Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

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DrRae87

Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by DrRae87 » Thu Dec 18, 2014 11:39 am

Very frustrated. My husband needs to power his cpap machine. He has a different truck everyday and never knows if he will be sleeping in the truck or in a motel (he works in the oil fields) - so installing an inverter directly to the truck battery is not an option. We have tried a thing that plugs into the cigarette lighter and has a regular electric plug on it but they don't work. His compliance data is scrambled. We tried a battery charger (like when you're car battery is dead). This battery charger has a cigarette lighter opening and we use our converter with that and have gotten a maximum of 3 hours a night with it. Well that doesn't cut it because compliance guidelines are to wear the cpap 4 hours a night. Our CPAP supply company is completely worthless. They should be on top of this and have the most knowledge and best solutions but they don't know anything.

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Sir NoddinOff
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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Sir NoddinOff » Thu Dec 18, 2014 11:51 am

Here's a recent long thread that will help:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=97350&st=0&sk=t&sd= ... mping+cpap

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by OkyDoky » Thu Dec 18, 2014 12:02 pm

I use this http://www.amazon.com/Duracell-DRPP300- ... erpack+300 I have a 12 volt plug for my Cpap and use without humidifer. This runs me all night. Then I have a plug with 12 volt connections on both ends and recharge the powerpack while we drive during the day. There is a larger unit but it is larger and heavier than we want and so far this has worked well for me.
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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by bwexler » Thu Dec 18, 2014 12:07 pm

DrRae87
You did not mention which equipment your husband uses. that can make a very big difference.
If you could join the forum and fill in the equipment profile in text mode, we could provide answers that actually apply to your equipment.

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by TangledHose » Thu Dec 18, 2014 12:09 pm

about fourth post down by CapnLoki has links to a good 35 AH sealed battery - best to run in 12V DC so pick up the appropriate DC power cord for your cpap model.........much better than running an inverter.

viewtopic/t102639/Batttery-pack--for-du ... ke-me.html

this will be heavier (25 lbs or so), but since you're in a truck it would be a good way to go since weight is not that critical like it would be hiking/camping

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Krelvin » Thu Dec 18, 2014 12:24 pm

Without knowing what equipment needs to be powered, it is leaping to conclusions that you can just get a DC power cord. Some machines don't have that option and have to use a DC to AC inverter.

BTW the need for compliance makes this fall under the ADA and can require the employer to provide reasonable accommodation to allow this to happen.
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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by OkyDoky » Thu Dec 18, 2014 1:02 pm

Krelvin wrote:Without knowing what equipment needs to be powered, it is leaping to conclusions that you can just get a DC power cord. Some machines don't have that option and have to use a DC to AC inverter.

BTW the need for compliance makes this fall under the ADA and can require the employer to provide reasonable accommodation to allow this to happen.
You're right it was a leap. When I had my sleep study it was for a DOT physical which they have recently been screening for, and I let my sleep doctor know what I needed as far as a machine I could run off of 12 volt. I didn't want to go through the study because I was afraid we would have to quit what we were doing. SO, SO glad I am now treating my SA and have figured out a way to continue our work. We are contract workers so it was all on me to figure it out.
Last edited by OkyDoky on Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by chunkyfrog » Thu Dec 18, 2014 1:16 pm

ADA may not bear any weight on the treatment of "independent contractors",
as only some drivers are employees--with rights.

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Tatooed Lady » Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:06 pm

DrRae87 wrote:Very frustrated. My husband needs to power his cpap machine. He has a different truck everyday and never knows if he will be sleeping in the truck or in a motel (he works in the oil fields) - so installing an inverter directly to the truck battery is not an option. We have tried a thing that plugs into the cigarette lighter and has a regular electric plug on it but they don't work. His compliance data is scrambled. We tried a battery charger (like when you're car battery is dead). This battery charger has a cigarette lighter opening and we use our converter with that and have gotten a maximum of 3 hours a night with it. Well that doesn't cut it because compliance guidelines are to wear the cpap 4 hours a night. Our CPAP supply company is completely worthless. They should be on top of this and have the most knowledge and best solutions but they don't know anything.
A small (400 watt) lighter plug type inverter should EASILY run a CPAP, even though the outlet only offers 300w. I have a respironics unit, and have a dc power cable that plugs direct to a lighter outlet. If what he uses doesn't have the option, maybe he could invest in a "truck" machine that does and use the other at home. Also...In my truck, NOT ALL of the outlets are fulltime. He may have plugged into one that shuts down when the batteries are low.

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by palerider » Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:27 pm

Tatooed Lady wrote:Also...In my truck, NOT ALL of the outlets are fulltime. He may have plugged into one that shuts down when the batteries are low.
in all fairness, your truck is more a house with wheels and an engine... *lol*

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by OkyDoky » Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:40 pm

palerider wrote:
Tatooed Lady wrote:Also...In my truck, NOT ALL of the outlets are fulltime. He may have plugged into one that shuts down when the batteries are low.
in all fairness, your truck is more a house with wheels and an engine... *lol*
Right! I've seen some oil field trucks that the OP was talking about. And what we drive is a medium truck that we don't run at night. Although we only take a load when we want to and my "want to" goes into hibernation in the really cold.
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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by palerider » Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:51 pm

OkyDoky wrote:my "want to" goes into hibernation in the really cold.
TL works up in the frigid north, and has to worry about ice forming on the inside of her windows!!! *burr*

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Last edited by palerider on Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by OkyDoky » Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:53 pm

palerider wrote:
OkyDoky wrote:my "want to" goes into hibernation in the really cold.
TL works up in the frigid north, and has to worry about ice forming on the [img]inside[/img] of her windows!!! *burr*
I've been there so I sympathize, but being semi-retired has it's perks.
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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Sleeprider » Thu Dec 18, 2014 3:56 pm

The ideal system for what the O.P. wants is not made by the CPAP industry. Her husband needs (1) a safe, light deep-cycle battery with (2) an appropriate DC-input charging system, and (3) a means to power a CPAP directly from a battery. That is three components. In addition, it would be very advantageous for the CPAP machine to be capable of direct DC power without using an inverter. Most machines convert AC household current to DC power using an adapter (power brick), and then use that to power the CPAP. Using an AC inverter will drastically reduce the battery life because you are converting DC to AC and back to DC. So we do need to know what machine is being powered, or just get something like the Respironics PR System One that has a DC power cord made to use a 12 volt DC source. The wrong system is one designed to start engines.

This application requires a battery capable of daily deep cycles that is fast to recharge. Most batteries are designed to start vehicles and need to be maintained at near a full charge. So the ideal battery here should be designed for deep cycle and be relatively lightweight. That means an Absorbed Glass Mat Deep cycle like the Optima Yellow-Top battery that supplies 75 amp-hours of power and is not damaged by deep cycling. The battery also cannot leak or spill. A lighter option would be a lithium-iron-phosphate chemistry (LiFePO4), but that would be much more costly.

The ideal charger would use 12 volt current from a vehicle accessory outlet to recharge the battery over a day's use. DC input battery chargers are common. I would stay under 4.5 amps to avoid blowing fuses in the truck being used to recharge the battery from a power port.

As suggested above, directly powering the CPAP from a DC power source would be the most efficient. We need to know what machine is being used, and we can suggest accessories for it, or perhaps, get a more suitable machine capable of direct DC power input.

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by OkyDoky » Thu Dec 18, 2014 4:10 pm

Sleeprider wrote:The ideal system for what the O.P. wants is not made by the CPAP industry. Her husband needs (1) a safe, light deep-cycle battery with (2) an appropriate DC-input charging system, and (3) a means to power a CPAP directly from a battery. That is three components. In addition, it would be very advantageous for the CPAP machine to be capable of direct DC power without using an inverter. Most machines convert AC household current to DC power using an adapter (power brick), and then use that to power the CPAP. Using an AC inverter will drastically reduce the battery life because you are converting DC to AC and back to DC. So we do need to know what machine is being powered, or just get something like the Respironics PR System One that has a DC power cord made to use a 12 volt DC source. The wrong system is one designed to start engines.

This application requires a battery capable of daily deep cycles that is fast to recharge. Most batteries are designed to start vehicles and need to be maintained at near a full charge. So the ideal battery here should be designed for deep cycle and be relatively lightweight. That means an Absorbed Glass Mat Deep cycle like the Optima Yellow-Top battery that supplies 75 amp-hours of power and is not damaged by deep cycling. The battery also cannot leak or spill. A lighter option would be a lithium-iron-phosphate chemistry (LiFePO4), but that would be much more costly.

The ideal charger would use 12 volt current from a vehicle accessory outlet to recharge the battery over a day's use. DC input battery chargers are common. I would stay under 4.5 amps to avoid blowing fuses in the truck being used to recharge the battery from a power port.

As suggested above, directly powering the CPAP from a DC power source would be the most efficient. We need to know what machine is being used, and we can suggest accessories for it, or perhaps, get a more suitable machine capable of direct DC power input.
I understand a deep cycle battery would be better but I would like an all in one unit that can easily be moved. My Duracell 300 has run my machine without problems. But my question is will it hurt my machine?
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