Sailing and CPAP

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Derek Rowell

Derek Rowell

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Jun 6, 2004
104
Pearson P422 Warwick, RI
I was recently diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (stop breathing while sleeping) and sentenced to become a lifetime "hosehead", with nightly use of a CPAP (constant positive airway pressure) machine. This damnable machine blows air through your nose to keep the throat open and thus keep you breathing while asleep *zzz . Horrible. I have a love-hate relationship with the machine - I love the results of feeling so much more alert during the day *5 , BUT I hate the machine itself *grr . But that's another story... I've been told I gotta take the $%^#$ machine wherever I go :{ , including sailing. My machine (Respironics RemStar Plus) runs on 12v, but will represent a significant drain on the house batteries each night. It looks as if the heated humidifier would just zonk the batteries, and so will not be usable. Since misery loves company, I would be interested to hear if anybody else uses CPAP while cruising, and particularly if there is any machine that will minimize the battery drain. Gotta go take a nap... *zzz Derek
 
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Bill18593

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Mar 21, 2004
343
Hunter 25.5 Carlyle, IL
CPAP options

I use a similar set-up and do a little travel from time to time. The Respironics unit I have uses 120v AC. I wish I had a pump that ran on 12v. I might suggest the following: The humidifier doesn't need to be plugged in to be at least marginally effective. I don't run electricity to it when I'm out of the country. Several times, I have run the headpiece hose directly to the output of the pump bypassing altogether the humidifier. I abandoned this since it makes the set-up too noisey. YMMV. Have you considered using the pump on its own battery and recharging it the next day (on solar or wind)? I haven't used mine on batteries since its an AC unit, but will use it this summer when we're on shore power.
 
Rich Stidger

Rich Stidger

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Feb 10, 2004
4,232
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
CPAP power drain

I have a RemStar LX that runs on 12v. I specifically got this unit because it will take a 12v input. This unit does not have a humidifier and the overnight power consumption is about 10 AH. This is less than the average masthead anchor light. I have no experience with the humidifier. You say that the humidifier also will run on 12v? Have you measured the actual current draw on both of these units?
 
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Buck2796

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Dec 24, 2003
233
- - Va. Beach, Va
Derek...

I'm a Gen. Dentist in Va. Beach. Although I don't treat sleep apnea patients, per se,I am familiar w/ CPAP and, in fact, also have sleep apena to a certain degree. I snoor; and apparently most people who snoor have some degree of sleep apena. I do not use a CPAP machine, but I do use a mouthpiece device called "Silent Night" to help with the snooring problem, and indirectly the sleep apena. It is a fairly simple device that fits on both upper and lower teeth and works by holding the lower jaw forward while you sleep to help keep the airway open. While I would not suggest that an appliance like "Silent Night" replace your CPAP, you might talk to your sleep apena doctor about the possible temporary use of an appliance like this while sailing.
 
Paul Akers

Paul Akers

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Dec 3, 2003
2,101
Hunter Legend 37 Portsmouth, RI
Extra Power is Worth It.

Derek, I would think that if you added one 12v house battery, then you would be set for a day. It may be worth the expense and comfort to do it and add one more battery.
 
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Doug

Me Too

I started season with a new boat & CPAP. Mine is a 120 volt so I use a 400 watt. inverter on the boat. I was using a single group 27 battier to run cpap, lights, frezzer,and fridg. Low battery voltage alarm (10 volts came on about 5 in the morning so I turn all off. I haven't decied if to use more goup 27's or golf cart battiers for next season but a honda generator looks like a must. I look at now is a addiction of some thing I must have. I done not use the humidifer to mess and more to carry. (unless I have a cold ). I have carried mine just about around the world.
 
Derek Rowell

Derek Rowell

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Jun 6, 2004
104
Pearson P422 Warwick, RI
I contacted Respironics...

They said the RemStar Plus draws 2 amps, which is considerably less than I imagined. So with 8 hrs use per night,that is only 16 ah/day. I think I'll get a dedicated Optima deep-cycle battery for the job. Like Doug, I am thinking of getting a Honda generator - I figure the 1 kw model should be adequate for my 40 amp Xantrex charger. Doug, it's also interesting what you say about CPAP "addiction". Even after only one month I feel I can't go to sleep without it - even though it's very annoying. *zzz
 
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Sneezey

Bummmmer

What a way to go! You go to all that trouble, hook up a Honda Generator to force air down your throat-and then die from carbon monoxide poisoning! Well, at least you will be peacefully sleeping on the boat! May just be easier to leave the machine at home!
 
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Henry Flack

CPAP or not CPAP

I too am hooked up to the CPAP hose. This past Thanksgiving, we went on a four day trip to Appalachicola with some friends. We had our Chrysler 22. I took two batteries along and no charging equipment. I run my CPAP (120v) off a 175 watt inverter. Even using the house lights for the three nights, I didn't have to change batteries until the third night. These things draw a remakably low amount of current. Actually, I only had to change batteries because the low level warning on the inverter came on, the house lights would have still worked.
 
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sunni aarons wuche

my son snoore

my son snoore at night and in the day time he find it difficult to breath
 
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