EMF and CPAP

[janice180]

Hello all,
First time poster, been using CPAP for about 6 mos now.  Just for fun, measured EMF and electricity levels around my CPAP machine (Resmed Airsense 10 autoset for her) with a Cornet 88T meter, and was happy to see that while the machine had some high readings right near it, the levels dropped off rapidly.  So no problem there.

However, what I was surprised about was the off the chart reading of the HOSE!  I have a climate controlled heated tube, and this thing read as high a level as the MICROWAVE!

So now I am freaked out because this hose is right near my head (I use the Dreamear mask which hangs over the back of your head).

So, I am hoping someone will have some advice on how to mitigate the high readings coming out of the tube.

One thought I had was to switch to a regular unheated tube, if the machine will accept one.
Anybody have any advice?  And please, no tin hat jokes.  EMF is a huge potential issue, and not something to just wish away.  There are many articles out there about the potential hazards of EMF.  I am just trying to be on the safe side here.

Many thanks for any advice.

Janice

[Gideon]

I'm not an EMF expert so I will not comment on that, but a standard hose fits with no problem.

[Crimson Nape]

Hi janice180 -

This sounds interesting. Because you refer to obtaining high readings, please list your results. A lot of us around here are old enough that nobody will notice if we have a fried brain.

[TASmart]

Or is that because a imicrowave is very well shielded, so very little radiation escapes the cooking chamber?

[janice180]

Lol!

But seriously, the readings for "electric" were at the high red level (same as when the microwave is on!), and the number area said "O.L." which I'm not sure what that means yet (over limit??).  The histogram was as high as it could get. 

Suffice it to say, too high for comfort.

I can post more accurately regarding the readings tonight.

[janice180]

When I measured the radiation around my microwave, it read high red.  Not good.  I had to walk many feet away from the unit, well into the next room, before the reading went down to a safe green.  Not sure how many feet that is, but prob 15-20.

The hose measured high red also, but for electricity.  Also not good.

Tonight I will measure and post readings.

[justMongo]

The dangers of EMF are frequency dependent. The microwave is permitted a certain level of leakage. The thing is, microwave is more penetrating -- has to be or it could never cook. Its emissions are in the microwave spectrum. Before Television switched to digital, I would see interference in analog video on certain channels.

The heating element in the heated hose is a whole different animal. The frequency is much lower. When operating, the heat is controlled by pulse width modulation of the Voltage applied to the heating wire. The result is a Voltage that's close to a square wave. The Fourier theorem demonstrates that any periodic function can be represented as a sum of sine waves. A square wave is a sum of odd harmonics, each of diminishing amplitude. Your Cornet 88T is picking up those harmonics.

The thing is: Not all readings you get with your Cornet 88T are "created" equal.

If you are concerned, just use a standard hose.

[janice180]

Wow, you really know your stuff!  Thanks for explaining all of this. 

I'm going to try using a regular hose and see if that changes things.

[Sleepster]

However, what I was surprised about was the off the chart reading of the HOSE!  I have a climate controlled heated tube, and this thing read as high a level as the MICROWAVE!

But that electromagnetic radiation you're measuring near your microwave oven is NOT the electromagnetic radiation known as microwave radiation.

JustMongo mentioned frequencies, which is the relevant issue. Microwave radiation is electromagnetic radiation that's dangerous because its frequency is tuned to the frequency of the dipole radiation of a water molecule, and being made of water, microwaves can cook us.

For other reasons high frequency radiation such as x-ray or gamma ray electromagnetic radiation is dangerous to us.

On the other hand, we need electromagnetic radiation of the right frequencies to be able to see. We call it light. So if you think it's dangerous you need to stay out of the sunlight and live in a dark cave, going outside only on the darkest of moonless nights with overcast skies to block out the starlight!

EMF is a huge potential issue, and not something to just wish away.  There are many articles out there about the potential hazards of EMF. 

Can you provide a reference for any of them? And are they published in scientific peer-reviewed literature? Because there are lots of such published articles showing that electromagnetic radiation of the frequency produced by the alternating current used to electrify our homes is not dangerous except for the highest levels found near very high voltage transmission lines.

[janice180]

First, thank you for responding.  Respectfully, I will not, however, get into a discussion of providing references to peer reviewed experiments, etc and trying to persuade you to agree to share my concerns with regard to emfs.  I realize this is a hotly contested issue that many people have differing opinions on.  I leave it up to you, and anyone else interested, to look into the wealth of research, books, articles, etc., that are out there, and come to your own conclusions.  If scientists cannot agree on this, then I wouldn't expect us "regular" people to, either.

I am just trying to see if anyone else has had any experience with emfs, as concerns CPAP machines and their accessories, and could possibly have some suggestions.

Also, I may have misspoke before - I have to double check this, but I think the high reading came from the electric field reading, which I do understand is different than the type of energy being emitted from a microwave oven.  Again, from my admittedly very rudimentary understanding of all of this, such a high reading is not advantageous and steps should be taken to mitigate this potential risk.  Hence the posting of my question on this board.