Originally Posted by
RFTraveler
20 cm of H2O is about 0.28 PSI...pretty light. About 7.75 inches H2O, in the terms that I think in. My Respironics has a ramp feature, and I've played with the settings. Originally it was set to start at 5 in and ramp to 10 over 45 minutes. Over a few years I've gotten really used to it, and now start at 7 and do a 20 min ramp to 10.5 inches (about 26.6 cm). I know people that are a lot higher...
But yeah, a little force applied in a lot of places can move a heck of a lot. My 10.5 inches/0.36 PSI over 1 square foot (144 sq inches) is about 52 pounds of force...
RFTraveler
I am not sure what you meant by "20 cm of water pressure is pretty light". An excess pressure of 20 cm of water column will feel pretty light on the your palm, the force of about 2 pound force. A little pressure applied over a large area, can produce a large force, which is not the same thing as applying a little force in lots of places. Little forces applied in lots of places can produce no net force. Intra-molecular forces, or electrostatic forces between electrons, for example, produces no net force.
My Respironics had a ramp feature also. It ramped up from 4 cm to 16 cm over a course of 45 minutes or so. After a few months of use, I stopped using the ramp feature, since I didn't want to weight for 45 minutes to find out my mask was leaking. I was able to tolerate 16 cm pf pressure without ramping it up from 4 cm.
water pressure of 10 in is pretty high. I have not come across anyone with a pressure that high. When I was at 16cm, I had the highest pressure among those in a support group for people with OSA.
Have you got any problems with your mask? You need a very good mask at a pressure like yours.