By Gail Marsh
At a recent RV show, I happened to overhear a wannabe RVer. As her husband began to check out the kitchen storage, she made a beeline for the bedroom. After a brief glance at the bed, she turned around and loudly announced, “Nope! Not gonna’ work!” Then the gal quickly grabbed her husband, headed for the door, and informed him, “Forget this one. It’s got no place for my CPAP machine.”
Finding a spot for your CPAP machine is sometimes challenging, especially when the RV doesn’t have a traditional nightstand. Safe and effective placement of your CPAP is crucial for a good night’s sleep. That’s why you might need some CPAP tips for RVers.
Limited space, big requirements
In RVs, every inch counts. Often, this means that there isn’t a dedicated bedside table. Or, if there happens to be one, it might be too small to safely hold your machine.
The nightstand is just the beginning. Your machine also requires a nearby outlet. Ideally, the CPAP machine should be placed a bit lower than your head. This will help to prevent condensation (commonly referred to as “rainout”) from entering the hose.
Ventilation and accessibility
But wait! There’s more. Doctors advise that CPAP machines should be placed where they can operate with proper ventilation. This helps ensure that the device doesn’t overheat, and that moisture buildup is minimized.
In confined RV spaces, ensuring optimal air flow around the machine may be problematic. (Ideally, the CPAP machine should not be crammed against a wall or mattress, which can obstruct ventilation.)
Also, most experts recommend placing your CPAP machine within arm’s reach so that you can easily adjust the settings during the night.
CPAP tips for RVers
My husband and I have enjoyed five different RVs over the years. Only one featured a usable nightstand, so we’ve had to experiment with manufactured solutions as well as try some DIY fixes to this CPAP placement challenge.
Bed-mounted CPAP solutions
One ready-made solution is a portable bedside table. Products like the BedShelfie provide a surface that fits well within the tight confines of an RV. The BedShelfie, along with similar products, can clip to your RV bed base or extend under the mattress for support. The tables are designed to be stable and compact while offering sufficient space for your machine. (Note: Always check the usable surface dimensions and weight limitations before ordering.)
Wall-mounted brackets
As an alternative, consider mounting your CPAP machine on a wall bracket. Many RVers have experimented with custom brackets made specifically for their make and model of CPAP machine. Ask your provider if such a wall-mounted shelf is available for your CPAP unit.
There are also non-CPAP exclusive wall-mounted shelves that will keep your unit securely in place. Check them out on Amazon.
Portable solutions
Another option is to incorporate a small, movable shelf or a collapsible table that is multifunctional. Portable units (like a TV tray) can serve double duty in an RV. By day, they might serve as snack trays in your living area. By night, the tray moves to the bedroom as a perfect stand for your CPAP machine.
DIY projects
If you prefer to make your own CPAP shelf, here are some things a DIYer can try:
• Enlarge what’s there. Currently, our RV has a 5” x 6” nightstand. (I use the term loosely!) It’s too small to hold my husband’s CPAP unit. So, he cut a larger piece of wood and stained it to match our RV’s interior trim. Then he screwed the prepared board right atop the existing nightstand. It works very well.
• Borrow a design. Look at manufactured solutions to discover a design that you can duplicate.
• Check online videos. For inspiration, Google “DIY solution for CPAP shelf.” When you find a plan that will work with your RV, modify the design to accommodate your particular CPAP unit.
No matter what solution you pursue, be sure that the result is a level, stable surface that allows for good ventilation and is not affected by potential vibrations or accidental dislodgement during the night or day. This is especially important if you have an excitable pet that may bump or pull on your CPAP unit.
What about you?
Do you or your travel buddy use a CPAP machine? Tell us about it in the comments that follow.
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Wall to wall beds in slide rooms are the worst offenders. There are extremely few places to put a shelf as most also have enclosed cabinets overhead and small windows that still consume most of the bedside. And because it is a slide room, you cannot put a shelf just past the open slide.
I’ve had a C-pap machine for 23 years and been RVing for at least 50 years, I always use my machine. Best place for the machine is on the floor, if you don’t have a night stand. (As long as you can get out the bed with out stepping on it.) I have used mine in about 5 different 5th wheels, four without a night stand. That is where I find it works best for me. My last 3 machines have auto start/stop feature which doesn’t require me to be reaching for it. I also have needed a 8 foot in one of them.
The other thing when I’m not hook up to electric, just on 12 volt, I turn off my humidifier for it, still add water, to get a little moisture. I can get about 3 days use that way.
Y’all should look into the Inspire implant and get rid of all that CPAP equipment.
My brother has it and loves not having to use CPAP anymore.
I have been on CPAP for over 25 years and because I get a good night’s sleep I love it. I’m also a retired Respiratory Therapist of over 40 years. We’ve had 4 RVs and I used CPAP in 3 of them. The floor has been my best placement for the unit. However in my experience work in a hospital only a very few patients, out of hundreds, knew their CPAP setting. So when they came into the hospital they could not inform us of what that value was. If they were gong home on CPAP I’d inform them to find out their setting and remember it so if they went to a hospital again they could inform the staff. BTW, with all 4 machines I’ve had the instruction sheet was torn out of the manual to prevent the patient