CPAP Requirements

earagon

Member
Hi - I have been on the Forum seeking information on what equipment other Heartland owners use to operate a CPAP without shore power. I have been informed that I will need to purchase a battery pack for my CPAP (ResMed C-Series Tango with C-Series humidifier) as well as an inverter and have sufficient battery power to operate the CPAP all night. My ResMed CPAP requires a Pure sine wave 300 watt continuous, Peak/Surge rating of 500 watts inverter. I have been looking at the Xantrex and the Samlex (a little less expensive than the Xantrex but highly recommended) inverters. We will also be replacing the batteries that came with our unit (2008 Big Horn 3100RL). We have been considering two 6V Trojan T-105 batteries but have been told that it would take all day for our generator (Honda 2000) to charge them sufficiently to operate the CPAP all night. We have also been looking at Interstate batteries as well. We would like enough battery/inverter power to support my nightly CPAP usage as well as operate the lights, television, coffee pot, etc. We cannot rely on the generator at night as we frequent state parks that do not permit generator usage during quiet hours (usually 10:00 p.m. -8:00 a.m.).

Any advice that you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my email and considering sharing your experience/advice with me.
 

lhetsler

Well-known member
cpap

I installed a 700 watt black and decker inverter (available at Walmart) on the wall in the closet. I cut a round hole in the back of the shelf area of my 3670 that protrudes into the closet and just run my cord through that hole and plug it in. I intend one of these days to put in a plugin where that round hole is and run a wire from the inverter to the plugin, but it really is no big deal to run the cord through the hole in the back wall of the shelf.

I used a 400 watt inverter prior to the 700 watt and it worked fine also. The key is to use a number 6 stranded wire that you can buy at Lowes or Home depot. If your wires are a smaller guage you will loose amperage and voltage over the length of the wire and you inverter will beep at you and you will not be able to use it as long. I first hook mine up with # 10 wires (automotive grade) and could only use my CPAP one night without the inverter beeping at me.

You don't need to buy any battery pack for your CPAP. I have a REMMasterPro and have used this setup for 4 years without an issue.

I ran #6 wires from my breaker box (there are plenty of empty DC slots) through the basement and up into the bedroom closet. With the larger wire and I have two batteries I have used it for three nights with lights and some TV use and water pump etc. It is a non issue for me anymore because I only use it on DC when traveling and usually one night at a time. The batteries ofcourse recharge the next day. When I am parked 90 percent of the time or more we have electric hookup.
 

earagon

Member
CPAP Requirement

Sounds like you have a good set-up! ResMed says my CPAP (C-Series Tango with C-Series Humidifier) requires a pure sine wave inverter which I've discovered is much more expensive than a modified sine wave. I will definitely look at Walmart to see if there is an inverter I can use with my CPAP. We dry camp in the mountains fairly frequently, sometimes up to three weeks at a time. I have considered buying another CPAP (AEIOmed Everest) that has a built-in battery and a 19V Mobile Converter to plug into a DC outlet. Then you have the option of running the CPAP/humidifier off its integrated battery or off DC. Our unit only has one DC outlet (in the kitchen area); however, we'll add one in the bedroom if I get this unit.

Thanks so much for sharing your information!
 

gmc

Reitired - California-Central Chapter Leaders
I have an m series by respironics and it will run on 120 or 12 volts. I just bought a 650 watt battery booster box that has 2 hot point plug ins. I just plug it in and away we go. I can use it for at least two days before it needs to be charged.
 

PUG

Pug
i have a resmed that runs on ac or dc. at campgrounds i use ac. otherwise I plug the dc into a cig lighter plug in i installed and works fine. i do the same on my sailboat. dual batteries in both trl and boat. never a problem. only difference the humidfier in dc does not work
 
I have a RESMED M series

I tried running on a 250 watt non-sign wave inverter connected to my Kirtland (Costco) deep discharge battery. First without the humidifier and then with the humidifier. Ran all night no problem with either, Resmed has conficting information about sign wave and non-sign wave power. One spot in the instruction says use only a sign wave and then in another area they offer for sale a non-sing wave inverter that is 300 watts.

Mine runs everynight all night with no problems!
 

k6fn

K6FN
Inverter info

Please be aware that inverters use a standby current drain even when your equipment is turned off so to ensure your battery life just turn off the inverter when not in use..
 

SilverRhino

Well-known member
Are any of you that are using the Resmed AC / DC models on Medicare?? The reason I ask....they seem very picky about what they will and will not pay for. I know they would not pay for my battery operated nebulizer......said it was a "luxury"
 

Chainsaw

Saskatchewan Chapter Leader
Are any of you that are using the Resmed AC / DC models on Medicare?? The reason I ask....they seem very picky about what they will and will not pay for. I know they would not pay for my battery operated nebulizer......said it was a "luxury"

I Use a Remstar auto M series now that has a humidifier attached. No power packsI installed my inverter in the storage area and plumbed the wires into the vanity where I installed a plugin and a switch to turn it off. Dry canped for 7 days with no prob. ( I have a gen and solar)

I found that my resmed humidifier would not work with an inverter, blew fuses. ($25 each), Resmed says not to use the humidifier with an inverter.
 

ky-newbie

Member
Hello,

I thought I'd share my experience. I have sleep apnea, and I tried a bunch of CPAP devices. They weren't comfortable enough to use all night. What I eventually found was a "Snore-Guard" from my Dentist. It's basically a custom bite guard for both upper and lower teeth, with a wire to hold them in line. It holds my throat open just a little, and I sleep great with it. The only issue was that it cost several hundred dollars. My dental insurance wouldn't pay for it - "not necessary". My medical insurance wouldn't pay for it - "not a medical device". Anyway, I'd get it again in a heartbeat.

Oh, and I did try the cheap over-the-counter versions - I could never get them to fix exactly right.

Hope this might help - no power needed !!
 

SilverRhino

Well-known member
Apnea Questions

ky-newbie;

Was your sleep apnea diagnosed via a sleep study?? Was your apnea primarily due to a physical blockage as opposed to a brain wave shut down?? ( Not sure of term )

Have you had a study done with the new dental device??

Very curious about this.......unfortunately ........the majority of my apnea comes from my brain shutting down my breathing.....so this would probably not work for me.

Thanks for the info!
 

ky-newbie

Member
Yes, I had a sleep study that showed I was stopping breathing about every 10 minutes. :eek::eek::eek: It was physical, with my lower jaw sliding back and blocking the airway. The device holds the lower jaw in place. I doubt if it would work for you if it's mental. None

Insurance wouldn't pay for another sleep study, the same way they wouldn't pay for the device. :mad: I know myself, though, that instead of walking around in a fog and having no short-term memory, I was world's better in about a week. Clear as a bell now.
 

SilverRhino

Well-known member
It's great that the device works for you........bummer that the insurance companies don't care about what is really best for the patient:(

I have not stopped using my CPAP since the day I got it.....about five years ago. Prior to being diagnosed......I would have been dead many time is not for the rumble strips on the shoulders of our Texas highways.

Sage travels.
 
CPAP W/o humidifier

Since I read all the posts I have tried without the humidifier and it works fine all night on the inverter and battery. At home
I have tried without the humifier too and it works fine. Now I wonder why the humifier was even added?
 

SilverRhino

Well-known member
Since I read all the posts I have tried without the humidifier and it works fine all night on the inverter and battery. At home
I have tried without the humifier too and it works fine. Now I wonder why the humifier was even added?

I have found that depending upon the time of year or location ( Humidity changes ) that the humidifier really helps to keep from drying you out. I routinely use mine.

It might also make a difference if you have O2 hooked up to your CPAP....I have to use the CPAP due to copd and pulmonary hypertension. Due to my situation....O2 is always used and it really helps to have a humidifier in the line somewhere.

Just my observations.

Travel Safe!
 

RollingHome

Well-known member
Re: I have a RESMED M series

Hello All, PUG is exactly correct :) All you need is a 12 volt cigarette outlet installed near where you sleep. I had my dealer put in one on each side of our bed pedestal base before I took it home, took about an hour for both. Most _ Paps use 12 VDC to operate. Now the long boring story. Here's what I suggest. Pull out your _ Pap reservoir (so the water doesn't ruin the electronics as it spills into the unit = non-warranty repair) and turn your unit over, around etc. to find the OEM label. Read what it is printed. My Respironics reads 12V (and has a straight line over a dashed line) this line thing is Vulcan or Klingon for DC (direct current = what batteries are). You can visit your unit’s web-site and under accessories you will find a power supply cord with a 12 Volt male plug for the cigarette outlet. These costs about $ 70.00 or you can build one from Radio Shack, Allied Electronics or Newark Electronics for about $12.00, your choice. Back to the OEM label, also printed is the unit’s current draw, mine reads 4.16 A This means 4.16 Ampere draw and most of that is for the heater plate in the humidifier. Turning off the humidifier reduces current draw. Power or Watts is equal to Amps (A) times Volts (V) so 12 V x 4.16 A = 49.92 Watts so this thing is equal to a 50 watt light bulb at 12 Volts. Now those inverter thing a ma jings... Be careful... Most of them are cheap and they make what is known as a modified sine wave or more correctly a square wave sine wave. Electronics (especially PC's) do not like anything square... they are like men, they like nice smooth curves (a little humor here). It's best to avoid the AC inverter and just go straight DC. Next find your wet cell (House battery) and read the amp hours. If it reads 200 Amp Hours just divide 200 by 4.16 Amps and you get 48 hours of run time between charges, turning off the humidifier will give you more. If ya need more info let me know, if the mean time - THINK SPRING :)

Tally Ho Tom & Patti
 

wil

Member
Re: I have a RESMED M series

Howdy all. To the OP and others who find they are unable to use CPAP without humidification, I suggest you start the night off with blood temp water in the humidifier (from your water heater, a thermos of water reserved for the purpose when you heated the coffee water the previous morning, or from a hot water bottle tucked into your shirt all evening while you communed with nature), install a "hose cozy" (an insulating sleeve that goes over the hose to the mask) to prevent condensation and leave the heat turned off on the unit. A true sine wave inverter is pricey and appears to many a frivolous purchase. Not so -- you can also use it to power your laptop, your TV/DVD player and any kind of AC appliance that employs semi-conductor electronics or chips, provided it has sufficient capacity, from a DC outlet in the trailer or in your tow vehicle as you go down the road.

My wife and I have used CPAP as full-timers for 2 1/2 years and on only a few occasions has the house battery been unable to provide for our needs. Usually when my DW forgets to turn off her humidifier (her unit is AC only). I'm just not willing to chance it as the principal driver without sleeping on CPAP. It's a necessity -- warm, humid air is a luxury. I can cope with air blown across cold water down to an interior temp of 50º. After that, I can always get up on one of my too many pee breaks and heat some more water. Doable but annoying.

Good luck and sleep well amigos.

wil
 
Re: I have a RESMED M series

Rolling Home, I checked the bottom of my unit and it says 24 VDC. Strange different voltage. But based on the current rating of 3.0 amps thats about 72 watts. W/O the humidifier thats a light load for my inverter. Think I won't run a separate 12 volt battery but use the house 12 volts to run the inverter when away from shore power. Does anyone know if there is a clear path up the bed from the second parallel battery in the front compartment on a 3670RL? I've been running no humidifier since last year with no problems with dryness (maybe its me!) on the Jayco and now the Big Horn.
 

lhetsler

Well-known member
I ran my wires for my CPAP through the box that the laudry drains go through. I mounted my inverter to the wall in the closet and run my CPAP cord through a round hole I cut in the wall of the shelf right below the cupboard next to the closet doors. I was always going to run a wire from the inverter to a wall mounted plug in instead of just running the cord through the wall, but haven't done that yet.
 

RollingHome

Well-known member
Bill, I apologize for not answering you, I was away. Actually before I pulled my rig home from the dealer I had them install a 12 volt cigarette outlet on each side of the pedestal bed (Patti & I both have C-Paps). The tech asked me the current draw on the unit and I gave it to him. It was low enough that he did not run a new separate circuit. Instead he grabbed a nearby circuit (may have been 2 different circuits) and just tapped in. I believe he used a lighting circuit. Both outlets took him less then a hour to install. Since the lights are off when we sleep, I didn't see a problem in using a lighting circuit. The12 VDC outlets are right next to the bed, are convenient and easy to use.

One more thought, you stated your C-Paps are 24 volts DC. You also stated you have 2-12 volt batteries. Could you perhaps run a dedicated circuit from both the batteries ? If you connect the batteries in series you'll get 24 volts DC. I would not be surprised if you Google your C-Pap on line they may sell a cord to use with a 24 VDC battery pack. Ours are Resperonics (Phillipps) who sell a 12 VDC battery pack that will go all-night. Maybe your C-Pap has a battery pack. Just wondering, what brand C-Pap do you have ?

Finally, you may be able to fish a wire from the pin box area to the battery and from the pin box area to the bed room. DO NOT use a standard cigarette outlet for 24 VDC. It would be way too easy to start a fire by using a 12VDC device by accident.

Hope My reply wasn't too late, if I can help further let me know. Tom
 
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