CPAP question

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jnyork
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CPAP question

Post by jnyork »

My friend's wife needs to use a CPAP machine while sleeping, which severely limits her ability to go stay at their mountain cabin, which is without electricity. I recently was talking to a fellow who has the same problem and he mentioned he was running his off a battery, but I didn't think at the time to get any details from him. A web search did not turn up any 12 volt CPAPS. Does anyone here have personal experience with this situation? Thanks.
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J Miller
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Re: CPAP question

Post by J Miller »

He could have been using a voltage converter that changes 12V DC to 110 AC. There is a name for them but it wont come to me right now.

Joe
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rgates
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Re: CPAP question

Post by rgates »

When without electricity I use an Inverter, 12V to 110 AC. It works fine. I have run my CPAP all night off my truck battery, and the truck easily started the next day and recharged as it was driven. I have thought about using a deep cycle marine battery for the purpose. However you do it, the important thing is to USE the CPAP; an inverter and a 12V battery makes it easy.
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fordwannabe
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Re: CPAP question

Post by fordwannabe »

There is a new one on the market advertised as a mobile unit. Has a rechargeable battery built in, something along the size of a pack of cigarettes and has multiple recharge options. HOWEVER my CRS is at full tilt and cant remember the name of it. Let me check around and get back to you.
Another option is the new style battery jump boxes. We ran a crock pot on the tailgate of my truck for HOURS with it. Mine is rated to start a diesel pickup 5 times before it needs recharged and weights 3 pounds, approximately the size of a bandana bread loaf.
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Blaine
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Re: CPAP question

Post by Blaine »

ResMed sells those for under a hundred bucks....I have one. I'm not sure I'd use the truck battery, tho, I'd hate to run the vehicle battery down and not get started....I've used my Honda 2000 gen most of the time. A fill up lasts all night and then some.
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AJMD429
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Re: CPAP question

Post by AJMD429 »

Your insurance may not cover it, but I've had patients who use battery-driven ones (built-in battery), or of course as others have said, use an 'inverter' and a car-battery.

Don't skip using CPAP unless absolutely necessary - especially when you're out trying to have an enjoyable time off-grid; that's when you want your full abilities and energy.
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Malamute
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Re: CPAP question

Post by Malamute »

Its possible its actually 110v, but id about bet money it uses a transformer and reduces the 110v to 12v or something less than that. Look at the unit itself, it should have info on a tag that says what the actual functioning voltage is. The power source should also say, what input and output voltage is. The manual may also have the info. If the power cord is a box at the plug end, then a cord to the unit, or box in the middle of the cord before it gets to the actual device, its almost assured it is NOT functioning on 110v, but on a lower voltage. The box thing is the transformer to make 110v into whatever lower voltage the unit functions on.

If someone is using an inverter to invert a 12v battery/truck to 110v, then its being transformed into 12v or something less, theres hardly a less efficient way to do it. Check your unit, find out the actual voltage and amps/milliamps.

IF the unit runs on lower voltage, it will probably be 12v or some 1.5v increment lower. I had an ice water pump that ran ice water around my shoulder after surgery, it had a transformer. I wanted to be able to use it when driving, so I bought one of these,

https://www.powerstream.com/dc6.htm

It steps to all common low voltages, and has interchangeable tips so it fits all common devices. The tip polarity is also reversible, pay attention when first putting the correct tip on. The original power cord will probably have a tip diagram on it indicating polarity (= or - of the inside or outside of the plug tip). Way cheaper than an unnecessary and inefficient inverter to go backwards, then forwards, then step down with the power.

Smart people that can do math and stuff can figure out what the current draw of the unit is from the info on it and deduce how long an average car battery will hold up under that load use. I believe on other forums when this came up, most got several days worth of use without an inverter, just stepping 12v to direct 12v DC or a lower DC voltage. Some poeple took a spare car or deep cycle battery just for this puropose. You may be fine just plugging it in the vehicle power port.

The power port on my 4runner was only hot when it was running. I googled it and found a tutorial with pictures on how to make it hot full time. It involved taking about 4 screws out of the plastic lower dash covers, finding the relay on top of the fuse block, pulling it, and installing a direct jumper wire into the terminals the relay plugged into. Took all of about 20 minutes working very slowly.

FWIW, you can also change how the doors lock and unlock in different ways, like getting rid of the auto-lock-unlock, and other neat things. Google tells all. Dealers charge money for it. It takes less than a minute to do the codes and change it. Its something like get in. Close door. Insert key in ignition, turn on (not start), put transmission in certain gear, hold door lock button on or off for 12 seconds, let go. if the code took, it locked, them unlocked all the doors. Done. You can make it not lock when you open the drivers door, or at certain speeds, or when you put it in gear. All that made me crazy, I hated it, so turned all that dumb stuff off.
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soon 2 retire
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Re: CPAP question

Post by soon 2 retire »

Backpacking is pretty much out of the question for me any more. I use a CPAP every night and take asthma meds with a nebulizer 2x daily. I wanted to go truck/tent camping with my daughter's family so I bought one of these: http://www.goalzero.com/p/423/goal-zero ... er-station
It weighs 17 lbs.; Fully charged I think I could get 5 nights of CPAP use out of it. We were gone 3 days and 4 nights. I also got 4 charges of my nebulizer out of it. I paid a lot but it's worth it; we live on an island and periodically lose power; when that happened I had to remain awake and only take short naps while in a recliner if it lasts a few days. Now there's no problem. I also bought one of their solar panel chargers but it takes a long time to charge and a real sunny spot.


Bob in Friday Harbor, WA
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draperjojo
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Re: CPAP question

Post by draperjojo »

I've got a Resmed S9 CPAP, and the power supply I take with me to run on 12 volt is a Resmed part# R360-792 (DA-90B24). Looks just like my one for the house, except is has black and red battery clamps instead of a 120V cord. Came in handy 2 or 3 times at home when we had power outages that lasted a while during the night. I just went out to the garage and got that spare battery and set it next to the bed, put the battery clamps to it, and went to sleep...hahaha
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