[Product Review] Weinmann / Löwenstein prismaAQUA humidifier

[Costas P]

My friends,

as I "got involved" more and more with my apnea issues, I decided to give it the best try I could, in order to make it work. So, I made the first step, I made the decision to comply with my Doctor's advise and buy a CPAP. As I was reading various posts in this forum, I realized that I should be "equipped" with a complete CPAP setup, containning: the CPAP device and its... peripherals.

A humidifier along with a heated tubing, that may make my night sleep even more comfortable.

So, today I received part one, of this "peripheral" setup:

Weinmann / Löwenstein prismaAQUA humidifier.



At first sight it looks and feels like a pretty simple, strong and well built unit. It is made of plastic and can be devided in two: the upper part (like a cup) at the same color and shape as the Weinmann / Löwenstein prisma 20A Auto CPAP I'm having, and the lower part (the water container).

These two parts can easilly - although very firmly connected with each other - be disassembled in two pieces:

In the upper part there's an elastic flange fitted at its lower part, which seals hermetically with the the water tank. No leak of liquid is possible through this connection, when both parts are assembled together, forming the humidifier. In this upper part, there is a "maze" shaped construction, made of some elastic plastic matterial - similar in touch to the elastic flange fitted at its bottom side. This "maze" (or trap for liquids) is there to prevent any liquid leakage towards the CPAP, when the humidifier is attached to the CPAP and is transported filled with liquid. As it is obvious none should make such "transportations" with water tank filled, but anyway, provision has been taken by the manufacturer, even for this case, so as to avoid any damage to the CPAP, if someone would try it.

The water tank is made of semi-transparent plastic, and in it is assembled the resistance - the silver cylinder shown in the photo above. There's an electric connection of it at the side of the water tank. When the humidifier is attached on the main CPAP body, the CPAP automatically "recognizes" its presence, and the humidifier operation options are shown on the color touch screen of the CPAP.
Also, there are lines showing liquid level at 200 and 400 ml. These lines are engraved on both: side and bottom of the water tank, since the humidifier can be filled up with liquid from both: sideways (through a specially marked hole) or from top (when humidifier is opened).

Bottom view of water tank, with liquid level markings and...

...side view markings.

Installation of the humidifier to the main body of the CPAP is very easy. It takes two steps:

1. Remove the side cover on the left side of the CPAP main body, by pressing an easy to operate square button fitted on top left side of it.



2. Attatch the humidifier to the main CPAP body. A strong (and very reassuring) "click" is heard each time the humidifier is firmlly attached to the CPAP.

Et... voila !...

Humidifier and CPAP... became one unit.

At the same time, a "drop" lights up in the CPAP touch screen, informing about the presence of the humidifier. As easy as this. If no liquid is "found" inside the humidifier, the drop remains in grayscale. As soon as the water tank is filled with liquid and the CPAP is turned on, simply by starting to breathe from the mask the humidifier "drop" becomes green and shows the setting (which has previously been selected by the user) in numbers from 0 (no humidity) to 7 (max. humidity). These values can change even at use, by simply pressing "+" or "-" symbols shown on screen (on top and bottom of the "drop", respectively), if more or less humidity is needed at that time. Of course the humidifier operates by "taking into consideration" the current temperature of the environment where the CPAP is placed and automatically adjusts humidity of the air blown into the mask. By using this feature the CPAP user can enjoy - almost - the same amount of humidity ("requirred" by the setting i.e.: "2") under - almost - any temperature of the room.

As you can clearly see in the photo above, there's a power connector, right below the air output. This is where the plug of the heated tubing is connected, providing the necessary power to the resistor installed on the heated tubing. This power is also automatically regulated according to the temperature of the room and the humidifier setting. At this point please note the the 40VA power supply of the CPAP can "accomodate" the humidifier and heated tubing too!... So, there's no need to buy another PSU (with more VA). This in fact is a low power output PSU, pointing out that the power consumption of the whole unit is pretty low!... I assume that the intergration of low power consumption components must have lead to this low power consumption "needs" of this unit. I believe Weinmann / Löwenstein technicians must have done some serious work in this field too. These people seem to care about the environment too...

Of course, the humidifier can operate with the simple (not heated) tubing as well, and as the Weinmann / Löwenstein seller informed me, at settings even as high as 3-4, the heated tubing is not necessary, in order to avoid the "rain drops" (moisture) phenomenon on the mask, depending on the temperature of the room. This is something that remains to be... discovered, as soon as I use the humidifier.

Last but not least (and very important): as Weinmann / Löwenstein seller informed me, the best "liquid" to use for keeping myself and the humidifier "healthy" (avoid the formation of residues in the humidifier tank and resistor) is: Water for Injection. This can be bought from any drugstore and is used widely in hospitals, clinics etc. for cleaning wounds, solvent for injections etc. It is completelly healthy for humans to be inhalled (actually it is purified water) while keeping the humidifier clean too!... I asked my wife (she's a nurse) her opinion on this and she found it a pretty good idea. Healthy too!...

These two "buddies" go together!...

Well... that's all folks, for the moment. As soon as I receive my heated tubing I will come back and let you know all about it too.
Of course, after I start using it too, I will come back with more details about the performance of this set: humidifier and it's accompanying heated tubing combined with my Weinmann / Löwenstein Prisma 20A Auto CPAP.

Thank you very much for reading this review. I hope I gave you the chance to get "introduced" with this Weinmann / Löwenstein humidiier. I'll be back soon, to complete this review.


Costas

[Costas P]

My friends,

as I promissed earlier in my first post, I'm presenting to you a review, I posted today, on Weinmann / Löwenstein prismaTS software.

In the following link you can read all about it:

http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...#pid202122

I'm looking foreward to reading your comments!!!...


Costas

[Sleeprider]

This equipment looks like it was built by and for people that drive BMWs and Mercedes. It appears very well built and the use of metal connectors is something we don't see on anything else. In my opinion the "H2O for Injection" looks like overkill, like premium fuel for the premium cars. What is the cost of that per liter?

[Costas P]

This equipment looks like it was built by and for people that drive BMWs and Mercedes.  It appears very well built and the use of metal connectors is something we don't see on anything else.  In my opinion the "H2O for Injection" looks like overkill, like premium fuel for the premium cars.  What is the cost of that per liter?

Hi Sleeprider and thank you for your great comments!...

I share your opinion on the Weinmann / Löwenstein products. They really look and feel, as you wrote: "like it was built by and for people that drive BMWs and Mercedes". Indeed!... Quiet a comparison I must say!...

As far as the "H2O for Injection" cost. From a recent research I've performed on various dragstores, the cost per 1000 ml. bottle of "H20 for Injection" is approx. around 1.5 Euros ~ 1.5 USD / bottle. So, if someone's using this as liquid for the humidifier, must be consuming like 150 ml. per night = 6.5 nights @ 1000 ml. per week. The per month cost should be 4 bottles of 1000 ml @ 1.5 Euros X 4 (weeks per month) = 6 Euros or USD per month.

I don't think it's really that expensive, and if you take into consideration the benefits from its use, then most probably it's a... bargain!


Costas

[Costas P]

...
so, please keep that in mind regarding the following:

The Prisma 20A seems to be pretty awesome.
One main-disadvantage compared to the ResMed is: the climate-tube has no "auto-control" ... you can change the temperature by hand, but (If I remember correctly) there is no such thing as "automatic".
...

I was alerted by this, so I asked the Weilnmann seller from which I bought my equipment about this. The answer was straight foreward:

By adjusting the humidifier level, the user really adjusts the amount of the humidity that will be "inserted" in the air he/she is breathing. Prisma 20A has a built-in room temperature sensor, reading the temperature of the environment in which it is operating, so as to automatically adjust the amount of heat it needs to apply to the water, in order to keep up with the humity level which is set by the user. So, at a hypothetical setting of 4 (for humidity), the heat produced by the resistor inside the prismaAQUA humidifier differs each time, depending on the temperature of the room in which  it is set in operation.

I think, if this is true, that this means auto humidification level control, or not?...


Costas


Text posted in: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...ece?page=5

[Melman]

Water for injection is sterile and very highly purified. It looks like your cost is a little under $6 US/gallon which is low compared to pricing in the US.

It is overkill, however. You don't need sterile water and, of course, as soon as you open it and pour it in the humidifier it is no longer sterile (nor is the water remaining in the bottle). Speaking as a microbiologist I can tell you there is little benefit from it's use unless you have no other source of clean water.

Can you purchase non-sterile distilled or demineralized water? That's what I use and it costs less than $1/gallon in the US. If your drinking water is of good quality it should even be sufficient. It just will require more frequent cleaning of your reservoir to prevent buildup of minerals.

[Costas P]

Actually, the use of "H2O for Injection" was suggested to me, as the best way to keep the humifier (water tank and resistor) as well as the Prisma 20A Auto CPAP, clean from residues - especially mineral salts. The drinking water contains lots of them, even in Athens, where I'm living. I believe the use of "H2O for Injection" wil keep my equipment as clean as possible, especially the CPAP. I'm afraid that various residues might cause - sooner than expected - harm in the humidity "path" inside the CPAP (most probably will protect the various sensors and the turbine as well).

I was shown - at the Weinmann Seller's - a prismaAQUA used for a few times with tap water... The water tank was full of "salt" residues. I wouldn't like them as ... "residents" inside my CPAP!!!... No way!...

"H2O for Injections" was suggested to me as a much better "water" to inhale - due to its properties, compared to destilled water (mainly suitable for ironing), and it is less expensive than demineralized water (table water, right?). Tap water was will be my "in case I run out of WfI" choise.

I'm aware that as soon as I open the "H2O for Injection" bottle, simiultanouesly it loses its sterile properties, but for the reasons mentioned above, I think I will prefer. At least, I will start with it and see...


Costas

[Melman]

You are correct. Water for injection contains virtually no dissolved salts and minerals and salts and should leave no residue.  I'm surprised that it is cheaper than demineralized water since it is more expensive to produce but it is obviously the better choice based on cost as well.

With respect to safety for inhalation there should be no difference. Most of what you inhale is in the form of evaporated vapor which contains none of the salts, minerals, and bacteria present in the water. Some may be aerosolized and inhaled as small droplets but you probably inhale more aerosolized tap water when you take a shower than you would in several nights use of the CPAP.

Thanks for sharing all the detailed information and photos of your machine.

[DOOM_NX]

Amazing review! Congrats on your purchase and good luck with your treatment!

If you really need distilled (not demineralized/deionized) water in Greece, there are some options, like this one:
http://www.glvpanelectronics.gr/apestagm...litra.html

2.00 € per 5 L or about $1.65 per gallon.

Of course water for injection is perfectly fine, just more expensive.

By the way, tap water should be adequate if you can clean the humidifier tank every day in order to prevent scale build-up.

What kind of water should I use with my humidifier?

Tap water is fine for everyday use when you are using a cleanable water tub. If you have a standard humidifier tub, we recommend that you use distilled or deionised water. The water should be changed after each use—even if it is not all used within one night.

Please do not use any of the following in your humidifier:

Bleach, alcohol, chlorine or ammonia-based solutions
Moisturising, antibacterial or glycerine based soaps
Additives like eucalyptus oil or other scented oils
Water softening and unapproved descaling agents

These products could damage your humidifier and its function, or leave harmful residual vapours that could be inhaled if not rinsed thoroughly.

Source

[Costas P]

My friends,

As I've already promised, I wrote a full review for the Weinmann / Löwenstein Prisma 20A Auto CPAP in the corresponding section of this great forum!...

In case you're interested, you can read it using the following link:

http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...-Auto-CPAP




Costas