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+--- Thread: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread (/Thread-The-DreamStation-Foam-Removal-Thread)
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - DaveCar - 09-16-2021
Re- thin strips of residue
Would you be willing to take a bit of your removed foam and heat it up in some water ?
If it turns to mush or dissolves at some reasonable temperature, then you could flush the chamber out with that same temperature water. Keep the contact time minimal to protect the plastic chamber, but I cant see that softening at any reasonable 'hot' water temperature.
Philips told us that hot/humid destroys this foam.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - Phil7 - 09-17-2021
I just wanted to point out that my 2017 unit below did not have any kind of "glue" holding the foam in place or "black foam/glue" lines left in the chamber after removing the foam. After (coat hanger) removing the foam from the newer unit, black foam/glue lines were left in the chamber. It looks like sometime between 2017 and 2020 Philips started adding strips of glue to hold the foam in place for some reason.
Otherwise, with either unit, the max pressure at night has gone up from seeing a 16 at worst, to both units having spikes of up to 19 (and I'm not sleeping as well at all). I've been working at lot and not getting much exercise lately. It's driving me nuts not knowing if the worse sleeep is a health change on my end, or a defect caused by opening the units and removing the foam. I went ahead and ordered an AirSense 10 this morning, just so I can make sure.
2020 Dreamstation
Device_Date_Stamp: 2020-06-30 REV00
Start Day: 2021-04-27
Tube_Type - 15
Model: Auto CPAP
Software: V1.1.8 1042821-00936
Machine_Hours: 936.7
Therapy Hours: 933.6
Compliance: 58094
Check Code: 87
2017 Dreamstation
Device_Date_Stamp: 2017-03-23 REV00
Start Day: 2017-10-03
Tube Type - 15
Model: Auto CPAP
Software: V1.1.1 1004117-09651
Machine_Hours: 9620.5
Therapy Hours: 9620.5
Compliance: 40237
Check Code: 5C
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - mrmagloo - 09-17-2021
To remove the sticky residue, you could try Vinegar or something similar that can be rinsed away without leaving a residue itself.
Also, regarding your therapy changes, I don't think the foam should do much other than help suppress noise. I think you should try to focus on mitigating the other potential contributing issues first. And, get set up on Oscar so you can track the results with greater insights.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - remseeker - 09-18-2021
Regarding possible aftereffects of foam removal, I'm wondering if one purpose of the foam might be to damp out possible resonances that can be created in a closed chamber, similar to what happens, on purpose, in musical wind instruments. So if this were true, then the effects of removing the foam may not show up until the particular conditions for resonance oscillations were met, such as certain pressure settings, breathing rates (frequency effects), etc.
If this makes sense, then doing some experiments to check the effects of some usage variables would be interesting, but a time consuming project. If I learn more about using OSCAR and about making settings on my DS1, maybe I could attempt such a project, that is, if I de-foam my DS1.
Before removing the foam from my DreamStation BiPAP autoASV, I'm sort of waiting to see if more of those who had done this have noticed problems. (I don't have a backup machine, and I've been told that the new DS2 machines don't currently support the ASV function I need.) Thanks to the those who have taken up this de-foaming effort before the rest of us!
If I do a de-foaming, I plan to use rocketrobo's method of food grade plugs and Raybee's suggestion of a stepper drill bit. From Amazon, I've ordered a "IRWIN Unibit Drill Bit, Single Hole Size, 1/2-Inch (10310)", designed for drilling into thin materials like plastic which should minimize creating a rough-edged hole.
Thanks for all the de-foaming suggestions! What a great website this is!! I need to make a donation.
I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet, but I think there should be some care taken to not accidentally let a static electricity discharge, from handling, damage the printed circuit board. A minimum would be to touch a grounded metal surface like a metal computer case, before handling the PCB. Many people usually take this precaution anyway.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - remseeker - 09-18-2021
One other idea I forgot to mention in ramblings for my post #84 -
If chamber oscillations were to happen, then the pressure sensors might not operate properly due to the pattern of fluctuations in air pressure produced by the oscillations.
Maybe I'm going over my head with these speculations, since I'm not very knowledgeable in these areas.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - DaveCar - 09-18-2021
In between the two foam blocks, on the Dreamstation, is a couple of sensor ports. They might measure flow rate as a pressure difference between each side of a restriction. Will removing the foam cause excess turbulence in this area, and thus report incorrect flow rate ?
If someone could capture a pre-foamectomy OSCAR dataset and then a post-foamectomy dataset, it might show something ??
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - LindanHotAir - 09-18-2021
The slotted restriction between the 2 chambers is designed to provide laminar flow. The pair of sensor ports measure flow. The tube with the divider down the center and a seal at the top routes air past the temperature/humidity sensor. The output pressure is sensed at the port near the air inlet. Any unsealed openings inside or outside the chamber will mess up the sensor readings.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - remseeker - 09-20-2021
Below, I've copied some remarks in this thread that speak to any changes noticed in their machine's operation due to foam removal.
I hope nobody is offended by my copying like this out of context, but if these users have anything else to add about performance issues, and other users could report also on their de-foaming observations, I think it would be helpful for those of us contemplating going through with this modification. OSCAR comparisons seem to be very helpful, as DaveCar has suggested in a previous post. Thanks for all your help so far!
Copied comments:
Zalagar, post #20, Machine: Dreamstation BiPAP AutoSV, "Been using my machine for almost 2 weeks now with no worries or issues."
AHIGuy, post #21 Machine: Philliips Responics DreamStation Bipap ,"I put it on for 15 minutes and observed via Oscar that it was indeed working perfectly."
Zalagar, post #26, Machine: Phillips Respironics Dreamstation, "Just checked my OSCAR data, the data looks pretty much identical to what it was before removing the foam, ..."
racprops, post #27, Machine: Dreamstation BiPAP AutoSV, "All functions and OSCAR reports seem to be normal."
querty42, post #37, Machine: Dreamstation, "The reason I mentioned this is another person a few posts prior said their reported tidal volume seemed to be different after removing the foam."
Dafod, post #38, Machine: Dreamstation, PR1 560, Dreamstation GO., post #38, "I hacked my Dreamstation such that I think impacted the flow sensor. But, as a fall back I removed the foam of my Dreamstation Go which didn't require any cutting into the pump housing. It seems to working fine and has now become my daily - so I guess I am lucky in that regards."
plasticplumber, post #43, Machine: System One RemStar Auto with A-Flex (561P), "I have as a result of the above increased on a temporary basis the pressure of my machine by 1cm/w and my two days on the machine seem normal."
querty42, post #46, Machine: Dreamstation, "... from my own testing of its reported data pre and post foam removal, I'm quite confident that removing the foam has no impact on performance or operation as long as a few things are heeded: ... ", "...but it's working great and all measured flow parameters in OSCAR are tracking right where they used to."
querty42, post #54, Machine: Dreamstation, "Nice job! How much louder is the GO without the foam? On my DreamStation, the difference in noise was quite small."
NevCarl, post #55, Machine: Dreamstation Go, "After foam removal, noise is still minimal at low pressures of 4-6 which is all I need usually, so no difference in noise."
querty42, post #56, Machine: Dreamstation,"That said, I hear very little difference in my DreamStation without the foam."
Phil7, post #82, Machine: Dreamstation, "It's driving me nuts not knowing if the worse sleeep is a health change on my end, or a defect caused by opening the units and removing the foam. "
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - LindanHotAir - 09-21-2021
I removed foam from a DS1 Auto CPAP and followed some erroneous advice to leave the openings open in the motor chamber. That night my AHI went to 10 and the tidal volume reported was cut in half. When I sealed it, operation reverted to normal. Everything must be resealed.
The ASV machine has the same configuration as the AUto except it has a much larger motor that puts out higher pressure.
RE: The DreamStation Foam Removal Thread - Zalagar - 09-23-2021
For anyone having pressure changes after removing the foam, I have helped a few others with the same issue. It either stemmed from them leaving open hole in the air chamber, whether or not its under the sealed lid, doesn't matter, any hole made has to be sealed. The other issue I have seen quite a few times was from improper re-assembly. I noticed 3 areas that can cause problems, one is the seal/boot that goes over the turbine blower motor and slots into the chamber, you have to make sure it is put on corrected and sealing properly. The other 2 main areas were the 2 seals that are on the PCB Board that the 2 nipples on the chamber plug into, you have to make sure they are inserted and sealing correctly. I have had 3 people on YouTube that had the same issue, I told them the same things, and when they got it re-assembled, all was well. So it might be worth a shot if you are noticing any issues after removing the foam from your machines. Hope this helps some of you. My data before and after foam removal is identical in all aspects. The only time it has changed was just recently after my sleep study, they gave me a new Nasal Mask (ResMed Airfit N30i) to try out and even gave me and extra brand new cushion
