Night without power

IORHHI · Post by **IORHHI** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 5:29 pm

The storm that's been howling through the Pacific NW whacked us with torrential rain and winds with gusts up to 65mph and not surprisingly,our power went out last night. Off around 7 p.m., and back on 12 hours later, which is when I finally got to sleep.
I'm three months into using a CPAP, and what I learned last night is that I can't even fall asleep without that silly machine. I propped myself up on pillows, I tried the sofa and the recliner, I got up and read a book (by candlelight) and by 5 a.m. I was cross as a bear, and still awake. I lay there and listened to the wind howl, watched the lightning and heard the thunder roll and the branches crack and thump. I don't usually have insomnia, or maybe I should say, I didn't have insomnia before CPAP.
Is this common? What keeps me awake? I felt like I'd had too much coffee, but I hadn't. Is it psychological or physiological, or both?
Before I got the machine, I slept without it fine. Looks like I'm hooked.
I do have the battery pack on my Christmas list, but it's a sizable outlay.
And while I have the 12 volt connect to the cigarette lighter, the idea of wading out to the car and firing it up seemed a bit much.
Do others of you have yourselves listed with electric company as needing medical equipment ( priority for power outages)? Should I think about having O2 around?
Thanks,
Barbara

RobertinTX · Post by **RobertinTX** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 5:47 pm

That's the very reason I got a gas generator..
My power goes out when a bird farts, but I'm ready.
In fact mines big enough to run my house if I ever get off my buttocks
and get it ready.
I've also go a 12 volt inverter that I can use in my car or pickup.
Good luck cause I know whatit's like.

Tumbleweed · Post by **Tumbleweed** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 6:18 pm

Same here in Florida..... power outages often PLUS those dang, pesky hurricanes at times. We have a small 2000 Watt Honda i2000 generator that will power even the fridge or freezer, if we rotate things. Powers my APAP, humidifier and fans as needed at night. Weighs in at only 49# and about the size of an overnight bag. EXTREMELY quiet when running on the low speed, and will run 14 hours at that level on the 1 gallon of gas it holds! If you're further than 10-12 feet from it, you can hardly tell it's running. It also doubles as a power source for the craft shows we do. Best investment we've made since we moved down here 4 years ago

I too, cannot sleep at all any more without my gear.

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:14 pm

If you want a cheaper fix than a generator, you can do what I did when we lost power for EIGHT days after a severe ice storm here in Oklahoma back in late 2000.

A friend of mine in Canada that was on CPAP told me to go to Wal-mart and buy a good marine deep cycle battery and an inverter. I did that and still have the battery sitting by my bed today. Like you, the INSTANT the power goes off I know it. I simply hook my inverter up to the battery, plug the CPAP (now APAP) into the inverter, turn it on, and go back to sleep.

Cost my about a hundred bucks and has worked for the last six years just fine. When I watch the weather and they are forecasting storms, I just make sure and put a good charge on the battery and don't worry about the power.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP, Power, APAP

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP, Power, APAP

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:25 pm

JeffH. Is it safe to have a battery by your bed? If so, that's a great idea, and I wouldn't even have to buy one as we keep two for our boat. And here in Arkansas, we lose power alot too. We also have a generator, but it takes alot of fuel to run it all night just to generate cpap electricity.

Fortunately I wasn't on cpap a few years back when we lost power for 17 days due to a bad ice storm but not in 2000 I don't think. And 17 was a whole bunch of days since we live in an all electric house.

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:52 pm

I don't worry about it. It's a sealed deep cycle marine battery. If it was knocked over nothing would spill out. It isn't real pretty to look at thought...LOL

SelfSeeker · Post by **SelfSeeker** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 7:54 am

JeffH - What kind of an inverter do you have.

Does the inverter attach to the battery and supply regular outlets, or is it something with jumper cables from Respironics?

JeffH how do you charge the Marine Battery, can you use a regular 12V charger for car batteries or do you need a special one?

------------

There are many many post about power outages. Do a search, you will get all the ideas you want.

I have a marine battery and some kind of inverter, never used. Need to figure out the set up. Need to make sure it is charged.

The best thing I ever bought, will not last forever is a selfcontained unit which houses a battery (very heavy) has the plugs on it already:

http://canadiantire.ca/browse/product_d ... earch=true

Sleepy-eyes · Post by **Sleepy-eyes** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:20 am

Jeff is correct. My girlfriend and I use a little teardrop trailer when we travel and are dependant on deep cycle batteries. They work fine for breathing machines. Her's requires an expensive pure sine wave invertor, but mine uses a DC adaptor from the manufacturer. Selfseeker, you and I have the same machines. DC is a great alternative. But let me say this, a CPAP machine will use 1/2 of the juice in a deep cycle battery in just one night. (and you can't use your humidifier!!!!!) The battery is effectively empty at that point. So it has to be charged every day to keep from being ruined. A full battery is 12.6 volts. At 12.06v it needs to be charged. It is at 30% capacity at 11.75v and in danger of severe damage.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): cpap machine, humidifier, Travel

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): cpap machine, humidifier, Travel

SelfSeeker · Post by **SelfSeeker** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:28 am

Thanks Sleepy-eyes.

I have never used it so I do not know the requirements. I bought the batteries, because we have experienced an ice storm. Either way, I qm sure we would have to move out if we lost power in the winter for more then a few days. Maybe I should get equiped for winter camping???

Sleepy-eyes · Post by **Sleepy-eyes** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:39 am

For bare minimum survival purposes, Honda makes a couple of really good little generators.........one is a 1,000 watt, and the other a 2,000 watt. Either would run your generator, or easily recharge your battery. Not your entire house, of course, but it would surely help you in a storm. When money permits, my next purchase for camping and traveling will be the 2,000 watt model.

By the way Selfseeker, your link doesn't take me where you think it does.

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:47 am

SS, my inverter is just a cheap off the shelf inverter from Wal-mart...nothing special. And yes, I just charge the battery with a 12v car battery charger.

SelfSeeker · Post by **SelfSeeker** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:50 am

Sleepy-eyes, it takes me to this: Motomaster Eliminator 1,200A PowerBox

Do you leave the generator outside, all year round.

Also as I discovered during the ice storm. You need to have gas. How long would a 5 gal gas container last?

Gas stations pumps do not work without electricity. People had to travel for gas.

Would a 2000 watt generator use up fuel twice as fast to work or only if the electricity is being used?

Sleepy-eyes wrote:For bare minimum survival purposes, Honda makes a couple of really good little generators.........one is a 1,000 watt, and the other a 2,000 watt. Either would run your generator, or easily recharge your battery. Not your entire house, of course, but it would surely help you in a storm. When money permits, my next purchase for camping and traveling will be the 2,000 watt model.

By the way Selfseeker, your link doesn't take me where you think it does.

SelfSeeker · Post by **SelfSeeker** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:51 am

Thanks JeffH.

I was nto sure about the charger, because I have seen marine chargers or the market.

JeffH wrote:SS, my inverter is just a cheap off the shelf inverter from Wal-mart...nothing special. And yes, I just charge the battery with a 12v car battery charger.

Sleepy-eyes · Post by **Sleepy-eyes** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:21 am

[quote="SelfSeeker"]Sleepy-eyes, it takes me to this: Motomaster Eliminator 1,200A PowerBox

Do you leave the generator outside, all year round. Only when running.

Also as I discovered during the ice storm. You need to have gas. How long would a 5 gal gas container last? I think the H2000 specs say 8 hours on a gallon.
Gas stations pumps do not work without electricity. People had to travel for gas. One has to have a stockpile for emergencies.

Would a 2000 watt generator use up fuel twice as fast to work or only if the electricity is being used? Don't really know the answer to this one because I don't own a generator.

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:39 am

What my buddy in Canada told me was that the deep cycle marine battery ought to run my CPAP for about three nights. Don't know about adding a humidifer...I've never had one.

Mask

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