I’m on a mooring, and when I overnight elsewhere, I tend to grab a mooring rather than go dockside. Also, I have sleep apnea, and regulrarly use a cpap machine overnight. I’m looking to find a way that I can sleep on-board using the cpap. There are DC powered cpaps. I could purchase a generator. Wondering what others have done. Any imput will be appreciated.
Cpap Solutions
- Thread starter pholmes
- Start date
Look into getting a battery pack like the EXP PRO which has a LiFePo battery. I have one that I use when the power goes out at the house. Comes in a couple of sizes. What's your ability to recharge the unit during the day?
I’d suggest getting a travel cpap. I have a RESMED mini. It’s built with travel needs in mind. They even have a battery pack option that has a rechargeable battery should you want to go that route.
I got mine because it’s small and packs better for travel but it also suits my boat needs.
One thing is that insurance won’t cover a travel cpap so the price is out of pocket. I found a decent deal on cpap.com where there was a decent discount for a new account.
I got mine because it’s small and packs better for travel but it also suits my boat needs.
One thing is that insurance won’t cover a travel cpap so the price is out of pocket. I found a decent deal on cpap.com where there was a decent discount for a new account.
I don't have any experience with a travel CPAP, as my research indicated that they are noisy, compared to regular machines. If you decide to go that route, check out SecondWindCPAP.com as a source for gently used machines. No affiliation, but I've bought several used machines there over the years.
When we lived on our H31, I just plugged my 12-volt powercord into the 12-V outlet next to my berth. When we were on the hook, I could run my machine for at least two nights without seriously drawing down the house battery bank. We had no charging options, so after two or three days, we would run the engine for an hour, or move on to the next anchorage.
You should be able to buy a 12-V power cord for your machine from the manufacturer, or a supplier, like the one I mentioned above. I don't recommend non-OEM cords, as problems can become expensive.
Finally, one of the best resources I have found for all-things-CPAP-related is the forum at cpaptalk.com.
When we lived on our H31, I just plugged my 12-volt powercord into the 12-V outlet next to my berth. When we were on the hook, I could run my machine for at least two nights without seriously drawing down the house battery bank. We had no charging options, so after two or three days, we would run the engine for an hour, or move on to the next anchorage.
You should be able to buy a 12-V power cord for your machine from the manufacturer, or a supplier, like the one I mentioned above. I don't recommend non-OEM cords, as problems can become expensive.
Finally, one of the best resources I have found for all-things-CPAP-related is the forum at cpaptalk.com.
I use a 12v cord into my house battery. About 12AH per night draw. Or you could get a 400w inverter. More power consumption with the inverter.
Maybe a Jackery power station or something similar would provide enough power for a few days…
Greg
Greg
Almost all CPAPs are DC powered - either 12V or 24V. Newer ones tend to be 24V. Look at the power brick and/or the CPAP electrical plate.
If 12V, you hook directly in to your 12V system. You simply need a cord with a cigarette lighter plug and the correct plug for your CPAP at the other end. Install the female lighter plug receptacle and you are good.
If 24V (like mine), you need a DC-DC converter cord rated for the max power of your CPAP. OEM cord is very expensive, I found a knock-off on Amazon specifically for my CPAP for less than half the price.
Half to 2/3 of the power consumed by the CPAP goes to heat the water. So if you can do without the humidification (I do), power consumption goes down to less than 4A at 12 volts. So less than 30AH each night from the battery (7-8 hrs of CPAP use). A 100 watt solar panel can replenish 25AH on a good sunny day. So 150 watts of solar panels ought to be able to keep the battery going from CPAP use (you will need more solar for other battery uses).
I don't have room for more than 100W of solar panel, but I don't spend more than 4 consecutive nights on my 19ft boat away from civilization, usually only 2 nights. I'm planning on a 160-200AH LiFePO4 battery to run my CPAP plus one recharge of the electric outboard's battery. A small portable fridge/freezer could throw a monkey wrench into my figures (25-40AH/day).
Fred W
Stuart (ODay) Mariner 19 Sweet P
I have one and it works fine. I don't run the humidifier, though, to keep the power draw down. I only use it off and on at home anyway, so it's not an inconvenience for me. But if you are a person who feels you absolutely need to use the humidifier then take into account the additional drain on your batteries.
Comment that travel cpaps tend to be noisy. That hasn’t been my experience. My RESMED mini is as quiet as my full size machine. Not advocating that you need to buy another one. Just suggesting that my travel size one fits space limitations well, and doesn’t require the water tank / heater for humidification.
With respect to humidification, the mini uses a cartridge that fits into the hose just after the connection To the mask. It doesn’t require a water tank with heater that would use much more power. The cartridge captures moisture from the exhaled air to provide a level of humidity. The cartridges are good for a months use before replacement is recommended.
Be sure to check the model of CPAP you use for two things- some models require the use of pure sine wave inverters if you decide to go that route. As a Res-med user, my previous model could be had with 2 Li accessory batteries giving me almost 12-14 hours of functionality with the heater off. Sadly, the newest model will not accept battery input. My travel CPAP is as quiet as my Res-med 11. I just gave up and purchased a power bank.
I'm sorry, but in looking at products on the Resmed site, I can't find any current Resmed CPAPs that can't be run off a 12V battery with a DC-DC converter cord (which Resmed will happily sell you at an exorbitant price). The power bricks for the CPAPs generally convert 120V AC to 24V DC for the CPAP. Some power bricks are 90 watt, and some are 65 watt.
What you need on a boat, in an RV, or in a car is a 12V cigarette lighter plug with at least 10 amp capacity (most are 15 amp/150-180 watts if supplied with decent 14 gauge wire). Then you need a power cord to replace the power brick. The power cord has the male cigarette lighter plug on one end, a DC-DC converter to supply 24V from 12V, and the correct plug to fit your Resmed CPAP at the other end. The power cord takes the place of the power brick.
There are too many situations where 120V/240V AC power is not available for Resmed not to make provisions for battery power.
Fred W
Stuart (ODay) Mariner 19 Sweet P
I don't use a CPAP and I don't know your exact situation so this might be (probably is) worthless information... but I have had great success with nasal expanders like this one. They are washable and reusable ... and comfortable... and greatly reduce my snoring. They also draw zero amp-hours.
That is what works for me. You might also try looking at inverters, though their inefficiencies may draw batteries down a lot.
Put a 12/24 volt cigarette lighter outlet next to our main stateroom bunk just for this purpose. Resmed works fine. One always has to balance the use of power to health. This one is easy for me.
You can get pretty affordable battery ‘power stations’ nowadays that are LifePO4 based so nominal risk as fire hazards on the boat as long as stored securely when underway.
I picked up a Pecron LFP500 (not the Home Depot version) a couple years ago. It is very portable and has a lot of both USB and 120VAC duration for the size. Easy enough to charge up again when dockside, or via DC.
My understanding is that modern CPAP machines have very little power draw barring air leaks, and you may not need the humidification (more power draw) when sleeping on the boat? Lots of natural humidity already?
I picked up a Pecron LFP500 (not the Home Depot version) a couple years ago. It is very portable and has a lot of both USB and 120VAC duration for the size. Easy enough to charge up again when dockside, or via DC.
My understanding is that modern CPAP machines have very little power draw barring air leaks, and you may not need the humidification (more power draw) when sleeping on the boat? Lots of natural humidity already?