Camping out with a CPAP

[Jajbrown]

I am attending two scout camps as a parent adult volunteer this summer. I can recharge each day and sleep in a tent or I can sleep in the first aid station with 110 power. I don't currently have a battery for my new ResMed 10.


Do lithium or conventional battery systems work? Why are they so expensive? A market here since a remarkable number of adult campers use claps or have them in their closets.

[LSAT]

I am attending two scout camps as a parent adult volunteer this summer. I can recharge each day and sleep in a tent or I can sleep in the first aid station with 110 power. I don't currently have a battery for my new ResMed 10.


Do lithium or conventional battery systems work? Why are they so expensive? A market here since a remarkable number of adult campers use claps or have them in their closets.

claps? I don't think batteries would help a camper that keeps their machine in their closet.

[CapnLoki]

I am attending two scout camps as a parent adult volunteer this summer. I can recharge each day and sleep in a tent or I can sleep in the first aid station with 110 power. I don't currently have a battery for my new ResMed 10.

Do lithium or conventional battery systems work? Why are they so expensive? A market here since a remarkable number of adult campers use claps or have them in their closets.

There are many posts about camping and backup power - search on "battery" or read all of my posts!

Quick notes: Much depends on how long the camp is. Since Resmed uses 24V and a special plug a first step is to get the 12 to 24V converter (about $85) so you can power with any 12V source. I usually recommend an AGM scooter battery, size "U1" which is 35 amp-hours, 24 pounds and costs about $65. That, plus a BatteryTender charger and a few cables give you a nice luggable backup that can power your cpap (without humidity) for 3-5 days and can be recharged to about 80% in an hour or so from a car. If you want the light weight of Lithium it will cost about 3-4 times as much and will need recharging daily. Prices are beginning to come down but the manufacturing is costly and special electronics are needed to keep the cells balanced and prevent overcharging, etc. At the other end would be a big deep cell battery that could go a week or more but would weigh about 65 pounds.

If you can narrow down your needs a bit, we can give more detailed advice.

[jajbrown@gmail.com]

Thank you. Your information is very helpful. I am sorry about spelling CPAP incorrectly.

[russmac]

CapnLoki, it seems like camping is the situation generally mentioned for using a battery with a CPAP machine. The power has gone out at night here several times in the past 6 months, and I end up sitting in a recliner reading because I can't sleep. Is there a safe backup battery solution for use at home?

[CapnLoki]

CapnLoki, it seems like camping is the situation generally mentioned for using a battery with a CPAP machine.

Interesting. The situation that can be easily foreseen and planned for is the one discussed more!

The power has gone out at night here several times in the past 6 months, and I end up sitting in a recliner reading because I can't sleep. Is there a safe backup battery solution for use at home?

Although Lithium packs are talked about for hiking and flying, they are still rather expensive and tend to be offered as 8-9 Amp-hour packs (the limit for airplanes) which means they can't power the humidifier. Traditional flooded deep cycle batteries (similar to car batteries but designed for long slow discharge rather than brief high output) have been used for years, but I have no desire to have essentially a bucket of sulfuric acid next to my bed. I still have healing some small acid burns, from lugging a few of these batteries last week!

Fortunately, there is a good solution. AGM batteries use the lead-acid chemistry but instead of liquid, the acid is in a paste wrapped in fiberglass mats. They are virtually sealed, and can be run upside down. They were designed for jet fighters but now are used for many household applications, such as the Uninterruptible Power Supplies and jump starters. The size I recommend is "U1" - my father has two of them in his mobility scooter that sits in his living room. This size battery should cost about $65 and provide 35 amp-hours and weighs 25 pounds. Battery life suffers if you run them down, so you should plan on limiting use to about 25 Amp-hours, which is enough for 3-5 nights without humidity or one night with humidity. If more power is needed, you can get a larger AGM battery or multiple U1 batteries.

More info on this setup can be found at the end of this thread:
viewtopic.php?t=102775

A few extra notes:
The old recommendation was to get a "marine" battery. Unfortunately, this can lead to a mistake - starting batteries are also sold as "marine" and you could kill one of those in a dozen uses. Make sure is says "Deep Cycle." Also, you often pay a premium for the "marine" label. West Marine sells a U1 battery for $149, its probably identical to the ones sold on Amazon for $65. Another possibility is a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) which combines the light weight of Lithium with a safe chemistry that matches the 12V chargers and devices. But be careful - many of these are sold as motorcycle/jetski starting batteries and are spec'd with "Hg Eq" amp-hours which inflate the power by a factor of three!

[chunkyfrog]

If you can sleep in the first aid tent with 110 volt AC, do that.
It is way less fuss, and so much cheaper.
Resmed machines are great machines, but the power requirements are nothing less than a proprietary clusterfunk.

[russmac]

Thanks, CapnLoki!

[CapnLoki]

If you can sleep in the first aid tent with 110 volt AC, do that.
It is way less fuss, and so much cheaper.
Resmed machines are great machines, but the power requirements are nothing less than a proprietary clusterfunk.

That seems a bit harsh! Its true that the proprietary 12-24V converter will cost $85, and it may be a tad more power hungry than the equivalent Respironics, but these are not deal breakers. It makes a case for picking Respironics if you're doing a lot a camping, but it doesn't mean changing your plans. And I wonder where the 110V in the aid tent comes from? If its a genset, I'd rather not run it; if its a house line, can an extension cord be run?

[GesturT]

Going to piggy-back onto this thread since I have a comparable question:

I too need a battery-based workaround for my RESMED Airsense 10 to use while staying at a remote fishing hut with no power. Being here in Iceland (yes – even Vikings use CPAP’s) the RESMED #37297 converter will set me back over USD 120.

I have heard that there is a proprietary handshake between the CPAP and converter so I can’t use third party converter.
Can anyone confirm if other converters can be hooked up to the A10 or is the secret-handshake theory true?

If other converters can be used then what specs should I be looking for?

Thanks in advance and tight lines (and deep sleep)!

GesturT

[CapnLoki]

Going to piggy-back onto this thread since I have a comparable question:

I too need a battery-based workaround for my RESMED Airsense 10 to use while staying at a remote fishing hut with no power. Being here in Iceland (yes – even Vikings use CPAP’s) the RESMED #37297 converter will set me back over USD 120.

I have heard that there is a proprietary handshake between the CPAP and converter so I can’t use third party converter.
Can anyone confirm if other converters can be hooked up to the A10 or is the secret-handshake theory true?

If other converters can be used then what specs should I be looking for?

Thanks in advance and tight lines (and deep sleep)!

GesturT

I don't know the answer, though I thought there was a way to do it. You should search the forum, or post under a more explicit title. You might even search Amazon for 12 to 24 volt converters. And you might consider looking for a used Respironics to use in the cabin.

The alternative to the converter is a cheap inverter, which might save some money but will raise the power use.

BTW, I've been to Iceland twice in the last few years - its a beautiful country!