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CPAP - How to Use in Oliver?


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My guess is that I am not the only Oliver owner that has to deal with a CPAP machine. I started using one in early December; we have our first post-CPAP trip scheduled for late January.  We keep the bed set up all the time, with our heads at the rear of the trailer.

 

How have you set-up your machine? My guess is that the hose will not reach me with my head at the rear. I really do not want to put my head at the pantry end as that seems like it would be extremely difficult to get up at night to use the rest room.

 

Also, how in the world do you clean that dang-gum long hose?

 

I am NOT looking forward to this new addition to my camping life. :)

 

Thank you.

 

Gwenne

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SGC & GRC

Hull 224 [2017]

2017 GMC Sierra HD Crew Cab Diesel

ALARDEFLGAINLAMEMDMNMSMOMTNJNCNDOHPASCSD   Map of Provinces I Visitedimage.png.f8ebba1142570e619cdfe801998f4b4d.png

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Gwenne,

 

You are not alone with the need to use a CPAP machine.  Both myself and my wife now use machines at night. When we owned our previous 2008 Oliver Elite, I had not yet been diagnosed with sleep apnea and was not using a CPAP, but Tali just placed her machine on the floor and plugged it into a 12vdc outlet installed under the side dinette. This was always a hassle as it needed to be packed away each morning to get it out of the way.

 

During the build of our twin bed Oliver LEII back in late 2013, I knew that we needed a place for the machines to live.

 

Here’s what I did.

 

I had the guys on the line install 12v outlets inside each of the overhead rear cabinets.

 

I drilled a 7/8” hole up through the bottom of the cabinets over each of our beds.

 

I ran a short (about 4.5 inch) piece of 1/2” PVC pipe through each hole and glued it in place.

 

Now, the machines reside in the upper cabinets. Their power comes directly from the batteries so no need to carry the 110vac converter. We use a short hose to go from the  Machine to the top of the PVC pipe inside the cabinet. The hose attached to your mask is plugged into the lower end of the PVC pipe on the outside of the cabinet.

 

We have used this system for four years now and have found it to be a very elegant solution to the problem.  In the mornings we simply unplug the hose from the PVC pipe and store our mask and hose inside the cabinet during the day.  Out of sight and ready to go the next night.

 

As a side note, when I attempted to purchase the 12vdc cords for our particular machines,  I found that they were $50 apiece. Not being willing to spend that much money on a simple cord, I decided to make my own. I bought two 12vdc plugs and then realized that the plug that goes into our machine is proprietary and unavailable. After brainstorming on this for a few days, I went down to our local dealer that furnishes our breathing supplies and asked if they had any inoperable power supply’s. She brought out a box full and I went home with a couple.  I cut off a short length of cord with the plug attached , soldered the 12vdc plug onto the other end and voilà, free power cords.

 

Sorry about the pictures being sideways, that always happens when I post from my phone.

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Steve, Tali and our dog Rocky plus our beloved Storm, Maggie, Lucy and Reacher (all waiting at the Rainbow Bridge)

2008 Legacy Elite I - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #026 | 2014 Legacy Elite II - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #050 | 2022 Silverado High Country 3500HD SRW Diesel 4x4 

 

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