Has anyone used a cheap manometer to test their pressure?

[Miastar]

Was it accurate? 

I bought my machine from a company in the States (I'm in the UK) who suggested I double check if the pressure is really inaccurate (as it feels) before sending another replacement. He told me that in the States you can just go to any CPAP outlet and have them test your machine for free in literally 2 mins. 

This doesn't seem to case over here. I contacted Philips Respironics UK who wouldn't do it, one of the major cpap distrbutors over here would also wouldn't do it and a Sleep Apnea Association who initially wanted to charge me £180 for a consultation in order to do it although eventually offered to do it for free when I said it was free 2 min job in the States...but kind of reluctantly and the office is a fair bit away from me. 

I think it would be simpler to just buy a cheap manometer on Amazon to do it but reviews are mixed, thoughts?

[jaswilliams]

There was some discussion on here if you have an unheated hose and set a fixed pressure of say 10cm you can stuff the hose in a long vase of water and at 10cm (4 Inches) below the surface bubbles will stop coming out the end.


A bit rough and ready but it's free to try.



Jason

[Sleeprider]

Miastar, we have an article that shows the plans for making your own accurate manometer from common materials you may have on-hand at home. http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...ew-dollars

Purchasing an inexpensive manometer or magnehelic gauge from an online source is certainly a good way to get a good sense of your machine's calibration, but you could build this contraption inexpensively.

[Mosquitobait]

Sending you a pm

[Sleepster]

Yup, just turn on the CPAP machine and instead of attaching a mask to the hose, stick that end of the hose under water. Bubbles will blow. Continue to submerge until the bubbles stop. The depth at which the bubbles just stop blowing is the CPAP pressure. So, for example, if you must submerge the hose end to a depth of 10 cm to get the bubbles to stop, the CPAP pressure is 10 cm H2O.

[Sheepish]

Yup, just turn on the CPAP machine and instead of attaching a mask to the hose, stick that end of the hose under water. Bubbles will blow. Continue to submerge until the bubbles stop. The depth at which the bubbles just stop blowing is the CPAP pressure. So, for example, if you must submerge the hose end to a depth of 10 cm to get the bubbles to stop, the CPAP pressure is 10 cm H2O.

  Über-kewl science you can do in the comfort of your own home!

[ajack]

with auto, does it really matter? the machine will put out the pressure it needs. It would only be when maxing at 20, where it could be an issue.

[Sleepster]

with auto, does it really matter?

Yes, it does.

the machine will put out the pressure it needs. It would only be when maxing at 20, where it could be an issue.

You set the max. You can set it at 20 if you want, but if the machine is creating only 5 when it's reading 20 then the machine is faulty and you're not getting enough pressure to keep your airway from collapsing.

[Walla Walla]

I agree with ajack in if your not getting any events and your machine is off a little it doesn't matter. The machine is doing it's job.

Now if the machine can't deal with the events than it becomes a problem.

[jaswilliams]

Have you tested the pressure yet ? What’s the verdict