Over the years we have had a TON of CPAP users that run out of water during the night, and until now we didn’t have much of an option. After reading that feedback for the 1000th time, it hit me that there is an option. In this blog we are going to take you through the process of how to add extra humidity without running out of water in the middle of the night.
How does the humidifier on the CPAP work?
The first thing that you have to understand is how the humidifier works. Your CPAP most likely has an integrated heated humidifier system. This means that you are adding water to a tank nightly and the CPAP uses that water to humidify the air you are breathing. Most humidifier chambers are about 300 ml, which is not a lot of water. The chamber has a metal plate on the bottom that is heated, allowing more of the water to evaporate into the air passing through the CPAP to you. The higher you heat the water the more water evaporates into the air you are breathing.
Why is the CPAP running out of water?
So now that you understand how it works let’s discuss why it runs out. Because you only have so much water available in the water chamber you will only have so much time available with humidity. Most CPAP water chambers will allow for at least 8 hours of usage. However, if you have conditions where the air in your home is dry then it may absorb a lot more water from the CPAP as it passes through the humidifier. This means that what was meant to last 8 hours, may only last 4 or 5. Then you wake up dry as the Sahara Desert with an empty tank. Time to offer a real solution.
How can I fix the limited water issue on my CPAP?
Unless you enjoy waking up in the middle of the night to add water to you CPAP, then you probably need a solution. Finally, we have an option for you. We have used the HC-150 external humidifier for years with Ventilators and older style CPAPs. Now, we are using it as an addition to your CPAP to add extra water volume and humidity. The HC-150 holds an additional 400ml (13.5oz) of water. This will at least double your water capacity. Now, let’s learn how to use it properly.
How to use the HC-150 External Humidifier Properly:
Setting up the HC-150 is pretty simple. There are things to keep in mind to make sure that it is running properly. The first thing is to make sure that you have the short adapter tube running from the back of the CPAP into the top of the HC-150 humidifier. Then you will connect your longer CPAP tube to the outlet of the HC-150 and to your mask. It is best to use the smaller adapter hose from the CPAP to the HC-150 to avoid pressure loss.
How to Adjust the Settings when using the HC-150 on CPAP:
This is where the rubber meets the road. You have to be careful to make sure that you don’t add too much humidity and cause “rainout”. The best way to do this is by adjusting up slowly on a night-by-night basis. To start with we recommend turning the integrated humidifier on the CPAP off and leaving that water tank empty. Start with the HC-150 alone to see if it will be enough. Start the HC-150 setting at a little over 2 on the front dial. Then turn it up nightly as needed to keep from drying out. If you max out the HC-150, and still cannot get enough humidity, then you can add water to the CPAP and gradually increase the humidifier setting on the CPAP to add in even more humidity. It may also be smart to add in a tubing insulator like one of our tube wraps to help reduce the chance of “rainout” condensation in your CPAP tube.
Things to keep in mind when setting up the HC-150 this way:
There are a few things that you should be aware of when setting up an external humidifier like the HC-150 on your CPAP machine. Let’s dive in a little deeper on that front:
Don’t go overboard to begin with– Work the settings up slowly. If you add too much humidity up front, then you may end up blowing water in your face because of “rainout” condensation.
Stick with our recommended tubing setup– You don’t want to add in too much tubing length, because it can affect pressure.
Start with the HC-150 alone– You may find that the HC-150 does a great job of keeping you humidified without having to add in water to the CPAP chamber at all. You can always add that in if the HC-150 isn’t enough.
Heater plate it HOT– Be careful not to touch or let anyone else touch the heater plate. It can be really hot.
Remember to turn it off– It has a manual on/off button. Make sure you turn it off in the morning after you turn the CPAP off.
Best to keep it lower than yourself– In case there is excess condensation in the tubing, the water will drain back into the HC-150 chamber instead of in your face. They recommend keeping it on the floor which seems silly but keep this in mind.
You can’t use heated tubing– If you are currently using heated tubing on your CPAP then you will have to switch to standard tubing. You can add in a tubing snuggie to help insulate the tubing and prevent rainout.
What else can the HC-150 humidifier do for me?
Use with Travel CPAP– The HC-150 external humidifier may also be a good fit for people wanting to use a Travel CPAP. Almost all travel CPAPs do not have humidifier, so it may be a good add on to that setup.
Sub it in for a broken CPAP humidifier– From time to time the integrated CPAP humidifier may fail. If money is short or you can’t get a new CPAP, then the HC-150 may be a good use.
Double down on humidity– Some CPAP user just don’t get enough humidity from their CPAP humidifier. In that case you can add the HC-150 in to double the humidity output. Be careful not to add too much in this case.
