CPAP Camping

[ColoRiverFun]

Snoredog,


Just out of curiosity, have you been using it with an M series? Not sure if it matters or not....

[SidecarMike]

Starting batteries (for motorcycles or for cars) are not rated for amp-hour capacity because they are not intended for deep cycle use. Sure, they will work for that purpose, but not for long. Therefore, they carry no amp-hour rating.

True deep cycle batteries are not rated for cold-cranking-amps, because they are not intended for starting use. They are rated for amp-hours.

Marine batteries are usually rated both ways, amp-hour and CCA. They’re built as a compromise. They will work for both purposes, but not so well for either purpose as a specialized battery.

Wayne

Actually that's not entirely true. Check this chart, http://www.interstatebatteries.com/www_ ... tor_mf.asp
or http://www.ebatteriestogo.com/landing_p ... UB14-B.htm
The only way to tell a good battery from a cheap one is to compare the AH rating and CCA.

I repeat what I said earlier, I would not buy a motorcycle battery without having those figures for comparison. If the sales people can't give them to you, either they are selling substandard junk or they are brand new on the job. Ask for someone with experience.

[Mce]

Forget scrounging at Radio Shack to find the parts you need to make your own adapter. Buy an adapter made by the folks who made your CPAP. I bought a 12-volt adapter made by Respironics to fit my REMstar Auto. About $25 from CPAP.COM. You probably won’t save more than $5 by making one yourself and if you make a mistake, such as reversing the polarity, you can ruin your CPAP.

Assuming you’re not backpacking, I suggest a deep-cycle battery (e.g., trolling motor battery) to power your CPAP. They are made to take a deep discharge, better than a regular automotive-type battery. This should power your CPAP for several nights.

If you want to stay out long-term, you’ll need a way to recharge the battery. A small solar powered trickle charger used each day will recharge a battery enough to keep up with the power used for the CPAP. If you have a vehicle with you, charging from the alternator is also a possibility.

Wayne

Just a thought, I would be surprised if there wasn't a diode on the DC input to protect against polarity issues (they only allow electricity to flow in one direction,) especially on expensive medical equipment. After all it's a very cheap component, and is a simple protection method that would prevent them from having to replace alot of the more expensive "guts" of the machine in the event of a polarity reversal. Not that I'm suggesting risking it without seeing the schematics or somehow otherwise confirming that there is at least SOME type of diode connected directly to the power input...

The batteries are a few hundred bucks for the "official" ones. Which personally, I'd rather run off a "local" battery IN my tent, than to have to run a line outside the tent...

Although, if you're not "primitive" camping many campgrounds have non-rv sites that have 120V... but again, then you're running an outside line into the tent, and 120 can be dangerous if it rains and you suddenly discover that your tent has a leak!

Ultimately, I'll probably buy the "official" battery pack to avoid potential warranty issues. After all if they do find a blown diode due to a reversal, they'll know what you did.

Just my $0.02... can I get my penny now? Also who is the guy who's collecting all the other pennies when everyone is putting in their two cents and only getting a penny for their thoughts? I want in on that racket!

[carbonman]

Run'n on Blues power.

I don't know what the "official" battery pack is......
I just got an Optima Blue top.
I got the "official" Mseries adpt. from cpap.com and the
cigarette battery adpt. at Radio Shack.

Used it last night. Worked like a champ.

Starting battery voltage 12.7.
This am, battery voltage 12.5.
I'm going to see how many nights I can get.

One thing, this is not a backpacking battery.

Have cpap/battery, will travel.

[sam1234]

I purchased an AGM battery likehttp://ebatteriestogo.com/merchant2/mer ... e=D5722-WB from Sam's club for $60 including tax and no battery exchange. It is a deep cycle battery type U1 for scooters and wheel chairs. At 35 Ah, 23 pounds and with dimensions of 8"x8"x6", it seem more resonable to use than a motorcycle battery. Even though the motorcycle battery was 12 lbs. at 14 amps, it only lasted a night and was difficult to recharge. I also could not see lugging a 50 lb plus battery to a campsite. I am in the process of seeing how many actual nights I can get, with the ambient temperature around 85 degrees farenheit. I will then recharge the battery and take it camping next weekend.

I do have an AGM motorcycle battery rated at 14 Ah and weighs about 12 lbs. but in testing, it only lasted one night. I don't think that it would be suitable for the amount of camping that I am going to do this summer. I may bring it along to inflate a queen size air mattress for the nights that my wife is camping with me.

[sam1234]

16 hours of use so far and the battery is still testing as good. I will see what it looks like in the morning after the third night.

I am using a $60 35 Amp deepcycle agm battery of the U1 type.

Over at batteries plus, after showing them the resmed chart, I was told that I would need a 55 Amp $199 battery to meet my needs.

[sam1234]

Update:

Really only good for 2 solid nights. It still had reserve power, but I don't think that it was satisfactory for 3 nights. However, it will work very well for my purposes.

[nomoore]

Update:

Really only good for 2 solid nights. It still had reserve power, but I don't think that it was satisfactory for 3 nights. However, it will work very well for my purposes.

Just wondering a few things:

What pressure settings are you using?

Are you using an inverter to power that machine?

If using an inverter, is the Heated Humidifier turned on?

[sam1234]

Just wondering a few things:

What pressure settings are you using?

Are you using an inverter to power that machine?

If using an inverter, is the Heated Humidifier turned on?

Using a ResMed Autoset II APAP pressure varying from 13 to 17. I am using the ResMed Converter to power the machine without a humidifier.

Thanks for asking.

[Apnatic]

Glad to hear there are others who also were CPAP campers. That was one of our worries when I got my machine.
We had always camped in tent without electric...then Oops, the CPAP came along.
We looked into using the battery with vehicle, etc. sounded good, but we made the step up to camp with electric in our tent, we got lots of looks but it worked...made sure CPAP was on a very clean surface so "stuff" would not come in hose and down the airways...then we got a pop up camper and really live high on the hog with the Cpap going too.

There should be nothing you cannot do after CPAP that you could not do before CPAP, glad you are going CPAP Camping...also, use the CPAP to blow up the air mattress you sleep on or the one for swimming...Yup, or just a cool blast when it is hot in the tent...Yep!!

Happy Camping!!

Apnatic!

[sam1234]

This summer, we are planning a three week driving/camping trip. Some days we will have electricity and WIFI, others, we will be on battery. I expect to be able to charge up the battery on the days we are on electricity.

[napagirl]

Hi there!

Lots of great ideas for powering a CPAP during your awesome-sounding adventures!

I just wanted to post a story of a man I used to work with. He was SUPER adventerous... traveled to Tibet, liked to do the Everest hike, etc. He began dating a nurse after several years of being single. It soon became obvious to her that he probably had OSA. He had a sleep study and was diagnosed with moderate OSA. He tried CPAP, and it worked ok. But for him, it wasn't an option for his lifestyle. He ended up with surgery (not sure which ones) to correct for the OSA. Something about his palate and tongue being operated on. I am in no way advocating for surgery and have no idea what the success rate is.. just wanted to share his experience. He was VERY happy with the outcome, and did not have to use CPAP. That was 8yrs ago, and I ran into him recently. About 3yrs ago, I was diagnosed with OSA, so I asked him how he was doing. still doing great, he said.

Just wanted to share...

Napagirl

[MyDarling06]

Hi there!

Lots of great ideas for powering a CPAP during your awesome-sounding adventures!

I just wanted to post a story of a man I used to work with. He was SUPER adventerous... traveled to Tibet, liked to do the Everest hike, etc. He began dating a nurse after several years of being single. It soon became obvious to her that he probably had OSA. He had a sleep study and was diagnosed with moderate OSA. He tried CPAP, and it worked ok. But for him, it wasn't an option for his lifestyle. He ended up with surgery (not sure which ones) to correct for the OSA. Something about his palate and tongue being operated on. I am in no way advocating for surgery and have no idea what the success rate is.. just wanted to share his experience. He was VERY happy with the outcome, and did not have to use CPAP. That was 8yrs ago, and I ran into him recently. About 3yrs ago, I was diagnosed with OSA, so I asked him how he was doing. still doing great, he said.

Just wanted to share...

Napagirl

According to what I have read, positive airway pressure (PAP) is a method of respiratory ventilation used primarily in the treatment of sleep apnea, for which it was first developed.

PAP ventilation is also commonly used for critically ill patients in hospital with respiratory failure, and in newborn infants (neonates). In these patients, PAP ventilation can prevent the need for endotracheal intubation, or allow earlier extubation.



_________________
Weight Loss Surgery

[napagirl]

Hi there!

Lots of great ideas for powering a CPAP during your awesome-sounding adventures!

I just wanted to post a story of a man I used to work with. He was SUPER adventerous... traveled to Tibet, liked to do the Everest hike, etc. He began dating a nurse after several years of being single. It soon became obvious to her that he probably had OSA. He had a sleep study and was diagnosed with moderate OSA. He tried CPAP, and it worked ok. But for him, it wasn't an option for his lifestyle. He ended up with surgery (not sure which ones) to correct for the OSA. Something about his palate and tongue being operated on. I am in no way advocating for surgery and have no idea what the success rate is.. just wanted to share his experience. He was VERY happy with the outcome, and did not have to use CPAP. That was 8yrs ago, and I ran into him recently. About 3yrs ago, I was diagnosed with OSA, so I asked him how he was doing. still doing great, he said.

Just wanted to share...

Napagirl

According to what I have read, positive airway pressure (PAP) is a method of respiratory ventilation used primarily in the treatment of sleep apnea, for which it was first developed.

PAP ventilation is also commonly used for critically ill patients in hospital with respiratory failure, and in newborn infants (neonates). In these patients, PAP ventilation can prevent the need for endotracheal intubation, or allow earlier extubation.


Yes, PaP ventilation is a first line treatment. But for many with OSA, surgery can be an option. That can only be decided on a case by case basis. There are surgeries that can move the tongue forward as well as remove large tissues of the palate, such as the uvula, tonsils, etc. Surgery, definitely, will not work for everyone. I did say in my post that I was not advocating surgery. I, myself, am not considering the surgery even though I am having issues with my APAP and continuing apneas. I just wanted to share the story because there are MANY who are helped immensely by the surgical route.


_________________
Weight Loss Surgery

[sam1234]

Surgery was an option. However, there are no guarantees. CPAP therapy is reversable. Just stop therapy and you are back where you started. This advice was given to me by a surgeon/who also did my sleep study.

Having said that, my experiment for the third day actually went awry. I ended up with the flu and that was probably why I had such a difficult night. In a sense, it doesn't much matter as I really only need to solid nights at a time. Oh, and I got over the flu very quickly. Lots of fluids, the APAP and high humidity day and night helped immensely.