what if the power goes out

gecko1977a · Post by **gecko1977a** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:48 pm

We are getting some bad weather right now.

If the power goes out i have no clue what i will do. I do not have a battery backup for my machine, or a generator.

If it does go out, and i got a generator, is it safe to hook my cpap up to the generator AC

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:08 pm

It is safe if the generator is safe. Best Bet is battery backup, search for the many threads on the subject. Jim

ThePBMinistry · Post by **ThePBMinistry** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:20 pm

If you are only concerned about the power going out at home, you can purchase a power backup for computers known as a UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply. you can find them on ebay, at most any store that carrys computers. the higher the kVA rating the longer it will run your particular machine. a 500VA rated backup should run most machines through an entire nights sleep. You can check your machines power draw rating and calculate how long it would run.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:36 pm

I think it has been shown many times here on this forum that the easiest and most cost-effective solution is to go with a 12-volt "deep cycle" battery (40 amp-hour capability or better) and the correct adatper/connector for your machine. You will also need a battery charger for it ... do a search for "deep cycle battery" and you should find plenty of threads.

jimbassett · Post by **jimbassett** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:06 pm

I am not worried if I am awake when it goes off, but what if I'm asleep. Can I get enough air from the exhaust ports? I think not. Hopefully something will wake me as I sleep alone. Has anyone experienced this happening? Thankfully we seldom have power outages, but I travel quite a bit so there is always this possibility. Thanks Jim

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:29 pm

Jim, I feel sure that you would wake yourself up. And yes, I also think you would get enough air through the vent to keep alive. Once you start fighting for more air you will wake up.

And I'm sure you would be in less danger than if you have to sleep without your cpap machine and suffer from apneas throughout the night.

I have a 12 volt battery and a battery charger because we have a boat. We only needed to buy an inverter which was about $30 at Walmart. I've never had to use it yet, but it's nice knowing I have it.

roster · Post by **roster** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:40 pm

[quote="jimbassett"]...... . Can I get enough air from the exhaust ports? ...............

air · Post by **air** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:48 pm

jimbassett wrote:I am not worried if I am awake when it goes off, but what if I'm asleep. Can I get enough air from the exhaust ports? I think not. Hopefully something will wake me as I sleep alone. Has anyone experienced this happening?
...

It has happened to me once.
The point is that I can't get enough air through the exhaust ports (unlike when the mask is off the hose), but that could vary for some types of masks with high leak rates.

It also took some considerable time before I woke up suffocating, but it was clear to me that there should be no danger of not waking up in such an event (at least in my case).
The thing to avoid (by using a backup power source) is the stress to the body and the terrible day(s) that follow such an event.

The most cost effective solution is indeed a (DC cable)/(battery)/(battery charger) purchase, if your machine has a DC option. If it does not, then you have to add an inverter or go for a UPS system.

The DC-only solution is completely safe for the machine, while the DC/AC solution (inverter or UPS) could have AC waveform compatibility issues.

Sleepy-eyes · Post by **Sleepy-eyes** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:50 pm

[quote="jimbassett"]I am not worried if I am awake when it goes off, but what if I'm asleep. Can I get enough air from the exhaust ports? I think not. Hopefully something will wake me as I sleep alone. Has anyone experienced this happening? Thankfully we seldom have power outages, but I travel quite a bit so there is always this possibility. Thanks Jim

air · Post by **air** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:04 pm

Sleepy-eyes wrote:..., but you will wake up long before you'll become oxygen deprived.

I strongly disagree. I think you will wake up ONLY when you become oxygen deprived.

sleepingBear · Post by **sleepingBear** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:25 pm

At wal-mart I picked up something like this (I could not find the one I picked up at wal-mart online)

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... _200323721

it's a jump started, with a 600Amp 22AH sealed battery and a built in charger. I think I paid something like $70 for it, you can get them in various sizes and price points. For me it was a simple solution with multiple uses.

Sleepy-eyes · Post by **Sleepy-eyes** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:41 pm

air wrote:
Sleepy-eyes wrote:..., but you will wake up long before you'll become oxygen deprived.
I strongly disagree. I think you will wake up ONLY when you become oxygen deprived.

That's your right.

I honestly believe that most people would wake up long before becoming "clinically" oxygen deprived.................just my opinion, like yours. Frankly, I don't think most people would have any real problem breathing through the exhale vents. I've done it............in fact, I often roll on my mask hose and kink it and wake up realizing there is more breathing resistance.............but I'm certainly not gasping for breath or anything like it.

roster · Post by **roster** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 7:34 am

sleepingBear wrote:At wal-mart I picked up something like this (I could not find the one I picked up at wal-mart online)

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... _200323721

it's a jump started, with a 600Amp 22AH sealed battery and a built in charger. I think I paid something like $70 for it, you can get them in various sizes and price points. For me it was a simple solution with multiple uses.

What is your pressure setting and how long will your machine run on this battery? Do you turn off the humidifier when using the battery?

sleepingBear · Post by **sleepingBear** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 8:53 am

Rooster,

I have not had to use it yet, but I base my the estimates using the battery calculator on cpap.com

https://www.cpap.com/productpage-advanc ... andbattery

The cpap.com battery is 6.6AH battery and the site extimates that an M series Auto set at 12 will run for 8.25 Hours, since my setup is a 22AH battery i should expect to get about 27.5 Hours (3 full nights) before I have to charge it.

Everything I have read on this forum has indicated that you should not run the humidifier on DC power, so i would just use it as a passover.

I do plan to do a trial to ensure it will get me through at least 2 full nights, I'll report back after I've done that.

Sleepy-eyes · Post by **Sleepy-eyes** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:37 pm

Keep in mind when using a battery..........................never use more than half of the amp hour capacity of the battery before recharging. It breaks down the battery and lowers the amp hour capacity each time it's used to exhaustion.

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Mask	Humidifier

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Additional Comments: On cpap since 2006-12-18

Machine	Mask

Additional Comments: On cpap since 2006-12-18