I have to use a cpap machine, so please don't turn this into a debate about alternatives to a cpap machine. What I don't have is a good reliable portable battery to run the machine, hence my camping days came to an abrupt halt. Does anyone have a good recommendation for portable battery or electric source (other than a generator) that can be used for more than a couple nights?

That's a bit of a challenge.

My CPAP runs on 24 volts, up to 3.75 amps. So for round numbers, 96 watts. A good size RV battery will be rated at 125 amp hours, but it's best not to run it down past half capacity. So 62 amp hours x 12 volts = 744 watt hours, enough to run my CPAP for 7.75 hours if I had 100% conversion efficiency.

There are devices like this one available (cheap). It will take in 12 volts and give you anything you want from 1.2 to 35 volts out. In my case, I would set it for 24 volts, and feed my CPAP directly.

So lugging around a deep cycle battery will get you through about one night in camp.

After that, you have to recharge.

Yeah, it's a bummer. I have the same issue.

if i turn off the water heater a portable jump battery jumper pack [ the old fashioned big one] will run my cpap for 3 nights.

it might depend on your machine, but two 12 v deer feeder batts will run mine for 2 nights.

I don't bother taking mine to deer camp during season. Seems I sleep better after sitting around the campfire for a couple hours.

Doctor told mew I could go a week or more without any harm. I do it a couple of times a year and sleep fine.

My wife's Phillips system one Cpap only draws 14 watts on 12v and 22 off an inverter without the humidifier...Most of these solar generators will run it several nights.Running the humidifier on 12v and AC via an inverter is 60-80 watts an hour..She always goes without the humidifier while camping although I have the battery power to run it..The oxygen concentrator is another story and gets left home...



Jayco👍

Its a bid adjustment for me to sleep with out my cpap. Not sure I could fall asleep. I forgot my powercord on a business trip for a night and I did get some sleep....

When the power goes off at home, I do not sleep until it comes back on.

I bring a good quality and obviously freshly topped off deep cycle battery (Costco) and an inverter and get 3.5-4 nights from my cpap.

Turning the humidifier off is a given as that will kill your charge fast

It’s a minor pain to lug the battery camping but is well worth it.

Just have your friend run his generator all night.

Got sun? I have one of these 200W solar setups from Home Depot, under $300. SOLAR PANELS They work great although they don't come with a stand so you have to design your own. They will easily recharge my RV batteries in a few hours. The controller will handle up to 3 additional panels so you can expand it if needed. Extra panels are 100W each and cost about $100 each.

A lot of people put them on the roof of an RV. That seriously reduces their capacity as laying them flat is nowhere near the optimum angle. You need some way to angle them to about 45 degrees and turn them a couple times a day to face the sun. Also, you have to park in the sun. I'd rather park in the shade.

I have a 2-pack of this and it gets me through 2 nights: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/bps-freedom-travel-cpap-battery-kit.

Bit of a pain to charge them though. Got switch the wiring around etc. etc.

Those Home Depot solar kits will also handle lithium batteries. With today's tech, there's no need whatever to give up camping because of some dead batteries.

Your link says no longer available.

do they have voltage regulators?
over charging lithiums tends to kill them doesn't it?

Solar generators aka power stations will run your cpap for several nights depending on the size you choose..Bluetti and Jackery are the top selling and most reliable brands..They charge fairly fast off of solar/electricity or your car 12v system..Perfect for Cpap machines...


Jayco👍

Up for any other advice. I try not to leave mine at home either. I can sleep without it. I just create an issue for anybody within a couple miles trying to sleep if I don't use it.

I have a lifepo4 120ah battery and portable solar panels...The charge controller regulates the power from the solar panels to the battery and the Lithium setting is usually labeled as user mode and you put in the parameters for your specific lithium battery into the controller as they do differ somewhat..If your setting are set properly,they will not over charge,same goes for VRLA AGM batteries..You need the proper settings for the type of battery you use and most solar controllers only have generic settings...

The BMS in a lithium (lifepo4) battery will shut if off before it over charges also..A good lithium battery has a cold battery shut off and an over charge shut off along with the shorts all built into the BMS...A lithium battery without a BMS is asking for disaster..

I also have a couple solar generators,this one will run my AC/Coffee maker and microwave plus the Cpap and one 100 watt solar panel keeps it full so far..There are other smaller less expensive ones for just a Cpap..




Jayco

Mines an old Phillip's that's 110v but there was a 12v rv battery converter availible for about $100. With an ordinary deep cycle marine battery .it would run 5 nights easy. Talk to the folks who supply your CPAP NEEDS. They'll know, probably have them on hand. Mines very quiet I just used a cheap plastic wash tub on the tent floor, put the battery in it and hook it up. Mb

More than one way. If it is 12V, simply get a cord to plug into lighter socket or clips to battery terminals. Or, get a small inverter from 12V DC and use normal 120v AC plug. DO NOT use humidifier on your CPAP and battery draw will be minor. Run the engine for 5 minutes in the morning to top off the battery. Portable batt pack will work, as others noted.

Just ran this to ground for dry camping in our RV, where I do not want to run the generator all night.

Almost all CPAPs are 12v or 24v anyway.

So, you can use one of these to plug into your car/truck if you're camping near the truck, with an extension.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P6H994Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Or, do what I did, and wire in a direct line to the batteries that feeds a three station cigarette lighter splitter, and I plug the converter into that, which leaves momma room to charge her phone, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/OOWOLF-Cigarette-Lighter-3-Socket-Splitter/dp/B0829JSS7Z/ref=sr_1_25?crid=29RPAKF1FJ0BH&dchild=1&keywords=cigarette+lighter+splitter&qid=1621454565&s=electronics&sprefix=cirirette+lighter%2Celectronics%2C314&sr=1-25

If your RV batteries are new-ish, and in good repair, you'll never run them down with a CPAP, especially if you run the generator to recharge the batteries for a while each day.

Just hand out ear plugs to everyone...If someone isn’t getting hit by a thrown boot at night, it ain’t a hunting camp.

😬🦫

Supposed to be ‘roughing it’ while camping. lol

I’d be too drunk and John Bonham a cpap mask.

These power stations have many other uses besides running your Cpap..This one is a favorite of the wife as it has wireless charging for cell phones/a pure sine wave inverter and a really cool lantern on the back that gets used all the times over the RV lights and outside..Runs the Cpap 3-4 nights also for around $350 give or take..LOL




Jayco

Where the fug are you doing your camping ?

Looks like an industrial area in a small mill town that died in the early 80’s.

😜🦫

I was bored and wanted to see if I could charge with solar through the car window while waiting for someone...I do not car camp..LOL

I do my camping here...



Jayco..LOL

Call up these guys: https://gpelectric.com/products/solar-extreme-charging-system/

I have a buddy who had his electrician hook him up with Lithium batteries and solar panels.

You'll likely need this too: https://gpelectric.com/products/250ah-lithium-iron-phosphate-solar-battery/

Oh, and all in minus labor, my solution was $60-ish.

I like this idea

I found a charging cord with inverter and either cigarette lighter plug or alligator clips on E-bay about 5 years ago. I bought a standard group 24 battery from Walmart and clip onto that when I'm camping . I've gotten 5 nights out of it before it went dead.
I take it out of the truck and recharge it each weekend then its ready to go again the next week. I paid $70 for the battery and figured if I got 2 years out of it I'd be happy. it's still going strong though.
I cannot sleep without my cpap so I figured whatever it cost, it's worth it to still be able to camp

I use a 10-15 year old REM Star Plus CPAP with a 12v adapter for camping, at one time this was my main unit but got replaced with a new unit years ago. I have the heater turned off and get a good week on my battery without a recharge, for a battery I use a new car/truck battery that I replace ever 3 or so years. I buy a battery same size to my current truck which saved my butt on a fall hunt when I had my trucks battery go belly up in the Sierra's miles from the nearest road, I dropped the cpap battery in and was able to get off the mountain to a Auto Zone to get a new one.

Last year I purchased a RESMED Air Mini that packs down very small and is great for traveling were I have 120V outlet nearby but I couldn't believe using it with the 12V adapter that tiny cpap will drain a truck battery in 2 days, I thought my battery was too old and replaced it before last years Colorado trip but it killed that new battery in 2 nights and I had to plug into the outfitters generator every other day to recharge it. For those that say leave it home that's not a option I snore so bad that I would keep the entire camp wake and ended up sleeping out side.

in the kidde car section of wally world you can find 12v gel cells for the power wheels cars.
they have 12v 12AH batteries for 40$

a pair should go about 3 nights and likely 4 with no extra charging.

Even that didn't help. My buddy brought his CPAP along to Canada last time and the first night said f**k it, I'm not using that thing this week. Maybe he got some sleep, but the rest of us didn't. I sure don't know why you guys dick around with these noise making contraptions. The wife went through all the gyrations and a dental device solved all her sleep issues when a CPAP didn't.

Big Sky,I hear ya!Can't sleep without one.
Respironics machine with Respironics 12v adaptor which has battery clips.
Sizable rv/ marine battery ran it at least 60 hours,I do not use the humidifier.
That battery is heavy! It is a common size though.Did this at fishing camp ,no problems at all.
. Hope this helps,Scott.