CPAP Use ??

[kathyp]

My hub uses this breathing machine, we have a fifth wheel with standard battery no other energy means when boondocking..Please offer ideas advice on what we could do to allow him to use this when no hook up available. ?? generator/solar or what...the only problem with generator is I don't think you can run it at a lot of places during the night. Like state Parks... Thanks!!

[deaton]

Assuming this item runs on 120 volt AC, you are going to first have to examine the wattage it requires and that would be the starting point to determine what would be required if you chose to go with an inverter powered by a battery bank. If you took that approach, and packed along a small, quite generator, like a Honda 2000, to use in recharging the batteries during the day, you could probably get by without completely using up your storage bays.

There are others on this forum far more qualified than I am to help you figure out the exact battery/inverter configuration.

My experience with solar is that it's pretty good for keeping up a charge on an idle battery bank (rig in storage), but you will need a bunch of panels to recharge enough battery to keep a motor driven device running eight or ten hours (overnight). I think you will find a small generator - like the honda - to be far more reliable and cost effective, plus, when you can run it at night, you have some extra power available for other things.

[Flagelpater]

FWIW My CPAP uses 12 volts. It is plugged into 110 volts but the transformer puts out 12 volts. Check with the manufacturer for an alternative plug into a cigarette plug (power plug).

[John Hilley]

This inverter should be enough to power the CPAP. You may have to add an additional battery. You don't want to run the battery down past 50%. If you were staying multiple nights you would need some means to charge the battery during the day. The above mentioned generator would be a good choice.

180 watt pure sine wave inverter

Honda EU2000i generator

[Flagelpater]

FWIW CPAP.com - 12 Volt DC Power Cord (connects CPAP to cigarette lighter socket)

Why complicate it. Just plug it in and leave the inverter off.

[wa8yxm]

CPAP machines can be divided into Two by Two groups.

One has a humidifier or heater.. These need a LOT of power and your single battery likely does not hold enough

Another is just air pressure, no heat, no humidity (or passive humidifier, no heater)

These can be run off either 120vac or in many cases 12vdc (Battery powre) normally supplied by a wall wart, you can get an automotive cord for them as well.

Go with a 12 volt model.

[MaverickBBD]

I think you may have answered your own question. Sounds like battery with solar recharge is the way for you to go. This has been discussed many times so do a search of the forum for topic. I am sure you do keep bottled O2 available just in case. Good luck and do what it takes to keep getting him out there.

[Dagwood]

Also FWIW some nps or federal parks with no hookups will have 1 or 2 sites with electric for handicapped. You would have to ask as they are not advertised.

[Jack R]

Kathy

I believe the CPAP machine will draw only 3 amps per hour. (no heater) Look at bottom of the machine it will till you the amps needed. I used to hook mine directly to a separate battery and charge that battery during the day. Easiest and most cost saving way.

Jack

[lascar]

I use a Bipap, similar to a Cpap, Our motorhome has 4 golf car batteries and solar panels rated at 270 watts. My 1000 watt factory installed inverter uses too much power on it own, so I connect a small inverter, about 150 watt, and get along fine.We spent three months as campground hosts in a site with no electricity, and only ran the generator on occassion.

[Jimmyzw22]

I have a cpap with humidifier and it will run all night long on battery and hardly drains it at all. Wouldn't worry about it just charge batteries during the day.

[shastaron]

My CPAP has can run both with and without the humidifier. I got a 12 volt cord for my unit. Hook it to an Optima 12 volt battery and it runs great all night without the humidifier. Never got the battery below 75%. I have a 30 Amp battery charger and keep it hooked up to the battery. Anytime we crank-up the generator for a little while it puts a charge on the Optima. Never had to run the generator more than 1 hour. Seems like when we are dry camping (boondocking) we need the generator at some point in the day or early evening. Have done several weeks this way.

Look at the manual for the CPAP or go to CPAPtalkdotcom and talk to the folks on that forum about your model. All they have a store that I ordered my cord from.

It is very doable.

[CorsairIIAT]

We tied in a second battery just for my ex wifes cpap. Ran wire and put a sepperate cigg litter plug to plug it in in the bedroom. Would run generator during the day to charge both batterrys. It worked for us.

[HandyBob]

An excerpt from my RV Battery Charging Puzzle:



"The CPAP machine with a humidifier that everybody seems to think requires a generator running all night will run on about 30 amp hours, the output of only one solar panel. Let’s see; a single cylinder gas engine that might run out of fuel & die (or that your incensed neighbor might sabotage – it has happened) or a very reliable battery & inverter. We ran into one guy in a tent who had figured out how to run his on one small car battery that he recharged while driving with jumper cables. Use your brain folks."


I have installed several small inverters for folks with CPAP machines. For reliablity, I would use a 300 or 400 watt and a modified wave inverter works just fine. These vary from 25 to 35 amp hours. No big deal.