Resmed S9 repairs? Cleaning? Parts?

[kyork]

HI,
    I have an Resmed S9 CPAP with humidifier chamber.   I have had it open once. After being away from home for several weeks, now my CPAP smells like where I was... and it is not very pleasant.   The CPAP has never been serviced (other than me cleaning it once) and I am pretty sure the motor and fan (encased in plastic) and the foam inserts need to be replaced or cleaned if that is even possible.   I am tapped out financially and was wondering if anyone knows a way to get parts.  Resmed is pretty serious about not selling them to customers.    If I do send the CPAP in to have it serviced, does anyone know how much it should cost.    I HATE the fact that when I would ask the place that sold the CPAP would refuse to give me a ball park... and simply wanted me to come in... and no mention of turn around time either.  

Anyone know how much is should cost to have the CPAP cleaned and new foam inserts put in?

Anyone know how I could just get the parts and do it myself?

The unit is probably 7 to 8 years old.

Thanks.
Kevin

[OpalRose]

You could call a couple online suppliers to get an estimate.  Supplier #27 and Supplier #28 do repairs.  
Of course, you might have to pay for shipping costs.  I could see that being costly overall.

Mabye it's time to look for a new machine.  Supplier #2 has good low hour used machines and also new open box units.

[Sleeprider]

You can't get the parts, and rebuilding is impractical. Until you can afford a new machine (check Amazon for best prices), You might buy a small can of Oxium spray. Spray a tissue or cotton ball with the Ozium and let the vapor be drawn through the machine. I have done this and even killed smoke odors in a used unit.

[trish6hundred]

Hi kyork,
WELCOME! to the forum.
Good luck on your quest to try to get your machine working, but the manufacturers don't really make it very easy to fix these machines.

[kyork]

Thanks for the suggestions... but I am pretty sure the machine has dust in it... and there are foam pads that hold it.  I am hoping there is nothing growing in there and that could be a MAJOR health concern.  The last time I bought Pipe cleaners and meticulously cleaned each fan blade.  We are talking several hours and cramped fingers...   Not sure how I cleaned the foam pads.   It is also difficult to get it open... and they you have to worry about getting contaminants in the chassis.

The idea is to clean it, not mask any issues it might have.   I go to extremes to avoid any air fresheners or scented products.  Chemically sensitive.

Thanks anyway.

IF anything, I would put an ionizer close to the CPAP and let it run for a few hours.

Kevin

It upsets me extremely that we are unable to get parts for it.  These machines and the parts have incredible markups.  for someone with out insurance or a savings account they would not be attainable.  I would not have one at all if I had not been insured when I got it... even then it was over $500 out of pocket.  at over 130 a mask... I have been using the same ones for several years... and taking care of them.

[Walla Walla]

I'd look for any place you might find a used one. on-line, garage sells, estate sales etc. You could use the parts off it.

[nydiver]

My suggestion comes with my story: I got LAZY, kept just dumping distilled water into the unit, thinking "it's low, i just refill it, the water is clean, no problem" low and behold I see some darkness thru the clear lid of the humidifier after a while, I look at the seal and its black mold. I look in the machine and there's some spots in where I can peek. Off to the DME supplier and after 2 cycles of the SoClean it looked much better, and they offered to sell me a OB unit that someone else decided against or something. The cartridge was BN so I sprung the 75 for it and never looked back. I throw my gear inside it and thru a cycle every week or so and I've never seen anything again, I feel a little better, and it made things so much easier. So the ionic or ozone cleaning is a good idea, BUT I'm still not trying to push O2 thru my main unit, It can ruin my hose, humidifier or mask, but damned if it's going to get a shot at messing up my AS10. If I see spots inside the unit again I would push O2 thru it for an hour or 2, but I wouldn't do it every day or every week.

[kyork]

Hi,
   No offense Walla Walla, but a "used CPAP for parts???" OMG that is SO disgusting.   Used parts:  Never!

I have seen CPAPS with roaches LIVING in them.


I have seen one guy bring his tank in, (the one that does not open)  with clear slime and mold it YELLOW and black... DISGUSTING!  And he did not even seem to notice it, I had to ask and tell him it was there and it could hurt him, that he needed to clean it!

NO!

You do not know what kind of Mold, or bacteria, or dander, or what else would be involved.   Best to choke in my sleep instead or sleep sitting up.

I don't even want to think about it.  Better to possibly have my own yuck in there rather than another's.

Nope nope nope nope nope....

[Walla Walla]

Understood. Champagne tastes with a beer budget. Good luck.

[kyork]

 Off to the DME supplier and after 2 cycles of the SoClean it looked much better, and they offered to sell me a OB unit that someone else decided against or something. The cartridge was BN so I sprung the 75 for it and never looked back. I throw my gear inside it and thru a cycle every week or so and I've never seen anything again, I feel a little better, and it made things so much easier. So the ionic or ozone cleaning is a good idea, BUT I'm still not trying to push O2 thru my main unit, It can ruin my hose, humidifier or mask, but damned if it's going to get a shot at messing up my AS10. If I see spots inside the unit again I would push O2 thru it for an hour or 2, but I wouldn't do it every day or every week.

I have seen the SoClean apparatuses and they seem cool, especially if you are lazy (like I am.)  However, this only cleans the parts I can easily clean already.

The main box is what I want to clean.  Microdust particles will accumulate in it.  I have visited places with a little mildew (Hotels, beach homes) and pet smells from when people left the cat in a room, and they stay in the CPAP.    Dust will harbor mold in my experience... and bacteria too... so it kind of scares me.

   
   

wish I could show you how there was dust on the blades of the fan, which is basically a motor surrounded by thin blades that surround it like slices of an orange... lots of them, with dust between them.  The only way to clean it is to use pipe cleaners and get through the small hole and slowly clean each one... probably over 25 of them.   If I take it apart again I will show you, but good luck finding a pic on the internet.    As you can see, the FOAM probably is what absorbs the smell... Much like one's clothing.



DME?    what is that?
SoClean?    (OK, I have seen these selling for @$245-$300)
Cartridge?  what are the cartidges for?       Are they $75?

so this is a service that they offer?  or did you buy one?

I wonder if it will work with a heated hose?  It looks like there is an attachment to go between the main hose and the humidifier?

Kevin