Dreamstation, travel, and camping and batteries

[Desert mans wife]

I’m a newbie - just had my sleep study, don’t have a prescription or machine yet. I’m thinking about Dreamstation for my machine; haven’t fully decided 1 or 2. I was at first thinking 1 because you can take it places and leave the humidifier home, but the whole thing with 2 is small enough it looks okay to take it places humidifier and all.
I live in the desert southwest, and my daughter lives in Missouri. I visit her a couple times a year.
I’m not what you would call an avid camper but do go a time or two every year, usually with my daughter. We stay in campgrounds only for a night or two. But I also want to visit all the national parks, and will sometimes be camping without electricity. Does putting water in the humidifier and running the dreamstation without actually turning the humidifier on drain any more from a battery than not having a humidifier at all? Alternately, has anyone used one of those universal heat-moisture exchange things you put between the mask and the hose with a Dreamstation? (I know you can’t use them with a Dreamwear mask; I was probably going to get an F20.)
For a battery, I was thinking of the Medstrom Pilot 12 lite. Anyone have any experience using that with the Dreamstation? I would have to be able to take a battery on a plane, and this seems the best choice since the battery made specifically for the Dreamstation is over $400.
Also, what do you do if you’re camping and it rains?

[bitbangr]

Hello!
I have the Dreamstation as well, and am doing similar research, as we have a trip coming up where we will fly to our destination and then rent an RV (we both have CPAPs). I spoke to our DME provider a couple of days ago, and he said you can turn off the humidifier and you will still get some humidification just from the air blowing over the water without using power for the humidifier's heater. The Medistrom Pilot 12 is small enough to fly with, and if I remember right, has a cable that will connect it directly to the Dreamstation. I found this thread: https://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic.php? ... n#p1385759 that talks about that the Dreamstation only draws about .5A @ 12V (6W) without the humidifier or hose heater (vs. the 6.67A on the label). That battery is 95Wh, so it should run the Dreamstation for 15+ hours.

As to what you do if it rains, make sure your tent doesn't leak from the top (re-seal seams, always close windows and doors), second, you can line the inside of the tent with a tarp if your floor leaks, third, put all electrical things up on something so they're not on the floor. I car camp most of the time using an ActionPacker tote, so at the least I can put things on the lid. (Normally I use a mouthpiece when camping, but my wife doesn't have one)

[jimbud]

You may not be aware of this:


https://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic/t182 ... l#p1386195

JPB

[bitbangr]

Thanks, jimbud, I am. When I talked to my DME provider, he let me know.

[jimbud]

Good.

I noticed you have not posted on here in a while. so I wanted to make sure it hadn't slipped by you.

JPB