Well here it is, the fruit of my labor (with your much appreciated wisdom and assistance)!
After I finally understood I could buy a battery box* that had everything I needed, I put together this
plug and play back up mobile power cart to run my PRS1 560 in case of an extended power outage. I also have shorter term redundancy/overlap with a powerpack and multitasking options for other needs so the design ranges from being mobile (can be moved) to components that are also portable (easy to carry) if that makes sense.
Costco:
Interstate 27DC RC160 Deep Cycle Marine Battery $102 (would have been $15 cheaper if I had a battery to exchange)
Magna Cart Personal Hand Truck $21 (folds down for storage/travel, adjustable handle, light weight, holds up to 150 lbs)
Duracell LED Flashlight $5 (comes in a set of 3 for $15)
CPAP.com
Respironics, 12volt DC Battery Adapter Cable with Battery Clips $25 (not pictured)
Amazon:
*MinnKota Power Motor Trolling Center $64 (
very easy to set up; no tools needed! just insert battery and attach cables to corresponding posts with nuts (included) )
Stanley BC1509 15 Amp Automatic Battery Charger $46 (provides a quick charge and will live in garage since it is noisy when charging. it also has a float charge which can be used to keep a battery topped off - will be used with second battery when I get it)
MinnKota Digital Battery Meter $12
Stanley STST16410 16-Inch Toolbox $11 (holds all miscellaneous items: cords, meter, extra batteries for flashlight, manuals, etc. (not pictured))
Master Lock 3029DAT Snap-Lok Bungee Cord x2 $10 (attaches battery tender and toolbox to cart)
Master Lock 3039DAT CamLok Adjustable Steel Cord Bungee Cord $6 (attaches battery box to cart)
Redundancy/Overlap:
Duracell Powerpack Pro 600 (new model as of Sep 2014) $120 (standalone power and can power multiple devices
plus it was used to jump my daughter's dead car battery on a busy street last night! That lesson alone was priceless; she didn't think so but it really was .)
Battery Tender Plus $43 (this will reside indoors with mobile power cart to keep battery topped off)
Duracell 175W Power Inverter with USB ports $27 (provides additional AC and USB ports to power other devices- can also be used in car)
Shielded DC Cord for PR System One 60 Series Machines $30 (can be used with battery box, powerpack or in car if necessary)
Please keep in mind that my requirements were: "I don't want to solder, weld, wire, or otherwise construct my back up power solution. My ultimate set up would last more than a few days (I live in earthquake country), be easy to set up (keep those "caution! make sure you have your positive/negative cables in the right place lest you blow up your CPAP machine and who knows what else" warnings to a minimum), be safe indoors, and be cost efficient. Think plug and play...not a lot to ask, right? " and I believe that is what I have. Can it be done differently and/or cheaper? No doubt, but for my piece of mind this design is worth it.
I feel much better prepared for an emergency or a power outage now but if you can see any deficiencies please chime in.
Many thanks!
d