Where to place the CPAP Machine?

[debst99]

I am confused by some of the posts. My CPAP machine is on my nitestand a little above my mattress. Some people have been saying something about it should be low to the ground. What will happen if I don't have it low to the ground? Thank you!

[bdp522]

Keeping the machine lower than your head helps with rainout. The moisture runs back down the hose toward the machine instead of into the mask. I keep mine on the floor. This way I don't have to worry about knocking it over and causing damage to it. It also helps with any noise issues. I can hear my machine when it's on the night stand but not when it's on the floor.

Brenda

[CRMW]

I don't think it should be low to the ground, but some people prefer it that way. It is a matter of personal preference.

Chris

[snoregirl]

Put it on the floor for all the reasons the first reply said.

[packer]

I have mine on a thin shipping box [ UPS kind of box] about inch off the floor

it helps rainout-- also- I was in hotel few weeks ago- had the aflex on a chair- pulled it off somehow at night-- very lucky that water in humidifier didnt destroy it!!

if it lands upside down the water will flow into electronics and thats not
a good thing.

packer

[JZ]

Debst99,

I also have my machine on my nightstand that is even with or a little above my mattress. I did have some problems with rainout, but I solved those by getting a cover for my hose and by running the hose up over the headboard. That makes it hard for any condensation to travel uphill in the hose and reach my mask. Here is a recent thread with various tips for hose management.

viewtopic.php?t=23322&highlight=aura+hose+management

Janna

[debst99]

Thank you for all your help. So far I haven't had a problem with rainout, even with humidifier at 3. I plan to get a hose cover before winter in case it happens. My machine seems to sit pretty secure with its rubber feet on my nitestand. Also, doesn't seem to be a problem with the hose just laying on my headboard or between my pillow and headboard so far. A velcro strap is holding the hose to the strap at top of head going up from my nose. Whenever I turn I also am aware of it, so I just move the hose out of the way.

[KAZ]

I too have my machine on my nightstand. It is very quite so noise is not a problem. I toss and turn from side to side so I bought a 10' hose which runs up over the edge of my headboard. My good wife changes out my DI water every morning when she makes our bed so the location makes that easy. Regards

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): hose

[lilsheba]

I don't have room for a nightstand, so I keep mine on the floor but on a piece of plywood, along with my tape for my mouth, my small jug of water to put in the humidifier chamber, and so on. I slide it out at night to attach the hose and mask, and when I unattach the stuff in the morning I unplug the machine and slide it back more under the bed.

I am really a worry wart when it comes to damage so this way it CAN'T be knocked down, I take the water chamber out every day so that can't knock water in the machine, and I turn it off so it can't be screwed up that way either. I do not want to have to get this thing twice.

So far this has been working out great for me.

[roster]

My wife has a white bamboo bed tray that she bought at an antique store to sit on our bed for decoration (How do women think of such things?). It is about one foot tall.

I finally figured out that it is great to sit on the floor at night to use as a stand for my cpap machine.

-It gets the machine below the level of the mattress which helps with rainout.

-It gets any noise or lights from the machine away from the user.

-It keeps the machine off the floor where the filter is more likely to collect dustbunnies.

There are hundreds of styles listed on the internet. Just google "bed tray". Here is just one example:

http://www.bellacor.com/detail.cfm?Cat= ... g-DataFeed.

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[ozij]

My rainout was a result of the narrow hose and the mask area cooling - the machine's level was irrelevant to that.

I keep my machine in the bottom drawer of a 2 drawer cabinet, pull it out for use, disconnect electricity and humidifier and push it in during the day. I don't keep the humidifier in the drawer.

I was recently away from home and having the machine at ear level made a major differece sound-wise. I much perfer it further away from my ears

O.

[geoDoug]

For what it's worth, the respironics CPAP manual say that you should keep the CPAP below the level of your head. I think the reason they say is what's mentioned here--rain-out. It also says it should be on a flat sturdy surface.

Doug.

[roster]

[quote="geoDoug"]For what it's worth, the respironics CPAP manual say that you should keep the CPAP below the level of your head. I think the reason they say is what's mentioned here--rain-out. It also says it should be on a flat sturdy surface.

Doug.

[ozij]

...And you can't pull the machine onto the top of your head in the middle of the night.

O.

[echo]

I put mine in a plastic box on the floor - it avoids the dust bunnies on the floor/under my bed (hmmm I'm not a good housekeeper), and I can cover it with the lid in the morning to keep out dust, flies, roaches (see other threads ), and it travels well in the car like that too (being more or less hermetically sealed that way). I also disconnect the CPAP from the humidifier but still leave it in the plastic box during the day, and I put little tissue balls in the humidifier to keep the water from evaporating out (...though I'm thinking of trying out tampons soon!).

And ditto to what the others said.

Rain out hasn't been a problem with this setup but I keep the HH between 1 and 2.