A humidifier tub looks like a simple plastic part, which makes it tempting to order whatever comes up first under your machine's brand name. For ResMed machines, the generation of the machine decides which tub family fits, and the AirSense 11 has two approved tubs with different specifications. Getting the right one comes down to reading a few labels before you order.
Start with the machine generation
The AirSense 11 user guide is direct about this: the HumidAir 11 Standard tub and the HumidAir 11 Cleanable tub are the only water tubs used with the AirSense 11. A tub made for the AirSense 10 belongs to a different family and is not listed as an AirSense 11 part, even though both machines carry the same brand and look broadly similar on a nightstand.
The device label on your machine contains the information you need to confirm the model. Use the label rather than memory, especially if more than one machine has been in your home. Including the full model name in any parts search, for example "AirSense 11 AutoSet", keeps results for the wrong generation out of the way.
PAPSmart sells the ResMed AirSense 11 / AirCurve 11 HumidAir Standard Water Chamber, which the listing describes as the replacement tub for AirSense 11 and AirCurve 11 devices. If you use an AirCurve 11, read its own user guide as well, since the tub details above are taken from the AirSense 11 guide.
Two tubs for the AirSense 11
The AirSense 11 user guide for the Americas lists both tubs and describes them side by side. Both are approved for the AirSense 11. They differ in how they are meant to be used and what you fill them with.
- HumidAir 11 Standard tub: single-patient use only, cannot be reprocessed, has a white thumb grip, fill with distilled water only.
- HumidAir 11 Cleanable tub: multi-patient use, can be reprocessed, has a grey thumb grip, fill with drinking quality (potable) water.
The thumb grip colour is a handy way to tell them apart at a glance. Treat it as an identification aid only. The markings on the tub, the product label, the packaging and the part number on your original order are the definitive references, and they are what to check if anything looks unclear.
What reprocessing means
The single-patient and multi-patient labels refer to reprocessing, the cleaning and disinfection a clinic carries out before equipment is used by another person. The AirSense 11 user guide covers home cleaning and directs clinics to a separate clinical guide for reprocessing. At home, both tubs are used by one person. The labels still tell you which tub you have, and they come with the different water requirements described above.
Water type follows the tub
Because the two tubs have different water requirements, the water you buy depends on which tub you own. If you switch from one tub type to the other, switch your water too. The user guide also warns against putting additives such as scented oils or perfumes in the tub, since they may reduce humidification output or cause the tub material to deteriorate.
Design life and when to replace
The same user guide lists a design life for each tub: six months for the Standard tub and two and a half years for the Cleanable tub. It also tells you to replace a tub if it is leaking, cracked, cloudy or pitted, or if its seal is cracked or torn. If you are planning ahead, the difference in design life is worth knowing when you compare the two tubs, since the Standard tub is designed for a shorter working life. The warranty periods in the Americas guide differ too: 90 days for standard water tubs and one year for cleanable water tubs.
Matching your replacement order
Work through these checks before you place the order.
- Read the device label to confirm the machine model and generation.
- Take out your current tub and look at its markings. The thumb grip colour gives a quick indication, and the product label confirms it.
- If you still have the packaging or the original invoice, note the part number and compare it with the listing you are about to buy.
- Make sure the listing names your machine model.
- Check that you have the right water for the tub type you are ordering.
- Read the care notes on the listing and in the user guide for that tub before its first use.
For example, say the label on your machine reads AirSense 11 AutoSet, and the tub you remove has a white thumb grip and Standard tub markings. You need a HumidAir 11 Standard tub, you fill it with distilled water, and the matching product at PAPSmart is the HumidAir Standard Water Chamber linked above. If your tub turns out to be the Cleanable version, look for that tub specifically and keep using drinking quality water.
When instructions differ between sources
Care instructions for a tub can appear in more than one place: the machine's user guide, the product listing, and any leaflet that comes in the box. Occasionally they do not say quite the same thing. When that happens, do not settle on one rule from memory or from another tub type. Ask your provider, ResMed or the PAPSmart team which instructions apply to the exact tub you have. Cleaning steps belong to the documentation for the exact part you own.
Travelling with the tub
If you are buying a spare tub for travel, the AirSense 11 user guide has some handling points that apply wherever you take it. Empty the tub and pack it separately in the travel bag. Do not use the machine with water in the tub while you are in transit on a plane or in a vehicle. If you use the machine on a plane, the tub must be empty and inserted, since the device will not work without the tub or the side cover in place.
Parts that sit alongside the tub
Two related details from the AirSense 11 user guide are worth knowing when you order. First, a side cover is available that lets you use the machine without the humidifier tub, and the guide notes that the device will not work unless either the tub or the side cover is inserted. If you sometimes travel without humidification, the side cover is the part that makes that possible.
Second, the guide states that ClimateLineAir 11 and ClimateLineAir 11 Oxy are the only heated tubing compatible with the AirSense 11. If you are replacing tubing at the same time as the tub, check the listing names your machine. You can compare options in the CPAP tubing collection.
Where to look
Tubs and other humidifier parts are grouped in the CPAP humidification collection. Filters and other machine parts are in CPAP supplies and accessories. If you are not sure which tub you have after checking the label, send the PAPSmart team your machine model and a description of the tub markings, and they can help you match it. Some people keep a second tub of the same type on hand, so that a cracked or leaking tub does not leave them without humidification while a replacement is on its way.
