UPS for Remstar M-Series Pro??

WilsonVilleUSA · Post by **WilsonVilleUSA** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:58 am

Winter is coming and with it the occasional power outages in my area. After waking up twice to no power (and feeling like I am being suffocated) last year, I am thinking about getting a computer UPS to plug into.

Anyone doing this? What sort of size/capacity would be needed to run the unit for 6-8 hours?

I have a battery for travel, but really don't want to hassle with charging it daily ans using it all the time "just in case". Also don't want to have to wake up and switch to battery in middle of the night should power go out.

Suggestions?

LyleHaze · Post by **LyleHaze** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 4:34 am

By looking in the back of the manuals, I see that my M series APAP runs a maximum of 1 Amp, and the heated humidifier runs a maximum of 1,7 amp.
Totaling 2.7 amps, X 110 volts, equals ABOUT 300 watts MAX.
(All estimates, of course)
Check my UPS shop and read a few specs, most promise to keep a 300 watt machine running for about 6 to 15 minutes, nothing I saw said "8 hours", but now you know the maximum expected load to shop for.

Also, make sure the power off alarm on the UPS can be turned OFF.

Good Luck,
LyleHaze

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:15 am

While a good UPS will protect and power a XPAP, they won't do it for long. To run 8 hours or more you need a battery backup system. Jim

Roadie · Post by **Roadie** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:56 am

I use an APC battery backup with my CPAP machine. If the power gies out the UPS is good for about a half an hour, thats it. Many power outages are relatively short. If the power goes out for longer than that the machine will shut itself off, and I will wake up. I then get one of my camping CPAP batteries and I am good to go for an extended time period.

If you want to get a battery backup that will work for the entire night, ore even multiple nights they do exist, but are rather expensive.

The problem is that your CPAP machine (not the humidifier) runs on DC power, but the incoming wall outlet provides AC power. Normally this is a fairly easy thing, but when the power goes out, your UPS draws its power from its internal DC battery. Converting the power from this storage battery to AC to energize the plug on the UPS and then converting this power back to DC for your machine is an inherently ineffieicnt process. Based strictly on the Amp Hour rating of the battery in my UPS I should be able to get somthing like 6 hours of use, but all of the energy wasted in the conversion and the age of the battery really only return about a half of an hour of use before the thing dies.

Roadie

msheda · Post by **msheda** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:08 am

Anyone have experience with using the Battery Geek system as a buffer for power to the Xpap machine?

Can't you just leave that in place as the primary power supply for the machine while plugging the HH into the wall (and if there is a power failure the hh would act as a normal passover while the machine would continue to work)

Theoreticly with the lithium battery you dont have "memory" on the battery so you should be able to drain and recharge at will without problems.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:13 am

In addition to the good advice being offered in this thread, there are many links to additional discussions here:

LINKS to Battery operation, camping, power outage
viewtopic.php?t=9682

WilsonVilleUSA · Post by **WilsonVilleUSA** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 4:48 am

Thanks all for the info.

I sent an email off to Respironics regarding the HH for an "M" series, and they say a "regular" inverter is fine. It doesn't require one of the pure sine wave models.

I also pulled out my Watts Up power meter and tok a look at the draw of the Apap with and without HH use.

W/o HH, it uses 2.7 watts while off. With it on, it varies from about 5w to 16w, higher readings during inhalation. With the HH on, it goes up to about 40w on inhalation on setting 1, and touched over 60w on setting 3.

So I think what I will do is get a UPS for those short term power outages of 30 min or less. I will also cobble together my own battery backup for longer term use using an AGM battery, inverter and smart charger.

Since my wife also uses an M-Series, I will go big enough to support 2 machines for a minimum of 2 days.

Once the project is done, I will post the specifics for all.

tomjax · Post by **tomjax** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:36 am

I have been on PAP for about 12 years in Jax fl.
We have occasional outages, but it has never been a problem for moi.

I think I remember only a couple of times power was off for more than an hour in the middle of the night .

For this reason I have never considered a ups.

Just not up on my list of things to be concerned with.

Ody · Post by **Ody** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 2:37 pm

For those considering a UPS this sure looks like a bargain. Hurry as this is today only.

http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/store ... uctDisplay

whatatrip · Post by **whatatrip** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 12:09 pm

I have been using a Remstar PLus During winter months I have handy the 12 volt adapter for the CPAP machine and a "jump starter" battery pack for autos. It not only had jumper cables for jumping batteries, but it also has a light and cigarette lighter socket for plugging the 12v adapter into it. I got the higher amp hour rated jumper battery pack so it would last for 5-6 hours no problem. Of course the heated humidifier doesn't work on batter power.

I now have an M seiries CPCP but I haven't checked out if the 12v power cord will work with it but I think it will.

You can get a 1200 peak amp jumper batter from Harbor Frieght for about $60 US. Item #40615-3VGA. It has a 2400ah battery in it.

fredpb · Post by **fredpb** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:31 am

I have the same issue. I get many brief power outages in my area. I bought a small UPS to power the brief ones.

I have an inverter I have had for a while.....used it alot with no power for 3 weeks after Hurricane Wilma...but this was pre CPAP.

I will use the inverter and a jumpstarter (600amp) I got in Walmart for $70 for nightly use. During the day, I will use the inverter to charge the jumpstarter. And to make thinks funnier, I will use the jumpstarter to start my car if the recharging kills the car battery. Then continue charging the jumpstarter.

If you use batteries to power your cpaps, turn off the humidfier. But for two cpaps, well, that is a lot of juice.

That may require a deep cycle marine battery and a good ac charger, and connecting cords, etc.

It ain't cheap.

Machine	Mask

Machine	Mask