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Old 11-09-2014, 05:06 PM   #1
Geegee
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Calling all CPAP users

New Trailer, Want to be able to boondock for overnight occasionally on way to our destinations. However both of us are CPAP users and don't know how we can use them without electricity. Any simple solutions you might recommend would be appreciated.

Thanks
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Old 11-09-2014, 05:20 PM   #2
mikebrls
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most cpaps run on 12 volts and they have a inverter box on the cord to connect to 110 v house outlet , they should sell a 12 v plug , if not your rv should have a 12 v battery and inverter , or you can buy a little honda 2000 generator and plug your shore power in and only run small items with it

check out link

http://www.cpapxchange.com/dc-power-...FWUV7AoduU8AAg
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Old 11-09-2014, 05:50 PM   #3
bsmith0404
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I have a battery pack for my CPAP. You can charge it on 120v, also has a cigarette lighter adapter so you can charge it on the go. A full battery will run my machine for 3 nights. Here's a link, can probably find it cheaper or even get your insurance to cover some of it.

http://www.cpap.com/productpage/resp...tery-pack.html
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Old 11-11-2014, 07:57 PM   #4
tailpipe
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Inverter

If you turn the humidifier off a small 300 watt inverter running off the coach battery is a great low cost option. A small inverter generator plugged into your power cord is also a good option although this is is a little more costly.
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Old 11-12-2014, 05:33 AM   #5
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Calling all CPAP users

As others have said, get or make a 12VDC plug for your CPAP and use house battery 12VDC. Most CPAP I'm familiar with take 12VDC in. My current Respironics and older Puritan Bennett both did. You lose efficiency if inverting 12VDC to 110VAC and then your CPAP power supply converts that back to 12VDC again.
As a backup or tent camping, I have a 12VDC power supply/battery backup I use.
Ditto above about turning off heated humidifier for considerably longer battery life.
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Old 11-12-2014, 04:28 PM   #6
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How can you guys stand to turn off the humidifier? I ran mine out of water once and my throat/mouth got so dry my the middle of the night I couldn't stand it. Maybe I was just in a drier climate.
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Old 11-13-2014, 09:00 AM   #7
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bsmith, probably not drier than CO! (unless you're in AZ)

I keep water in the humidifier tank, just turn the heater off. On my old CPAP, I had two separate power cords, 110VAC to the humidifier heater and 12VDC (from a 110VAC adapter) to the CPAP. Just left the humidifier heater unplugged.
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Old 01-04-2015, 02:15 PM   #8
M241
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Cpap

I have an 05 M241. My CPAP will run all night on battery power once I get it past the initial startup cycle by starting my generator for a few minutes, starting the CPAP and then shutting down the gen.
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Old 01-04-2015, 02:33 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by bsmith0404 View Post
How can you guys stand to turn off the humidifier? I ran mine out of water once and my throat/mouth got so dry my the middle of the night I couldn't stand it. Maybe I was just in a drier climate.
I have been using a CPAP since 2002-never use the humidifier. Tried it a couple times and felt like I was drowning. To each his own. Also-my machine not only runs of 120 & 12 v, but works great on 220 as well. Very handy since I travel quite a lot.
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Old 01-05-2015, 06:33 AM   #10
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bsmith, probably not drier than CO! (unless you're in AZ)

I keep water in the humidifier tank, just turn the heater off. On my old CPAP, I had two separate power cords, 110VAC to the humidifier heater and 12VDC (from a 110VAC adapter) to the CPAP. Just left the humidifier heater unplugged.
Well I was in WY and NM, so about the same as CO. I can turn my humidifier down to about 2. If I go lower my throat gets so dry I am choking on cotton balls. In WY I used to use it on 3, when we moved to IL I forgot to turn it down and woke up in the middle of the night with water running down my face. I love the humidifier, can't see turning it off.
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Old 01-05-2015, 05:10 PM   #11
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here is a test I did awhile back and can be found in one of my previous posts.

needed a new battery for horse trailer, so bought a 100ah group 21 (I believe) deep cycle battery, hooked the 12 volt cord to it after charging, here is the results.
Voltages are starting voltages, 14 pressure setting about 7 hours a night

day 1 13.3 volts (presume a surface charge ) cpap on no water heat
day 2 12.8 volts cpap no water heat
day 3 12.77 volts cpap water heat of setting 3
day 4 tonight 12.57 volts-ran until 12.5 volts and shut down-only about 1 hr with heater on 3-


looks like 4 nights without heater are doable, or 2 with heater
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Old 02-15-2015, 12:56 PM   #12
Geegee
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So to simplify for the non electric expert let me see if I get this right. My husband and I can plug our cpaps in to the regular trailer outlets if we have the right electric cords on our cpaps for one night while boondocking, then the trailer battery will be recharge the next day while we are traveling to our next destination. Do I have it right so far? Then if we don't use our humidifiers we won't use up are trailer battery as quickly? Tell me where I may have misunderstood.
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Old 02-15-2015, 06:39 PM   #13
schwalbach
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you will not be able to plug into the outlet, you will need a 12v adapter for the cpap that plugs into a cigarette lighter outlet that is wired to the battery and properly fused.
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Old 03-12-2015, 07:19 AM   #14
DrFaustus
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Power for CPAP

I am a CPAP user and if I am dry docked I use a Schumacher x2260 portable power. They are about 130 at Walmart and will run it off the 120 inverter.
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Old 03-12-2015, 09:35 AM   #15
gkainz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Geegee View Post
So to simplify for the non electric expert let me see if I get this right. My husband and I can plug our cpaps in to the regular trailer outlets if we have the right electric cords on our cpaps for one night while boondocking, then the trailer battery will be recharge the next day while we are traveling to our next destination. Do I have it right so far? Then if we don't use our humidifiers we won't use up are trailer battery as quickly? Tell me where I may have misunderstood.
Hi Geegee ... you need to learn about the differences between 12VDC (battery) power and 120VAC (shore power) in your trailer. Your battery provides 12VDC (cigarette lighter style plug in) but in order to get 120VAC (house style plug ins) you need to be 1) connected to shore power, or 2) connected to a generator, or 3) running an inverter inside the trailer somewhere.

If you're boondocking (not connected to shore power - that's the big black extension cord that connects the trailer to a power pedestal) or not running a generator, that leaves you with only 12VDC. As noted above, many or most CPAP have a 12VDC power cord either provided or available for purchase, which would be the most efficient use of your 12V trailer battery.
Or, separate power sources, available from CPAP suppliers (expensive) or places like Camping World, WalMart, online, etc. These are simply 12V batteries packaged in a easily portable unit, and rechargeable from either a 12VDC plugin in your car or truck, or from 120V AC house style plugin.

You are correct that if you don't use your humidifiers (again, assuming on 12VDC battery) the battery will last much longer.

Also correct that your trailer battery should charge while towing, assuming the RV to tow vehicle plug is wired appropriately.

Hope that helps!
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Old 05-16-2015, 06:08 PM   #16
Cfoxtrot
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Well crap... just checked my machine and it runs on 24vdc. Thought I was going to get away with a quick/cheap 12vdc cord...nope. I guess I will have to go with an inverter.

Oh well.
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