CPAP with generator

First time here and have a question.
I'm taking a road trip soon and considering doing some car camping. However, that would depend quite a bit on whether a generator would be ample to run my CPAP. I don't believe my new machine will like it, but my old one still functions well (Resmed Airsense 11 is the new, 10 is the old).

Has anyone done this, whether during a power outage or elsewhere, and have info on how well it works and what kind of draw it is on a generator? I haven't yet purchased the generator while I research this.

I have a whole house generator which simply supplies power to the house and the CPAP works as usual.

I have not tried one for car camping, though.

SiteWolf wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 01, 2025 1:29 pm

I don't believe my new machine will like it, but my old one still functions well (Resmed Airsense 11 is the new, 10 is the old).

Why would you think that??

If anything, the 11 model draws fewer watts than the 10.

If you will be staying in campgrounds, you'll find most of them have quiet hours when generator use is forbidden. Many have AC power available, but not all.

Kiralynx wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 01, 2025 3:02 pm

I have a whole house generator which simply supplies power to the house and the CPAP works as usual.

I have not tried one for car camping, though.

be kind of hard to take the whole house generator camping.

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 01, 2025 4:07 pm

SiteWolf wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 01, 2025 1:29 pm

I don't believe my new machine will like it, but my old one still functions well (Resmed Airsense 11 is the new, 10 is the old).

Why would you think that??

If anything, the 11 model draws fewer watts than the 10.

It's not the draw- gal at the clinic said the 11 doesn't like 'untraditional' (can't remember the term she used) electrical supply.

stevenal wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 01, 2025 6:13 pm

If you will be staying in campgrounds, you'll find most of them have quiet hours when generator use is forbidden. Many have AC power available, but not all.

I guess I should have been more specific- the generator I'm looking at is really more of a power bank/battery backup, purely electrical so it doesn't 'run' at all.
But yeah, some nights I may want a full hookup, some nights a hotel room.

This should help you - https://www.cpap.com/blogs/reviews/batt ... p-machines

SiteWolf wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 02, 2025 5:02 am

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 01, 2025 4:07 pm

SiteWolf wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 01, 2025 1:29 pm

I don't believe my new machine will like it, but my old one still functions well (Resmed Airsense 11 is the new, 10 is the old).

Why would you think that??

If anything, the 11 model draws fewer watts than the 10.

It's not the draw- gal at the clinic said the 11 doesn't like 'untraditional' (can't remember the term she used) electrical supply.

The "gal at the clinic" doesn't have a clue what she's talking about.

Just look into what they call nowadays a "portable power station" with enough energy-storage capacity and pure sine wave output - which is the part that addresses the alleged higher sensitivity of the AirSense 11 to waveform uniformity (that some gas generators or UPS may provide); hard to believe newer electronics would be more susceptible to waveform deviations, but a moot point as those newer power sources are so good, anyway. A baseline for you is something like this Energizer unit, with around a kilowatt-hour of capacity and 700W (1400W peak) power output - plenty to power your CPAP machine with a humidifier for a long night of sleep. And it costs around $400, which is much less than what specialized CPAP battery power supplies cost. And, if you are concerned about recharging, if staying multiple nights away from campground AC power, you can get a small solar panel and charge it during the day (or, if you will be camping where the sun don't shine - use your car or a small gas generator to charge it).

McSleepy

My truck has a built in un-pure sine wave inverter that failed to power a heating pad, but the pad runs on AC. The CPAPs all convert the AC to DC at the brick. I would not think a less than pure sine wave AC would bother the bricks. Note that the portable power station linked below also provides 12 VDC. You can bypass the brick entirely if you have the right cord (with built in DC to DC converter).

More crap:

https://document.resmed.com/documents/p ... er_eng.pdf

https://document.resmed.com/documents/a ... lo_eng.pdf

SiteWolf wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 02, 2025 5:02 am

gal at the clinic said the 11 doesn't like 'untraditional' (can't remember the term she used) electrical supply.

Prob this part:

What is the difference between a pure and modified sine wave inverter?
A pure sine wave inverter produces a smooth output waveform matching that of a domestic power outlet. By
comparison, modified sine wave converters alternate voltage in steps which can damage sensitive electronics.

Nocibur wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 05, 2025 11:21 am

SiteWolf wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 02, 2025 5:02 am

gal at the clinic said the 11 doesn't like 'untraditional' (can't remember the term she used) electrical supply.

Prob this part:

What is the difference between a pure and modified sine wave inverter?
A pure sine wave inverter produces a smooth output waveform matching that of a domestic power outlet. By
comparison, modified sine wave converters alternate voltage in steps which can damage sensitive electronics.

well that makes sense, thanks!
tho she made it sound like my 10 would be OK with it....or maybe just less concern about damaging it
Meanwhile my trip keeps getting bigger, but it's somewhat dependent on the ability to utilize the power bank

but, should be good- from the product description "Armed with a 293Wh lithium-ion battery pack, the Explorer 300 features 2 Pure Sine Wave AC outlets that deliver stable and safe 300W power. "

I carried a deep cycle, full size car battery with me for years while floating rivers and tent camping in the fall. I was a Respironics user until last Friday, mostly as it is a 12V machine. I could directly hook up to a cigarette lighter connection. Then a buddy got a Resmed, which is 24V. We just added an inverter adequate to carry his machine. The life span of a cahrge took a hit, but my solar panel still kept up. Often in car camping in the fall, I just recharged the CPAP battery with jumper cables on my pickup, for about an hour. Burns about a gallon of diesel, well worth it!!