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+--- Thread: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread (/Thread-The-DreamStation-Foam-Removal-Thread)
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - plasticplumber - 08-11-2021
I would say it's in the section that looks like a reversed J below the motor. Looking at your photo it looks darker there.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - Phaleronic - 08-11-2021
I see the foam in the chamber prior to the intake nozzle..
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - NevCarl - 08-12-2021
[attachment=34693][attachment=34696][attachment=34695]
Yes, the foam was there in Dreamstation Go
I didn't have to cut holes in the plastic though.
I could reach it through the air inlet hole.
It broke off at the neck where a baffel was supporting it
So pulling from the end closest to the inlet wasn't so good.
So
I used a long wire, reached in and pulled the rest out from the furthest away bit.
The foam was not glued in.
There is a lid over where it was and this wasn't there when the foam was installed.
The lid had then been glued on (it didn't look very easy to remove.)
So
my foam is removed!!!!!
I quite like the Dreamstation Go design, small, quiet.
I also got the humidifier attachment and the separate battery attachment which I've used when camping.
Humidity good around here by the sea so often have no need for humidifier.
I noticed the older Dreamstation was much noisier if the humidifier was removed.
I don't sleep so well without CPAP.
I have no access to any alternatives.
I'm not impressed with Dreamstation 2 if I can't use OSCAR and it can't be used without humidifier.
So
I'll go on using my Dreamstation Go
with no need to worry about detrimental effects from the foam any more
because THE FOAM IS GONE!!!
(I have more pictures of the removal process if anyone is interested but can only post 3 at a time.)
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - qwerty42 - 08-13-2021
(08-12-2021, 06:25 AM)NevCarl... Wrote: ...THE FOAM IS GONE!!!
Nice job! How much louder is the GO without the foam? On my DreamStation, the difference in noise was quite small.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - NevCarl - 08-13-2021
After foam removal, noise is still minimal at low pressures of 4-6 which is all I need usually, so no difference in noise.
The foam is not positioned to make any difference to the noise of motor.
The foam narrows the air inlet just before the pressure sensors, in the area where the plastic 'slatted window' is.
Maybe using foam is quieter than narrowing airflow with a plastic panel?
Would the narrowing of the air inlet make the sensors more sensitive?
I tried to attach my oscar record for the day before foam removed and the day after but pdf not allowed.
I can't see much difference.
Why did Phillips put the foam there in the first place I wonder.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - qwerty42 - 08-13-2021
(08-13-2021, 09:44 PM)NevCarl Wrote: The foam is not positioned to make any difference to the noise of motor.
...
The foam narrows the air inlet just before the pressure sensors, in the area where the plastic 'slatted window' is.
Maybe using foam is quieter than narrowing airflow with a plastic panel?
Would the narrowing of the air inlet make the sensors more sensitive?
...
Why did Phillips put the foam there in the first place I wonder.
TL;DR: I expect it to still work just fine without the foam.
The foam isn't meant to quiet the sound of the motor. The motor is mounted with flexible isolators to accomplish that. It's there to quiet down certain noises that are a result of the air rushing through the machine. It just dampens sound in the airflow prior to the motor.
That said, I hear very little difference in my DreamStation without the foam. It's not really "louder" than before. There's just slightly more noise in midrange-frequencies which our ears are more sensitive to. Perhaps this difference grows as flow rates increase through the machine.
Regarding the sensors, the mass flow measurement relies on a restriction between the pair of ports you see side by side (with the grommet shaped like an 8). Inlet narrowing or foam upstream of that pair of ports shouldn't make any difference, as long as it doesn't cause a large difference in flow turbulence. Between those two closely-spaced ports, the flow encounters a restriction (that's what the little "slatted window" piece is), causing the velocity and pressure to change slightly due to conservation of mass. The second port in the stream measures the new pressure after the restriction. Then with some math, and likely a sensor-specific calibration, you can correlate that pressure change to mass flow rate.
Tthe machine should still read the flow rate correctly because it isn't relying on the foam to play any role in that measurement. And as for mask pressure, that sensor is on the output, after the blower, so it is also unaffected by the foam being present or not. The final sensor port--the hole that looks like two half-circles--connects to a humidity and tempeature sensor, assuming it's the same as the DreamStation's sensor setup. Everything else appears to match, so I'm guessing that's the same too.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - LindanHotAir - 08-14-2021
The above description covered almost all the details. The output pressure sensor is a dual port device where the second port is open into the machine’s case to measure altitude. The mass air flow calculation uses the combination of altitude, temperature, humidity, and differential pressure across the calibrated slats to compute the mass air flow. There was not enough foam in the airways to restrict flow as there is a clear path under it. Anyone who left any openings in the air chamber has disrupted the operation of several sensors. Ignore any videos where holes are left open.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - Dafod - 08-19-2021
After removing the foam in my Dreamstation GO the sound difference wasn't measurable.
I used an app on the iphone to test and couldn't really tell a difference. The GO's sound is very quiet as I leave it on a tray on the floor beside my bed which I slide it under during the day. I have registered the unit but will likely not hand it over for a DS2 as that appears to be a bad trade.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - RayBee - 08-25-2021
I was able to convince our friend to let me open up her PR Dreamstation and take some photos.
She has used the machine for 4 years. Now she is using the REMstar I was able to get for her. She consistently got sick using the Dreamstation and is feeling great using the REMstar. So good news there.
She also used the SoClean every day for 4 years on the Dreamstation. I wasn't sure what we would find on inspection. I'm happy to find no evidence of foam breaking off, and am confident that no particles were inhaled. I couldn't get into the foam any further since she needs to keep it all intact to eventually get it replaced by Sutter Health. We don't know if they will want it back or not. If not, I'll remove the foam and clean it all up for her to use as a backup. Sutter is planning on getting her a ResMed AirSense 10 For Her model. But we don't know when that will happen.
I am wondering if the foam deteriorated to a sticky mush as had been posted here and in Youtube videos. If that is the case, perhaps that stickiness is helping to prevent particles from breaking off and traveling to the patient. Sort of acting as flypaper that holds the foam.
On a side note, the Dreamstation refused to power up last time she tried to use it with a HEPA filter per her sleep doc's instructions. (Can you say guinea pig?) It just displayed an error message for the power supply having some sort of problem. On my visit to do the exploratory surgery, I checked the power supply's plug and found that the pin was mashed over to the side, inside the plug. I was surprised it even displayed anything. I straightened up the center pin and it came back to life once again. So, if anybody has a similar error, check the center pin.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread, my experience - rocketrobo - 08-26-2021
I learned of this recall only recently, and after reading multiple threads, I've decided to go the foam removal route with both my Dreamstations (home and travel).
Someone (apologies to the original poster, I lost your name and link) recommended using 1/2" salt shaker plugs. I liked this idea, and bought a set of four:
Plastic Stopper Replacement Plug for Salt and Pepper Shakers
from AMZN for under 6 bucks.
It took only a few minutes to disassemble the unit with the excellent advice on this thread. I drilled 1/2" holes on the top of each chamber, with my shop vac nozzle running beside the drill bit to minimize plastic debris. I did drill initial pilot holes prior to the larger bit. There was no degraded foam, so pulling the foam out of the holes with a hemostat was easy and there was zero black powder or any debris left inside - I blew it out with compressed air and more vacuum regardless. The plugs fit perfectly, and looked almost original. I put 3M HVAC foil tape over the top of the plugs as failsafe, although they seem very snug and secure and I think any shock strong enough to dislodge the plugs would destroy the machine. Reassembly was also easy, and I don't notice any difference with noise or function.
[attachment=35142][attachment=35144][attachment=35143]
Thank you to everyone that has researched and contributed to this topic; I'll be utilizing this forum a lot more in the future to help with my CPAP use and understanding.