Camping

[bradleyjoe]

The family and I went camping this weekend my c-pap went with i use a power pro car jumper that has a 12v outlet it lasted friday nd saturday night. The only problem was I had to sleep on the ground. I just want to let you all there is a way to bring your c-pap any were.
Brad

[Roman Hokie]

Thanks, Brad. Unfortunately, not every machine (thinking S9's) has a battery option yet...

Further, sleeping on the ground may offer a challenge, particularly with regard to rain-out. Of course, this time of year, that may not be a problem.

[topdragster]

The S9 does have a battery option as listed in its specs:

Direct Battery Operation
Indicates which machines have a DC port in which you can use to connect a battery pack or a deep cycle marine battery with an optional DC cable. This is different from an integrated battery that works only with the machine it was designed for. (i.e. Everest CPAP Machine) see property Integrated Battery


But of course I can't find the dc cable on cpap.com lol

[billbolton]

The S9 does have a battery option as listed in its specsl

However you cannot purchase the required Resmed 12V to 24V DC apdapter as yet. Its due to be available in July/August 2010 according to Resmed.

Cheers,

Bill

[topdragster]

Thanks for the heads up Bill. Figures it will come out after the camping season.

[nittalagh]

You can however use a power inverter with your S9. The resmed battery guide says you must use a 150W power inverter, mine is a 200W. I'll buy the DC cable when it comes out, but I had camping plans for June so I couldn't wait for it.

[imtired]

You can however use a power inverter with your S9. The resmed battery guide says you must use a 150W power inverter, mine is a 200W. I'll buy the DC cable when it comes out, but I had camping plans for June so I couldn't wait for it.

Just make sure that you buy a pure sine wave inverter if you want to use the humidifier. on my battery the humidifier cuts the battery life from 3 nights to 6.5 hours so you will want to test it before you go on the trip and make sure its big enough

[nittalagh]

Actually with the S9 you can use a modified sine wave inverter even if you are using the humidifier, the humidifier requires a 200W inverter though.
Here is resmed's battery guide updated for S9 info: http://www.resmed.com/us/assets/documen ... lo_eng.pdf
Personally I can't imagine using the humidifier with a battery because the humidifier take so much more energy.

[topdragster]

Yes I suppose I could live without the humidifier for 2 nights. My motorhome has 2 deep cycle bats and a big inverter that covers the whole coach. Last time I went racing it only lasted 3 hrs but I was using a respronics cpap and the furnace was coming on all night. The batteries were 4 years old to so I invested in 2 new deep cycle batteries for this weekend coming and I just got my new s9 today as the respronics was a loaner to see how I did on cpap. Thanks for the responses from eb, this is a great forum.

[torontoCPAPguy]

The S9 does have a battery option as listed in its specsl

However you cannot purchase the required Resmed 12V to 24V DC apdapter as yet. Its due to be available in July/August 2010 according to Resmed.

Cheers,

Bill

The S9 is 24VDC? Omigosh! 24VDC went out of style after they stopped making Sherman Tanks. Here's a suggestion from a ham radio guy who used to power up loads of 24VDC equipment. Instead of one 12VDC battery, you use TWO 12 VDC batteries in series. I wouldn't use one while camping but there are also 24VDC power supplies out there that would provide nice clean power to an S9 while plugged into an inverter plugged into 12VDC. Well, you get the idea.

I was under the impression that the CABLE was not yet available. Is there any sort of connector that might fit? I know that the local electronics emporiums here in Toronto has just about every kind of power connector you might want in stock.

Tell ya what. I will be getting my S9 pretty soon and will see what I come up with for backup and report back. When I use battery backup I do NOT use the humidifier as it is generally the energy hog in the system.... and so might the Climate Hose be as well. I know that just the blower itself will run for a ton of time on a standard computer UPS. It also protects the delicate electronics inside your expensive S9 from power line surges, sorta like a sacrificial lamb.

Truth is that we have such great power here that we have the UPS sitting on its own at the moment, but they really should be run down every once in a while just to keep the batteries happy.

[torontoCPAPguy]

That sure looks like a standard barrel type DC connector at the end of the wire. Anyone care to visit their local Radio Shack or parts emporium and see if they can find a barrel connector to fit? Save a bundle!

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE!!!!
One other thing. As a radio ham of many years I need to tell you that AC voltages, as those that come out of an inverter, are FAR more dangerous, especially in wet camping conditions that DC voltages, as would come from a straight DC connection.

So. My recommendation? I would stick with DC for anything that may come into a wet environment. And if you are handy, get two hefty 12VDC gel cells or deep discharge batteries and wire them up in series to give you a 24VDC source and then to some HEAVY flexible cable and into what appears to be a simple barrel connector (male) that plugs into the S9. If you are leary of playing with soldering that barrel connector then buy one that is ready-made or wait for the ResMed rendition (which will be waaaaaay expensive I bet).

My warning is (a) to stay away from ANY AC power while camping and (b) ensure that your power lines are heavily fused on both sides (i.e. plus and minus) both inline to the ResMed and between or amongst any battery solution that you may produce.

Personally, I think I am going to go out and buy a marine battery container with carry handle; some Gel Cells; and wire up my own if the connector is not proprietary. But then again, I am a technologist from way back and this is second nature to ME. Even DC voltages carry their dangers and they are very real and very serious. A short (even in one of the batteries) can cause toxic fumes and extreme heat to be generated. So know what you are doing before you play around. Batteries have also been known to explode if handled improperly.

Watch yourself if you are going to experiment!

[topdragster]

torontoCPAPguy thats some good stuff there My dad was a ham too up until the day he died 6 years ago at 85. He probably would have told me the same thing that you did as he was electronics savey also. Thanks for sparking (excuse the pun) my memory.

73's

Silent Key, Victor Echo Seven Quebec Oscar

[SleepyTiger]

There's a post here about somebody measuring out the S9 cord and trying it with 24 V.

IIRC there was a second voltage as well... ~3V.

They were not able to make it work.

73 de Sleepy Tiger
dit dit

[SleepyTiger]

Here it is...

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50663&p=469891&hilit=24V#p469891

[timbalionguy]

Hmmm.... looks like the ~3 volts is some sort of sense line. I know the Respironics 24 volt machines use something similar to tell the machine it is on battery power.

As far as using two batteries in series, that is initially a great idea (I'm a ham, too. My station needs +12, +24 and -24-48 volts to function on virtually ham bands in common use.) However, I am somewhat concerned that you need a regulated 24 volts. The DC-DC converter likely regulates its output voltage as well. My current machine is a 24 volt machine, and the one that is coming is a 24 volt machine. (The higher voltage is needed by the motor to efficiently generate the higher pressures needed by Bipaps, ASV's, etc. Don't know why the S9's need it.)

If I can puzzle out how the sense line works, I will probably buy a DC-DC converter module from one of very many power supply manufacturers. That way, I can choose state-of-the-art efficiency, wide input voltage range, and design my own control/protection circuits. And it will cost less, too.