(09-06-2014, 01:11 PM)Ghost1958 Wrote: Ok being stupid Ill try to figure this out with some help please since there are conflicting posts about it.
Short term outage is not what I need to deal with for two machines. A week to four weeks is possible. Doesnt happen that long often but it has more than once due to ice taking down power lines and trees. I can store gas for that long in 5 gal cans with stabil.
Which I would do because several times even getting out of here in a full size 4 wheel drive or a atv has been iffy to impossible due to downed trees.

Now if im reading this right If I get a small generator, and a surge protector, plug the cpaps into the surge protector I would be ok???
Assuming a small generator will run two Apaps with heated humidifiers?? I heat with wood so that isnt a problem. Dont care about running anything else but the Apaps at night.

But I do need to figure this out before weather gets nasty. On a fixed income and cant really afford to spend money this way then that way to try set up a long term power solution that will work without wrecking the machines.

(09-06-2014, 01:54 PM)Galactus Wrote:

(09-06-2014, 01:11 PM)Ghost1958 Wrote: Ok being stupid Ill try to figure this out with some help please since there are conflicting posts about it.
Short term outage is not what I need to deal with for two machines. A week to four weeks is possible. Doesnt happen that long often but it has more than once due to ice taking down power lines and trees. I can store gas for that long in 5 gal cans with stabil.
Which I would do because several times even getting out of here in a full size 4 wheel drive or a atv has been iffy to impossible due to downed trees.

Now if im reading this right If I get a small generator, and a surge protector, plug the cpaps into the surge protector I would be ok???
Assuming a small generator will run two Apaps with heated humidifiers?? I heat with wood so that isnt a problem. Dont care about running anything else but the Apaps at night.

But I do need to figure this out before weather gets nasty. On a fixed income and cant really afford to spend money this way then that way to try set up a long term power solution that will work without wrecking the machines.

Welcome to my world, of wonderful power outages, and power companies that could drive a sane person crazy. I deal with the very same issue you do.

So the discrepancy is a simple one, the question of whether or not the power supplies can cope with the instability of generator power. I say yes, based on my own experiences. Others seem to say no. So not to argue who is right to be 100% safe do the following;

1- Get a pair of extra power supplies to be safe.
2- Get a UPS, not a surge protector, a UPS has a battery, you only need a tiny one as it's job is just to clean the power not act as a battery backup.
3- Start the generator, then plug in the ups, then plug the cpap supplies into the ups.

That will insure you are good, and will leave you with zero issues, and I think we all agree on that.

BTW for cpaps even the small generators will run them if that is all you are running, and they should run quite a while even on a small generator. Check the generators specs but you should easily be good overnight for a small unit.

If you have some extra money I highly recommend going propane because it is easier to store safer and less issues all around. Some of the generators will run 20-30 hours off a 20# tank with such a small load.

Hope that helps you out.

(09-06-2014, 02:18 PM)Ghost1958 Wrote:

(09-06-2014, 01:54 PM)Galactus Wrote:

(09-06-2014, 01:11 PM)Ghost1958 Wrote: Ok being stupid Ill try to figure this out with some help please since there are conflicting posts about it.
Short term outage is not what I need to deal with for two machines. A week to four weeks is possible. Doesnt happen that long often but it has more than once due to ice taking down power lines and trees. I can store gas for that long in 5 gal cans with stabil.
Which I would do because several times even getting out of here in a full size 4 wheel drive or a atv has been iffy to impossible due to downed trees.

Now if im reading this right If I get a small generator, and a surge protector, plug the cpaps into the surge protector I would be ok???
Assuming a small generator will run two Apaps with heated humidifiers?? I heat with wood so that isnt a problem. Dont care about running anything else but the Apaps at night.

But I do need to figure this out before weather gets nasty. On a fixed income and cant really afford to spend money this way then that way to try set up a long term power solution that will work without wrecking the machines.

Welcome to my world, of wonderful power outages, and power companies that could drive a sane person crazy. I deal with the very same issue you do.

So the discrepancy is a simple one, the question of whether or not the power supplies can cope with the instability of generator power. I say yes, based on my own experiences. Others seem to say no. So not to argue who is right to be 100% safe do the following;

1- Get a pair of extra power supplies to be safe.
2- Get a UPS, not a surge protector, a UPS has a battery, you only need a tiny one as it's job is just to clean the power not act as a battery backup.
3- Start the generator, then plug in the ups, then plug the cpap supplies into the ups.

That will insure you are good, and will leave you with zero issues, and I think we all agree on that.

BTW for cpaps even the small generators will run them if that is all you are running, and they should run quite a while even on a small generator. Check the generators specs but you should easily be good overnight for a small unit.

If you have some extra money I highly recommend going propane because it is easier to store safer and less issues all around. Some of the generators will run 20-30 hours off a 20# tank with such a small load.

Hope that helps you out.

Very much so thanks. Ill have to stick with gasoline though. Propane isnt that readily available out here and when these outages hit in a couple of days its non existent.

Yep all the generator will need do is run the 2 apaps with heated humidifiers at night. With the UPS being a battery do the apaps plug into them on DC adapter cords or do they just run off the normal power power cords? Hate to seem so stupid but electric outages just werent that big a deal before having these machines to run. I was raised for a time without power in the home so it was nice to have it when it came but nothing we couldnt do easily without for extended periods until now.

Quote: But I do need to figure this out before weather gets nasty. On a fixed income and cant really afford to spend money this way then that way to try set up a long term power solution that will work without wrecking the machines.

(09-07-2014, 12:12 AM)Ghost1958 Wrote: I dont think storage batteries will work for the time periods Im talking about. Without a way to recharge them Id have too have a house full of batteries..

(09-07-2014, 12:12 AM)Ghost1958 Wrote: I did call later this evening and there are gen sets with built in sine wave whatevers that a Rrespronics machine can be run from but they are costlier than the regular generator an a UPS in line to smooth the flow.

(09-07-2014, 11:37 AM)bwexler Wrote: There are several types of UPS. The less expensive ones simply pass through what ever power comes in, until the power fails. Then it switches to battery power.
Some also provide modified sine wave power, which is what you are trying to avoid.
The type being suggested is refereed to as line interactive, and does pass all current through the battery powered inverter.
I agree that APC makes good UPS devices. I have used them for over 20 years. However, you still need to READ the specs on whatever you buy, UPS or generator or combo, to determine weather you are getting pure sine wave power.

(09-07-2014, 12:23 AM)woozie38 Wrote:

(09-07-2014, 12:12 AM)Ghost1958 Wrote: I dont think storage batteries will work for the time periods Im talking about. Without a way to recharge them Id have too have a house full of batteries..

Won't your genset charge your batteries? Use a battery each night and recharge next day?