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

Like millions of other people, I require a CPAP machine to alleviate sleep apnea. And just because the power is out or I'm camping off-grid doesn't mean I don't need the thing to sleep. So in today's video, I'm showing my pretty simple DIY setup for powering my machine in a reliable and reasonably-inexpensive way.
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Stuff used in this video:
300W Pure SINE Wave Inverter
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Battery Connector (male plug)
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Battery Connector (female outlet)
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Battery Box (Group 27 Size)
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12v DC Voltage Meter
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DC Circuit Breaker
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00:00 - Intro
01:39 - CPAP Overview
02:13 - DIY Components
03:53 - Power Inverter
05:13 - Battery
07:13 - Connector Options
08:31 - How to Use
08:48 - Machine Runtime
10:37 - Summary
11:50 - Outro
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[@h2hcamey]

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

[@averagejoesmiling456]

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!

[@jamessobkoweak8460]

great info thak you!!

[@Teknopottu]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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)

[@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.

[@Kruzdownunder]

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.

[@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.

[@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.