Camping with CPAP - any tips?

[MitchS]

If possible, using multiple batteries in parallel is a great way to extend the capacity of your system. The charging system will need to have enough capacity to handle the extra load or be upgraded. Some travel trailer owners mount a pickup truck tool box on the tongue of the trailer next to the front of the camper. It gives them a place to mount extra batteries, a stand alone charger, if needed, and extra storage space. There is some planning needed to pull this off to prevent damage to the trailers electrical control center. As always, caution must be used when adding weight close to either end of the trailer. Weight limits should be observed and cargo may need to be shifted in order to maintain proper balance and prevent sway.

[cherylgrrl1]

Good stuff, folks.   Love these tips.  

After spending a few years with a separate marine battery for my VPAP, which could give me 2 nights, we finally invested in a dual lithium battery solar setup. Even with no sun, I can get 4 nights from these batteries. With solar recharging, I don’t worry anymore.

[lhogden]

I have been using CPAP since 2014.  I have used it while Elk hunting and camping in the mountains of Washington State.  I used a "deep cycle" 12 volt battery and a 12 volt power cable for my machine.  I learned very quickly that leaving it connected to the battery when not in use depleted the battery in less than 24 hours.  If I disconnect it from the battery when I awake in the morning it allowed me to use the battery for three to four nights before it needed to be recharged.  I believe the cool down cycle runs for a long time and deplets the battery.
I now use a ResMed Air Sence 10 auto set maching and no longer go camping.

[DaveCar]

We "glamp" with our travel trailer, always making sure we have power.
Gotta admit, I have no plan for a park power outage.
That would be a tough drive home after a night of no cpap.
I should get some kind of plan going.

My "thing" with cpap-camping is thinking bugs will get in my mask/hose during the day.
Oddly, its not like Im a city dweller afraid of the country bugs, we live quite rural.
Maybe its just that I know my home-bugs. lol

[MitchS]

We pretty much glamp with our travel trailer, as well. I learned to camp from my parents. When I first started camping on my own I carried a shelter half and blankets. I went from there to a station wagon. My wife and I and our two kids used tents and then went to a popup camper. We have owned our travel trailer for two years. We are taking our grandsons on a four day camping trip this weekend. Our immediate family all still camp. We are glad they are carrying on the family tradition.

[ROGERMTL]

I’ve been using my CPAP for about 10 years now and have travelled frequently with it.  I own a ResMed air Sense 10 and this is my second unit that I’ve owned over the years. I specifically chose this ResMed device because I could operate it with a 12 Volts car battery when camping. 

I also bought the 12 Volts DC interface (ResMed DC Converter) from ResMed to operate it with a battery. 

One thing is for sure is that this type of device is power hungry.  I’ve been using a 79 Amps/hour Deep charge battery for this specific need and when fully charged it can last about 2 to 3 nights of a full night’s service.  Evidently, I turned off all non essential power hungry functions as the heating for the tubing to be able to prolong this use and cellular network communications.   Often enough when camping, I carry 2nd backup battery (old used car battery) fully charged just in case I need it. This one offers me about one night of CPAP use. 

The main difficulty is to find a spot to charge your battery with your own charging unit. When camping, this is not very easy.  I had to charge my battery every two days and had to plan my schedule accordingly to drop in a secure site to charge and retrieve it at the end of the day.  And yes, it takes several hours to recharge your battery to full capacity. If you have an electric vehicle and an inverter, you can charge in a jiffy your battery from your car. 

Over the years, I’ve also camped on sites that offered electricity and doing so with a CPAP is as if you were home.  

Other than that, there is nothing to it. 

Good camping season to all CPAP users,


Roger
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

[lhogden]

I would put the machine, mask, and hose back in the bag in the morning and not worry about bugd.
LO

[Mygirlscats]

We camp in an RV; I use a ResMed AirSense 10 and a Medstrom Pilot 24 battery. If I turn off the heated hose, I can get two nights out of the battery before it needs recharging. Power off the CPAP altogether when it's not in use as it will drain some power if it's just sitting, and use Airplane mode. We also have a portable lithium battery, made by Yeti. If I need another night or two I can switch to running off that.

I'm on a waitlist with my supplier for a new CPAP machine as mine is six years old (estimated wait time - two months). I was going to buy a ResMed 11, but when I looked at the specs I found that it is not compatible with the Medstrom battery. The power port is the wrong shape. There is no battery (so far) that is made to fit the AirSense 11 so that was a deal-killer for me. Getting another AirSense 10 instead.

As to bugs and critters... I hang my hose & mask over an adhesive hook on the wall when not in use so it's off the floor and counter. When we are in places that have lots of creepy-crawlies, it goes in a ziplock bag. Problem solved!

And what REALLY gets my blood boiling? RVers at boondocking sites (think rustic public park campgrounds with no power) who run their generators all frickin' night long, keeping the rest of us awake... and are permitted to do so "because they need to operate their CPAP machines". Gimme a break. It's called a battery, people.

[fusionh3]

I have been using 10cm-constant cpap for 20 years.  After the 2017 hurricane that hit Puerto Rico (there was a cpap user death due to lack of electricity), I began a serious investigation into camping-type alternatives and I was appalled at the retail cost of lithium ion battery products for medical purposes ($300).  I also did not like the so-called generators that used lion storage and 120v inverters - my cpaps were always 12vdc-based, why waste wattage on conversion?  So as an initial test, I bought the highest deep storage amp auto battery Walmart offered ($80), connected it using the car adapter ($80) and stuck a Harbor Freight 500ma trickle charger on it, to keep it topped-off.  For my first test I removed the cpap AC adapter, using only car battery.  8-10 hours, just fine.  With only the trickle charger 24x7, the battery lasted 3-4 years, before a cell died.  Cpap began acting funny, cycling on and off.  While too heavy for backpacking, this seemed like an ideal car camping + storm backup alternative.  By using jumper cables, I would be able to recharge by running a car for an hour or solar cells all day with car-charge backup.  I  have not actually camped with this set up, but I have awakened to overnight power outages, when always-on equipment reset at the return of power, the battery with trickle charger functions as a UPS - I slept through the outages

[SideSleeper]

We have a travel trailer and both of us use ResMed A10 machines.  My husband powers his when we don't have AC hookups with the the 12 volt system in the trailer through a "cigarette lighter" plug and a Resmed 12 to 24 volt inverter.  I have a BPS 12 volt battery pac and inverter that goes one day with the Resmed, went 2 days with the Respironics (mine was 12 volt, no inverter needed). I don't use heated hose or humidity.