I didn't realize you had new parts coming from S/N. What are they sending you and what did you have to pay for them?
I know it will be very difficult to do but can you somehow describe how you fold a blanket into a mild pyramid to place under the center of the bladders? I can visulize doing it with 3 different blankets but all with one? Got to hand it to you for all your experimenting.
And I definitely know about higher altitude effects. Coming from about 1100 feet elevation in Oklahoma we've had potato chip sack actually pop open going over 11,000 ft Monarch Pass in Colorado. Scared the ____ out of us as the first thought was "Oh no, we didn't lower our air mattress enough at 4,500 ft in western Kansas". Had to eat lots of chips in the next few days as we already had one bag open we had been using.
Please keep up posted on your upcoming improvements on the bladders.
Wagonmaster2, to me, another reason NOT to have a sleep number bed. What in the world is wrong with manufacturers putting in a regular mattress, or, nothing at all until the unit is purchased and let the new owner buy what they want.
In the future, I will not let a manufacturer charge me for a mattress. I'll get it later.
MM.
Mr.Mark
2008 Monaco Dynasty, 42.2 ft., 4 slides, 425 hp clean-air Cummins diesel
2013 Honda CR-V EXL, AWD, w/Nav, SMI Air Force One vacuum-assisted braking
I didn't realize you had new parts coming from S/N. What are they sending you and what did you have to pay for them?
I know it will be very difficult to do but can you somehow describe how you fold a blanket into a mild pyramid to place under the center of the bladders? I can visulize doing it with 3 different blankets but all with one? Got to hand it to you for all your experimenting.
And I definitely know about higher altitude effects. Coming from about 1100 feet elevation in Oklahoma we've had potato chip sack actually pop open going over 11,000 ft Monarch Pass in Colorado. Scared the ____ out of us as the first thought was "Oh no, we didn't lower our air mattress enough at 4,500 ft in western Kansas". Had to eat lots of chips in the next few days as we already had one bag open we had been using.
Please keep up posted on your upcoming improvements on the bladders.
Wagonmaster2
Wagonmaster2,
Well Sir, again, some like them and some don't. I stated that I think the design has great potential because of the individuality it brings in sleep comfort for two different people, laying within a foot of each other. Just why you and I are experiencing this weird issue is, well, who knows. Anyway, below is the very crude, to say the least, picture of how I folded the blanket. First, you need a blanket or, bed spread or, anything that is not too big in length as it will bunch up at the foot or the head of the bead and you don't want that. Basically you and the DW lay the blanket out flat on a floor big enough to do so. Then you go to the center, DW on the opposite side, and grab a section about 8-10" away from the center and put you finger down there. Then, while holding that section down with your finger, move another 8 or so inches away from that one you just fingered and bring it over your finger.
You see how it's coming into form? Then you repeat it for the next fold. And finally, it tapers off to nothing as it moves towards the outside of the bladders. What you did was, fold up side down. When you're all done, it gets turned over so it's higher in the center 12" or so and then tapers to a less height and finally a single layer as it tapers away. Get the picture?
Now, You can use a blanket, large beach towel, older bed spread, multiple towels, anything that will build from the center and taper down to the outer edges. All you're trying to do is counter the effect of the "drift" of you two to the center of the bed. Now, like stated, if you've got a slight crown in the bed when all done, no biggie. It's kind of what you want.
Now, not many other folks here who've got the Sleep Number bed have to do this trickery to make a bed work but, they're not having the problems you and I are having and, we're not willing to toss an $800.00-$1300.00 bed out the window, just yet. Oh, by the way, when I placed the folded blanket on the bed platform, it didn't look high enough for me so, I folded a long beach towel, in thirds lengthwise, and added it to the top-center of the folded blanket. I thought it might be too much but, I could always remove it if needed.
When it was all said and done, the chambers were filled and the center section was in place and top foam egg crate was in place, I then put the top to the bed on and zipped it all together. I placed the bed spread on it and the pillows and it was done. I climbed on and took a test drive. There was no effect of drifting in any direction. The bed was acting in a perfect manner.
One of the issues with putting a standard mattress in it's place is, a standard mattress has a real hard time "bending" in the middle when the bed platform is raised for access to items stored underneath and, access to the top of the CAT engine. And, while it's not the end of the world, a standard mattress is considerably heavier than the S/N. So, would the gas struts hold up a standard mattress, don't know, don't have one.
As for what S/N is sending us, it's a pair of new air chambers that have a zipper for the center section and are supposed to zip together to eliminate the drift towards center. The assistant on the phone told me it was normally around $305.00 but, FOR ME (yeah sure) it was going to be $88.00 plus shipping. The total, $101.60 for the new set and, the good part, it has a 30 day trial period. So, if it's junk, we'll send it back for a refund. And then, either go back to the towel/blanket combo or, think of an alternate mattress or ???? We'll see when the time comes.
Scott
Scott and Karla SDFD RETIRED
2004 Itasca Horizon, 36GD Slate Blue 330 CAT
2011 White Honda CRV EX-L,4WD w/NAV Toad 2008 Caliente Red LVL II GL 1800 Goldwing KI60ND
I had mine apart to install a new single control pump but really didn't pay any attention to the bladders. Any chance they are made with a top side and bottom side and they are installed upside down?
We have a $2000 mattress set in our house that is awful. We've had it replaced twice under warranty and it Is qstill horrid. We get home next week after six months on the road and other than the yard work which I detest, our mattress there is a close second!
We are 50-50 on the Sleep Number in the MH. The bed is OK but their service stinks. Ours dropped down one night and we were sleeping on the plywood base. When I called Sleep Number I spent 15 minutes trying to convince the woman that a Newmar was not made by Winnebago. I finally asked for a supervisor. I had taken the whole pump apart and found a burned circuit board. All I needed was a part. They don't sell parts but I could order a new pump for $550 plus shipping. The max pressure in the bed is 8 psi. I now fill by using a Coleman pump for air mattresses and the valves are what would be used on fish tank plumbing. I just turn the pump on and open the v alve until I get the OK from DW. No more numbers.
2003 Newmar Mountain Aire, Workhorse W22, 2008 Saturn Vue, Falcon 5250, & US Gear Unified Tow Brake
Doug and Cassi Glass wrote: I had mine apart to install a new single control pump but really didn't pay any attention to the bladders. Any chance they are made with a top side and bottom side and they are installed upside down?
We have a $2000 mattress set in our house that is awful. We've had it replaced twice under warranty and it Is qstill horrid. We get home next week after six months on the road and other than the yard work which I detest, our mattress there is a close second!
Doug,
As far as I can tell, the air chambers (bladders) are "A-symmetrical" or, it doesn't matter which way they're laying in the bed other than, the fill port is to be located on the bottom side of the end near the head (at least that's the way it is in ours). That way, the foam perimeter boarders can be installed without any hindrance in fitting correctly. I tried running them up side down to see if there was any difference in operation, nope, none at all.
Yep, me too on the yard work. Been mowing lawns since, well, I think it was the Civil war, not sure. So, a good nights sleep is what we all want, even without the yard work. But also as stated, it sure seems to me that based on the readings alone on this site, that it's becoming a majority that are unhappy with S/N performance and after the fact service.
The gent I spoke to on the phone the other day seemed quite helpful and understanding. We'll check out the new mattress's chambers he's mailing out to us and see if they do the trick. If not, we'll be on the hunt for a new mattress. We'll see.
Scott
bsinmish,
Isn't amazing that some companies are that way. They get so big that they forget WHO GOT THEM THAT WAY!!! And when you call them for service and or parts issues, it's like talking to monkeys at the zoo. XM and Sirius Radio are about the same. The wife's not had to bad a time with them but, I've read multiple posts and threads about how bad the service is with them after you have hooked up with them and then you want to discontinue service for one reason or another. Oh well, that's life.
We put up with the bad as well as the good. I like how you "MacGyver" your bed system to work. That's cool. Nothing like stepping outside the box.
Scott
Thanks for the folding instructions and picture, Scott. I'm going to give that a try. Also, I have an 8" wide piece of 1 1/2' thick foam I cut off the end of a mattress topper I may try under the center divider between the two bladders. Then all I'd have to do is place towels or blankets on either side to taper it off towards the edges. That may be too thick to start with but I'm going to give it a try.
It's too bad that after adding (best I can remember) around $900 to the price of a new coach that the company won't even try to solve their problem. So far the only companies I've been able to get any service (help or parts from) has been HWH, Fantastic Fan, and Stromberg Carlson (the aluminum platform step to enter the coach).
I'm sure everyone will be waiting to see if S/Ns $88 fix really works. Keep us posted Scott.
It's not for everyone. I've never had any experience with them until I bought my Journey 3 yrs. ago. The wife and I both think it's just great. I have lower back pain and the SN is the only thing I've been able to get a good nights sleep on.
Rodz wrote: It's not for everyone. I've never had any experience with them until I bought my Journey 3 yrs. ago. The wife and I both think it's just great. I have lower back pain and the SN is the only thing I've been able to get a good nights sleep on.
Rodz,
Roger that Sir. Glad it works for you and anyone else. It's a mechanical device, (bed) and therefore, prone to possible technical failure. All of us humanoids are built different. You can put 5 men on one of those beds, all at the same height, weight, and build, keep the bed at the same setting and you will most likely get 5 different opinions. But, as long as it works for you and the DW, that's great. Enjoy.
Scott
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