Battery operated machine for hiking

[Chaz351]

Hi,
First post here. I am going to hike the "Walk of St. James" through northern Spain in late August. This takes place over 30 days traveling from one town to another staying at small hostels sleeping dormitory style. What I am looking for is a cpap machine that is lightweight since I will be carrying this in a backpack. I may or may not be able to charge a battery pack every night. I saw the "Air Mini" with a battery pack on line. The total cost would be a little over $1,200.00. Has anyone traveled like this? What type of device have you used? Would it be a good idea to buy a used one if one exists?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Chaz351

[Jussumguy]

Cool, sounds like an awesome adventure. Can’t help you on the machine though. Hostels don’t have electricity?

[Hanesworthy]

You have two separate but related issues. The first is repowering your CPAP machine over your multi week journey, without incurring a large weight burden. In this respect you share the same concern as many backpackers or boaters who cannot realistically afford to carry a 25 pound battery in addition to the CPAP machine. You can learn a lot by searching for backpacking here. For example some like the PowerAdd Pilot Pro portable battery as something that seems capable of powering an efficient machine like the Phillips Respironics System One or similar (without the humidifier almost as small as the top 'travel' cpaps but much, much cheaper) for 2-3 nights on a charge, and then recharge. Others haven't had as good an experience with it.

The second and related issue complication is the different electrical protocol used in Spain vs the US. The above battery recharges using typical US 110v, 60 Hz while Spain uses 220v, 50 Hz, not to mention a different plug. It's easy and cheap enough to find plug adapters, but you will only fry your battery if you were to try to recharge it without a converter - which means even more weight. Double whammy.

I would suggest you check into a forum on the Camino itself to ask what others in your situation have done. Maybe some select Albergues offer converters. If so, they would probably not be the cheapest places to stay, but they may be your best bet. Alternatively, perhaps you could rent a machine there for use during your Camino? You're not the first pilgrim to face this challenge. What have others done? I'd be curious to know myself; the Camino is on my bucket list.

Wish I could offer more. Buen Camino!

[palerider]

The second and related issue complication is the different electrical protocol used in Spain vs the US. The above battery recharges using typical US 110v, 60 Hz while Spain uses 220v, 50 Hz, not to mention a different plug. It's easy and cheap enough to find plug adapters, but you will only fry your battery if you were to try to recharge it without a converter - which means even more weight. Double whammy.

This is very likely wrong. Almost all power supplies these days are universal, and don't care about the voltage/hz supplied.

[Hanesworthy]

I stand corrected, and I'm very happy to hear this. I wish that had been the case when I lived in Europe 30-odd years ago!

[palerider]

I stand corrected, and I'm very happy to hear this. I wish that we been the case when I lived in Europe 30-odd years ago!

Indeed, they hadn't invented switching power supplies 30 years ago... that's why all the PCs back then had a voltage switch on the back... but don't these days.