Camping with CPAP - any tips?

[jddj]

"...how to power my Dream Station 1.  It draws 80w..."

 
80 watts seems way over the top for powering a CPAP, assuming you can turn the humidifier heat off (never used this model, but could turn off heat on all my prior CPAPs).
 
If you're getting the 80 watt figure from the Dream Station's "80 watt power supply", that figure likely means that's the most that power supply can safely deliver.
 
I can't predict what power draw your CPAP will have, nor whether you can tolerate CPAP without heated humidification, but you can try the latter at home (see above for my sleeping bag trick), and you can measure the former with a power meter. There are inexpensive power meters available on Amazon, starting at around $13. They wouldn't do for NASA, but they're close enough to get a good number on how much your machine is actually using via the power cord to get enough portable power.
 
I did a detailed overnight measurement* of my Devilbiss Intellipap Auto machine on the 12vdc side (I bought this machine 'cuz it will run on 12vdc - no efficiency loss from converting DC battery>AC>back to DC). My machine uses an average 4.9 watts. No heater, and 10 cm/H2O pressure, with pressure relief turned on.
 
If I'd measured at the plug on the AC side, using a wall-wart power supply, it probably would've used a little more for AC>DC conversion, and that additional power would all be lost as waste heat. So powering straight 12v DC, if you can do so, makes the best use of your naturally limited battery power.
 
So, turn off the heat, measure your power draw, or take the advice of someone here with an identical setup and pressure, and base your power delivery system on that. Test it at home before you head out on the road.
 
Hope this helps.
 
 
* Geeky details: I did this detailed DC measurement with a "Pro Micro" Arduino-compatible microcontroller, and current and voltage sensors, which are available on Amazon. I logged to an SD card every minute, and averaged. I did this measurement to size a rechargable Lithium-Polymer battery. A 3S battery has a nominal 11.7 DC voltage, which runs this CPAP just fine. If you were to go this route, you'd quickly realize as I have that there's no FAA approval for a non-medical LiPo battery I wired up myself, so no in-flight on battery if they want to bug me. Also, LiPos of an appropriate size are typically used for R/C, outdoors, and they're used to battery fires and they take precautions (battery safety bags/bunkers for charging, etc.). I have to contend with the inherent fire risks of using Lithium batteries, while charging, discharging, dropping it, can't put in checked bags, can't ship unmarked, etc.

[jddj]

One other thing: Check out Post 21 in this thread about recharging the battery via the 12vdc power on the bike. If you're traveling on a dual-sport (or whatever they're currently called), you probably don't have the luxury of an outlet, but chances are you do have 12vdc on the bike. Might check into it.


I'm not claiming that this is a good idea or sustainable, but it might be worth checking out.

[BigMikes901Adventures]

Thanks, I do have the ability to charge while riding in between sites which is handy.

[BigMikes901Adventures]

Thanks JddJ,  I am on the right track as I ordered an Amazon power meter so I could see exactly or close to what is was drawing.  I have never used heat or humidity so that's a bonus but I know the CPAP is tapped out at it's maximum pressure so that might draw a little more, not sure.

Thanks for the tips and info I sure appreciate it!

[ROGERMTL]

Looking for tips from those experienced

I have just turned 60 and wanted to start something new in life.  Motorcycle Adventure riding which involves tent camping.  I've been using a CPAP for 20 years and I can't sleep without being hooked to my hose lol so I have been trying to figure out how to power my Dream Station 1.  It draws 80w and I was looking at the Jackery 300 battery generator but that would only supply just under 4 hours of juice to my CPAP. 

Any suggestions as to the best way to power this Dream Station when AC is not available?

Many thanks...

Hello,

Well I’ve used several times my ResMed S10 CPAP machine in camping grounds in Canada.  In my case, I dragged a Deep charge marine battery (79 amps per hour) in the hope that it would supply my equipment for several nights.  Even though I put the CPAP in airplane mode so that the cell phone system would not operate and replaced the heated tubing with a non-heated model, I could not have more that 2 to 3 nights of power supply before the battery died out.  That’s why I often bring a second battery to supply power to the CPAP while waiting for the first one to be charged fully.  I would easily imagine carrying a battery of that type would be incompatible with your Motorcycle traveling setup.  

What could you do otherwise ?  Choosing a camping site with AC power is by far the easiest solution to the problem.  Or having a friend that would have an electric car to travel with and plug your CPAP with a transducer (12 Volts to 120 Volts) to that car.  I tried this once and my battery was recharged in a matter à of a few hours without reducing much of the riding distance capacity of the car (Hyundai Ionic 5).

Truly enough, having your CPAP machine with you when camping offers you (and your relatives) a very good night sleep in a wonderful environment.  It’s only that these machines are generally power hungry and ask that you travel with some cumbersome power equipment.

I wish you good travels and very good sleep full nights under the stars when camping.

Cordially,


Roger

[DaveCar]

Thats a good tip about putting the machine into airplane mode to save some battery.

[Nightynite]

I have been unplugging mine from my power pac each morning when I use it for camping from fear of the unit trying to transmit all day when out in the boondocks.

[Cornelius]

I did camp with my dreamstation (1). Before that I used a Remstar Pro M. For the Remstar I have bought the official batterypack. The pack had Gel batteries and was quite heavy. I used de Remstar without humidifier. For my DS1 I have bought 2 LiPo batteries of 14Ah. When camping and was traveling by motorbike the humidifier stayed home. I made a 12V cable for the DS1 myself. Here is what I am using. 
   
The homemade cable is connected to the Resmed cable that has a cigaret-lighter plug and a fuse.
In this way the 14Ah battery lasts 3 nights.
Now I have a DS2. It will take up more space as the humidifier is not detachable.
I can still use the cable although on the DS1 the cable is plugged in from the side and on the DS2 from the bottom.
So for the DS2 you should look for a 90 degrees plug or accept that the DS2 is standing at an angle (without water it should not be a problem).
When in use the humidifier should been turned off (to zero).
I always have the WiFi turned off. (data transfer by SD)

[tubster1]

I have just started out - I don't camp far from a car so weight is no issue. I use the ResMed Airsense 10, with the 12v adapter brick from ResMed. I had an old multipurpose powerpack/compressor/light/inverter/jump starter (it's old, but I've replaced the internal battery recently) Google Ring Power Pack with Inverter and you will see the kind of thing I am talking about.

It worked, one night and still 3/4 capacity, so I would expect to get another two or three nights out of it. It's heavy, but handy, and easier to carry than a car battery.

As others have said, I used the cigarette lighter socket NOT the mains socket on this power pack - that way it is 12v and you don't waste energy converting it to 220v (I am in the UK). And on the Resmed, turn off hose heating and humidifier, I've actually stopped using those anyway.

So if you have one knocking around, it could be perfect for weekend camping.

[Cornelius]

Still have the original Respironics batterypack in it's carryingbag that I used with my RemStar Pro M. It makes use of two stacked sealed lead acid batteries PE12V7.2
It's too heavy. Nowadays I'll have a pair of 12V LiPo batteries of 14Ah each (Tracer). I only use the Cigaterre-to-DC cable from the old pack.
It contains a fuse and it makes my homemade cable for the Dreamstation(1) longer. This setup also works for the Dreamstation 2 (although one should use an angled plug on the DC2)
I've been to motorcycle meetings with this setup.
From Netherlands to Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Slovenie, Slovakia, Austria, Swiss, Poland, Danemark, Sweden, Finnland and the UK.