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OK to plug machine into a UPS?
#1
OK to plug machine into a UPS?
Phillips Resperonics DreamStation. I want to plug it into a UPS to ensure uninterrupted power in case of a power outage, but the DME keeps shouting "Only plug it into the wall!!" over and over again.

Is it OK to run these things off a UPS?
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#2
RE: OK to plug machine into a UPS?
I have mine plugged into a UPS. Have  house generator so it would never run off of the UPS for more than a minute (until generator kicks in). The UPS wouldn't provider power for very long if that was the sole source of power, however.
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#3
RE: OK to plug machine into a UPS?
While mine is a Resmed, I have had it connected to a UPS for 5 years without incident. A UPS in nothing more that a Surge Protector combined with a battery powered inverter. I would I would ask your DME to specifically list their objections.
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#4
RE: OK to plug machine into a UPS?
(08-15-2019, 09:24 AM)Coffee Man Wrote: I have mine plugged into a UPS. Have  house generator so it would never run off of the UPS for more than a minute (until generator kicks in). The UPS wouldn't provider power for very long if that was the sole source of power, however.

Yeah, this is more to manage minor power blips of a few seconds or so, not long term power. I'll try it tonight and see what happens
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#5
RE: OK to plug machine into a UPS?
Lots of device manufacturers tell you not use a power strip and to plug in directly to a wall outlet. Not sure why. At any rate, for some reason people confuse power strips and UPS devices, and end up telling you not to use the UPS.
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#6
RE: OK to plug machine into a UPS?
(08-15-2019, 09:10 AM)SluggerBaloney Wrote: Phillips Resperonics DreamStation. I want to plug it into a UPS to ensure uninterrupted power in case of a power outage, but the DME keeps shouting "Only plug it into the wall!!" over and over again.

Is it OK to run these things off a UPS?

Your DME is probably getting excited about the modified sine wave inverters, which are less expensive than pure sine wave inverters. Some equipment can be sensitive to modified sine wave power and may potentially be destroyed. However a pure sine wave inverter's waveform is "clean" or even cleaner (since it may be conditioned and isolated) than what is coming out of your wall outlet. Power companies pride themselves on providing power at a highly regulated frequency, but not voltage. Depending on numerous factors, the voltage provided by your local power company can vary more than you would expect. But the frequency is regulated so tightly that many consumer electronic goods use that 60 cycles as the basis to run their internal clocks. And the modified sine wave being so choppy wreaks havoc with those internal time clocks which may render the device completely useless or potentially destroy them.

Below is a comparison of a pure sine wave power source and a modified sine wave power source. If the manufacturer of a piece of equipment says a modified sine wave inverter is acceptable then it likely is. However if you spend a bit more money and get a pure sine wave inverter, you should be fine with running any equipment that does not exceed the load limits of the inverter. Just about every desktop and laptop computer has a switching power supply and can handle a modified sine wave inverter. I think that design thought goes hand-in-hand with the fact that many computers are sold all over the world and their switching power supplies can be plugged into 110 vac @ 60 Hz or 220 vac at 50 Hz and it doesn't adversely affect anything.

Lastly, some inverters "pass through" the AC from your wall outlet to the device and quickly switch to the inverter when needed (too low or too high of voltage or too "dirty").  While others provide full-time power from the inverter and simply switch to their internal batteries when the power company power is dropped. You have to read the specs from the manufacture of the inverter to know what and how it provides power to your equipment that is plugged into it.

All UPS's are not created equal. Your CPAP equipment will run just fine on a pure sine wave inverter so long as your equipment does not exceed the continuous power rating of the inverter, and you size the inverter appropriately to give you the desired run-time you need.

I hope this helps.  Coffee

[Image: attachment.php?aid=14531]


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RayBee

~ Self-Treatment - via ApneaBoard experts.
~ Self-Pay - no help from Kaiser other than getting my script, then a pat on the butt and out the door.
~ Self-Educated - via ApneaBoard experts, its many users, and posted reference material.
~ Complex Apnea - All Night AHI=34.2/h, Supine AHI=45.5/h
~ Using a 2021 16" MacBook Pro M1 Max, 32 GB, 1 TB, macOS Monterey V12.6.2.
~ Pay no attention to the dog behind the cup, he ain't a docta, and does not give medical advise.
~ Woof, woof.

I-love-Apnea-Board
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#7
RE: OK to plug machine into a UPS?
(08-15-2019, 04:28 PM)WhyMe Wrote: Lots of device manufacturers tell you not use a power strip and to plug in directly to a wall outlet.  Not sure why.  At any rate, for some reason people confuse power strips and UPS devices, and end up telling you not to use the UPS.

Most power strips are not really effective for anything outside of a catastrophic spike in your power grid. The inexpensive ones just use a simple 10 cent device called an MOV. When the incoming power exceeds the voltage rating of the MOV, it shorts out and burns up which then trips the internal fuse or its external circuit breaker. Then you throw away the power strip and get a new one. MOV's are intended to be a sacrificial component.

Often times you will see a bunch of impressive looking specs printed on the box of these cheap power strips so you think you are getting something special. But if you look up the specs on a 10 cent MOV, you will see the power strip's specs are word-for-word the same.

If you want to get a power strip for protection, don't buy a cheap one. And be careful not to buy one just a little more expensive or you will just be paying for extra lipstick on the pig. A good one with real protection will likely cost considerably more than your garden variety power strips.

Here's what you are paying for in a "surge protected" power strip.
[Image: attachment.php?aid=14532]

And here's what they do when they protect your equipment from a power surge that exceeds their spec.
[Image: attachment.php?aid=14533]


Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
       
RayBee

~ Self-Treatment - via ApneaBoard experts.
~ Self-Pay - no help from Kaiser other than getting my script, then a pat on the butt and out the door.
~ Self-Educated - via ApneaBoard experts, its many users, and posted reference material.
~ Complex Apnea - All Night AHI=34.2/h, Supine AHI=45.5/h
~ Using a 2021 16" MacBook Pro M1 Max, 32 GB, 1 TB, macOS Monterey V12.6.2.
~ Pay no attention to the dog behind the cup, he ain't a docta, and does not give medical advise.
~ Woof, woof.

I-love-Apnea-Board
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#8
RE: OK to plug machine into a UPS?
Well I'm not going to pretend what all that sine wave stuff means. Here's what I bought:
[commercial link removed, instead, please search Amazon for "APC UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector with USB Charger, 600VA, APC Back-UPS (BE600M1)"

It's showing up today. The power strip I have there now isn't really meant for any type of protection, the wall plug is just in an inconvenient place and we need more outlets. I don't even think it's surge protected. I notice the little lighted up switch on it seems to be flashing, which is I thought it might not be functioning correctly


We get intermittent power blips here semi regularly. Funny enough we just had a power blip in the house a few minutes ago. They only last about a second and then power comes back on. . Some of my appliances/devices seem to be able to stay on during a blip, others instantly shut off if any disruption happens, no matter how short, and maybe my CPAP is one of the latter. I've had to plug my router and ONT from my Fios into UPS's to keep them from insta-rebooting an knocking out the internet anytime there is a blip, since any blip knocks them out.

I'm going to replace the power strip with the UPS when it shows up this afternoon and see what happens.




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#9
RE: OK to plug machine into a UPS?
(08-16-2019, 08:33 AM)SluggerBaloney Wrote: It's showing up today. The power strip I have there now isn't really meant for any type of protection, the wall plug is just in an inconvenient place and we need more outlets. I don't even think it's surge protected. I notice the little lighted up switch on it seems to be flashing, which is I thought it might not be functioning correctly


We get intermittent power blips here semi regularly. Funny enough we just had a power blip in the house a few minutes ago. They only last about a second and then power comes back on. . Some of my appliances/devices seem to be able to stay on during a blip, others instantly shut off if any disruption happens, no matter how short, and maybe my CPAP is one of the latter. I've had to plug my router and ONT from my Fios into UPS's to keep them from insta-rebooting an knocking out the internet anytime there is a blip, since any blip knocks them out.

I'm going to replace the power strip with the UPS when it shows up this afternoon and see what happens.

The APC BE600M1 is perfect for what SluggerBaloney is using it for. And his intended equipment is designed to handle a modified sine wave. So, a great price for the protection and backup he needs.

Screenshot from APS's website:
[Image: attachment.php?aid=14553]

This is fine for its intended purpose and a great price too. But I wouldn't recommend using it on PAP equipment unless the PAP equipment manufacturer says it's okay to use. Unfortunately you would have to spend three times the cost of this model to get a pure sine wave UPS. But then again, 35 years ago when I got into the electronics industry, pure sine wave inverters used to cost $2,000 and up. Fortunately there is a lot of healthy competition in the market.


Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
   
RayBee

~ Self-Treatment - via ApneaBoard experts.
~ Self-Pay - no help from Kaiser other than getting my script, then a pat on the butt and out the door.
~ Self-Educated - via ApneaBoard experts, its many users, and posted reference material.
~ Complex Apnea - All Night AHI=34.2/h, Supine AHI=45.5/h
~ Using a 2021 16" MacBook Pro M1 Max, 32 GB, 1 TB, macOS Monterey V12.6.2.
~ Pay no attention to the dog behind the cup, he ain't a docta, and does not give medical advise.
~ Woof, woof.

I-love-Apnea-Board
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#10
RE: OK to plug machine into a UPS?
CPAP equipment couldn't give a rat's patoot if you plug it into "pure sine wave" form current or stepped or jumped sine wave form current.
There.  I said it.

OMMOHY
Contrarian in Residence  
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