ResMed S9 CPAP repair - S9 Escape / S9 Elite / S9 Auto / S9 VPAP

The ResMed S9 CPAP machine series was roughly available between the years 2010-15.  Its predecessor was the popular line called S8 series.  The S8 was a very compact unit due to having a robust motor, individual operating components, and a built in power supply vs the S9 which now has an external transformer. When the S9 came out with its non-medical design, color LCD display and silver chassis it was considered very advanced for the time. 

The Resmed S9 CPAP redesign addressed some issues the S8 had.  The main problem was during the mid 2000's there was a recall for the S8 units having a faulty internal power supply that could lead to a potential fire.  This was updated in later versions of the S8.  The S9 simply used an external power supply instead.  It was more convenient if there was a power supply issue by simply replacing it rather than having to send the CPAP in for repair.  Although ResMeds choice of having an external power supply was more for convenience, it unfortunately was not very durable.  The problem was the S9 power supply plug itself had 3 male prongs which were prone to break if handled improperly.  People can be rough with their machines especially when traveling having to constantly plug and unplug the unit.  If you ever see an error on your S9 referencing  to  "check the 90 watt power supply", look for broken pins in the plug.  We can take care of those embedded pins for you.

ResMed updated the power switch by using an actual mechanical switch under the power button.  The S8 was and is still notorious for the start/stop buttons wearing out due to using contact style controls (we can repair them).  Another issue the S9 helped resolve was water intrusion from the humidifier. S8 units when used with a humidifier had more cases of getting water damage than the newer S9.   From our experience,  the S9 has little issue with water getting back into the main unit and damaging components like motors or control boards. We have seen ResMed S9s have water damage, but it is rather rare.  

Some people are not very diligent about replacing the air filters on these units or lose the air filter cover completely.  This will lead to dust contamination rather quickly.  Whistling or motor loudness will increase over time.  You will then need a replacement once the louder sound cannot be tolerated any longer.  We can repair your ResMed S9 CPAP with a new motor.  If you do change your filters on a regular basis the motor is designed to last about 24000 hours of usage.  That computes to over 8 years of running every night for 8 hours a night!  Once you hit that 24000 hour mark your machine will display "motor exceeded life - call service".  We can replace the S9 blower and this will correct the issue.

Dust and or moisture contamination can damage the flow sensors on the ResMed S9 CPAP.  You may experience the unit no longer can turn itself on/off, inconsistent air pressures or just waking up not feeling rested anymore due improper air pressure volume.  We can repair your S9 CPAP by replacing the main control board and calibrating it accordingly to factory specifications.   

Have you ever knocked off or pulled your machine off the nightstand by accident or dropped it while juggling (well, maybe not from juggling)? If so, the round control knob on top may have broken off.  This is not uncommon to see when we examine ResMed S9 CPAPs that come in for repair / service.  There is a metal shaft which is part of the main control board that is designed to hold the knob in place.  If this shaft has sheered off, the entire board will need to be replaced unfortunately as any setting changes on the unit will not be possible if not repaired properly.

  

Last but not least, there are S9 humidifier and tubing problems.  Lets start out with heated tubing or standard hoses.  People can experience a "blocked tubing" error on their ResMed S9 CPAP machine during usage. "There's nothing blocking it" is what patients tell us.  We have seen hoses that have been stretched out, kinked or even with the slightest deformity in shape cause this issue.  Try replacing the hose first.  If that does not resolve the problem, then it most likely it is a flow sensor issue.  It would be nice for us the be able to replace the flow sensor itself like on the older S8, but the S9's flow sensor is part of the main control board unfortunately.  We can repair it either way.

Whenever water is noticed where it shouldn't be, i.e. wet outside the chamber, replace it ASAP.  Lots of times leaks will not show up right away. So filling it up to test for leaks immediately is not always accurate. The heat from the humidifier plate cools and heats during the night and will cause intermittent expansion to the water chamber. This is further exasperated when the tank becomes dry during usage (never under-fill).  So again, if you notice water has made its way outside of the tank, replace it ASAP.  

We have people inquire all the time regarding not getting enough moisture from their S9's humidifier and not heating up adequately.  They will wake up being dry and notice the water chamber is either cold or not using any water like it did before when new.  The S9 humidifier is an adaptive system.   It has sensors that will adjust according to the ambient room, your body and machine settings.  There are many variables to consider and the amount of moisture you get nightly can and will vary night to night and season to season.  Looking at the amount of water that was used is not an indicator the humidifier is not functioning correctly.  We will create an in depth post for this topic in the future.  Ultimately a quick test to see if the humidifier can heat up is to simply use the pre-heat feature on your device (read manual)  and feel the bottom of the water chamber to see if it becomes warm to the touch.  If not, replace the humidifier.  We do not repair humidifiers for the ResMed S9 because it not is cost effective to do so.  

Feel free to post a question or comment about ResMed S9 CPAP repair or issues with your CPAP malfunctioning.