What do you do when the power shuts off?

Gustav Graves · Post by **Gustav Graves** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:21 am

The preceeding guest message 11:46 was from me, Gustav.

Janelle · Post by **Janelle** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:52 pm

"I'm not expert but..." I thought you could not use a closed cell battery, like a car or marine battery unless it was vented to the outside as it produces very toxic fumes. I would definitely not think you would want it bedside in the house.

Mikesus · Post by **Mikesus** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:59 pm

Anonymous wrote:I have a Respironics Remstar Plus and Remstar Auto both with C-Flex. In the event of a power outage I bought an automobile jump start battery (with a cigarette lighter outlet) at Sam's Club for $45 and a Respironics Shielded DC Power Cord (with cigarette lighter plug) for about $25.

The Remstars CPAPs (without humidifier) are rated at 3 amps max on DC power (see data plate on bottom of Remstar) and the battery in the jump start has a capacity of 19 ampere -hours. So it ought to power the Remstar (without humidifier) for at least 6 hours (19 AH divided by 3 A).

With the abover mentioned power cord plugged directly into the REMstar CPAP unit and a 12 Volt battery of sufficient capacity you are good to go. To run the Remstar CPAP itself you don't need to mess around with an inverter and its attendant inefficiencys and problems.

I am glad I read this thread because I realized that the REMstar humidifier needs power too. It does not have a 12 volt input only a AC input so it does require an inverter. So I will buy the inverter as discussed in previous posts on this thread (the Remstar humidifier manual page 8 says 300 watts minimium). I will also get a second jump start battery just to run the humidifier. If one is using a larger automobile battery of sufficient capacity it can probably be used to run both the Remstar CPAP and humidifier. I would still suggest using the inverter only on the humidifier and the CPAP powered as above. Remember the lower the setting (heat) the humidifier is run at the longer the battery will last.

I would suggest recharging the battery(s) after each nights use.

Hope this helps. I am not a doctor (and not a great engineer either)although I should have listened to my mom and gone to med school rather than engineering school- I would be a lot richer.

Actually you can count on HALF that time. Those jump start batteries have Sealed Lead Acid batteries. It is recommended that you do not run them below 50% charge. (have seen some suggest not lower than 80%) If you do, you will shorten the battery life.

chrisp · Post by **chrisp** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 5:02 pm

Janelle, Just go to radio shack and get a car adaptor with a "M" connector for $7. This will work with your 420E. Thenn find yourself a battery and charger. You can find the works for under $100.

I use a Deep cycle battery.

A gel battery would be even better.

I don't think insurance will cover it.

Cheers,

Chris

Mikesus · Post by **Mikesus** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 5:15 pm

True, you should not be using a standard "wet cell" battery in a closed space (read marine battery, golf cart battery etc) A gel Cell (aka Sealed Lead Acid) or a Glass Mat Battery, are both sealed and do not vent (unless overcharged, or charged at a very high rate)

If you are looking to get a SLA battery, get one that is at least 2 times as big as your draw. I.E. if you are using a Remstar Auto w/Cflex (draws 3amps) for 9 hrs you would need 54ah battery. You can go smaller, but you will more than likely kill the battery after a few deep discharges. (Marine deep cycle batteries can handle > 50% but it still isn't suggested...)

Link to AGM battery $69.95

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 5:47 pm

Good point about venting, Mikesus, I will look into the AGM Battery.

The original question on this thread was what to do when the power goes out. If one doesn't wake up and just keeps breathing through the mask by-pass (when not in apnea) one won't know to connect the battery.

A power failure alarm is sold at:

http://www.cutlersupply.com/cgi-bin/sto ... werfailure

described as
---------------------------------------------------
Power Failure Alarm
Item #G8380 · $49.99 Quantity:

Plug into any 110 volt electrical outlet. When there is a power failure, electronics pulsating alarm will go off and red LED light will start flashing. If you have chicks or birds that need looking after when electricity goes off on a cold windy night, plug in this unit in your bedroom to wake you when the electricity goes off. Has a built-in 10 to 15 second delay so that short time power outage will not set the alarm off.
-------------------------------------------------
Perhaps cpap com will add a similar product to its inventory.

chrisp · Post by **chrisp** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 6:35 pm

Funny, I run off a battery. I dont worry about the "power going out" LOL

FL andy · Post by **FL andy** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 7:21 pm

[quote=
The original question on this thread was what to do when the power goes out. If one doesn't wake up and just keeps breathing through the mask by-pass (when not in apnea) one won't know to connect the battery.
http://www.cutlersupply.com/cgi-bin/sto ... werfailure
Power Failure Alarm
Item #G8380 · $49.99 Quantity:
Plug into any 110 volt electrical outlet. When there is a power failure, electronics pulsating alarm will go off and red LED light will start flashing. If you have chicks or birds that need looking after when electricity goes off on a cold windy night, plug in this unit in your bedroom to wake you when the electricity goes off. Has a built-in 10 to 15 second delay so that short time power outage will not set the alarm off.

Thanks Guest, I just ordered one.
Cost was $36.70 plus shipping, no tax. Under $10 to ship UPS ground to FL.
Andy

chrisp · Post by **chrisp** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 8:06 pm

I guess I'm a light sleeper. When the power goes out there are enough gagets in my house that beep when power goes out to wake anybody.

Microwave, beep
oven, beep
clocks, beep

beep beep beep, all at once, BEEP. The thunder usually wakes me first . BOOM

Cheers,

Chris

Mikesus · Post by **Mikesus** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 9:25 pm

Plus if you are running off 12v all the time, when the power goes out, your xpap keeps going... (if it takes 12v in)

Gustav Graves · Post by **Gustav Graves** » Wed Mar 09, 2005 9:41 pm

FL andy, please let me know how loud the alarm you ordered is.

I am moderately hard of hearing particularly at certain frequencies. For instance, I can't hear the leak alarm on the REMstar even if I'm awake. My wife complains it wakes her up while I keep on sleeping - so I deactivated it.

FL andy · Post by **FL andy** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 12:31 pm

[quote="Gustav Graves"]FL andy, please let me know how loud the alarm you ordered is...I can't hear the leak alarm on the REMstar even if I'm awake. My wife complains it wakes her up while I keep on sleeping.

Gustav,

Same situation here, and my wife sleeps in another bedroom. I truly hope that alarm is loud enough. The lightning and thunder storms don't wake me either, and we really get some fierce storms here in Central Florida (called the lightning capital of the world),

My dog sleeps with me and he gets his 50 lbs right up snug against me at the first bit of thunder. Once in a while he gets me up by licking my face so I can put my arm around him. But with the BiPap mask that I use now he hasn't gotten the courage to lick that yet.

Will let you know about the alarm - probably in 5-7 days.

Andy

hellenx10sen · Post by **hellenx10sen** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 8:33 pm

I HAVE JUST FOUND THIS SITE AND AM REALLY GLAD I DID. I JUST PURCHASED AN INVERTER TODAY FOR MY CPAP. I HAVE A RESMED CPAP S6 LIGHTWEIGHT WITH PASSOVER HUMIDIFER. I HAVE HAD IT FOR 3 YEARS NOW AND HAVE HAD TO FIND PLACES WITH ELECTRIC WHEN WE GO CAMPING OR TO THE COAST. THIS HAS PUT A BUG IN MY FREEDOM TO DO AS I HAVE ALWAYS DONE. JUST GET UP AND GO AND NOT WORRY ABOUT THAT SORT OF THING. SINCE I HAVE SAVIER OBSTRUCTIVE APNEA I REALLY NEED MY MACHINE TO SLEEP. I STILL WAKE UP AT NIGHT WITH LEAKAGE AND NOISES AND TANGLES WITH THE HOSE BUT ALL IN ALL I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER AFTER GETTING MORE SLEEP THAN I EVER DID BEFORE. I USED TO QUIT BREATHING AT NIGHT AND MY HUSBAND WOULD WAKE ME AND START ME GOING AGAIN. WE HAVE WONDERED IF THERE WAS SOME WAY TO MAKE ME MORE PORTABLE AND FOUND OUT JUST TODAY THAT THERE IS. YEA!!!
SO IF ANYONE HAS HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS TYPE OF THING LET ME KNOW. I BOUGHT THE INVERTER FROM THE AIMS CORP. AND IT IS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS MACHINE. SURE HOPE IT WORKS.
SO NOW HOPE TO BE A HAPPY CAMPER. HELLEN

chrisp · Post by **chrisp** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 9:12 pm

Sure is Helen, Buy yourself a MODERN cpap that can operate on 12v directly . Like a PB 420E. https://www.cpap.com/productpage/754

Or if price is a concern. Get this straight cpap. https://www.cpap.com/productpage/139

I'd choose the auto. You don't know what you are missing till you've tried it.

Autos Rule

Take that inverter back and put the $$$ towards a auto cpap .

This baby will run over 2 weeks on a 100 Ah deep cycle battery. And you can also plug it into the lighter of your car and take a nap while traveling.
Get the adaptor from Radio Shack for $7. http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?c ... 270%2D1533

Best $ you'll ever spend.

Cheers,

Chris

Ionizer · Post by **Ionizer** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 10:00 pm

Hellen, Please get rid of that old S-6. I used 1 for a month before I fired my dme and bought online. And do as chrisp suggests or better yet really upgrade to the Respironics Remstar auto with c-flex. I believe that also will operate from 12 volts directly. Others will correct me if I'm wrong.

The PB 420E is very small. Great for camping and traveling IMO.

Ready,

Aim,

Energize,

Ionizer

What do you do when the power shuts off?

CPAP INVERTERS