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You hit the nail on the head about multi-day trips. The idea is that I can make it two days on the battery so hopefully I can charge up enough for one night every day, then if not, then by day two i can hopefully charge up. So far I've made it through two, week long trips on my old setup using this method (battery jumpstarter and a 12v, 20w solar panel). I'm expecting that it will be fine for my upcoming week long trip.

I spent a couple of hours last night and this morning reading this and some other camping/cpap threads and I just want to double check before I make a purchase.

I have a Resmed Airsense 10, and an Intellipap Autoadjust. I can use whichever would be less draining, with or without the ramp and humidifier.

I'd like something to cover the occasional power outage at home (just for the night), and an occasional car camping trip (maybe 2-3 nights)

Would the Poweradd cover my needs? Any better options?

Billmanweh wrote:...
I'd like something to cover the occasional power outage at home (just for the night), and an occasional car camping trip (maybe 2-3 nights)
Would the Poweradd cover my needs? Any better options?

The poweradd is marginal - its only about 8 Amp-Hours (at 12 volts) so at best its two nights without humidity. Its virtues are light weight and a low cost for a lithium based battery. For home use or car camping where weight is not the key issue, something like the system I recommend at the bottom of this thread is far more cost effective:
viewtopic.php?t=102775
This will power a pump plus humidifier for a night, maybe even two if you turn off the heated hose, and up to a week with not humidity. The battery has 4 times the capacity of the poweradd and the battery and charger are generic and can be re-purposed or replaced with alternatives. The price for the whole setup is about the same as the poweradd.

CapnLoki wrote:

Billmanweh wrote:...
I'd like something to cover the occasional power outage at home (just for the night), and an occasional car camping trip (maybe 2-3 nights)
Would the Poweradd cover my needs? Any better options?

The poweradd is marginal - its only about 8 Amp-Hours (at 12 volts) so at best its two nights without humidity. Its virtues are light weight and a low cost for a lithium based battery. For home use or car camping where weight is not the key issue, something like the system I recommend at the bottom of this thread is far more cost effective:
viewtopic.php?t=102775
This will power a pump plus humidifier for a night, maybe even two if you turn off the heated hose, and up to a week with not humidity. The battery has 4 times the capacity of the poweradd and the battery and charger are generic and can be re-purposed or replaced with alternatives. The price for the whole setup is about the same as the poweradd.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll look through the other thread

I take it the jump starter/power supply units aren't good options?

I just like the idea of something that's useful for something other than powering the cpap/

Billmanweh wrote: I take it the jump starter/power supply units aren't good options?

I just like the idea of something that's useful for something other than powering the cpap/

Jump starters are OK but you're getting a 18-20 AmpHour battery with a cheap charger and maybe a cheap inverter. For the same price you can get a 35 AH battery, a quality charger and you can add whatever inverter you need. An all-in-one gadget built to the lowest price is not always the best.

The lithium power packs are OK if you're after the lowest weight. But why pay extra if you're not hiking? For home use or car-camping a traditional lead acid chemistry is fine, especially now that spill proof AGM's are getting cheaper.

You don't need something with a "Acme Jump Starter" label on it to start a car - you can certainly start a car with the 35 AH battery I've described. And charge cell phones and tablets. Even power a small TV. You can size it up to whatever your requirements are. I've lived for months at a time off-grid with batteries like this, albeit a bit larger.

It's all about what's best for you. I used a jump starter for 2+ years when camping. I tried the inverter but couldn't get through one night. I bought the dc adapter and could get through two nights with solar charging during the day (never tried it for two days without charging). I liked that it was all self-contained and had a handle making it easy to carry - sometimes up to 100' or so, up hills with rocks and stuff. I'm not a fan of having open terminals - in my minds eye, I see something contacting them and causing fires or I roll over in the middle of the night and somehow knock something into the battery and cause problems. Probably needless worry, but a jumpstarter alleviated that concern.

I switched to the powerpro simply because I needed something lighter for my upcoming camping trip.

Jumpstarter - Cons: big, heavy, 20-22 ah cost around $100, Pros:self-contained, multi-purpose, has built in adapters (cig lighter adapters), charge from dc or 115 ac
PowerPro - Cons: need to get additional adapters (cig lighter adapter) Pros: smallish, light, self contained, charge from dc (may need additional adapter) or 115 ac
Scooter Battery - Cons: need to buy ac charger, open terminals Pros: lowest cost, can charge off DC (need to buy adapter), not self contained (can buy battery box)

It really just depends on you. What i list as a con may be a pro for you - you may already have an ad adapter and battery box, so getting the scooter battery may be the best option for you.

The Proweradd Pilot Pro has a plug which plugs into the Respironics 60 series so I didn't need the male cigarette adapter but ordered one in case I needed it with something else. This is the one I got. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007SP ... UTF8&psc=1
As for recharging from a running auto battery, this is the charger that I use. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003WV ... UTF8&psc=1

Finster63 wrote: if it means a good night's sleep, I'll lug while backpacking.

It might mean avoiding a stroke or heart attack.

Good to see you take CPAP seriously!

I use both systems depending on what I'm doing.

Rafting & car camping for more than 2 nights - 12V20A AGM Deep Cycle batteries. I have a total of 4 batteries. Medium/compact size and weigh 13 lb. each. Easy to carry & manage in my raft dry box or in the car. I can get 2 nights (sometimes 3) out of each battery. I can take the number of batteries needed depending on the length of the trip. This system works great for 3-8 day river rafting trips. I top off the batteries once a month. Total cost of this system with batteries, cables, charger = about $250.

Kayak camping - 2 night/weekend trips - Qi-Infinity Li Ion battery. Compact size, and weighs 3 lb. Easy to pack in the kayak. Cost of the battery/cables came with it = $220

Home power outage - Either system will work, but I'd grab the Li Ion battery first, and switch to the 12V if the power was out more than 2 nights.

Solar charger - I'm still on the fence about this. flyswatta has had good success with his/her solar panel & Li Ion battery. The key to solar charging is of course having direct sunlight for 4-8 hours. Overcast, raining, or steep canyon walls would limit this option for recharging. It sure would be nice to cut down on the number of the heavier 12V batteries I tote on raft trips, or to do a 3-4 night trip with just the Li Ion battery and the solar panel.

Therapist wrote:

Finster63 wrote: if it means a good night's sleep, I'll lug while backpacking.

It might mean avoiding a stroke or heart attack.

Good to see you take CPAP seriously!

I recently asked my sleep doc about going without cpap for 2 night kayak trips. She said that going without was ok, but ultimately depended on how I feel afterwards. I gave it some thought, and decided that being active in the outdoors is the place where I need good quality sleep to most. I need to be well rested, and clear-headed to have fun & stay safe.

raftergirl wrote:She said that going without was ok, but ultimately depended on how I feel afterwards.

What if you feel like you had a stroke afterwards?

raftergirl wrote:Rafting & car camping for more than 2 nights - 12V20A AGM Deep Cycle batteries. I have a total of 4 batteries. Medium/compact size and weigh 13 lb. each. Easy to carry & manage in my raft dry box or in the car. I can get 2 nights (sometimes 3) out of each battery. I can take the number of batteries needed depending on the length of the trip. This system works great for 3-8 day river rafting trips. I top off the batteries once a month. Total cost of this system with batteries, cables, charger = about $250.

Kayak camping - 2 night/weekend trips - Qi-Infinity Li Ion battery. Compact size, and weighs 3 lb. Easy to pack in the kayak. Cost of the battery/cables came with it = $220

That's very impressive what you have put together.

Hey flyswatta, I ordered that solar charger panel today. Going kayaking over Mother's Day weekend, but it probably won't get to me in time for the trip. Not a problem for that trip, as it will be a 2 nighter, so plenty of power from the battery. Over Memorial Day weekend I'll be doing a 3 night rafting trip with plenty of time in camp to try out the charger. I'll report back after I get it on how it works out for me. Fingers crossed that it may help me eliminate a few of my heavier batteries for multi-day trips.

flyswatta wrote:.

Great, I recently purchased a backpacking solar panel array (14W Anker Panel), but now you have me seriously considering that 18V/28W solar panel! I'm hiking Haleakala in July for four day/three nights. I was planning on having the CPAP for only 2 nights, but with the 18V/28W panel I could probably get a third night.

raftergirl wrote: What pressure setting do you use? I might give the PowerAdd Pilot one more try at some point, since it's less $$$ and lighter than the Qi-Infinity. The first PoweAdd Pilot I got charged up ok, and charged off the USB cable just fine, but would not even turn my cpap on at all. The Qi-Infinity works for at least 2 nights, and maybe more so I'm happy. Since I tote mine in a kayak or raft, 3 pounds isn't bad at all. The PowerAdd would be better for backpackers.

I've been testing my BiPap on the PowerAdd. I have an older Respironics M BiPap Auto. I've run it at 24/19 auto no problems. 6 hours of sleep used about 56% of the battery (16V).

raftergirl wrote:Hey flyswatta, I ordered that solar charger panel today. Going kayaking over Mother's Day weekend, but it probably won't get to me in time for the trip. Not a problem for that trip, as it will be a 2 nighter, so plenty of power from the battery. Over Memorial Day weekend I'll be doing a 3 night rafting trip with plenty of time in camp to try out the charger. I'll report back after I get it on how it works out for me. Fingers crossed that it may help me eliminate a few of my heavier batteries for multi-day trips.

Sweet! Looking forward to hearing your results.