GOODKNIGHT 420E going dead

RecentIy I had a experience of horror being on holiday. My machine went dead in the middle of the woods. This topic isn't for everbody (strong nerves and a cutting plier required), but after giving it some thoughts I decided to publish it in this forum anyway. It may help somebody out there encountering the problem I had. If this story helps only one of you thousands out there I'm happy.

Read the complete story of how I blew my machine: http://www.ljungdell.se/Ljungdell/Fuse.html

Once on the page; scroll down for the English version

Whew! Thanks for sharing, Fuseman. I'm afraid I have NO electrician or mechanic abilities whatsoever. However, your story serves as a GOOD REMINDER for me to be sure to keep a copy of my equipment order (script) AND titration study in my xPAP carrying case at all times!!!

I'm afraid I would have had to suffer thru that night and head for the nearest town the next morning w/trusty credit card and the above copies in hand to find the nearest CPAP store!!! *sigh*

To your despair you discover that you, in the dark in the tent, have mixed the polarity of the battery, plus and minus

....

O.

Really that's NOT a poor way for them to build it, not that I can say anything good about the French, they made the Renault too.... By soldering it in it makes sure the contact stays tight with the machine being carried. It also saved you the cost of a new machine. I am supprised at your repair, ran out of tin foil and duct tape!!! A lot of times that over priced adaptor you get from the manufacter, has protection built into it to keep these problems from cropping up, the Radio Shack solution doesn't, because who cares.

All it takes is a "CrowBar Circuit in the line. (A fuse in one leg and a diode across the + & -), If you hook it up backwards, the diode conducts as a short and blows the fuse. They also have coils that suppress surges as on some computer leads. (Monitors)

I'd consider myself lucky, you could have converted your friend into a Resmed DoorStop Clone. Jim

The fuse is NOT sodered. It can be removed with needle nosed pliars. Not sure where to get a replacement fuse, so I just shorted out the fuse. Grab the white part between the metal bits. Pulls right out. Small sucker. Easier to short it out when it is out of the machine.

Hola Swedish Fuseman,

Now, believe me, you made someone happy with your post. Very happy indeed. I own a fly fishing lodge in Patagonia, Chile called The Patagonian BaseCamp and one of our guests uses a Goodknight CPAP machine. As, next to our main lodge (with 220 V), we operate two outpost camps without power, I offered the guest to see if I could hook up his CPAP to a 12V battery. I took a connector plug of the same size as on the CPAP from another device and connected the cables to a battery. Almost perfect, only the Plus went on the Minus and the Minus on the Plus. So, just like you wrote it blew the fuse which I would never have located without your help. I did exactly as you described. And ... BINGO ... all works again. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for your post.

Howdy,

I read that post out loud to Carolyn and we both got a chuckle and learned something about the 420E.

@Marcel Chile - Can you post a link to your fly fishing lodge? If you'd go that far out of your way for a guest, I'm interested in visiting.

Johnny

johnnygoodman wrote:Howdy,

I read that post out loud to Carolyn and we both got a chuckle and learned something about the 420E.

@Marcel Chile - Can you post a link to your fly fishing lodge? If you'd go that far out of your way for a guest, I'm interested in visiting.

Johnny

Heck yeah... Patagonia sounds like fun but remember, their winter is our summer. Also, read Bruce Chatwin's 'In Patagonia' before you go.