[CPAP] Burning Smell

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Is there any chance you are swallowing air in the night?

OMM

[archangle]

I may have discovered the problem. While I was washing the heated air hose I noticed that the middle contact on the electrical connection for the hose was partially blackened. If the black indicates overheating of the pin due to oxidation then that may have caused the smell. It makes sense to bypass the humidifier and heated hose also to see if that helps. I have an new hose so I will also try that to see if the smell does not appear. I did not, upon inspection, see any black on the connector pins on the humidifier unit but if they are damaged I will have to send the unit for repair.

You might try an unheated hose. They're cheaper and you don't need it unless you have a rainout problem.

[cr+mcc]

I may have discovered the problem. While I was washing the heated air hose I noticed that the middle contact on the electrical connection for the hose was partially blackened. If the black indicates overheating of the pin due to oxidation then that may have caused the smell. It makes sense to bypass the humidifier and heated hose also to see if that helps. I have an new hose so I will also try that to see if the smell does not appear. I did not, upon inspection, see any black on the connector pins on the humidifier unit but if they are damaged I will have to send the unit for repair.

You might try an unheated hose. They're cheaper and you don't need it unless you have a rainout problem.

Last night I used an unheated hose. I did not notice any burning smell. I am going to continue with the unheated hose for a week to see if the burning smell does not return. There is more moisture at the entry to the cpap mask without the heated hose but it is minor.

RE: OMM: Is there any chance you are swallowing air in the night?
I am not aware that I am swallowing any air. That doesn't seem to be a problem for me. Occasionally my cheeks get a little inflated but it hasn't been a big problem.
Thanks for the suggestions.

[DexterK]

Old post but I began having the same issue. Really awful smell like electical burning. I don't use a heated hose and always clean my humidifier tank. Don't turn the humidifier settings above 2 either. Checked the filter and everything. Well I'm a computer technician and certified by Dell and Microsoft so I always take electronics apart. I took the main unit of my Resmed S9 all the way down to where I could hold the motor in my hand. I noticed once I got it out that part of the plastic on the motor was slightly broken. My machine has sat in 1 spot ever since I got it so I don't know how or why it's broke. Well I held the motor to my nose and sure enough the smell of the motor is the same as what's coming through my air hose. Despite the fact it works the motor has gone bad. No clear signs of burning but a very loud smell is in the motor itself. Anybody else having the problem will need to do the same as me I suppose and return your unit.

[cr+mcc]

Old post but I began having the same issue. Really awful smell like electical burning. I don't use a heated hose and always clean my humidifier tank. Don't turn the humidifier settings above 2 either. Checked the filter and everything. Well I'm a computer technician and certified by Dell and Microsoft so I always take electronics apart. I took the main unit of my Resmed S9 all the way down to where I could hold the motor in my hand. I noticed once I got it out that part of the plastic on the motor was slightly broken. My machine has sat in 1 spot ever since I got it so I don't know how or why it's broke. Well I held the motor to my nose and sure enough the smell of the motor is the same as what's coming through my air hose. Despite the fact it works the motor has gone bad. No clear signs of burning but a very loud smell is in the motor itself. Anybody else having the problem will need to do the same as me I suppose and return your unit.

Hi, I am presently using my machine without temperature or humidifier. Rarely I will get a short burst of a burning smell that wakes me then quickly dissipates. I think it is logical that the motor is involved. I have not had the courage to take the unit apart as yet. As I said in an earlier post, I did see evidence of heating on the contacts for the heated hose. That is why I turned off the heater. I would hope that the manufacturers would investigate this better.

[JohnJ]

Yes, I have had the same smell on my machine from ResMed. It is a burning smell. And yes, my reservoir is always full. I am extremely concerned as I do not want to breath in bad fumes.

[Mudslideslim]

I know it's an old thread but I smell fumes that smell like combustion. I was wondering if it was from using filtered tap water in the humidifier. The water still has some calcium in it. Could vaporized calcium cause this? I have noticed it for years.

[Mudslideslim]

I've been thinking it is something (I know we have.calcium in our water) in the filtered tap water I had been using. Now I use distilled and so far still smell it. My wife does not. It is baffling me! I am surprised your husband picks it up. Have you figured it out yet? I know the thread is old. Thanks.

[CR Mc]

I have had exactly the same issue. The machine, a Resmed s9, will be free from odor then suddenly I will get a burst of burning smell. I thought I had solved this by cleaning the contacts on my heated hose. This reduced the occurrences of the odor burst but did not eliminate it. I finally stopped using the humidifier altogether. This did reduce the instances of burning smell but still occasionally it would wake me with a smell. My power convertor failed about 9 months ago. After I replaced it the burst of burning smell was drastically reduced. So it seems that I have not determined the exact cause of the smell. For the last several months I have not had a problem. I suspect that dust may get past the filter sometimes and cause the smell but that is just a guess. Unlike others who have experienced problems with smells, mine never seems to persist beyond a brief period. Sorry for the rambling post, just trying to relate my experience. I recently damaged my cpap by throwing it to the floor during a crazy dream. I had to purchase a new unit. I hope I don't have to experience a series of smell events before it becomes free of incidents.

[Anaja09]

I do know that this is an old thread, but I am getting that burning smell, too. I may call the manufacturer today as well as the DME. It's awful and will run me out of the room, too! I definitely is a "hot" smell as if plastic is burning or getting too hot. My humidifier reservoir still had water in it this morning. I may run it tonight while turning the heated tubing temperature down to below room temperature and see if that keeps it from happening.