Camping and Sleep Apnea

JRE

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This is sort of a continuation of the discussion in the topic HERE...I didn't want to continue to muck up that other thread.

Anyway, I heard an ad for this today and it looks like a viable CPAP alternative that would make primitive camping possible for those on CPAP. I just learned of it and don't know anything more that what's on the site linked but I'm going to look into it.
https://www.inspiresleep.com
 

Rizzo

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I love this idea JRE. I will be camping for a couple weeks on the bike this spring and use a sleep apnea machine. I've researched quite a bit but besides expensive batteries from ResMed, I can't seem to find a logical solution for powering the machine at night. I doubt I'll find power at too many spots where I'm staying but maybe I can find a spot every few days to recharge whatever system I come across.

There has to be an affordable solution. I just need to find it...
 

EricV

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I use a CPAP and I'm invested in the Airing device. Just part of the original Indigogo funding, not connected with them otherwise. It's more viable, imho, than a surgical device or dental appliance, but still, not yet available. They are making progress at a reasonable rate.

On the CPAP and battery power, you can get a 12V converter for around $100, which is a bit better than the full battery packs for $250. I've been told that most motorcycle batteries will run a CPAP w/o the humidifier for the normal 8 hour rest period and still start the bike. Note: I have NOT tried that myself, but another moto friend says it works on her aging BMW.

If I were you, I'd start doing some math with Ah ratings of the CPAP machine you use and your moto battery and if that math seems viable, perhaps get the 12V kit and do some testing at home before camping with it. I have a heavier battery for the Super Ten than it came with, the 14S is the same size, just more weight and CCAs. That should translate to more Amp hours too.
http://www.easybreathe.com/-p3669.html?gclid=CjwKEAiAmNW2BRDL4KqS3vmqgUESJABiiwDT6r_cS60KygS2DIxPDFBRjK-qNHEmmM0CIYLll5DbpBoCdmXw_wcB

Another one, depending on the unit you use:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Philips-System-One-Cpap-BiPap-12V-Conversion-Cord-Kit-Use-w-YOUR-BATTERY-/322020974150?hash=item4af9f21e46:g:daMAAOSwv0tVfoUv
 

verboten1

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Z06 said:
I did a 199 day trip on bike last year. Carried a second battery on bike to run cpap at night and recharged it during day while riding.

That's how I'll be doing it. No inverters needed, mine runs on 12V already.
 

Rizzo

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I use the ResMed S9 and I guess I need a converter. I'll have to carry an extra battery and a converter. Wouldn't I need to run a deep cycle battery in order to discharge it and recharge it regularly? Do they make small deep cycles?
 

Z06

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Don't know if you will find a small deep cycle battery. I used a regular motorcycle battery with no problem. Matter of fact, my battery in the motorcycle went bad 2 months before end of trip and I was using the cpap battery to help start the bike in mornings after using it all night. Did that for final two months of trip. I did not use humidifier on battery.
 

EricV

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They make 35 Ah small deep cycle batteries. (they say that's good for 1-3 nights with your machine, 1-5 nights with the lower draw machines) While a deep cycle battery would be ideal, I suspect you can get by w/o one and just use a normal battery. Compare the draw from your machine with the rating on the battery you have and others.

I just bought a DC power cord kit with a cord to cig plug and female cig plug to battery clips for my 50 series Phillips REMstar System One unit for $42. That gives me the ability to connect to what ever battery I go with. I'm going to take a closer look at those Litium Iron batteries they sell as jump start back ups for motorcycles and consider that as both a camping tool, and potentially a back up if we lose power at the house. Sucks to wake up when power dies and you can't breathe. Only happened a few times in the last 5 years, and fortunately not for days, just hours.

I had to call Phillips to verify my model number, which only took a minute once they had my S/N. No model number on my machine. After that, a google search for 12 V DC power cord kit for 50 Series System One CPAP brought up a bunch of vendors and prices. The local Medical supply shop no doubt has them too, but their prices are much higher.
 

Ramseybella

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I couldn't use one I lost more sleep than with out it.
Finally got my Sinuses operated on and never looked back four years now.
Sort of like deviated septum surgery but I had membrane obstruction as well.
I can breath and hardly snore anymore unless it's allergy season like now!! ??? :'(
 

Bryce

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Ramseybella said:
I couldn't use one I lost more sleep than with out it.
Finally got my Sinuses operated on and never looked back four years now.
Sort of like deviated septum surgery but I had membrane obstruction as well.
I can breath and hardly snore anymore unless it's allergy season like now!! ??? :'(
I looked into surgery... went to 2 different ENT Surgeons. Both told me that they'd be glad to operate on me... basically hollow my head out like a jack-o-lantern... then I could turn down the pressure on my CPAP, not get rid of it. No thanks.

I generally try for camp sites with power, but I can usually go a night or 2 with out the machine... ya, I'll take the risk. My upcoming trip to Texas and NM, we are hotelling it.

My wife says that the nights I don't use it, I hardly snore now... I used to snore so bad she'd move to the couch during the night. My initial sleep study, I had 75 episodes an hour (over 100 if I slept on my back ).
 

JRE

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I had the UPPP surgery years ago that made it much better. But as I aged and added on some weight I ended up needing the CPAP again. I have a very narrow airway so it doesn't take much.
 

EricV

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I did some math today on the CPAP and battery power requirements. Thought I'd share it here in case it will help others. Your CPAP will have power markings on it, either watts, or Volts and Amps or mA (milliamps). In general terms, you need to know how many Wh or Watt hours your machine uses. I'll run thru mine and the math so you can see how to figure out your needs.

My machine is marked 12V and 5 Amp. To get Watts, this is the equation- Volts x Amps = Watts, or for my CPAP, 12V x 5A = 60 Watts. Watt Hours, (Wh) is how many watts are used over the time, or the hours you want to run the device. So 60W x 8H (hours) = 480 Wh. This is the power you would need to run my 60 Watt CPAP for 8 hours.

Great, so now what about the battery needed? Batteries are generally measured in Ah, (amp hours) or mAh, (milliamp hours). So how many Ah are needed to run for 480 Wh?

That equation is: Wh/12 = Ah OR Wh x 1000/12 = mAh

So, 480W/12 = 40 Ah OR 480 x 1000/12 = 40,000 mAh

So to run my 60W CPAP for 8 hours I would need a 40,000 mAh battery. That's a big/expensive battery.

When comparing batteries, it's simplest to know your Wh for your device and plug the mAh of the battery into this formula to get Wh. mAh x 12/1000 = Wh.

So the AntiGravity Micro Start model XP-10 http://antigravitybatteries.com/ is rated for 18,000 mAh. 18,000 x 12/1000 = 216 Wh. 216/60 (the watts my device uses per hour) = 3.6. So my 60 watt CPAP would only run for 3.6 hours on the XP-10, which has a MSRP of $209 measures 9" x 3" x 1.25" and weighs 18 ounces. The possibly soon to be out MAX 36 from AntiGravity is spec'd for 36,000 mAh and would last 432 Wh or run the CPAP for 7.2 hours, enough for a decent night's sleep.

Keep in mind that the rating of the CPAP might not be absolute in how much power it draws under real life conditions, AND if you use a humidifier, you're going to need to calculate that part of the unit's draw and add it to your total Wh needs to calculate battery Wh needs.

This 12V 40Ah deep cycle battery only costs $44.39, is a little large and weighs 23 lbs, but it an example of a lower cost deep cycle battery that would do the job.
http://www.apexbattery.com/universal-battery-u1-40-12v-40ah-battery.html?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adwords&id=124409536626&gclid=Cj0KEQiAu9q2BRDq3MDbvOL1yaYBEiQAD6qoBtaItTQmXhT9iBjnb1SDAtxiDEinJnbLUEoPOg6jtjAaAqZ08P8HAQ

Hope that helps someone. It helped me figure out what I would really need for battery power for my CPAP and gave me a better idea of what I might want to do for a home back up too.
 

bigbob

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I am not a cpap user so maybe I do not understand. why would this not work

Buy another MC sealed battery or sealed but larger. Put the OTHER side of the tender cable on it. Positive side is the exposed side of the plug. When you leave home you put it in a saddle bag and plug it into the bikes battery tender cable. When you get to the camp ground it is fully charged.

When ready to go to bed, take it out of the bike and plug into the cpap. Sleep.

Next morning when you are ready to ride for a few hours, put it back into the saddlebag, plug it in, and ride. The full bike battery starts the bike and the bike charges the cpap battery.

Repeat the sleep process after the ride.

What am I missing.

Did this years ago with a camping trailer. Had a battery in the trailer and a hot wire on the car connector to charge it. Main thing there was to disconnect the trailer and car so running lights, radio, whatever in the trailer did not run down the car battery!
 

EricV

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What you are missing is only that a regular moto battery won't power the CPAP all night, and takes longer to charge. The rest is good.

Eric
 

Rizzo

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EricV, good info. I'll look at my machine tonight and try to work through your calculations. I'd like to say I could go without my machine for a bit but I don't think I can. It will make my trip miserable. I suppose the hassle of having the machine and finding a way to make it work will be worth it.

Thank you all for your input.
 

Z06

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EricV said:
What you are missing is only that a regular moto battery won't power the CPAP all night, and takes longer to charge. The rest is good.

Eric
I did it for 199 days with a regular motorcycle battery and had no problems.
 

Z06

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BigBob said:
I am not a cpap user so maybe I do not understand. why would this not work

Buy another MC sealed battery or sealed but larger. Put the OTHER side of the tender cable on it. Positive side is the exposed side of the plug. When you leave home you put it in a saddle bag and plug it into the bikes battery tender cable. When you get to the camp ground it is fully charged.

When ready to go to bed, take it out of the bike and plug into the cpap. Sleep.

Next morning when you are ready to ride for a few hours, put it back into the saddlebag, plug it in, and ride. The full bike battery starts the bike and the bike charges the cpap battery.

Repeat the sleep process after the ride.


This worked for me.


What am I missing.

Did this years ago with a camping trailer. Had a battery in the trailer and a hot wire on the car connector to charge it. Main thing there was to disconnect the trailer and car so running lights, radio, whatever in the trailer did not run down the car battery!
 
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