SOLVED - ResMed Aircurve 10 popping noise

[FJ40]

SOLVED - no more popping or ticking noise on machine

I just started using a new ResMed Aircurve 10 ASV and it would make a faint popping noise just as I'd start to drift off to sleep. I figured as I was just starting to drift off to sleep the machine was pushing more air because my lungs and signal to lungs was relaxing and my machine was kicking in and doing what it's designed to do. However, I am a light sleeper and I'd hear that little pop and it would wake me up. I tried ignoring it in hopes of getting used to it and fall asleep but it wasn't working so I started wearing ear plugs. I didn't just spend nearly $3k (I don't have insurance) to have to wear ear plugs every night.

I finally narrowed the noise source down to the humidifier. I looked at the humidifier and the cover does not sit super tight to the base. There's a squishy gasket between the two. What happens is when the machine is pushing a great amount of air it forcing that chamber to expand and the lid pushes up slightly the taps on the latch hit making a soft tapping sound.

It's a poor design and the match should have some foam in it or some other design to hold the clap tight and solid and not allow the top humidifier cover to move up and down. Believe it or not all I did to fix my problem was take a length of clear packing tape and stretch it from the top cover to the base really tight to keep it solidly shut and not allow the cover to flex up and click. Problem solved. No noise, no ear plugs, no waking.

Hope this helps others as I see a lot of searches for this same exact noise. ResMed should design a better clasp.

[Sleepster]

Those water chambers are relatively inexpensive. About $40 US on Amazon. I'd be interested in knowing if a new water chamber would be a fix.

[Sleeprider]

This popping of the humidity chamber is a pretty common occurrence. I hear it occasionally on my wife's machine when she doesn't push in the tray far enough. Hopefully your therapy is going well with ASV. The free software OSCAR lets you more easily see the work of the ASV providing a breath by breath view of your breathing flow rate and the mask pressure together. I think you will find it much more useful than ResScan https://www.sleepfiles.com/OSCAR Do you know your full settings (your profile says 5). You should have mode, and in AutoASV, EPAP min, EPAP max, PS min, PS max. In ASV mode just EPAP and PS min and max.

[FJ40]

Maybe a new chamber design is available but I doubt it. It's the latch design that is hard plastic hitting hard plastic when the lid moved up and down with high air pressure.

Their design works, it could just be better.

   

[SarcasticDave94]

Neither of my humidifier tubs click that I'm aware of. I've hit a high IPAP of about 27, however since I'm asleep I can't be sure if any noise was created. The tub on mine is fairly tight in the slot and the lid isn't moving much when latched and docked in the slot.

[PaulaO2]

Mine made a noise too until I changed out the humidifier tub. I think it is a flaw somehow in how the seal sits in the chamber then how well the lid of the chamber clips down to form that seal.

[Chfengr]

You are 100% spot on!  What an annoying noise!  You are correct, the noise is the lid fit on the humidifier.  You can actually see it moving when the machine is in use.

I placed a wide rubber band around my humidifier tank and placed it in the machine, not a click or pop all night.

I wondered why the supply sites offered new humidifier tanks and it's a replacement item on the supply house list when they call. 

I have on of those cleaning systems and it needs a special lid on the tank.  I am going to replace that poor gasket with a new one from a standard tank.

Thank you for posting your results, saved me a lot of trouble.

[Dog Slobber]

I have on of those cleaning systems and it needs a special lid on the tank.  I am going to replace that poor gasket with a new one from a standard tank.

You really need to investigate the negative impacts of Ozone disinfection (such as SoClean) on CPAP machines.

• The incompatibility of Ozone with many materials is well known and well understood
  
• ResMed has made claims of observing damage to to their devices and will not warranty their macihnes for damage consistent with Ozone damage
  
• Respironics has made a statement that using Ozone may exacerbate foam degradation
  
• The FDA has made a statement that for Ozone to be effective in destroying pathogens, it must be present in concentrations well above levels safe for humans
  

[mesenteria]

A rubber band would have been my suggestion, but I was beaten to it above.  Those wide, often blue, ones that hold broccoli clusters together might do the trick, although they're pretty stout and strong...maybe too so.  But a suitable rubber band around the device, parallel to the orifice on the base unit in which it is inserted, would improve things substantially.

[milesarcher]

   I just switched from PR to ResMed and on the fourth night the clicking started.  I tried the rubber band solution last night and all is well.