CPAP Backup Power Device ??

[Moondawg]

Cleveland winter weather means power outages. Would most appreciate suggestion/s as to an effective power backup for my CPAP plus Humidifier. Perhaps something that could get me through 3 nights without power. Thanks as always. I HOPE the answer is not a deep cell marine battery!

[Pugsy]

plus Humidifier.

Using the humidifier greatly increases power consumption even if your pressures are low.
The pressures used also affect consumption.
The 60series machines use more power.

If you don't want to go the marine battery route and adding a portable generator is out of the question then I would look at the batter that JohnO used in his experiment in this thread.

Look for the posts from JohnO...might be page 2 or 3..I don't remember.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=86960&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=battery
I don't remember all the particulars like if he used the heated hose or not (that sucks the power also).

[Moondawg]

Thanks as always Pugsy!!

[Guest]

I HOPE the answer is not a deep cell marine battery!

That in fact is the answer but only if you don't like the generator or motel ideas.

[Guest]

Or you could try a dental appliance; or a car jump starter, get 2 with at least an 18-22 amp battery.

If you decide to go with a deep cycle I like the post titled "My Camping Battery Box" - he did a nice job with that. The jump starter post is titled "Another Battery Option".

A backup plan is a must these days.

[raftergirl]

Thanks for that link to the Owell battery Pugsy. I had not read that thread before, and was amazed at the hours he got from it. Way more than what the website predicted based on pressure settings. I looked at a similar battery (BPS) prior to my recent rafting trip (8 nights off the grid), and based on the info I read and what I got directly from BPS, I didn't think those batteries would meet my needs without spending a ton of money. Instead I went the deep cycle marine AGM route. That worked great, but I'd love to look at a smaller/lighter option. When I'm rowing my raft, I can carry anything, but when I go for 2-3 nights in my touring kayak I need small & light. Perhaps Santa will bring me one of those Owell batteries for Christmas. Somewhere I read that you can hook them up and leave them hooked up and they will kick in during a power outage???? Not sure where I saw that or if that was accurate. That would be a sweet set-up for the winter.

Moondawg - I also have the PR System One, 60 series. I chose it because it works well with a battery. I bought the PR brand shielded DC cable & 12 Volt battery cable to use with the deep cycle batteries. I used Werker brand 12V 20A batteries. They aren't super big, but weigh 13 lb. Cost $60 each, and I got 2-3 nights off each battery at 32-40 degrees in my tent. I did not use the humidifier.

Good luck with your search and please let us know if you come across something new/exciting/less expensive.

[eleong2]

Cleveland winter weather means power outages. Would most appreciate suggestion/s as to an effective power backup for my CPAP plus Humidifier. Perhaps something that could get me through 3 nights without power. Thanks as always. I HOPE the answer is not a deep cell marine battery!

Hi Moondawg, I have a similar setup like raftergirl, it works great for two to three nights, but without humidification. Have you considered using a HME (heat moisture exchanger) waterless humidifier? This depends on how much humidity you need, it works for me and you won't need to keep a large marine battery around. I take one along when I go camping just in case my sinus feel real dry. They are suppose to be good for 7 days, for me it seems to be less effective after 4 days. Another option to consider.

Respironics System One CPAP (460) with heated tubing.
Battery pack 22ah 12V AGM SLA

[Pugsy]

Thanks for that link to the Owell battery Pugsy. I had not read that thread before, and was amazed at the hours he got from it. Way more than what the website predicted based on pressure settings.

I have never bothered with a battery but if I was going to get one JohnO really answered my questions.
I would just as soon do without the machine as to do without humidification. So not using humidifier powered for lots of humidity isn't really something I want to do. My nose gets real mad at me even now if I forget to fill the water chamber and it runs dry during the night.

I don't go camping anymore where I don't have power...and power outages here are rare and usually brief unless we have a really bad ice storm like we did in 2003 before I was ever on cpap.
Should that happen...my sister has a portable generator and lives far enough away she might not need it...and my mom lives in town in the other direction so if I had to I could go to her house for power unless she was also without power which happened in 2003 but that was a rare occurrence. With short outages from thunderstorms...I don't sleep well through a bad storm anyway. I usually wait till its passed before trying to sleep.
We keep talking about getting a portable generator but something always seems to break and need fixing so haven't had the money. We live out in the country...could run the generator all night and not bother anyone so that isn't an issue.
So in 5 years I really haven't needed a battery setup or alternate power. Watch us have a bad winter here since I just said that.

I used to be more active outdoors like you are but I just don't do that sort of stuff anymore.
In 5 years I haven't had a power outage more than a couple of hours during the night so really haven't had an urgent need for a battery back up system. Lugging around big marine batteries wouldn't be so good for me if hubby wasn't home and he's gone a lot (truck driver)...so I just never bothered. I suppose I should either go ahead and get a generator and not wait until everyone in the county also needs one.

Now if I was more active out doors like you are...for sure I would do what JohnO did.

[Drowsy Dancer]

I have a Paul C. Buff battery designed to operate camera flashes. It has to be stored with a partial charge. I run my machine on it once every three months to make sure the battery stays in good shape. I set humidifier to "passover mode" so it doesn't use any power.

[raftergirl]

Here's another alternative. I was given this link by another rafter who uses cpap. These batteries might be a good compromise. Not quite as expensive as the Li Ion, but much lighter and slightly smaller than my Deep Cycle AGM. 6.6 lb. for the 12V20A vs mine at 13 lb. Another plus is that they are much better suited to being discharged below 50% vs the AGM batteries, and they have a much longer lifetime of charging. I might think about one of these in the 12A version (3 lb.) for my kayak touring where I definitely need a smaller & lighter battery. Perhaps I'll replace all my AGM with these in the future????

http://store.starkpower.com/Energy-Stor ... _c_21.html

[Pugsy]

I might think about one of these in the 12A version (3 lb.) for my kayak touring where I definitely need a smaller & lighter battery. Perhaps I'll replace all my AGM with these in the future????

Should you ever go this route and have the time would you consider doing an experiment like JohnO did? With the humidifier? Like maybe at home??? Humidity is fairly important to my nose...been there and done that with the tank going dry and the symptoms were ugly and long lasting so I really don't want to do with out my humidity. I would just as soon do without the machine...I know that's not the right attitude but the nasal symptoms I got with dry nose lasted 3 or 4 MISERABLE days and sleeping without the machine I would probably have just one miserable day. My butt would be dragging but at least I could breathe while it was dragging.

[raftergirl]

I'll see if I can do some test runs at home with my current AGM batteries and the humidifier. I will let you know what happens. I'm still skeptical about JohnO's run times with that battery.......way, way longer than what the Website listed. Trying to find light, small, reliable, and less expensive all in one battery is a challenge.

[Pugsy]

I'm still skeptical about JohnO's run times with that battery.......way, way longer than what the Website listed.

I know...I was skeptical too but he was so careful with his documentation and everything that I had to believe him but I don't have $300 bucks to prove it and don't have an urgent need....but I do have his machine.
The regular battery packs (like the old one from cpap.com from prior to the 60 series machine) won't even power my 760 machine at all...even without the humidifier attached and the correct adapter. Tried it a while back with a battery pack that was given to me.
It would work with my 750 machine but only for 4 hours...which wasn't near enough.

[raftergirl]

I'm curious to see what happens. My friend said his PR machine wouldn't run off his battery with the humidifier attached, so I wonder if mine will work? His is an older machine. I'll keep you posted.

[RogerSC]

One thing that might help is leaving your humidifier connected, full of water, but no heat (turned off), as another poster mentioned above. In other words, passive humidification, where the air out of the cpap just blows over the water in the humidifier and picks up some water vapor that way. If that's enough humidification for a short period (a few days), then your power needs go down. I've done that while camping, and it has worked for me. A trial run would give you some idea if it would work for you.