Camping Help (no electricity & low funds)

[magilla1]

Hello! This is my first post. There is so much great and useful information on this site.

I apologize in advance for not knowing all the correct terms, but I need help and after searching I have not got a good understanding on what I need for camping with no electricity. My daughter and grandchildren will be camping and have invited me but I do not have the funds to purchase the battery packs that I have seen (or a generator).

However my daughter has said she'll buy me a deep cycle battery and any adapters I need, the only problem is when I try to research I don't understand what exactly I need. If anybody could please help me layout what and where my daughter can purchase the items I need go on this 5 day camping trip I would greatly appreciate it (there is a house that we can use to charge anything else up during the day). Thank you so much, and sorry again if this post is asking too much. I just really want to go on this trip

Thanks,

[Guest]

A Deep Cycle battery can be purchased at Walmart, Cosco, BJs, Sears, an auto parts store or many other places. The same places should also have a charger available or you can use jumper cables to charge from your car.

What is missing is your machine make & model. You will need the DC power cord to fit your machine. Cpap dot com will have the proper DC cord to fit your machine.

HTH

[OboeVet]

Sounds like you might have already searched this forum for "battery" "camping" and such already. If not, there were a couple of threads earlier this year about different power cells and batteries. I already have AGM and a big deep cycle lead-acid battery for my amateur radio equipment, so didn't pay too much attention, but my impression is that there are now "lithium ion" battery cells that cost about the same as lead-acid deep cycle batteries but weigh a fraction of lead-acid and have almost the same "amp hour ratings." The more "amp hours" the more potential electricity you have to power your CPAP/APAP.

Also, when you are trying to conserve power usage of your CPAP/APAP machine, turn off the humidifier and hose heater. You may get more water condensation in the hose but will use much less power and prolong your battery. I found that my 12 amp hour AGM battery will run my machine a couple of nights and the 19 amp hour for three nights. What if you used your CPAP/APAP for 4 hours, would you be able to sleep the rest of the night without it? That, too, would give you more days in the field without recharging.

Speaking of recharging, if you can add some power back into the battery or power cell during the day that, too, would extend your field time.

Hope you can go camping with your family. All the best.

Don

[Goofproof]

Sounds like you might have already searched this forum for "battery" "camping" and such already. If not, there were a couple of threads earlier this year about different power cells and batteries. I already have AGM and a big deep cycle lead-acid battery for my amateur radio equipment, so didn't pay too much attention, but my impression is that there are now "lithium ion" battery cells that cost about the same as lead-acid deep cycle batteries but weigh a fraction of lead-acid and have almost the same "amp hour ratings." The more "amp hours" the more potential electricity you have to power your CPAP/APAP.

Also, when you are trying to conserve power usage of your CPAP/APAP machine, turn off the humidifier and hose heater. You may get more water condensation in the hose but will use much less power and prolong your battery. I found that my 12 amp hour AGM battery will run my machine a couple of nights and the 19 amp hour for three nights. What if you used your CPAP/APAP for 4 hours, would you be able to sleep the rest of the night without it? That, too, would give you more days in the field without recharging.

Speaking of recharging, if you can add some power back into the battery or power cell during the day that, too, would extend your field time.

Hope you can go camping with your family. All the best.

Don

Sleeping without using your XPAP, isn't a correct option ever......

The hours you sleep without your xpap, may be when the hammer drops the last time on your revolver, that's the whole point of treatment.

[archangle]

We need to know the model of machine you have. Fill in the equipment on your profile. There's some information in my signature line on how to do this.

What brand is your machine? ResMed, Philips Respironics, etc.? What does it say next to the power button or near the display?

[CapnLoki]

In addition to the model, it would be helpful to know the pressure you run and whether you'll need humidity outdoors (hopefully the answers are "moderate" and "no" respectively). These factors have a huge bearing. Also, are you hiking in, or car camping? Can you recharge while camping? Do you want this to double as and emergency power source?

A typical system might be a Walmart deepcycle, a "Battery Tender" trickle charger (which is gentle enough to use indoors without fear of overcharging), and a straight DC cable for Philips pumps, or a DC-DC converter for ResMed. Highly recommended is a cheap battery box that will protect against a stray metal object (screwdriver, lunch box, etc) shorting out the terminals, which can lead to a bad day. This gives an entry price of about $150 ($200 for ResMed) for a battery that possibly cover your entire trip. And give you a power out backup, and even jump a car when needed.

[chunkyfrog]

Magilla 1: some machines will easily run on 12 volt AC,
Others need a transformer, or proprietary adaptor.
This why the make of your machine is important.
We are not being nosy, but we'd like to give you the right information.

[magilla1]

Thank you all so much!

I have the Phillips (PR) System One REMstar Auto CPAP Machine with A-Flex .

So what cord(s) do I need from https://www.cpap.com ?

I am feeling excited about the real possibility of going!

[Guest]

Thank you all so much!

I have the Phillips (PR) System One REMstar Auto CPAP Machine with A-Flex .

So what cord(s) do I need from cpap . com ?

I am feeling excited about the real possibility of going!

You would be wise to call them on their 800 line to make sure you get the right power cord.

[Pugsy]

Look on the bottom of the blower unit for a 3 digit model number which may have DS or REF in front of the 3 digits.
Should say 550 or 560.

Your profile points to a 550 model but your humidifier points to a humidifier that won't work with either the 550 or 560 machine.

Make sure you know which model because it makes a difference on the part that attaches to the machine...different size of openings on the 550 vs 560 machine.
So makes a difference in which DC cable you need to get to use with a battery (of any kind).

for the 560 model
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/dc-pow ... hines.html

vs
for the 550 model
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... -cord.html

[magilla1]

Definitely the 550.

I'll have to go check and confirm the humidifier.

Thank again guys!