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AIRSENSE 11 - BAD SMELL COMING DIRECTLY FROM BLOWER MOTOR
#1
AIRSENSE 11 - BAD SMELL COMING DIRECTLY FROM BLOWER MOTOR
Hello Dear Ones

Have been using the Airsense 11 since April. New user, first machine.

About 2/3 weeks ago, a very bad smell started. It smells like something moldy or rotten and seemed to be stronger at initial startup.  I regularly clean the mask, hose and water reservoir. Decided to do it extra. Smelled all of these and they were fine, no very bad smell from here.

So I smelled the unit itself with nothing attached. WHOA! Very bad smell detected.  So I cleaned the hose entry points, wiped them down with very weak bleach water, let it sit a while, then baby shampoo water, then clean water. Still detected the smell. Smelled the bottom of the unit and could smell it there. 

Did some search and saw that it could be coming from INSIDE the unit (perhaps water had gotten inside from a water reservoir overfill or such.)  Put the unit on the kitchen table, with nothing attached, until I had time to take apart. Came out to the kitchen and the very bad smell had filled the room! I put it in a plastic bag as it seemed I was breathing in whatever funk was inside just from it sitting here open. 

Took it apart tonight, per with this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCEFQWR9z5g, even wearing an ole' COVID mask- fully expecting to find disgusting mold/bacteria covered foam inside. And to my surprise, I found pristine foam with nothing on it at all. Even smelled like fresh like there was some kind of scent added at manufacture, almost slightly perfumy vs plain foam. I smelled the chamber that holds the blower motor encased in plastic with that out and the bottom half of the unit empty and could not locate any area it seemed to stem from. Head scratcher.

So I just left it there and took a break from thinking about it. Maybe even a nap.

When I went back to the kitchen, I picked up the part with the blower motor randomly and smelled the blower motor opening directly - WHOA! FOUND THE VERY BAD SMELL.  I had not smelled it directly before as I was focused on 'it must be mold/bacteria from wet foam or the chambers that hold the foam.' Instead the smell is coming DIRECTLY OUT OF THE BLOWER MOTOR opening. (Unit is out on kitchen table taken apart, so could take pics if needed)

Any thoughts on this or experience will be much appreciated. There is no way to clean the blower motor. Doesn't seem there would be any wetness inside there to grow what is making a very bad smell. But maybe there could be? It does not smell like burning or electrical smell...it smells like funky organic growing something.

Not strapping it to my face and forcing air in through whatever is causing this at present, so need to decide if return is called for or learn if there is any other option/experience that will shed some light.  Thanks in advance very much for sharing anything you may know.

Peace
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#2
RE: AIRSENSE 11 - BAD SMELL COMING DIRECTLY FROM BLOWER MOTOR
You don't say how old your Cpap is, or if you obtained it new or used.

If new, it's under warranty.

Did you overfill at any point, drop it by any chance that would cause water to get inside?
OpalRose
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#3
RE: AIRSENSE 11 - BAD SMELL COMING DIRECTLY FROM BLOWER MOTOR
Remove the silicone cover on the blower motor, make sure it is clean and try cleaning accessible motor parts with a cotton swab or Q-tip and maybe compressed/canned air. If necessary, the blower motor for the Airsense 11 and Air Mini are sold on Amazon for $168. Supplier #28 has proven to be a very good repair facility for me. They replace my Aircurve 10 blower motor for $220 and reset the hours. They have a full cleaning service, so you might want to check for a quote. I don't know why this would happen except from a tip-over with water in the humidifier tank.
Sleeprider
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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#4
RE: AIRSENSE 11 - BAD SMELL COMING DIRECTLY FROM BLOWER MOTOR
I take my spare AS10 CPAP to my daughters house and last year I stayed in their basement suit and when I go home I could smell mildew right away so I had to clean hoses and water reservoir right away and that was only a 3 night stay. Sleeping in a mildew room is not a good idea for long periods of time for anyone IMO !
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