. Is your mask coming close to renewal (usually once a year)? I find the silicone tends to harden up and not seal as well in the last month.

 

[Realist]

As Pausim said, fit is important which means getting the tension right on the straps. Is your mask coming close to renewal (usually once a year)? I find the silicone tends to harden up and not seal as well in the last month.

I don’t like the one the Wales NHS provide so I buy my own.

The mask I use the front part is replaceable, it’s the F20 type.

The hygiene interrogation and lecture no idea what that is not had any dealings with the sleep clinic in the last 3 years of usage.

 

[rb62]

Res med have their own 'my air' app which uploads all your information on a daily basis if you have an internet connection.

 

[Pausim]

I have a NHS Resmed Airsense 10 at home but my own Resmed S9 in my motorhome. I use an F20 mask but buy my own F20 Cushion inserts because I prefer the softer cushion to the silicone one. The NHS understandably doesn’t pay for the cushion inserts which should be replaced every 30 days, though I get more than double that time between replacements.

After 20 years of nasal masks I recently changed to the Resmed F20 full face mask and my therapy has improved. Fewer events per hour, only 0.2 last night and much lower leakage figures. Early full face masks didn’t suit me at all but the F20 has proved to be comfortable and very effective.

If you are new to CPAP therapy it can take time to find the setup that suits you best. Also your needs may change with the passing of time so regular reviews with your therapist are important. When I lived in Dorset the reviews were erratic but here in West Sussex I get a regular annual review and the therapist will see me between reviews if I have a problem.

 

[ChrisL]

if you have an internet connection.

Actually it doesn't need an internet connection as such, in as much as you don't have to connect it to wifi, it has its own built in cellular modem and there is no setup required, it connects to the nearest cell tower automatically and you don't get billed either. It transmits your data to a secure server approximately one hour after after therapy has finished, and it's then available for you to view in the app, it is also available to your hospital therapist providing your machine is registered with them.

 

[Realist]

My Sefam has the same type of monitoring via an app and automatically uploads the stats to my clinic.

I have the Resmed as well but that’s a spare just in case when I’m away but I’ll have to make up a mask and pipe as a spare for the van because when I was in France the pipe was jammed in the rear door and broke.

Panicked as I didn’t have a spare so ordered one from Amazon but it was crap and heavy.

I’ve not used the Resmed yet might try it one night and compare.

 

[Realist]

Anyone using a Sefam on 12v?

Reading the net and all I see is its only 24v only.

 

[Jon Stuart]

Anyone using a Sefam on 12v?

Reading the net and all I see is its only 24v only.

Get a step up transformer.

I'm not on the same make or model, but search for "Sefam model number 12v cigarette lighter to 24V", then do check the connector to your cpap machine looks the same.

Also check whatever source you're using has heavy enough cables, which shouldn't be a problem at all.

 

[ChrisL]

Get a step up transformer.

I'm not on the same make or model, but search for "Sefam model number 12v cigarette lighter to 24V", then do check the connector to your cpap machine looks the same.

Also check whatever source you're using has heavy enough cables, which shouldn't be a problem at all.

There's an official adapter, a bit expensive but you know it will work.

Néa 12-24v Adaptor – Sefam https://share.google/J5yzUKbPkOwQbgoUX

 

[Jon Stuart]

Mine was about (edited) 30 quid or so and it has a bespoke plug on it.

The Sefam one just looks like a simple round one so shouldn't cost a lot.

 

[Realist]

There's an official adapter, a bit expensive but you know it will work.

Néa 12-24v Adaptor – Sefam https://share.google/J5yzUKbPkOwQbgoUX

That one they say is only for a different machine but the end is the same. The Salam S-box the one I have is what I gathered is 24v not 12v.

 

[Jon Stuart]

That one they say is only for a different machine but the end is the same. The Salam S-box the one I have is what I gathered is 24v not 12v.

You'd be able to tell by looking at the output of the 240v brick you're using for it.

 

[Pausim]

The Sefam Nea and S Box are both 24V machines but the 12V Nea adapter specifically says not suitable for S Box. This suggests there is something more than just 24V needed and Google says the S Box needs a medical grade power supply (whatever that is). If you already have a pure sine wave inverter then the easiest solution may be to use the S Box standard mains supply from the inverter.

I have been using a CPAP for well over 20 years and been using it with an inverter rather than direct 12V supply when touring in boats and motorhomes most of that time. There are power losses whichever way you convert 12V to 24V but using an inverter probably increases the losses slightly. My CPAP power use with humidifier is about 30Ah per night and I might reduce that to 27Ah per night by using a 12-24V converter.

 

[Realist]

The reason I’m looking is me and the wife are off to Malvern show soon with no electric power and we’re relying on our batteries.

Where my machine is located I only have a 240v point so wondering if it’s worth just turning on my Victron inverter over night and see how that goes and hope 640Ah is enough for my machine, fridge, tv, Starlink etc etc.

I also have the EcoFlow Delta 3 Portable Power Station that I’ll be taking with us.

So it will be Victron V EcoFlow for my machine I think.

 

[ChrisL]

The reason I’m looking is me and the wife are off to Malvern show soon with no electric power and we’re relying on our batteries.

Where my machine is located I only have a 240v point so wondering if it’s worth just turning on my Victron inverter over night and see how that goes and hope 640Ah is enough for my machine, fridge, tv, Starlink etc etc.

I also have the EcoFlow Delta 3 Portable Power Station that I’ll be taking with us.

So it will be Victron V EcoFlow for my machine I think.

Is your fridge a compressor fridge or a standard auto change over type? Do you have any solar? I have 250 watts of solar and one 230ah Fogstar drift and a normal 3 way fridge I can last weeks in the summer until I run out of gas.

 

[Pausim]

The reason I’m looking is me and the wife are off to Malvern show soon with no electric power and we’re relying on our batteries.

Where my machine is located I only have a 240v point so wondering if it’s worth just turning on my Victron inverter over night and see how that goes and hope 640Ah is enough for my machine, fridge, tv, Starlink etc etc.

I also have the EcoFlow Delta 3 Portable Power Station that I’ll be taking with us.

So it will be Victron V EcoFlow for my machine I think.

You should be fine running your CPAP from your inverter. The power difference between inverter and 12-24V is very small, I have been doing it for many years.

 

[Realist]

Is your fridge a compressor fridge or a standard auto change over type? Do you have any solar? I have 250 watts of solar and one 230ah Fogstar drift and a normal 3 way fridge I can last weeks in the summer until I run out of gas.

Fridge is compressor type 12v with two 175w panels with two 280Ah Eco-worthy lifePo4 batteries and 1x 100Ah LifePo4 battery totalling 660Ah.

Should be ok, I hope first time using the van without electric plugged in.

 

[scotzsue]

John now has a new machine, very quiet so I end up disturbing him cause I think he has popped his clogs
He finds the new mask supplied is not as good a fit due to his moustache, he has had it since 14 and it wont be coming off again, after one disastrous episode after he had grown a beard and was persuaded to shave the lot off. only result was 7 crying grandchildren and, had we been married, a divorce, he looked a right miserable sod. he has trimmed it a bit, doesn't want to go back to a full nose and mouth pone unless he has too. machine shows he is getting enough sleep but is showing an occassional leak.

 

[Realist]

Yeh mines the same but I buy my own Resmed F20 masks as the one supplied by the NHS Wales is sh*t to be honest.

Leak yes mines spurts air and wakes me up now and again and then In pull the straps tight and wake up with strap marks all of my face for the rest of the day.

 

[Pausim]

I have an NHS Resmed F20 mask but have to supply my own foam cushions which I prefer to the standard one they supply. Since changing to the F20 from N20 nasal mask my leakage rate has reduced dramatically and I am sleeping much better.

 

[Realist]

I have an NHS Resmed F20 mask but have to supply my own foam cushions which I prefer to the standard one they supply. Since changing to the F20 from N20 nasal mask my leakage rate has reduced dramatically and I am sleeping much better.

I have the nasal mask here as well but I sleep with my mouth open and out comes the air and wakes me up.

 

[rb62]

I have an NHS Resmed F20 mask but have to supply my own foam cushions which I prefer to the standard one they supply. Since changing to the F20 from N20 nasal mask my leakage rate has reduced dramatically and I am sleeping much better.

I'm pretty sure that last time I had a new F20 full face mask that they had changed the cushion material,much softer and pliable now so no leakage at all