Camping at Elevation With Sever Apnea Again, Please Help

Hi I just wanted to first thank this community last time I posted about goin abroad, I was fine and again I thank everyone who responded. I've had an on and off problem with camping with my BiPap and wondered if anyone might have a better solution. We typically camp around 6000ft elevation and in the past I'll bring two DieHard batteries, the ones you use to jumpstart a car, plug in an iphone, etc. yes lol, and it'll usually be enough for a night or two, and then I'll go recharge them somewhere local luckily, but PLEASE, if anyone has come up with a better solution i'm begging you to tell me, because even when I recharge these batteries I end up buying two again every year and even then sometimes they don't last. I'm VERY open to getting a new machine too so if anyone has an idea of what would work better with additions such as newer CPAPS/battery packs PLEASE let me know. Any and all help would be appreciated as always, you are all amazing. Thank you in advance!

Hope Everyone Is Doing OK

Marine Deep Cell Batteries.

Start Your Car Batteries not good for what you're doing.

Really not sure what machine or batteries you're using... if you could describe them by showing links or naming the model that would help. Also are you combining them or using them one at a time?

Two car batteries in series should power any machine with water and heat for a week. There are now large lithium packs that are much more expensive yet more convenient. What is your budget?

vandownbytheriver wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 7:19 am

Two car batteries in series should ...

...turn your CPAP machine into a puddle of molten plastic.

half_a_cat;
Your profile doesn't say what machine You are presently using ..
A new machine with reduced power consumption The Resmed Airsense/Aircurve
series offer lower power use (65W with humidifer and heated tube) so batteries will last longer ..
Humidifer and tube can be shut off to decrease power use even further ..
Deep cycle batteries work better for this kind of duty ..
Group 27 deep cycle batteries are what My RV uses ..
I don't know the math but portable solar panels can be used to charge them ..
A small battery maintainer can keep them charged and in top condition between uses ..
They should last 3 or more years this way ..
There are also small portable generators that can power a CPAP machine ..
They can be lighter then batteries less work and very quiet with 25 ft of extension cord ..
Any thing I didn't cover just ask I will do My best to help !!
Good Luck

sauerkraut wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 9:10 am

Group 27 deep cycle batteries are what My RV uses ..

FTS!

4-D!!

Go big or go home (although don't know how that works in an RV...).

Having camped multiple times with a CPAP/BiPAP in tow and having just returned from a 4 night camping trip at Watkins Glen NY, I'll offer this advice/idea: Specialized CPAP batteries are worth the price.

These batteries are much, much smaller than Die Hards, lightweight, and they're specifically designed to work with xPAP machines and they seem to work quite well. They are a bit pricy, but worth it both because they're small and they work.

Our most recent camping trip was the first one we've done since the PR recall. Before the PR recall, we had purchased three C100 battery packs, which are no longer sold. They worked very well with our old System One machines (both my husband and I are xPAPers.). But the standard cord provided in the kit was not compatible with the DreamStation 1 BiPAP Auto I had before the PR recall. So I just used my older System One BiPAP Auto when we were camping. These batteries served us quite well over multiple camping trips over many years. We even took them to Europe on an extended vacation that required several overnight trains, an overnight bus ride, and red-eye flights just in case we wanted or needed to use one of the machines when there was not an outlet available.

During the long wait for PR to replace our machines that were under recall, we both upgraded to Resmed AirCurve 10s, which were not compatible with our old C100 battery packs. So we went shopping. I bought a pair of Universal Freedom V2 batteries for my machine. Hubby decided to gamble and we bought a PR Dreamstation cord DC cord for connecting to a cigarette lighter-style DC outlet since our old C100 battery packs came with a cord that ended in a cigarette lighter-style DC outlet. So hubby brought his replacement PR Dreamstation machine and I brought my usual Resmed AirCurve 10.

Both machines worked nicely. We had two batteries for each machine, along with the cord that allows them to be hooked together in series. We turned off the humidifiers, but used them in passover mode and did not use a heated hose on either machine. The double-battery packs easily lasted through two nights without a recharge. Given the batteries' self-report on the remaining charge, I'm pretty sure we could have squeezed out a third night before recharging, but since carrying the batteries to the camp bathroom for recharging was easy, we decided not to risk running out of juice on a third night.

We have a longer camping trip to Arcadia National Park planned later this summer. I may just bring my replacement DreamStation to see if I get a bit longer runtime between charges on the batteries since my Hubby's DreamStation seemed to drain the old C100s a bit slower than the Resmed AirCurve 10 drained my brand new Freedom V2 batteries.

Rubicon wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 8:16 am

vandownbytheriver wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 7:19 am

Two car batteries in series should ...

...turn your CPAP machine into a puddle of molten plastic.

What is it about 24vdc that you don't understand? Perhaps electronics is not your area of expertise, as it is mine.

half_a_cat wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 4:24 am

because even when I recharge these batteries I end up buying two again every year and even then sometimes they don't last.

I have to wonder if you keep these charged up when they are not in use?

I use jump start batteries myself. With any battery you have to charge it before use as you don't know how long it's been sitting on the shelf. Charge it again after using it. Then keep a float charge on when not in use.

I bought several of these float chargers long ago when they were $5.
They work surprisingly well for keeping the battery healthy between use.
https://www.harborfreight.com/12v-autom ... 59000.html

HTH

vandownbytheriver wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 3:02 pm

Rubicon wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 8:16 am

vandownbytheriver wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 7:19 am

Two car batteries in series should ...

...turn your CPAP machine into a puddle of molten plastic.

What is it about 24vdc that you don't understand? Perhaps electronics is not your area of expertise, as it is mine.

Well there SweetCheeks let's review:

vandownbytheriver wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 7:19 am

Two car batteries in series should power any machine ...

Do you know if the OP has the same machine they had 10 months ago?

Let me explain Electronics Principle #1 to you Mr. Wizard:

If you make a mistake, you usually find out about it REALLY fast.

Rubicon wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 02, 2024 2:20 am

(does) the OP has the same machine they had 10 months ago?

Shoulda gave you this 10 months ago:

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

Rubicon wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 7:14 am

Marine Deep Cell Batteries.

document wrote:What is a marine battery?
Marine batteries are similar to, but not true deep-cycle batteries. Like deep-cycle batteries, marine batteries are
rated (or sized) in amp hours but generally should not be discharged beyond 60% before recharging.

Not a contradiction- "marine batteries" are start-up batteries. You need deep cell something. Got a TSS near you?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/produ ... gKdBPD_BwE

FYI I say marine cause I use marine. Dual-purpose actually. I could/should separate them into startup and house but got a good deal at BJs for duals.

half_a_cat wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 4:24 am

I'll bring two DieHard batteries, the ones you use to jumpstart a car
...
it'll usually be enough for a night or two, and then I'll go recharge them somewhere
...
I end up buying two again every year and even then sometimes they don't last.

As Rubicon stated, make sure you have Deep-Cycle.

Batteries can be broadly separated into two categories:

• Starter - These can give quick, short bursts of energy required to start car, but can not be discharged very deeply. Discharging them severely impacts their life and capacity.
  Deep-Cycle - These are designed for longer, sustained use. (ie CPAP) and can be discharged much deeper.

You've been using starter batteries, discharging till empty, that's why they don't last, and you're buying two new ones every year.

I use the the Ecoflow Delta 2 Power Station:

• This is an expensive solution but has a lot of feature good for both home use and camping
• 1024 Watt hours (85 AH @12 volt). This should sustain your CPAP for 10-14 days (if you're not using heated humidity)
• Can be deeply discharged
• Very quick to recharge
• Uses LiFePO4 batteries so considerably lighter than Lead-Acid and can sustain thousands of charge cycles
• Has a solar charge option

https://www.amazon.com/EF-ECOFLOW-Porta ... B0B9XB57XM

What I love about it is its EPS (Emergency Power Source) feature. While plugged into an AC outlet, the CPAP draws from the grid, it does use the Battery capacity. Should an outage occur, it switches over to battery, the switch time is sufficiently short so not to impact CPAP use.

Most battery solutions are UPS, meaning they draw from the battery and are therefore continuously discharging/charging and therefore have a reduced lifespan compared to EPS.

Rubicon wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 02, 2024 2:20 am

Well there SweetCheeks let's review:

vandownbytheriver wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 7:19 am

Two car batteries in series should power any machine ...

Do you know if the OP has the same machine they had 10 months ago?

Have no clue what machine they used, then or now. I did not find the 'smoking' reference in the ResMed guide... is that what happens when you use the wrong battery with the right voltage? My DC/DC converter has a cigar lighter plug... is that meant for a car battery? It definitely says 24v input OK.

BTW I did not end up having palatal prolapse, thanks for your conjectures though.

Certainly you can use the Delta 2 Power Station if you have money you don't need. I used the jump starter because I had it on hand at the time so no expense there AND it works so I bought more. At the time they were $99. $50 for a replacement battery now.

At that price I figure I can buy about 20 more batteries for the cost of the Delta 2.
That is prob more than I will need in my lifetime. But it still looks like a good power source.

btw - I keep it plugged in so the battery never gets drained.
I bought my 1st one about 2008.

SleepGeek wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 01, 2024 9:06 pm

I use jump start batteries myself.

I bought several of these float chargers long ago when they were $5.
They work surprisingly well for keeping the battery healthy between use.
https://www.harborfreight.com/12v-autom ... 59000.html

HTH