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Old 10-25-2018, 12:12 PM   #1
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CPAP and power usage

We have relatives who intend to RV full-time for at least a year. Both use CPAP machines. Trying to help them get organized/plan I found that one machine can use up a normal house battery in 8 hours. I think it said they pull 8-10 amps/hr. If this is the case they will be limited to camps with 120V. Is anyone aware of a way to use a house battery for this purpose? I am not at all familiar with CPAP.
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Old 10-25-2018, 12:49 PM   #2
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I get an entire weekend out of my CPAP on a deep cycle marine battery without draining it more than 50%. That's for one CPAP. A small solar panel to top it off each day helps, I have a 16W panel that does a nice job of that. Turn the humidifier heater off and heated hose off. They eat up most of the juice. Don't generally need them when camping anyhow, unless you are in desert. Plug them in directly to 12v supply using the proper 12v cable, don't go through the A/C brick using an inverter, you lose efficiency if you do.
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Old 10-25-2018, 01:03 PM   #3
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There's a good bit of discussion around here about camping with a CPAP.

Depending on the CPAP they may be natively 12 volt powered. If so, a couple of 12 volt receptacles and cords for the machines is the most efficient way to power them. Even the native 24 volt powered units have 12 volts power adapters as an accessory.

If they plan on being places without power for several days at a time, I'd suggest investing in a pair of good deep cycle batteries and a small quiet inverter generator to keep them charged with. Solar is very nice, but there are many place where solar may be less than optimal.
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Old 10-25-2018, 01:06 PM   #4
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My wife uses a CPAP which does not have a 12v connection so limited to 120v ac. I have a 600 watt pure sine wave inverter we use for powering the CPAP. I have a couple very large deep cycle batteries in the 5er so never a worry about a few nights use when in it.

We also take it with us on motorcycle trips. I carry a spare AGM Harley battery in my Bushtec trailer which we pull behind the bike. I have a pictail off the trailer running lights to keep the battery charged when going from one campsite to another. The Harley battery will power the CPAP for 2 nights minimum before it needs a boost.
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Old 10-26-2018, 02:24 PM   #5
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They make a CPAP lithium battery for this. Not Cheap but will run for 3 nights if humidifier not used, 2 days with humidifier. Its about the size of a Kindle.
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Old 10-26-2018, 05:39 PM   #6
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They also make CPAP machines with built in batteries-like Norm said above they will last 2 or 3 days. Recharging is pretty quick, after one night mine charges in about 30-40 minutes....but off of AC, so back to a Generator or one of the gizmos that plug in to the 12 volt in your vehicle and puts out 110v. Just charge while you explore.
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Old 10-27-2018, 06:48 PM   #7
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My DW uses a CPAP which we can run from the nearby AC outlet (12V power brick that came with it) or from a 12V PowerPole outlet I installed over the bed. The PowerPole outlet is always used for her SoClean, which also runs on 12V. The SoClean needs to run on 12V because it's used during the day while we're driving.

The power consumption of the CPAP isn't our main concern. I'm using a dialysis machine every night that demands AC power with a peak demand of 500W and consumes just over 500W for an overnight treatment session. We've restricted our overnight stays to locations with shore power since I started using my machine but, when I finish redoing the AC wiring in the rig, I expect that I'll be able to support both machines overnight using the PSW inverter I installed and the 300A of 12V power available from my house batteries. The inverter will also provide backup power in case shore power fails at night, a problem we've already encountered.


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Old 10-27-2018, 07:09 PM   #8
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Take a look at the Cpap. Look on the bottom to see what voltage it is. Most are either 12 volt or 24 volt. Ac power is converted down to DC 12 or 24. If it is 12 volt then it is quite possible they make a battery cable for this. If not then a converter to convert 12 to 24 or some time of battery pack that works for it. Check with your provider. I have a 12 volt connection to the house battery and also use an AGM battery. With humidifier turned off & using regular hose I can get 3-4 nights on the AGM or on the house battery & then it's generator time to recharge.
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Old 10-28-2018, 11:23 AM   #9
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Lots of options for stand-alone power supplies for CPAP.
A few examples.

If they want to boondock, fundamentally the goal is to get through the night without a generator or solar charging without draining the house batteries below about 50%. Like the house batteries, these CPAP batteries can be recharged during the day.

If they plan to boondock a lot, size a solar array to handle the following:
a) climate...how much sun do you get?
b) battery bank...the solar array should be able to FULLY charge all batteries by sunset.
c) all daytime loads...if you use power during the day, that counts against the solar power charging.
d) bad weather.
e) backup generator.

In very crude terms, one x 100 watt panel per battery (including CPAP battery) in sunny climates. Double that in grey climates (Pacific Northwest).

Your RV battery bank might be able to handle the CPAP load, but can it also handle the furnace, pump, lights, entertainment, and, and, and overnight? Since the CPAP is a big load, this is where the external supply can make the difference.

For sure, a big generator can recharge all batteries during the day. But listening to a generator drone on all day is no fun. Go solar.

A 400 watt solar system is probably adequate for most applications...and costs the same as a generator. Windy Nation is another reliable brand. Add a 120 volt inverter to charge your CPAP batteries...assuming they don't have their own 12 volt inputs.

This solar setup is totally set it and forget it. It connects directly to the RV battery bank in parallel with the RV's converter/charger. No muss, no fuss. It's always charging when the sun is out...towing, stored, parked, setup, all the time.

I have a 100 watt system on my PUP charging a single group 24 12-volt battery. I'm careful what I use, but I NEVER run out of battery power.

Solar is not an infinite well of power, but a properly sized system and judicious use of power can achieve a balance where you never run out of power for your needs.

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Old 11-01-2018, 08:33 PM   #10
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I use my bipap with two six volt batteries in series without any problems on twelve volt plug. Still have plenty of power in the morning. Top off batteries for a couple of hours every day
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Old 11-10-2018, 09:42 AM   #11
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I would recommend a lithium ion power pack. Harbor Freight has them, one sells for $58 and will be on sale for $38 on Black Friday. Advertises 20 hours of DC power. Good for a two or three nights. Resmed sells DC adaptors for their units and like others said, turn off the humidifier,
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