What do you do when the power goes off?

needingu · Post by **needingu** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 6:38 pm

What do you do when the power goes off?

First I wake with a start..like Whoa! Then I sit up until it comes back on.
I called the power company and told them I was using the cpap machine and I thought maybe they should know about it and this would be considered when they repaired of did what ever they have to do,. They said they would send me an application to take to my doctor and have him to say it is medically necessary. (Haven't received the application as yet. and there has been plenty of time). Should I follow up on it. I told them I was not on O2.
What is your take on this..

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): cpap machine, Power

drummergirl410 · Post by **drummergirl410** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 7:03 pm

It's probably not a bad idea. I don't know that it will be looked upon as seriously as it should be since xPAP is not considered "life-supporting" equipment, such as 02 is. It won't hurt though!

I have my APAP machine plugged into a decent surge protector. We had our first thunderstorms since I got the machine yesterday and today. Thankfuly they didn't happen at night. We lost power for a few minutes due to a lightning strike. I nearly panicked! When it came back on, so did the machine. It operated fine last night. After that, I unplugged my machine anyway. If it's totally unplugged, it should be totally safe. If we have any night thunderstorms, I'm going to try to gauge how severe it is. If it's just a run-of-the-mill thundershower, I'll probably stay on the hose. If it's a bad one, I'll probably stay awake and wait it out. I know there is no possible way for the lightning to get to me, but who knows how long it would take to get a replacment machine if it did damage to it. Severe thunderstorms give me the willies anyway. I wouldn't miss anything because I rarely sleep during them. If the power outage isn't from a thunderstorm, I don't know what I'd do. Especially if it was a prolonged one <shudders at the thought. I'd like battery back-up but it sounds so complicated!

shippy · Post by **shippy** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 7:15 pm

I have not experienced a power failure yet, but i have been thinking about what i am going to do when it does go off, I was just looking at battery packs at cpap.com seems a little pricey at $279.00, my new Toyota car has a 110v. outlet on the dash i might just go hook up in my car, recline the passenger seat and sleep there if the power goes off ha! ha! might have to fire up the engine and let it idle all nite though.

Dale

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:29 am

Never happened at nite, once the hose pulled off the mask, it was 3 minutes before I woke up.

If it went off, I'd spend the nite in the recliner, if it stayed off the second day, one of my cars would loose there battery. (3) cars = 2 weeks power.
After that the neibhors better have their hoods locked down. Jim

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:42 am

Marine deep cycle battery and in inverter (or just cigarette lighter type plugin) solves the problem. Un hook the humidifier and go back to sleep. Sitting up all night waiting on the power to come back in is just nuts when there is such a simple solution.

JeffH

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:53 am

In two years I've never had a problem, but I also have a car jumper in the bedroom with a 12 volt lighter outlet, and I also have a 110v inverter that plug into it. So I guess i am covered for a short nite, Not counting all my car batteries. When I was in my Cave, I was hook into me UPS, good for short outages 20 minutes. Jim

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:19 pm

I got a Xantrex 400 Powerpack plus. I keep it plugged in to trickle charge. With my Remstart M Auto, I figure I could get 3 nights out of it if I used it about 6 hours/night using the 12 volt adapter I got from cpap.com.

After that I'd make sure to sleep on my side by using my backpack stuffed with a pillow. Using the backpack would take my AHI from moderate to mild from the looks of my sleep study. I might try sleeping in a recliner instead. (I use my backpack nearly every night anyway).

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 1:22 pm

I have a deep cell marine battery and 600 wat inverter under my bed. When the weather looks risky,before I go to bed, I roll it out, plug my power strip with all my appliances, including bedside lamp, and in the summer, small personal fan, as I also dont sleep will without air conditioning.

I have, for several years, run my fisher paykel hc 150 heated humidifier from the inverter with NO ill effects. The customer manual for this particular heated humidifier states it is fine on a standard inverter. I cannot sleep without humidity, so running the cpap alone would not get me to sleep. I know everyone will tell me that I will fry it, but it's six years old, so if it does ever go out, we can blame it on this, but I have had many great nights sleep with it running at a setting of 3 on the inverter, and it is still as good as new.

I like having my bedside lamp ready to flip on, my cell phone within reach, and running my fan, cpap AND heated humidifier all night with no worry of losing power. Even if electricity is on when I go to bed, if I think it might go out during the night, I toss and turn worrying over it, instead of falling asleep quickly.

Nodzy · Post by **Nodzy** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:21 am

At home I keep a vehicle jump box -- portable starter, battery charger -- fully charged. It has a 300-watt, two outlet inverter.

I haven't needed to run a xPAP on it, but have tested it several times for just over four hours straight each time, and it didn't show much drain on the jump box internal battery. No ill effects on the Respironics Pro-2 C-FLEX were encountered -- and the humidifier was not used during the tests.

I have not tested the M-series Auto A-FLEX that I currently use on the jump box. But I may do that in the coming weeks.

6PtStar · Post by **6PtStar** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 8:53 am

I have only had power go off one time since I have been on CPAP. Since I am on oxygen the thing that woke me up was the alarm on the oxygen concentrator screeming. Power came back on in about 5 min. I have a small coleman starter power pack and a 100 watt inverter. Is 100 watts enough to run the CPAP without the humidifier. I also have a 2500 watt Honda/Craftsman generator. Which would I be better off using. I assume the generator would power the humidifier as well as the CPAP. Are generators hard on the electronics?

fredpb · Post by **fredpb** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 12:21 pm

I am going to use a two step approach to backup. I have a small UPS now (like the ones you use for a computer), which keeps the CPAP operating for short power outages without interruption.

I have an inverter already. I am going to get one of the car jump starters for longer use. But I have to get the battery cable from CPAP.com for this.
If the jump starter does not last long enough, I will try a car battery with charger.

Vader · Post by **Vader** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 3:44 pm

I thank God for blessing me with being able to afford an in-house generator.
When the power goes off, the generator kicks in within thirty seconds.
I'm living in a potential hurricane hazard area, but thankfully, I shouldn't have to worry about being without my cpap if there are longterm power outages.

j.a.taylor · Post by **j.a.taylor** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:18 pm

What an interesting and timely question.

We had severe thunderstorms and a tornado sweep through our area Friday.

I left work early to get ahead of the storm and drove right through it.

When I got home at about 4:30 pm, the power in our house was out. It was still out at 8:30, so I ran to a store and picked up some lanterns.

At about 9:30, when we all decided to go to bed early, rather than staring at each other in the lantern light, I realized that I wouldn't be able to run my CPAP machine.

So I tried to stay awake, but I couldn't because I was dog-tired. I probably fell asleep about 11:30, woke up at 2 when the power switched on, then back off. I woke up again at 3 when the power switched on for good. By that time I had one of the raging headaches I used to wake up with frequently before I started therapy.

I hooked up the machine, and slept for several more hours, but the headache remained.

Needless to say, I'll be looking for a solution in case this ever happens again.

needingu · Post by **needingu** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:30 pm

Appreciate everyone chiming in on this.. I am really am concerned..Tho not panicked.. How much would a generator cost.
What is this Marine battery deal.. and What is a inverter (is that what it is called. We need some education here..huh?

I too, had a storm a couple months ago and wondered what was the proper procedure...

Vader · Post by **Vader** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:55 pm

needingu wrote:. How much would a generator cost.

You could probably get an in-house one for between 4 and 6 thousand. (there are gasoline run models not addressed here, that are much cheaper, but also much louder, and they require manual startup.)
A 13 kw is about six thousand, maybe more. Depending on size of your home, that may power most items such as AC, heat, refrigerator, etc.They run off of natural gas or propane
If you want EVERYTHING powered including washer and dryer, expect to pay a bit more for something like a 16 kw unit. There are larger sizes of course, depending on your needs.
It would be best to check your yellow pages for someone to give you a free estimate. .

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): Power

What do you do when the power goes off?

What do you do when the power goes off?

cpap, humidifier, fan and lamp

Re: What do you do when the power goes off?

Mask

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