AirSense 10 and Humidity Setting

[Columbiabill]

When I set my humidity to auto and tube temp to auto does the machine automatically sense my room temp and humidity level and provide an ideal level of humidity for the type of mask I am wearing?

[Jeff8356]

Yes. There are sensors in your machine and at the mask end of the heated tube. The auto settings set the tube temp at 80F and humidity at 85% and then will adjust as needed based on ambient room conditions.

[brownrj]

Could you elaborate a little more on these settings? I have so much trouble with going to sleep and then waking up with very dry nasal area. 
Guess I've never trusted Auto, and set mine at Manual, 73* and Humidity level at 8. 
Bedroom kept 73-74* during Atlanta summers. I really don't understand how to set it up. And no, I'm new to this forum so I don't have any reporting software. Guess I should try OSCAR?
Thanks!

[G. Szabo]

A YouTube message is posted by two medical doctors urging their patients to use as high humidity as feasible to avoid the irritation of the upper airway membranes. It practically means that you should have close to 100% humidity air delivered.

When the Autoset function delivers 85% relative humidity, the remaining 15% should be evaporated by your nose, which could still be problematic for sensitive people who might end up with dry nose membranes or tongues.

My practice: Manual humidity control #8; Tube temperature 24 C. While using a commercial tube, "Coat." Under these conditions, the vapour condenses in the line at the point of mask entry. Hence, I can be sure that it has 100% humidity. Yes, the condensation might cause some discomfort, but your membranes are not irritated.  

There is a catch: When the incoming air temperature is lower than your body temperature, its temperature will increase to your body temperature in your nose, and hence, the air humidity reduces. Consequently, your nose still needs to evaporate some more moisture. It means one should set the tube temperature close to the body temperature to minimize the water evaporated by the nose. However, a 36 C air intake can be uncomfortable for some.

[brownrj]

While using commercial tube coat? Not sure i understand. But thank you for your reply

[Crimson Nape]

The member is referencing a fleece style hose cover. This provides a degree of insulation along the hose from the CPAP to the mask.

-- Red

[memeuro]

I read this with interest as my pulmonologist reduced my humidity level to 5 because getting through the night and not waking up with a bone dry chamber sounded reasonable. I still constantly am awoken multiple times a night by my mask leaking, after using the same AirFit F30 style for many years and never had problems. My climaline tubing on my AirSense 10 ASV is set at 72 deg F. I will be looking for some new headgear. Have a prominent bridge of nose that causes discomfort with most masks that go up the forehead. One other feature that may be coincidental with leaking masks and more water in the chamber than normal, is my first dishwasher safe version. Never used one before, and since, although empirical, I have had nothing but problems.

[G. Szabo]

Different masks have different "designed-leak rates." These are not leaks; they are the air refreshment or carbon dioxide removal rates from the exhaled breath.

The non-designed, real leaks undermine any humidity settings. Significant or persistent real leaks will make all the water disappear from the evaporation chamber overnight. One should never end up with a dry chamber when the auto moisture settings are used and there is no large leak.

Airsense 11 has a smaller chamber than Aitsense 10; hence the "dry chamber phenomena" should be more frequent.

My experience:
The Philips DreamWear mask has an extremely low designed leak rate. I never end up with a dry chamber, even at humidity setting #8.

The pulmonologist of "memeuro" is right that it is better to turn down the moisture setting to avoid the morning dry chamber; however, it beats the purpose of moisturizing. Instead, it would be best if you eliminated the large leaks. Once achieved, you can have as high as 100% moisture without a dry chamber.

[dwd1249]

I have been using my AS10 since Dec 2015 without the humidifier. I just got a blank side panel and the tank sits in the case.
I have used the humidifier when in hospital getting knee replacements.

[G. Szabo]

Less sensitive people can get away with no moisturizer. But it is also impacted by the geographic location-dependent ambient moisture. You might not need moisturizer in the Caribbean. But during the Canadian winters (-35C or 31F), the relative humidity in dwellings can go as low as 15%.