Overlanding and CPAP

[JL Lou]

I just bought a used goal zero 400 that may need a new battery but that’s my plan for cpap power. Later I plan on adding a genesis dual battery setup down the road sometime

I have a lithium 400 goal zero and discovered that because the 12v (cigarette lighter) plug is not regulated I could not get all of the power out of it. Turns out that they figured this out and that is why they make the 'X' units now. They also make an adapter that has a regulated 12v supply if you have an older one like me.


Only needed for lithium

Yeti Lithium 12V Regulated Cable

short Used to regulate the HPP output of a Goal Zero Yeti Lithium to a consistent voltage, improving compatibility with 12V-powered devices. Note: Compatible with Yeti Lithium Power Stations.This product is not needed for Yeti X Power Stations or Yeti Lead Acid Power Stations as 12V regulation...

www.goalzero.com

 

[maxst2]

I have been looking into a solution and this thread was nice to see right off the bat upon joining the forum.

 

[Blackey]

I also have a Capp from the va and have been supported by them for nearly twenty years. When the first supplied me with the resumed air 10 unit I requested a 12vt power cord for it since I was an avid rver who dry camped a lot and they provided me with a 12vt cord it was up to me yo provide a 12vt rececptical. I did and use it regularly. I just got a goal zero 400 for providing 12vt power for the cpap and other uses

 

[Mustang03]

I also have a Capp from the va and have been supported by them for nearly twenty years. When the first supplied me with the resumed air 10 unit I requested a 12vt power cord for it since I was an avid rver who dry camped a lot and they provided me with a 12vt cord it was up to me yo provide a 12vt rececptical. I did and use it regularly. I just got a goal zero 400 for providing 12vt power for the cpap and other uses

Interesting. I recently contacted the VA about getting a 12v power cord for my VA-provided Resmed CPAP and was told they did not supply those and I would have to purchase it myself. I guess it's all in who you talk to on any given day, eh?

 

[Dunnage Garage]

Great forum, After reading this I do have some questions. I am using the Dream Station CPAP machine, I will not be using the humidifier or heater on my outings.
1. If I plug the CPAP into the 12v power port in my stock Jeep, would I have a dead battery in the morning? (deciding if I need to buy the $330 battery)
2. The battery company sells a 50watt solar charger for their battery ($235) is there a better option? same work less $$$
3. Would I be better off buying a "Goal Zero" battery and having multi uses than a dedicated battery for the same $ (This seems like it would be the best bet to me...
Thanks

 

[Brian Glendenning]

Great forum, After reading this I do have some questions. I am using the Dream Station CPAP machine, I will not be using the humidifier or heater on my outings.
1. If I plug the CPAP into the 12v power port in my stock Jeep, would I have a dead battery in the morning? (deciding if I need to buy the $330 battery)
2. The battery company sells a 50watt solar charger for their battery ($235) is there a better option? same work less $$$
3. Would I be better off buying a "Goal Zero" battery and having multi uses than a dedicated battery for the same $ (This seems like it would be the best bet to me...
Thanks

In round numbers my CPAP (without humidifier or heated tube) uses about 100 watt-hours per night and your cranking battery probably has about 700 watt-hours, so you're probably at about a 15% discharge so you're probably fine in terms of not killing your battery if you don't have any other loads on it. As always it's complicated in detail, e.g. my CPAP natively uses 24V, so I need to use a DC converter cable for a 12V battery or pure sine wave inverter (increases power draw) or 24V CPAP battery. I don't personally use the truck battery both because I just don't want to risk it, and plus I have camping batteries for other purposes anyway (running fridge, coffee grinder, etc.). I usually have (at least) 2 ways I could run the CPAP out of an abundance of caution.

The CPAP companies are not very open about how much power the devices actually use, what their voltage specifications are, etc, which makes everything more complicated than it should be to figure this stuff out. To be fair, there must be some serious legal liability issues they have to worry about as medical device makers.

 

[Dunnage Garage]

In round numbers my CPAP (without humidifier or heated tube) uses about 100 watt-hours per night and your cranking battery probably has about 700 watt-hours, so you're probably at about a 15% discharge so you're probably fine in terms of not killing your battery if you don't have any other loads on it. As always it's complicated in detail, e.g. my CPAP natively uses 24V, so I need to use a DC converter cable for a 12V battery or pure sine wave inverter (increases power draw) or 24V CPAP battery. I don't personally use the truck battery both because I just don't want to risk it, and plus I have camping batteries for other purposes anyway (running fridge, coffee grinder, etc.). I usually have (at least) 2 ways I could run the CPAP out of an abundance of caution.

The CPAP companies are not very open about how much power the devices actually use, what their voltage specifications are, etc, which makes everything more complicated than it should be to figure this stuff out. To be fair, there must be some serious legal liability issues they have to worry about as medical device makers.

Thank you for the reply

 

[FrankRoams]

This is a great thread! I am new to the CPAP life. After getting one a month ago. This thread has been hugely helpful since I tend to MF (mid f***k) things. But I still found a way! hahaha.
I am going to buy a travel unit because I travel (soon again) for work and also for fun. And I am between the Dreamstation GO and Airmini. I have a few questions for anyone with experience with those. I use humidity at home, so not having it on the road is concerning. I tried running my home unit without it and it was miserable.

• Anyone have experience with the airmini Humidex pucks... do they work?
• Dreamstation, can't find much info on power consumption w/humidifier but Philips told me 1-2 amps with accessories when I called them. Seems low to me.. anyone have experience with this unit?

Hoping these questions will solve my two main issues with how to power these things and if I need a real humidifier or if an HME will work. Thanks all. I supremely hated the idea of getting this machine. But after a month of using it, I am sleeping so much better and my wife loves that I don't snore anymore hahaha.

 

[Blackey]

Just get a power station and have a way to
charge it as needed and you shouldn’t have any worries

 

[FrankRoams]

Just get a power station and have a way to
charge it as needed and you shouldn’t have any worries

I have been considering the new Wagan power cubes. That would open me up to running whatever I want when I want.

 

[Blackey]

I also have the air10 but the va gave me a 12volt power pack. I use it in my Motorhome all the time on the chassis’s batteries
Never had a trouble I bought an use goal zero 400 I still in the test phase as I’m seeing if the old battery is any good I have the correct replacement battery but don’t wish to swap them if VM I don’t need to. I’m going to test it using 110 first and see how long it will run 24 hours would be great as that would ba almost three nights I should be able to charge it after two nights either by plugging it in while driving or plugging it i. To my secondary battery and charging it.

 

[rondouthit]

I recently picked up a rockpals 500w power station. I decided to test it at home with both the heated hose and humidifier running to see what kind of draw I could get.

I slept a full 7 hours (which is actually more than I normally sleep), and still had 52‰ battery left in the morning. Power draw seemed to be between 35 and 45 watts, so I'm quite happy with that. Should be able to power mine and my wife's machines for several days with the heat and humidity turned off.

Thanks for the size and energy consumption data. The humidifier drains a lot of energy. Good to know apox. how much.

 

[diabetiktaco]

Update from my end. I earlier stated I used a LionEnergy safari LT w/ solar panel. I won't be using this anymore and quite frankly, I want my money back. This is the second trip this year it's failed me and I was stuck without a CPAP. I did read you can't use humidity due to power draw but this is the second time this year I left the house with it fully charged and it wouldn't function properly at camp and simply wouldn't take a charge or have juice to power anything. Now I'm researching something more reliable.

 

[Superfishal]

Just recently back from Togiak Wilderness area on a 7 day float…i took this CPAP with 2 of these batteries..each lasted 3 full nights of restful sleep. No brainer going remote and not worrying about power or sleeping well. I use this overlanding also,charge on my 12 V plug in when necessary and enjoy my Jeep starting without any doubt….ialso have a Yeti 500 when camping for any power needs and recharge if necessary with a 100 Watt solar panel…also from GoalZero…I never use the humidifier on my CPAP plugged in while at home...this one captures the moisture during your exhale and moisturizes on your inhale without any energy consumption. This is my travel CPAP for everything,even while flying.

 

[2BigTaco]

Hi all. I am a CPAP user and have found my Jackery 240 works perfectly. I usually disconnect the humidifier from my cpap unit and plug it into the jackery with a 12v cable. This usually uses up 25-30% of the battery per night and is perfect for a 3-4 day trip. For longer trips I use the 100w solar panel to top it off or plug it into the truck during travel.

 

[Dunnage Garage]

Just an update on my CPAP usage. The company that makes mine, sells a battery for it too. I get about 2 nights off a single charge. So for my recent trips I have used the battery at night and topped off the battery with the Jeep during the day. I have not been able to see how the solar panel works for the battery yet...It was also made for the CPAP and Battery.

 

[Scottjeep]

My wife switched from a CPAP to Inspire. It is an implant in her chest and it just uses a remote to turn it on and off. We sleep a whole lot better now. Check it out with your DR.

 

[SWLands]

My wife switched from a CPAP to Inspire. It is an implant in her chest and it just uses a remote to turn it on and off. We sleep a whole lot better now. Check it out with your DR.

Interesting. I have been using a Resmed airsense 10 for about 18 months.

Because of covid I did a self help sleep study at home, they said I had severe sleep apnea and mailed me the unit. I am still trying to understand the whole issue.

I use a jackery 1000 so I can charge up other stuff, but I find it uses about 80 wh a night. From 100% it will be 92% in the morning on the cpap alone. I charge it up while driving or with solar.

I do use humidity, but it doesn't seem to work well when it is below freezing. The unit has never frozen, but condensation gets too heavy inside the tubing. I am still playing with humidity levels and trying to make it work right in the cold. Other than that it works great on trips. I go out for a week or two at a time, and have no problems keeping batteries charged up.

I have to say I don't feel any different after using it, but if I stop using it I don't sleep well at all. I just breathe through my mouth without it.

I think I will be talking to my Dr about this option, but I bet Kaiser won't want to pay for it.

 

[Scottjeep]

My wife switched from a CPAP to Inspire. It is an implant in her chest and it just uses a remote to turn it on and off. We sleep a whole lot better now. Check it out with your DR.

Interesting. I have been using a Resmed airsense 10 for about 18 months.

Because of covid I did a self help sleep study at home, they said I had severe sleep apnea and mailed me the unit. I am still trying to understand the whole issue.

I use a jackery 1000 so I can charge up other stuff, but I find it uses about 80 wh a night. From 100% it will be 92% in the morning on the cpap alone. I charge it up while driving or with solar.

I do use humidity, but it doesn't seem to work well when it is below freezing. The unit has never frozen, but condensation gets too heavy inside the tubing. I am still playing with humidity levels and trying to make it work right in the cold. Other than that it works great on trips. I go out for a week or two at a time, and have no problems keeping batteries charged up.

I have to say I don't feel any different after using it, but if I stop using it I don't sleep well at all. I just breathe through my mouth without it.

I think I will be talking to my Dr about this option, but I bet Kaiser won't want to pay for it.

Medicare paid for hers. She sleeps so much better and has more energy also.

 

[Tundracamper]

I do use humidity, but it doesn't seem to work well when it is below freezing. The unit has never frozen, but condensation gets too heavy inside the tubing. I am still playing with humidity levels and trying to make it work right in the cold.

I don’t have a CPAP. However, if it’s the thin plastic tubing that I’m thinking, I suspect you would need to add al layer of good insulation to prevent condensation. Does the unit heat the air when it adds humidity? If so, that might help with insulation. Otherwise, you might still get condensation eventually asthe tubing will eventually get to the air temperature no matter what you do.