Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

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CapnLoki
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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by CapnLoki » Thu Dec 18, 2014 4:28 pm

I don't know why folks are recommending battery systems. The truck probably has a huge battery fully capable of providing power to any CPAP. The issue here is determining what inverter, converter or cord is appropriate for the unknown CPAP.

BTW, the Duracell DRPP300 looks like a nice unit but its only 12 AmpHours, so while it can handle most CPAP pumps, it becomes marginal if humidity is required.

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Sleeprider » Thu Dec 18, 2014 5:24 pm

OkyDoky wrote:
Sleeprider wrote: 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?
If a battery system is used, a deep cycle or lithium ion system are the best choices. The problem using conventional vehicle batteries (flooded acid, gel acid) is that they are severely damaged by a low charge state. They are not designed to be used for powering a device, they are used for large demands like starting an engine, then being immediately recharged.

The O.P. still has not said what system is in use here. The answer may be as simple as a DC power cable if the unit is compatible, and the truck batteries are adequate. Not needing an inverter at all is probably the solution.

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by palerider » Thu Dec 18, 2014 5:35 pm

Sleeprider wrote:The O.P. still has not said what system is in use here. The answer may be as simple as a DC power cable if the unit is compatible, and the truck batteries are adequate. Not needing an inverter at all is probably the solution.
all of the major players, respironics, resmed, devilbliss (at least), at least, offer 12v cords for their machines.

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Tatooed Lady » Thu Dec 18, 2014 6:27 pm

Yes...my truck is pretty loaded. 8 lighter plug outlets, about half stay live fulltime. yes i work in the north AND have occasionally had ice on the inside of the windows at night. My truck has a backup battery bank and will start at night to recharge both banks. On a truck without the backup bank, you SHOULD be able to run the CPAP most of the night using the main system, going by the assumption that the trucks in question have an auto shutdown feature when the batteries get low, but still have enough juice to start the truck. I drove one like that for a week. Yee-uck!!! sorry, im just spoiled.

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by CapnLoki » Fri Dec 19, 2014 7:52 am

Tatooed Lady wrote:Yes...my truck is pretty loaded. 8 lighter plug outlets, about half stay live fulltime. yes i work in the north AND have occasionally had ice on the inside of the windows at night. My truck has a backup battery bank and will start at night to recharge both banks. On a truck without the backup bank, you SHOULD be able to run the CPAP most of the night using the main system, going by the assumption that the trucks in question have an auto shutdown feature when the batteries get low, but still have enough juice to start the truck. I drove one like that for a week. Yee-uck!!! sorry, im just spoiled.
So what type of battery do trucks big enough to sleep in have? I had always assumed they had a 4D (200 AmpHours) or 8D (245 AmpHours) deep cycle, but if its only a group 31 starting battery it could be half that plus they would not take kindly to repeated deep discharge. (Though a pump only using around 5 AmpHours shouldn't hurt much if used occasionally.)

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Pugsy » Fri Dec 19, 2014 9:00 am

CapnLoki wrote:So what type of battery do trucks big enough to sleep in have? I had always assumed they had a 4D (200 AmpHours)
I just asked my husband (who is a big rig driver) he says 4 big amp batteries like 200 AMP (couldn't remember exact amp).
Says not deep cycle type though. They won't power a cpap machine all night AND start the rig in the AM unless the truck is left idling all night. Too much of a drain on the battery.
DC power with cigarette lighter would work but truck would have to idle all night.

A good many companies now have APUs and inverters in their trucks (my husband's does) which makes it simple.
Companies don't want to have their drivers idle all night due to cost of fuel so more and more are putting in APUs and inverters to make the trucks more comfortable...so stuff like TVs, coffee pots, microwaves, computers and fridges can be used to make the drivers life as comfortable as possible.
Making coffee running off DC power...he says he had one of those coffee pots once and it took 45 minutes to make 4 cups of coffee.

All trucks that his employer uses will support cpap machines via APUs. He says just recently his safety officer called him to ask about cpap usage in the truck because they knew I used one and the question was "will these machines run a cpap machine because a driver was saying it wouldn't and that's why he got a ticket for non usage"....the driver is trying to say that his non usage was because the cpap machine couldn't be used and wants to get out of the ticket and get out of using the machine but he can't because it's on his medical card. His truck has an APU and inverter and powers all sorts of electrical devices so his excuse doesn't fly.

Also he says that his company is aware of special power needs for cpap users and when they hire someone with that need on the medical card that they already are making accommodations for that driver to use the machine but it's the same accommodations in the truck that is offered to all drivers. It's so common now that it really isn't looked at as making "special" arrangements for a cpap machine.
APU use saves fuel and that's probably the main force behind APUs...not the incidental benefit of convenience of allowing the driver to use computers, microwaves, fridges, TVs and coffee pots and cpap machines. Though to some extent they want to keep good drivers so will offer some of these comforts in an effort to keep good drivers because the competition companies also offer it.

Not all companies do this tough...some companies play hardball about powering anything in the truck and won't provide trucks with APUs and severely restrict any extra power usage. He calls them "cheap ass bastards" and simply wouldn't drive for a company that didn't offer trucks with the equipment necessary to make his "life" in the truck comfortable.
Fortunately he shows no signs of sleep apnea so cpap usage is a non issue for him but he is quick to tell other drivers who whine about it to suck it up and use it or find another line of work. It's simply part of the rules now and they have to abide by it or go do something else.

Now I asked my husband about the OP's situation where a different truck was used every night and he says that it all depends on how the truck is equipped but admits it could be a sticky situation if the trucks weren't all equipped the same way.
It does make preparing more difficult for sure but not impossible.
Having a machine like a Respironics machine that easily runs off DC power would be a huge plus though.

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Tatooed Lady » Fri Dec 19, 2014 6:41 pm

Pugsy wrote:
CapnLoki wrote:So what type of battery do trucks big enough to sleep in have? I had always assumed they had a 4D (200 AmpHours)
I just asked my husband (who is a big rig driver) he says 4 big amp batteries like 200 AMP (couldn't remember exact amp).
Says not deep cycle type though. They won't power a cpap machine all night AND start the rig in the AM unless the truck is left idling all night. Too much of a drain on the battery.
DC power with cigarette lighter would work but truck would have to idle all night.

A good many companies now have APUs and inverters in their trucks (my husband's does) which makes it simple.
Companies don't want to have their drivers idle all night due to cost of fuel so more and more are putting in APUs and inverters to make the trucks more comfortable...so stuff like TVs, coffee pots, microwaves, computers and fridges can be used to make the drivers life as comfortable as possible.
Making coffee running off DC power...he says he had one of those coffee pots once and it took 45 minutes to make 4 cups of coffee.

All trucks that his employer uses will support cpap machines via APUs. He says just recently his safety officer called him to ask about cpap usage in the truck because they knew I used one and the question was "will these machines run a cpap machine because a driver was saying it wouldn't and that's why he got a ticket for non usage"....the driver is trying to say that his non usage was because the cpap machine couldn't be used and wants to get out of the ticket and get out of using the machine but he can't because it's on his medical card. His truck has an APU and inverter and powers all sorts of electrical devices so his excuse doesn't fly.

Also he says that his company is aware of special power needs for cpap users and when they hire someone with that need on the medical card that they already are making accommodations for that driver to use the machine but it's the same accommodations in the truck that is offered to all drivers. It's so common now that it really isn't looked at as making "special" arrangements for a cpap machine.
APU use saves fuel and that's probably the main force behind APUs...not the incidental benefit of convenience of allowing the driver to use computers, microwaves, fridges, TVs and coffee pots and cpap machines. Though to some extent they want to keep good drivers so will offer some of these comforts in an effort to keep good drivers because the competition companies also offer it.

Not all companies do this tough...some companies play hardball about powering anything in the truck and won't provide trucks with APUs and severely restrict any extra power usage. He calls them "cheap ass bastards" and simply wouldn't drive for a company that didn't offer trucks with the equipment necessary to make his "life" in the truck comfortable.
Fortunately he shows no signs of sleep apnea so cpap usage is a non issue for him but he is quick to tell other drivers who whine about it to suck it up and use it or find another line of work. It's simply part of the rules now and they have to abide by it or go do something else.

Now I asked my husband about the OP's situation where a different truck was used every night and he says that it all diepends on how the truck is equipped but admits it could be a sticky situation if the trucks weren't all equipped the same way.
It does make preparing more difficult for sure but not impossible.
Having a machine like a Respironics machine that easily runs off DC power would be a huge plus though.
some trucks (like mine) have no apu. Hence the second set of batteries that recharge as the truck runs. Get hubby a Keurig to make coffee. I use an older mini. 3 minutes for a fresh cup. The dc power cord on the respironics unit works GREAT.

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Greendirt » Fri Dec 19, 2014 10:29 pm

A trucker told me they used CPAP while driving and it helped them stay awake!

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Tatooed Lady » Sat Dec 20, 2014 12:22 pm

Greendirt wrote:A trucker told me they used CPAP while driving and it helped them stay awake!
Can't imagine DOT would let that go if they saw it...

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Krelvin » Sat Dec 20, 2014 1:29 pm

Tatooed Lady wrote:
Greendirt wrote:A trucker told me they used CPAP while driving and it helped them stay awake!
Can't imagine DOT would let that go if they saw it...
Guessing the trucker is in Australia since the poster is. Might have different rules??

In one of my office visits, I ran into a guy who is a gardener and he uses cpap while working. He had his cpap and battery in a backpack. He had the whole setup with him, was the first time I'd ever heard of someone using cpap while working. Apparently he used to make stained glass and never used air filtration until it messed up his lungs really bad.
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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Sleeprider » Sat Dec 20, 2014 3:58 pm

For respirable hazards we've had powered air purifying respirators for many many years. They produce positive pressure of HEPA filtered air in a mask. Not so much unlike CPAP. Those rechargable systems used to run nearly a whole work day, then could be recharged to go again in a couple hours.

Are we off-topic yet?

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Krelvin » Sat Dec 20, 2014 4:05 pm

Sleeprider wrote:Are we off-topic yet?
Considering the OP has never posted a reply...
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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by BlackSpinner » Sat Dec 20, 2014 5:32 pm

Krelvin wrote:
Tatooed Lady wrote:
Greendirt wrote:A trucker told me they used CPAP while driving and it helped them stay awake!
Can't imagine DOT would let that go if they saw it...
Guessing the trucker is in Australia since the poster is. Might have different rules??

In one of my office visits, I ran into a guy who is a gardener and he uses cpap while working. He had his cpap and battery in a backpack. He had the whole setup with him, was the first time I'd ever heard of someone using cpap while working. Apparently he used to make stained glass and never used air filtration until it messed up his lungs really bad.
When I got pneumonia, I used my cpap with the humidifier on full while I worked from home (software) because it made breathing SO MUCH EASIER.

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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by Hose_Head » Sun Dec 21, 2014 10:34 am

Greendirt wrote:A trucker told me they used CPAP while driving and it helped them stay awake!
Sounds like a way to get around compliance issues (use while sleeping), too!.

If the cpap is also used for sleeping, I wonder what the trucker's boss thinks about data that shows 20 hours per day use!
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Re: Trucker needs to power CPAP machine

Post by wm_hess » Mon Dec 22, 2014 1:21 am

Hi

I saw this and thought more of functionality and portability (multiple trucks). Since the OP can't know what each truck has for overnight power, a battery with charger seems a better solution I've got the BPS C100 battery pack (https://www.cpap.com/productpage/c-100- ... -pack.html) with two batteries. It powers my machine (and humifier if needed) all night. It is extremely lightweight (3~4 lb). With the additional DC Charger ($25) he could use the battery at night and recharge the battery via the cable during the day while he's driving.

I know it's an additional cost but wouldn't it be a tax write-off/business expense?

-Bill

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