What Battery Back up System do you use ? Post Pics

[Labrat0116]

If I were backpacking, I'd probably pick up a 12V Lithium Polymer battery pack. 12V @ 20 Ah is about 4 pounds and should run the machine with no humidifier for a couple of nights.

Where would one find a lithium battery such as this ?

I'm not thrilled about the $650+ option. My insurance will NOT pay for a battery backup system.

PM if need be.

[JohnNJ]

My insurance will NOT pay for a battery backup system.

That's what everyone told me - the doctor, his staff, many DMEs and RTs and even a bunch of people at the insurance company.

They were all WRONG.

Speak to someone knowledgeable at your insurance company. All plans are different and you may be surprised.

[Terry]

If I were backpacking, I'd probably pick up a 12V Lithium Polymer battery pack. 12V @ 20 Ah is about 4 pounds and should run the machine with no humidifier for a couple of nights.

Where would one find a lithium battery such as this ?

I'm not thrilled about the $650+ option. My insurance will NOT pay for a battery backup system.

You won't be happy with the above battery either, since it's about the same price and you still need a charger and it's just a battery and not already setup for your machine, and need wiring and protection/

[justMongo]

What's the better option when going to a stand alone car/marine battery for connection. Inverter or Direct connection ?

Also, I worry about having to recharge a large battery in a bedroom setting. ie SAFETY factor. Is a trickle type charger sufficient in this application ?

Mods: Sorry about the product link.

Labrat: With an inverter, you have to up-convert then down convert.
Direct connection-- battery direct to xPAP is not recommended.
ResMed makes a 12V to 24 V converter designed for their units. Other manufacturers likely do the same.

You need a charger specific to lead-acid gel or AGM batteries. I have one that has a max charge current of 10 Ampere.

Gel and AGM bats are sealed; and do not release gas during charge -- plus they cannot spill. I kept an AGM battery in my bedroom for a decade to run my HAM radio rigs during emergencies.

I'll see if I can find my charger -- and I'll PM to you.

Mongo.

[APAAW]

<snip>
Direct connection-- battery direct to xPAP is not recommended.
ResMed makes a 12V to 24 V converter designed for their units. Other manufacturers likely do the same.

You need a charger specific to lead-acid gel or AGM batteries. I have one that has a max charge current of 10 Ampere.
<end snip>

Mongo.

I admit I don't understand why the direct connection of a nominal 12V battery to an xPAP would have issues for either the battery or the xPAP. (or two 12V batteries in series to feed a ResMed, I suppose.) What am I missing? Thanks much!!

[Labrat0116]

You need a charger specific to lead-acid gel or AGM batteries. I have one that has a max charge current of 10 Ampere.

Gel and AGM bats are sealed; and do not release gas during charge -- plus they cannot spill. I kept an AGM battery in my bedroom for a decade to run my HAM radio rigs during emergencies.

I'll see if I can find my charger -- and I'll PM to you.

Mongo.

Thank you Mongo.

BTW, I've been pondering getting a Ham license for awhile now. I actually bought a cheap 2m HH rig a few months ago. Never used it yet. Also, I live (10) miles from Ham radio Mecca (Dayton, Ohio's annual Ham Vention)! I've been many times!

Back to backup options.......

How well would a Booster work like the one below ?
22 amp battery

[Peter_C]

The above (different brand) is what I keep and carry in my car, and have used multiple times for short power outages, and for sleeping in my car on long drives.

[lido14]

I've been very happy with my 12 volt lithium Ion battery. it weighs about 6 lbs and I can take it backpacking, sailing, flying, etc. and get 4-5 nights with it usually. level 9 pressure. I just got a used aeromed Everest 2 with a battery that lasted me 2 nights. I can combine the batteries to get 6-7 nights for a long backpack, no humidifier. I saw on another forum a lighter 12 volt lithium battery as well so there are options besides the marine 12 volts to be more portable.

[Terry]

I admit I don't understand why the direct connection of a nominal 12V battery to an xPAP would have issues for either the battery or the xPAP. (or two 12V batteries in series to feed a ResMed, I suppose.) What am I missing? Thanks much!!

The power supply that comes with your machine is regulated. This means that output is whatever voltage your machine requires, even if the input voltage swings between roughly 90vac and 250vac.

A battery is not regulated. A battery starts off at it's raged voltage (generally a little above that), then drops slowly until it hits around 75% of it's capacity, then drops quickly, so your 24v CPAP machine could easily be fed 18v or 15v or less.

I have absolutely no idea how the machine would react to this, maybe it would be OK, maybe not.

Also, there's the human factor. If you hook your machine up directly to the battery, backwards, you'll probably destroy the machine.

Neither of these mean that a direct connection won't work. People do it all the time. It's certainly more efficient, but as with most things in life, it's full of compromises and there's still no free lunch.

A (good) inverter supplies it's rated voltage until the battery drops too low, then it just turns off.

Terry

[OMyMyOHellYes]

12V 39 AH AGM battery by CSB, bolted on fused harness w/PowerPole connector, hooked to PowerPole lead terminating in coax connector direct to DeVilbiss APAP - no powered humidification - passive only. Good for about 6 nights with plenty of reserve at my pressure settings (~10-11 cm H2O average). The APAP can stay hooked to wall-socket AC and run off the battery - if power comes back on it will automatically switch to the AC feed.

Have two of these batteries and a 35 AH so I'm good on battery for a couple of weeks. Have a smaller 10AH AGM battery that is MUCH more portable that I could take on a plane for a night, maybe two. Have 140 w solar panel to recharge batts.

Inverters can really up energy consumption off a battery and cut down usable reserve.

OMM