ResMed AirSense10 and generator

I'm wanting to buy a generator because I live in a high fire risk area and an earthquake risk area.

I want to make sure that the generator can run my CPAP. From the manual, I see that the peak power is 100W. Is that with the humidifier on?

That doesn't seem like a lot (one 100W light bulb), so I figure a generator that can run my refrigerator can also run my CPAP.

Is there anything I should be particularly aware of or look for?

Thanks,

Lindsay

lindsayschach wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 11, 2024 5:15 pm

I figure a generator that can run my refrigerator can also run my CPAP.

Yes it can.
Being in a high fire risk and an earthquake risk area you could be required to move.

So IIWM I would get something more portable like a battery or you may already have a jump start battery. Get a DC cable that fits your cpap and try it out at home first.

My thought is that anyone with a cpap should have a battery (or two) for those times when commercial power is out and you want to sleep - can't do much else.

#1 Don't be responsible for starting a fire yourself during a red flag event. Shut the generator off and let it cool before refueling, keep it well maintained, and run it far away from flammables.
#2 Fuel may be hard to come by. The same power outage will likely turn off the fuel pumps. The stations outside the outage area may have crazy long lines.
#3 Unless you are simply running cords to the CPAP and fridge, make sure you have a listed and permitted/inspected transfer switch.

lindsayschach wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 11, 2024 5:15 pm

I'm wanting to buy a generator ...

While setting the woods and yourself on fire (while you're in a fire) is certainly good advice, I don't believe that has much to do with your question.

Get out the paper and pencil and figure out exactly how much you need. Read manuals for the specifications. Look for peak power draw (i.e., a refrigerator may use 600W running, but for startup may need 1200W. Plain CPAP should be about 50W, but 100W is probably with the heater on). Once you decide you decide to use a generator you may want to add in other stuff (for example, I run my boiler to take showers, that adds another 800W).

Consequently, if you're looking at 1400W generators, yeah they're cute and easy to store and transport (are you moving it around by yourself?), but maybe 3000W+ might better serve you (especially if neighbors come over with a 150 ft. extension cord looking to borrow a cup of electricity).

When considering a generator, consider what you'll power with it. Some generators are intended to run power tools, appliances and similar. If the use is intended to power household electronic devices such as a CPAP, you may want look at ones that provide a 'pure sine wave' output which is safer to use on sensitive electronics. The generators used for general use (refrigerators and other appliances) may not provide 'clean' distortion free electricity and possibly could damage some electronic devices.

I actually have two gas generators. One puts out 'dirty' electricity that is used for the refrigerator, water pump, and lights. The other is a smaller pure sine wave generator that is used for the pellet stove which has an electronic control board that might be damaged by dirty power.

For my CPAP I have a lithium battery power station which puts out a pure sine wave. I do need to turn off the humidifier and heated hose on the CPAP to conserve power so the power station can run the CPAP through the night. I keep it charged up so it readily usable if needed and I could charge it with one of the gas generators if a power outage was extended.

Not the one I have, but similar....
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D29QNMJ/?c ... dp_it&th=1

I live about 1 1/2 hours north of you, and we were without power (but evacuated) during two years of fires. I bought a portable battery generator that gives me one night on my CPAP, plus it will charge a cell phone and has a small light. https://www.amazon.com/Portable-FlashFi ... Emergency/
(They are on sale now, I should get a second one!)

There are larger ones which can last for more nights if that's in your budget. You don't need special adapters to use it, It has an AC plug in addition to DC and USB outputs. It can be charged by AC, DC (comes with a car adapter) and solar (panels not included). My office is on a hospital corridor, so it has electricity when nobody else does. During the recent storm we were out for 24 hours at home, and after using my CPAP on my battery generator overnight, I recharged it at the office.

Many neighbors have gas-powered generators. We have no AC and when it gets hot up here (fire season) we have to open windows, but between the smoke from fires (not even nearby) and the fumes from generator plus they are very noisy, it was truly miserable. Down the street a house caught on fire (not during active wildfires) because they dutifully ran the generator monthly like they were supposed to in order to keep the lines clear, but put it back into a shed when it was still too hot. Not only did they catch their house on fire, but a neighbor's too. I noticed that people did not run their generators during the recent storm--not sure if everyone was being extra careful after that house fire or they didn't want to run the generators in the rainstorm.

I feel much safer with the battery generator. In an earthquake the one I have may not be enough if it takes a few days to restore power, but so far, so good. It won't run the fridge, though.

lindsayschach wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 11, 2024 5:15 pm

I'm wanting to buy a generator because I live in a high fire risk area and an earthquake risk area.

I want to make sure that the generator can run my CPAP. From the manual, I see that the peak power is 100W. Is that with the humidifier on?

Take a look at the specs on your cpap power adapter for specs on power consumption.

Keep in mind this adapter converts AC to DC for use by your cpap. Using a battery pack of any kind to convert DC to AC only to have the cpap adapter convert that AC back to DC results in power loss. And shortens the useful battery time for your cpap.

It is recommended thruout this forum when using a battery to use the DC power and to turn OFF any heat for the hose or the humidifier. You can add water in the humidifier just no heat aka passover mode.

This is why it is recommended to try this at home first. That and to make sure your battery can handle this and for how long. Higher pressure will use more battery power.

Also always make sure you have spare fuses for the DC adapter.

Nothing worse than power being out and a fuse being blown with no place to get another. Plan ahead.

HTH
Good Luck

Living in Texas the last few years we got some uncharacteristic freezes which left us without power for days.

The first 'Great Freeze' I had a small gasoline generator on hand that saved my butt... a Honda EU2000i (about 1000$). This is a very quiet, efficient, and good for electronics generator, putting out pure sine wave via inverter action. Thankfully I had also rented a big propane tank and had a space heater... so with running the generator for minimal electric stuff and burning the propane 24 hours a day I made it through. The generator required 1.2gallons every 8 hours... I was lucky that a) I had a big 4wd truck to drive on ice and snow and b) the 7/11 nearby had electricity and gasoline to sell.

The 'Second Great Freeze' I had prepared more thoroughly... I bought a much bigger generator that could run on propane and supply 240VAC, and I rigged a 'cheater cord' to connect it to a 240v RV plug I'd installed in my driveway. I turned off the HVAC and stove breakers but I could leave the hot water heater going, since the generator put out a solid 5000 inverter-clean watts. I also had the foresight to refill the propane before the SGF! This allowed normal electricity in the house, whereas before I'd had to run an extension cord in the sliding door, then up to my bedroom for sleeping. I've never run gasoline in the big genset, it's always ready to go, it even has a pull start if the battery goes down. Gasoline generators need more care, fuel stabilizer added to the tank, etc.

This one was on-sale at Costco for 999$... snapped it up quick. Now closer to 1500$.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/A-iPower-76 ... /326554267

Most machines are 24vdc... this is equivalent to two car batteries in series. You can get big gel-cell batteries and keep them charged up, cost about 60$ for a pair of them. Then you need to cut the cord on your machine power supply and add connectors to splice the batteries in. This would get you through several nights of no juice without worrying about the generator. Something like this, I think these are scooter batteries:

https://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Max-Batte ... B01MZ1LHSZ

Solutions like charge packs and battery-inverter packs are a lot more expensive, of course, but have added convenience. As noted above, there are losses with converting from DC to AC back to DC... resulting in less sleep time for an equivalent battery.

Something not discussed often is having a backup machine... I *have* to CPAP, no alternatives... so I keep at least two (now three) machines available. I run mine through the computer UPS box near my bed... with the beep turned off I might sleep through an outage but the fan comes on and makes some noise... I'll get up and turn off all the parasitic loads (monitors, printers, etc) so I max my sleep time. One 1500w UPS will not get you through a night I don't think, without turning off humidifier/hose/etc.

vandownbytheriver wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 13, 2024 10:04 pm

...and I rigged a 'cheater cord' to connect it to a 240v RV plug I'd installed in my driveway.

Also known as a suicide cord for good reason, and no mention of a transfer switch. Do it right or don't do it.

stevenal wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 14, 2024 9:05 am

vandownbytheriver wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 13, 2024 10:04 pm

...and I rigged a 'cheater cord' to connect it to a 240v RV plug I'd installed in my driveway.

Also known as a suicide cord for good reason, and no mention of a transfer switch. Do it right or don't do it.

When in extremis, do what you have to do. Do not attempt unless you know WTF.