How I Power CPAP While Camping or During Electricity Outage | Off-Grid Battery Backup

[@h2hcamey]

My husband made this for me to use on camping trips. Works like a charm!

[@DRUMMER-j-u2x]

Really appreciate this video because I have a couple of family members that use CPAP machines! Thanks so much, Great Lakes!!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

You're welcome!

[@paulschwartz2464]

Great video. I have the same CPAP machine. I also purchased an inverter but was just going to hook it to the battery in a grid down scenerio. I kinda like the battery box idea and will give it a shot. Also, had NO idea that a marine battery could run a CPAP that long! I live in MN and have 3 marine batteries in one boat and 2 in the other so that should keep me sleeping like a champ for quite awhile!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Paul. Yea, I was pretty surprised too. I would have thought the machine would draw more juice since it's basically running both a humidifier and a tube heater.

[@paulschwartz2464]

@@GreatLakesPrepping I actually turned my tube heater off and don't use the humidifier so mine should run for about a year on a 9 volt battery!

[@Teknopottu]

Great video! Simple stuff almost anyone can replicate but many don't have the courage to make. You give them that courage.

[@mikhambilton1274]

i like your idea the best im getting a Life po4 170 amp hr with a 150 W inverter mod sine wave im told cpap brick will smooth it out

[@glennrogers7961]

Great video, quick question. Couldn't you run a cpap off the battery directly with a 12 volt adapter? You have a fantastic channel.. I learned a lot. TY!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks Glenn. You could only run the CPAP directly off the battery if the CPAP is a 12volt appliance that is intended for that use. It probably wouldn't even turn on, and it would probably damage the machine. However, they seem to sell 12v adapters for just this sort of use. I'll paste an example of one I found below, but note that you would have to make sure the adapter you buy is meant for your exact machine (and this is simply an example to put you in the right direction): www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed-dc-converter-airsense-aircurve-10-machines?srsltid=AfmBOoosRiNo2XVAYWHsqglaVUYQe0lFmGY8KfEaFmdOEWUPUN19tSU3a3I That being said, this adapter costs $95 and it only does that one thing. The inverter I have costs $45, and it can be used for all sorts of stuff.

[@glennrogers7961]

thanks GLP! I bought a 12 volt adapter. I just didn't want to ruin it . its a genuine Philip's part so it should work. Thank you again for taking the time to make your videos.

[@jamessobkoweak8460]

great info thak you!!

[@mrcutlass7133]

Great video

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks!

[@mley8374]

I go camping with my son's Scout Troop, but I don't want to carry anything heavy. I have a "Baldr" power station I bought on Amazon on special less than $200. It'll run my cpap without the humidifier for at least 4 nights and charge my cellphone as well. It weighs about 6 pounds. I know some people need humidification, but I'm ok without it. I just fill the tank with water and turn off the humidifier. My 60-watt solar panel is for longer trips. I think I paid about 80 bucks for it. Just my setup.

[@Pennywise778]

Running at the higher limit of 100 watts per hour would draw (100/12) 8.33 amps p/H giving a 120 A/H a run time of 14.4 hours if the battery can go down that low. Is my maths correct assuming the higher usage? Would of course use much less amperage turning the humidifier and heater off. And can add humidifiers in that last 30 days from Redmed. Very interesting as plan to move closer to my kids where there’s no work or accomodation so camping it is. Got me a 60 A/H lithium battery today but might double it up.

[@KellyS_77]

How do you charge the battery back to full? I could see this solution being really useful for someone that requires insulin or other medications that need to be refrigerated. A small 12v fridge meant for a car or such, would be enough to keep meds cool.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

I probably should have talked about charging in the video! I just use an ordinary 12v battery charger. The one I have is pretty small and inexpensive, and it charges the battery completely full in a few hours.

[@SwiftCookie]

If you're using it at home you could also connect a smart trickle charger to the battery so you'd never even have to worry about it being charged.

[@ericnepean]

I use a similar but simpler set up. As you do, use a lead acid battery ( in my case a gel cell wheel chair battery) The Airsense 10 has a 24V DC input, and Resmed does make a convertor from an automotive 12V dc “cigarette lighter” connection to Airsense 10 DC input. So I wire up a “cigarette lighter” socket to my 12V batteries, plug in the Resmed adapter and plug the Airsense into that. Might be more efficient without the AC to 120V converter.

[@SlyFAC]

Does the resmed run any longer on the 12v cigarette lighter vs the 120 AC?

[@ericnepean]

@@SlyFAC It is hard to make an accurate measurement, and I don’t have a suitable DC/AC converter. What I can say as a retired electronics engineer is that yes, the battery should last longer. DC to AC inverters typically have 90% or less efficiency. AC to DC convertors are also not designed for efficiency and are probably less 90% efficient. So the combination is 80% efficient at best. On the other hand DC to DC converters use a a different technology than DC to AC converters, and are typically designed with efficiency in mind, 85% is considered so so, and 95% efficiency is considered good. I think the Resmed DC to DC is 90% efficient, which is at least 10 percentage points better than a DC to AC inverter followed by an AC to DC converter.

[@blueback21]

Great video, they should make one on just building that box. I love the metre on it. I’ve never really know how much I have left on my trolling motor battery. What’s that meter? Do you think you can use a motorcycle battery 12 V seven amp and if so, how much time do you think you would get off of that on a CPAP?

[@mikhambilton1274]

problay 2 hrs

[@Thefamily-e2l]

Excellent video! Question: I live in a pretty humid area (Louisiana and Texas); would the humidity likely affect the electronics of the inverter or the cpap machine?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks. The humidity wouldn't affect any of this any more than it could affect any other electronics. Will a computer get ruined by your humidity? If not, then this would all be fine.

[@Shack-time]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. I use that same Cpap machine and use a 12v lead which converts it to the required voltage. I bought it from Amazon. I did a video on it a few weeks ago…. I’m impressed you got that many nights out of the battery. Wonder if you had the humidifier on and what pressure you use ? Great stuff though 🙌

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks James. I thought about getting a 12v adapter for the machine, but for the cost it just made sense to use the inverter. And, I know I'd be weird about it and feel the need to get the ResMed brand adapter, which is around $100! I did use the humidifier (I always do, lest I wake up with a dry mouth and sore throat). I use #7 pressure.

[@michaelangelo6947]

Thank you for this video. I just bought this same inverter for my cpap set-up and use a lithium battery that I use for my trolling motor. I just hook it up to the battery and plug in the cpap; works great. Is there any need for a charge controller?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

No need for a charge controller if you've got the inverter - unless you want to use solar to charge the battery (in which case the inverter doesn't come into play for the charging step).

[@michaelangelo6947]

@@GreatLakesPrepping Thank you.

[@danieldumas6584]

Very interesting, do you cut the heater and humidefier in your set up?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

I never use the heater, but I always use the humidifier, including while using battery power. Can't go without it!

[@serious_in_seattle6917]

I’m assuming one just recharges the marine battery using household AC when electrical power is working? Then it’s ready to use when needed.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

I do make sure the battery is charged pretty much at all times. Particularly before going on a trip where I'll be using it. But like any 12v battery, it can also be charged by a solar panel or some other power source.

[@BruceForster-k9n]

This is a very good video. You COULD consider a Lithium Battery now, as the price continues to drop. I bought TWO LiPuls 100 Amp Group 24 Sized LiFePO4 Batteries for $375.00. This should work JUST FINE when your Lead Battery gives out for good. I'm presently doing research into Home Kidney Dialysis Machines, to see if something on a larger scale for THAT need could be DIY'd.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

I have thought that I'd replace it with a Lithium Phosphate when the time comes. Those batteries are SO much lighter than the heavy lead acids.

[@anned8634]

the system i use is a 12v 100ah lifepo4 battery in a case like yours but my dream station cpap has a 12 volt cord so no invertor needed and no invertor loss. i also have a 100 watt solar panel on my car roof and another folding 100 watt solar panel. you only want to run a lead acid battery down to 50% or you will shorten the life of the battery. you can run a lifepo4 battery down 100% with no damage.

[@Boondocker99]

How much time do you get out of the 100ah battery and are you running the humidifier and heated tube?

[@anned8634]

@@Boondocker99 I don't run the humidifier or a heated tube so far i have only run off the battery two nights in a row with letting it charge off solar during the day

[@1GREATDANE]

I bought an Eco Flow River 2 Pro with 768 Watt Hours and use It with My Rez Med CPAP Machine from the VA on DC and It Works Well and last a good long time. AMAZON PRIME DAY SALE $350.00 plus an Eco Flow Refurbished Portable 110 Watt Solar Panel for $110.00 and DC Power Supply Cord > less than $500.00 💵

[@Rusty6507]

How long does it power…with humidifier running…a cannot go without humidity as the air blowing thru my nose and mouth cause excessive dryness with no humidity.

[@1GREATDANE]

@@Rusty6507 My RezMed CPAP runs off 12 Volt with Heat and Humidity both Activated and last all Night ( approximately 7 Hours ) on the River 2 Pro. In 110 Volt Mode the Inverter and Conversion eats allot o Energy.

[@Rusty6507]

@@1GREATDANE Thx, my new cpap will be an AS11, which is 24 as opposed to the AS10.

[@ralphsmith8350]

$400 to build, with $120 marine battery, $46 300w inverter To battery box, added digital voltmeter, capacity meter, connector for quick disconnect, sealed box. Set up to use the batt for multiple purposes. will run CPAP 120 HRS ? 13-16 nights. (I may have errors above)

[@Rusty6507]

Is this compatible with Airsense 11?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

It's compatible with any CPAP machine. This setup is basically just reproducing regular "house" power with the use of an inverter. It's not powerful enough to power *anything* that you can plug into your house (you couldn't plug a microwave oven into it, for example), but it's more than enough for any CPAP machine.

[@GatorScatpack]

how do you recharge?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Good question. I just use an ordinary car battery charger.

[@KevNshell000]

Hey are you running your heated hose and humidifier ir do you turn them off for off grid camping. I didn't think 100ah would be enough to run the humidifier and heated tube. Thanks.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

I definitely use the humidifier. I don't really ever use the heated hose, but I can't really live without the humidifier running.

[@michjj33713]

@@GreatLakesPrepping Everyone does not have the luxury of turning off the heated hose and humidifier. They just cannot breathe adequately let alone sleep at night. I am so glad your channel is discussing this issue of using generators to help prolong breathing according to required medical prescription. Thanks so much!

[@nick92028]

But a deep cycle charger costs $100-$500....? Unless there is a better way to charge...? Can we charge by solar???

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

A regular 12v charger will charge a deep cycle battery. You can get small ones for like $20. And yes, you could also use solar to charge it.

[@Aletagantt]

So.... Bottom line. It doesn't come with a battery?!

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

What do you mean? I'm showing how I take a big battery and a power inverter to run my CPAP machine. The battery comes with a battery.

[@michjj33713]

@@GreatLakesPrepping Yes, it does not come with a battery. You have to invest money into purchasing a battery and an inverter.

[@ericwilliams952]

You need to power it with direct DC from your battery. converting DC to and AC and back to DC is not the most efficient use of your Limited power source.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Seems pretty efficient to me. I can power my machine for a really long time on a charge.

[@yougeo]

Fine but you know you don't look like you're overweight but most people need these things because they're overweight. So I tell people eat less calories until you lose the weight and then you're likely not going to need the cpaps at all. These things have all kinds of problems and they can cause respiratory infections and other things. It's really better to get off them if you can but the doctors love for you to stay on them because they get to charge Medicare for them every single month and there's usually profitable.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

I'll take your comment as a compliment! Though I could certainly stand to lose some weight, my sleep apnea is rooted more in the general "shape" of my airway (and surrounding stuff). I can start snoring while wide awake if I'm not paying attention. I'm basically reliant on this thing for the rest of my life, with the *possible* alternative of getting a horrible surgery which I will never do. It is definitely important to keep the machine very clean, change the filters, etc. And yea, like any medical stuff, there are corporations lining up to profit from it. I'm too young for medicare, and my regular health insurance covers practically nothing, so most of the costs for me are coming out of my pocket. I own my machine outright, and there are no recurring costs that benefit my doctor in any way (at this point).

[@nick92028]

People like you are disgusting. It isn't being overweight that causes sleep apnea. Maybe actually look into it and research before you talk smack. There are many factors that cause sleep apnea.

[@michjj33713]

Your comment is harsh and is a personal opinion with no substantiated medical research data giving any type credibility to what you are stating. Overweight does not mean order the person a cpad or bipap machine. Nor does loosing weight or eating less calories cure a person's breathing problem. It may help but it does not remove them from the machine.