Deep cycle marine battery backup questions. Please help.

[JVinNE]

I'm new to my ASV/Bilevel machine (Resmed,) and I'm thinking about battery backup for power failures; we don't have a generator here, and I don't own the house. How does one maintain a deep cycle marine battery in the house to stay charged, and is it really safe to use it with my machine? They sell the proper cables for it online, but I'm scared to fry the machine. I know it's good to put the battery in a battery box, and then into another open plastic box. Could I keep it in one of the rooms in the house, or do I need to keep it in the basement. So many questions, I know...

Thank you.

[Mark Douglas]

I'm new to my ASV/Bilevel machine (Resmed,) and I'm thinking about battery backup for power failures; we don't have a generator here, and I don't own the house. How does one maintain a deep cycle marine battery in the house to stay charged, and is it really safe to use it with my machine? They sell the proper cables for it online, but I'm scared to fry the machine. I know it's good to put the battery in a battery box, and then into another open plastic box. Could I keep it in one of the rooms in the house, or do I need to keep it in the basement. So many questions, I know...

Thank you.

There are lots of marine and RV sites that will tell you all you need to know.
Short version You could use an AGM battery and probably never have a problem. You would have to overcharge it pretty hard to make it vent. Be sure you get a charger programed for AGM and for your use will probably last at least 10 yrs. Overcharging and under charging are mostly what kill batteries.

[Crimson Nape]

Keep in mind that Resmed machines are 24 volt whereas Philips Respironics are 12 volt.

[iSnore]

I've been running a Group 27 Lifeline AGM battery on my 12 volt backup sump pump for about 8 years now. There's no need for a battery box, except to protect the connections from shorting. The UPS guy dropped the first one and it cracked wide open... with no spillage of electrolyte since that's all absorbed in the fiberglass mats.

I can't post links yet, but Google "ResMed Battery Guide."

[iSnore]

Keep in mind that Resmed machines are 24 volt whereas Philips Respironics are 12 volt.

ResMed item #37297 DC-DC Converter will provide 24V from a 12V source for the AirSense/AirCurve 10 series.

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Unless you run heated humidificatino while on battery, then the marine deep cycle is probably overkill. I can get a week or more out of a smaller 35 AH sealed lead acid (SLA) battery that normally powers things like a wheelchair or scooter.

Resmed actually has a battery guide that you can easily find online that will tell you exactly how much battery you need for one night with your machine in your configuration. Multiply the one night AH (amp hour) requirement by the nuber of days you want battery coverage before having to recharge.

http://www.resmed.com/us/dam/documents/a...lo_eng.pdf

For maintenance of lead acid batteries (particularly the SLA type) you just can't beat Deltran's Battery Tender. Just leave it hooked up and always have a top conditioned battery without worry of overcharge.

OMMOHY

[justMongo]

Unless you run heated humidificatino while on battery, then the marine deep cycle is probably overkill. I can get a week or more out of a smaller 35 AH sealed lead acid (SLA) battery that normally powers things like a wheelchair or scooter.

Resmed actually has a battery guide that you can easily find online that will tell you exactly how much battery you need for one night with your machine in your configuration. Multiply the one night AH (amp hour) requirement by the nuber of days you want battery coverage before having to recharge.

http://www.resmed.com/us/dam/documents/a...lo_eng.pdf

For maintenance of lead acid batteries (particularly the SLA type) you just can't beat Deltran's Battery Tender. Just leave it hooked up and always have a top conditioned battery without worry of overcharge.

OMMOHY

Yes to the Deltran. Those scooter batteries are also AGM. They don't leak or outgas. The Deltran stays below the gassing Voltage for lead-acid cells. The one OMMOHY is talking about is 35 Amp-Hr.
You can get an Optima Yellow top and it will have twice the capacity.

So, you do not have to worry about explosive gases, nor sulfuric acid leaks. Just don't short the terminals as these batteries can deliver enough current to melt metals.

[JVinNE]

Unless you run heated humidificatino while on battery, then the marine deep cycle is probably overkill. I can get a week or more out of a smaller 35 AH sealed lead acid (SLA) battery that normally powers things like a wheelchair or scooter.

Resmed actually has a battery guide that you can easily find online that will tell you exactly how much battery you need for one night with your machine in your configuration. Multiply the one night AH (amp hour) requirement by the nuber of days you want battery coverage before having to recharge.

http://www.resmed.com/us/dam/documents/a...lo_eng.pdf

For maintenance of lead acid batteries (particularly the SLA type) you just can't beat Deltran's Battery Tender. Just leave it hooked up and always have a top conditioned battery without worry of overcharge.

OMMOHY

I've heard great things about the battery tender. Thank you for mentioning it again. I have bookmarked this thread.

I would like to be able to use my heated humidifier if the power is out in winter. That's why I'm thinking about the marine battery. Not sure yet about that, but I get dry mouth, as I use a FFM, and if my nose is stuffy...

---

Keep in mind that Resmed machines are 24 volt whereas Philips Respironics are 12 volt.

ResMed item #37297 DC-DC Converter will provide 24V from a 12V source for the AirSense/AirCurve 10 series.

Thank you, iSnore.

---

Unless you run heated humidificatino while on battery, then the marine deep cycle is probably overkill. I can get a week or more out of a smaller 35 AH sealed lead acid (SLA) battery that normally powers things like a wheelchair or scooter.

Resmed actually has a battery guide that you can easily find online that will tell you exactly how much battery you need for one night with your machine in your configuration. Multiply the one night AH (amp hour) requirement by the nuber of days you want battery coverage before having to recharge.

http://www.resmed.com/us/dam/documents/a...lo_eng.pdf

For maintenance of lead acid batteries (particularly the SLA type) you just can't beat Deltran's Battery Tender. Just leave it hooked up and always have a top conditioned battery without worry of overcharge.

OMMOHY

Yes to the Deltran. Those scooter batteries are also AGM. They don't leak or outgas. The Deltran stays below the gassing Voltage for lead-acid cells. The one OMMOHY is talking about is 35 Amp-Hr.
You can get an Optima Yellow top and it will have twice the capacity.

So, you do not have to worry about explosive gases, nor sulfuric acid leaks. Just don't short the terminals as these batteries can deliver enough current to melt metals.

That is actually my biggest concern; shorting out the terminals. Is there a step by step guide to show me how to hook it all up so I don't fry anything? Thanks for responding.

[JVinNE]

My machine is not listed in the PDF. I have the Aircurve 10 ASV Bilevel. ResMed sent me that file when I emailed them, and then I emailed them back to mention that my new machine was not listed, and I haven't heard back. Should I call an online DME? My DME doesn't carry battery stuff.

[GeoffD]

I just went through this.

The big power suck on a CPAP machine is the function that generates heat. The ClimateLine hose and the humidifier. The blower that pressurizes the air isn't too bad.

You need three things for power failure backup power with a ResMed 10 machine.
1- The DC-DC power converter
2- A battery charger
3- A battery

You've already been given the part number for the ResMed DC-DC power converter for the machine. Google search on "resmed 37297". You will find several venders who will sell you one for sub-$90.00. Pick the one that has free shipping. If you click on all the web sites, you may find one with a free shipping promo or a discount for new customers. 12 volt systems like Phillips Respironics can use a much cheaper power cord instead of the DC-DC converter.

The battery charger is cheap. For a power failure machine, you don't need one that can charge the battery quickly. You want one that acts as a battery tender so the battery is kept topped off. I bought a "Battery Tender Jr" on Amazon Prime for $27.00. I noticed that Walmart also carries it for the same price. It's 0.75 amps so it will take a few days to fully charge a bigger battery. For power outages, that isn't particularly important. You can spend more and get a charger that puts out more current to charge the battery faster but it's unlikely you'd ever need to care. I happen to own a "real" battery charger that can charge at 3 amps and 10 amps. You can always borrow one if you have that strange circumstance where you need to quickly recharge the battery. In theory, you can leave the battery tender plugged in all the time. I prefer to top the battery up once per month.

I went with a 35 amp-hour AGM wheelchair/scooter battery. I found one on Amazon for $63.00. ML35-12 Mighty Max Battery. It's small but it weighs 25 pounds. With the humidifier and ClimateLine heated hose disabled, your machine is likely to draw about 1 amp at 12 volts. The higher your pressure, the more current it draws. Assuming you can draw down an AGM battery to 20%, you have about 28 amp-hours usable in the battery. At 1 amp, that is 3 nights. If you use the heated hose and the humidifier, you'll barely get 1 night.

I own a boat. Beware that marine deep cycle batteries really aren't the best thing to use. AGM batteries don't leak battery acid if you happen to break the case. That's kind of a big deal in your bedroom. AGM batteries also discharge more. A car battery can fail completely if you discharge it more than 60%. They're designed to provide a lot of current to start the car. If you discharge them too much, they don't come back. A marine deep cycle battery is often a hybrid. It's designed to push enough current to start the engine but it's also able to be discharged more. Stick with Absorbed Glass Mat.

Another thing you probably want is a way to measure battery voltage. With a lead-acid battery, a fully charged battery puts out 12.7 volts. You don't want to run it down much below 12 volts. For $2.80 on Amazon, you can buy a cheap cigarette lighter digital voltmeter. Search on "Mini LED Display Digital Car Voltmeter 12V/24V Vehicle Voltage Gauge".

So you can get a power failure setup for a bit less than $190.00. Somebody with a 12 volt machine could do it $50+ cheaper. You could lug it with you in a car or on a boat but it's not really "portable".

Another thing to be aware of.... The battery backup document ResMed wrote doesn't come out and say it but you can't run an AirSense 10 off of an inverter. That means that you can't use most generators.