Philips Respironics DreamStation check power

[gludden]

I had a similar problem last week. After reading the posts here, I tried a bit of "see what happens" troubleshooting. First, I tried using the machine without the humidifier. Nope. After a few more of these trials, I pulled the modem (which hasn't worked in a long, long time) and the machine booted up properly. I'll see how it does over time now. 

From the number of issues with the DreamStation (this "power" issue, the recall, the breaking humidifier latch, and the frequently breaking air filter springs) it certainly looks like Respironics had some serious design quality issues. Have there been other problems with this model? Is it time to look at another manufacturer?

[DaveCar]

" Have there been other problems with this model? "

Well, when you consider the toxic foam recall going on right now... yes.

Edit - oops, just noticed that you did mention recall in your post, sorry.
Good news is there may be a ton of Dreamstations on the used market at some point, from those who refuse to have Philips "repair" and just went out to buy a Resmed. Parts galore, just remove that foam.

[RayBee]

My friend has a PR DreamStation and we got the same message on hers. After looking things over, I noticed the center pin on the connector from the power supply was mash to the side inside the barrel connector. That said, and what I have read here, leads me to believe that the barrel connector carries power to the machine and the center pin may carry the validation signal proving a genuine PR power supply is attached. I don't know this for certain, but it makes sense. So, if the center pin was stressed and snapped completely off, it would look like any other generic barrel connector and the assumption could be made that the connector was good, but that would not be the case.

[LindanHotAir]

The center pin on a lot of laptop and similar power bricks has a resistor that identifies the power brick by its value.

[zebedee]

I’m trying to get past a ‘Check Power’ screen on a Dreamstation CPAP.
...
I ran across the following warning on another forum:

“Read this statement:
"While Respironics DreamStation Series devices operate from 12V direct  
current, the DC port on these devices require a proprietary signal in order 
to recognize a valid power source; therefore, the use of a 12V power  
adapter is required in order for the CPAP Battery to power these devices."”

Can anyone validate that information? Has anyone got a solution to this problem? [Steve: Did you get anywhere with your effort?]
(Philips is unresponsive; DHM says it’s Philip’s problem.)
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated, and the solution - if found - will be posted.
Thanks - Neil

I received a Phillips Dreamstation as a recall replacement for a Phillips REMstar Pro C-Flex+ System one.
I'm running about 19cmH2O pressure, and I quite simply do not sleep without CPAP.

CPAP is not optional for me.

I commissioned the new Dreamstar a couple of weeks ago while away from home. Out of habit I also brought along the core unit of the System One and the (expensive Phillips) 12V lead I use for camping.

Last week we had a scheduled power cut here (to replace a nearby power pole) starting at 8am, so I brought my 12V 10Ah lithium battery and 12V lead inside and when the CPAP stopped and woke me up, I plugged it into the battery...

It lit up (so it obviously has power) and reported "Check power" (which it clearly had).
So I changed to my old machine and went back to sleep.

Now Phillips think I am going to send the old machine back. They've sent me two emails asking me to. They even programmed the SD card they returned to me so that after a couple more weeks of use, the machine now beeps irritatingly a few minutes after it is started. Pulling the SD card out stopped that nonsense. Unlike the USA, CPAPs aren't subject to medical prescriptions etc here, so I don't have a doctor looking over my shoulder; I report back to my GP if I have problems and I am free to use either machine. Nobody but me is looking at the data. I know I have had 100% compliance, used CPAP every single night, since the day I got my first machine over 20 years ago. If a doctor doesn't want to believe me, I need a different doctor...

So I now have a brand new machine which I cannot rely upon to work. It will not work on 12V, which is about 10%-20% of my use. I haven't tested it on my old AC power brick, which is at home, but I am going to be singularly cheesed off if it won't work on that too, since I will be forced to carry around the right brick as well as the machine instead of leaving one brick at each house. I will be particularly cheesed that it's not compatible with the Au$100 Phillips 12V cable.

If the intent of the recall was to stop me using my old machine, at this point it is a singular fail, since it is still my only reliable machine and the only 12V compatible machine I have, and their neat trick with the SD card to make it unusable a few weeks after the card was put back in by making it beep endlessly after a few minutes use has not worked.

I'm headed home tomorrow. I'll report back if/when I learn anything from contacting Phillips, and in any case when I've had the chance to test it on my old power brick.
If the machine really won't work on their expensive 12V cable, well my next machine certainly won't be a Phillips. The whole point of buying the System One was that it runs on 12VDC; it was THE selling point for which I chose it over the alternatives.

[zebedee]

... Phillips Dreamstation as a recall replacement for a Phillips REMstar Pro C-Flex+ System one.
... 12V 10Ah lithium battery and ... 12V lead ...
...
It lit up (so it obviously has power) and reported "Check power" (which it clearly had).
...
I'm headed home tomorrow. I'll report back if/when I learn anything from contacting Phillips, and in any case when I've had the chance to test it on my old power brick.

I got home and tested the Dreamstation on the AC power supply from the Remstar System One.
Like on my 12V lead, it reports "Check power". The ONLY power source it works with is the AC power supply which came with it, which I think is pretty bloody poor.

Both power bricks are rated identically, 12.0 Volts and 6.67 Amps (80 Watts), although the Dreamstation brick is physically slightly smaller. My Lithium battery is entirely capable of delivering 7 Amps at 12V too.

This suggests that the unit is in some way detecting the particular power supply, as there is clearly sufficient current at the right voltage to wake the machine up so it can report "Check power" and refuse to operate.

I've also just received the (Australia & NZ) recall notice for the lightweight power cable to the brick and contacted Phillips. I have reported the "Check power" issue and done my best to sound like I'm not actually an engineer and try to get an explanation out of them.

Once again, I will report back when I learn anything new.

Given the previous posts before I resurrected this thread were 2 years ago, I suspect nobody is reading this at the moment, but hopefully it will help someone down the track.

[MontanaGoat]

I question the information presented here.  I can power both my Dreamstation (and new Dreamstation 2) from 12VDC in my travel trailer using a cigarette lighter adapter designed for the CPAP machines.  I've been using this adapter for 5 years without any problem.

[DME Link Removed] Search Supplier #29 for "1120746"

I've never seen any device warning at all ever.

Am I missing something in my reading of this thread?

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Moderator Action: DME Link Removed

To maintain our status as an educational organization, links to DME-owned or DME-operated websites and links to pages that sell prescription-required items are prohibited in forum posts.  This is stated in the Apnea Board Rules.

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[robsmuir]

Having just received this cable, from the vendor noted, I can confirm that it correctly powers my Dreamstation 2 Advanced. The cost was $37.99, including shipping. It is a Philips-branded product. And the vendor was quite prompt.

I have a CPAP battery (LI-ion) that successfully powers up my Philips devices. The vendor's description did not specify the Dreamstation 2—only that it was compatible with the Philips Dreamstation—but it seems to make my Dreamstation 2 happy, nonetheless. 

Now, I no longer need to use a 75W inverter into which I had been plugging the Dreamstation power transformer. Yea.

[zebedee]

I question the information presented here.  I can power both my Dreamstation (and new Dreamstation 2) from 12VDC in my travel trailer using a cigarette lighter adapter designed for the CPAP machines.  I've been using this adapter for 5 years without any problem.

[DME Link Removed] Search ... for "1120746"

I've never seen any device warning at all ever.

Am I missing something in my reading of this thread?

1120746 is the part number for the Dreamstation specific 12V lead.
The Phillips brand 12V lead p/n 1097568 which I purchased some years ago for my Remstar System One results in the "Check power" message.

Whatever additional signal the Dreamstation requires is superimposed on 12VDC by p/n 1120746, but is not provided by p/n 1097568.

Personally I think this is pretty rude of Phillips to disable earlier power supplies of the same spec when used with the newer model machine.

The local supplier even uses the same image for both part numbers! Of course the Dreamstation version is Au$100 versus the older version Au$55.