We have enjoyed RVing with a trailer for many years. A health problem last summer left me needing a full-time oxygen supply and not in very good condition for wrestling with a truck and trailer, hitching and unhitching, set up, etc. We don't want to stay home so we're considering a Class A. We haven't had one before but it seems as if it would be less physically demanding than a trailer rig. I would appreciate hearing from someone who has had to make that adjustment. I would also really like to hear from someone who has travelled in a motorhome and managed to obtain oxygen bottle refills along the way. I think I can put a concentrator in the motorhome and use the generator to power it even though that will mean putting a lot of hours on the generator. I can use shore power at night, of course. Has anyone had experience in getting refills of the portable oxygen bottles? Thanks for your thoughts.
oxygen supplies
- Thread starter deek
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Tom
Administrator
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2005
- Posts
- 51,970
Having towed boat trailers for many years, I can see that driving a Class A would be less stressful than a truck/trailer combination, even if you decide to tow a car behind the motorhome.
Click here for a prior discussion on the subject of filling oxygen tanks while on the road.
In addition to shore power and generator, you might consider an inverter running off an appropriate sized battery bank, depending on how much power you'll consume.
Click here for a prior discussion on the subject of filling oxygen tanks while on the road.
In addition to shore power and generator, you might consider an inverter running off an appropriate sized battery bank, depending on how much power you'll consume.
Ray D
Well-known member
I suspect that I am about your physical equivalent. 71 yrs, little strength and less stamina. I get around on the ground with a little PMV, little red scooter. I can walk, depending upon which day it is, anywhere from 10' to a block on a good day. No way could I hitch up a trailer. Also, I need a place to stop and rest, on occasion. Car or pickup doesn't get it, for that. My bed or the couch does it fine. My wife is similarlly challenged. Both are AF Vets, disabled.
I love my class A, and wouldn't be without it. Well, unless I win the lottery and upgrade to a bigger one. It is a 36' Damon Challenger. We have just finished up outfitting it for towing our new Suzuki XL-7 toad. I can handle the hookups, for that. We have motorhomed for four years, now, the last as members here on The RV Forum Community.
This forum is the most important "upgrade" we have made. It changed RVing from "just possible," to "almost easy," from "super expensive" to "fairly expensive" but manageable. Stay with the Forum and keep us posted. Got a question - any question - post it here. You'll be addicted to this place in short order.
I had a life long friend who was on oxygen for several years. He traveled with a couple of small oxygen cylinders and a concentrator. I think he refilled his bottles from the concentrator. In any case, he did not need to stop and get refills, when traveling. I don't use oxygen and don't know exactly how he did it. He passed away in December, so I can't ask him. He did love to travel and did a lot of it.
When we are driving, we usually run our generator for 110, while on the road. Mostly, that is for airconditioning comfort. It adds very little to gas consumption, so why be without it? You could do that, for your concentrator, when not on shore power. Don't worry about hours on the genset, as it is good for it to run it. Far as I know, they last forever.
So, my advice, get a nice class A, that you like, and move on down the road. You can most likely handle the hookups for a toad, as well. Live it up and enjoy! Do what you can, while you can. Go where you always wanted to go.
Ray D
I love my class A, and wouldn't be without it. Well, unless I win the lottery and upgrade to a bigger one. It is a 36' Damon Challenger. We have just finished up outfitting it for towing our new Suzuki XL-7 toad. I can handle the hookups, for that. We have motorhomed for four years, now, the last as members here on The RV Forum Community.
This forum is the most important "upgrade" we have made. It changed RVing from "just possible," to "almost easy," from "super expensive" to "fairly expensive" but manageable. Stay with the Forum and keep us posted. Got a question - any question - post it here. You'll be addicted to this place in short order.
I had a life long friend who was on oxygen for several years. He traveled with a couple of small oxygen cylinders and a concentrator. I think he refilled his bottles from the concentrator. In any case, he did not need to stop and get refills, when traveling. I don't use oxygen and don't know exactly how he did it. He passed away in December, so I can't ask him. He did love to travel and did a lot of it.
When we are driving, we usually run our generator for 110, while on the road. Mostly, that is for airconditioning comfort. It adds very little to gas consumption, so why be without it? You could do that, for your concentrator, when not on shore power. Don't worry about hours on the genset, as it is good for it to run it. Far as I know, they last forever.
So, my advice, get a nice class A, that you like, and move on down the road. You can most likely handle the hookups for a toad, as well. Live it up and enjoy! Do what you can, while you can. Go where you always wanted to go.
Ray D
Ray D said:
Let's try an example... I get 7.0 mpg with my gas MH and its generator uses 1 gallon of gas in 2 hours of running. So in 2 hours on the highway at 65 mph, I drive 130 miles and use 18.6 gallons of gas in the MH engine and 1 gallon of gas in the generator. So 130 miles divided by 19.6 gallons total gas consumption means my net gas mileage with the generator running is 6.6 mpg rather than the 7.0 mpg without running the generator. That's not too bad.
JIGGS
Well-known member
Hello. What I can tell you is this. My mother is on oxygen full time and when I take her camping we have no problem. The concentrator runs fine with the generator. Refills of tanks from what I have been told is no problem. Just a phone call will do it.
I would look in to an inverter for an extra backup just in case the gen would fail. Depending on where you will camp or travel you may need more oxygen than your bottles can hold if your gen breaks down and take a day or so to repair it.
Is the price of an inverter worth a little peace of mind for you. That is a question only you can answer for yourself. I believe my mom has lived longer than anyone has ever thought [ going on 7 years of full time oxygen ] Just because I can take her camping and give her something to look forward too and loves to do.
So don't let your O2 be a major draw back. Get out enjoy and have fun,
I would look in to an inverter for an extra backup just in case the gen would fail. Depending on where you will camp or travel you may need more oxygen than your bottles can hold if your gen breaks down and take a day or so to repair it.
Is the price of an inverter worth a little peace of mind for you. That is a question only you can answer for yourself. I believe my mom has lived longer than anyone has ever thought [ going on 7 years of full time oxygen ] Just because I can take her camping and give her something to look forward too and loves to do.
So don't let your O2 be a major draw back. Get out enjoy and have fun,
