Q - cpap Where to buy a cheaper battery pack?!?!?!

[sheryl]

I've been wear ing my mask for several years now.   I wish I didn't have sleep apnea but I've had it for years.  Trying to lose weight, etc.  but that's not a guarantee.

We live in the south with power outages every now and then.  We had one earlier this week and lost power for only 36 hours but it was 1 night without using my cpap machine and it was warm with no fans, a/c, etc.  Open windows didn't help - stagnant air. 

Knowing there will be future power outages, I'm on the hunt for a battery pack to run during outages.  I found one for $350.00 but am wondering if anyone knows of a "knock off" that does the same thing for less?!?!?!

I have-

Resmed Air Sense 10

 

[itsheresomewhere]

DH made one out of a car battery for when he goes primitive camping.  It works and he can get 2 days out of it before he charges it. Otherwise, check out cpap.com and see if they have any coupons.  

[sheryl]

21 hours ago, itsheresomewhere said:

DH made one out of a car battery for when he goes primitive camping.  It works and he can get 2 days out of it before he charges it. Otherwise, check out cpap.com and see if they have any coupons.  

Wow, that's interesting and will mention it.  Did he buy cables/other hardware to run b/t battery and machine?  

[itsheresomewhere]

2 hours ago, sheryl said:

Wow, that's interesting and will mention it.  Did he buy cables/other hardware to run b/t battery and machine?  

He bought a car charger/cigarette charger adapter that the normal plug connects to and plugs the adapter into the battery.  He used a battery box that keeps the car battery safe and not just out in the open.  To charge it, he opens the box and puts it on a battery charger.  Make sure you get the adapter with a fuse.  It protects the machine.
 

 

Edited April 19, 2020 by itsheresomewhere

[sheryl]

Thanks  for that! 

Any other ideas???

[MeaganS]

There are many lithium battery packs that would work. They don't have to be cpap specific. Google "portable power station." Pretty much any of them would work and cost about half.  Plus you could use them for things other than the cpap. You'll just want to make sure they are similar in capacity as a cpap battery. I researched this fairly extensively for dh for when we camp off grid. Also, fwiw, I believe if you have the option to turn of the heated humidifier part of it, that saves tons of electricity usage.

Edited April 19, 2020 by MeaganS

[sheryl]

1 hour ago, MeaganS said:

There are many lithium battery packs that would work. They don't have to be cpap specific. Google "portable power station." Pretty much any of them would work and cost about half.  Plus you could use them for things other than the cpap. You'll just want to make sure they are similar in capacity as a cpap battery. I researched this fairly extensively for dh for when we camp off grid. Also, fwiw, I believe if you have the option to turn of the heated humidifier part of it, that saves tons of electricity usage.

Yes Meagan!!!  After reading about this post he told me our Wagan Power Dome LT.  He said that would work using the idea itsheresomewhere suggested!  I just don't know how long/hours the Wagan will charge the cpap so we'll test it out.    Thanks much for the tips.  I passed along to dh!!!! 

[MeaganS]

19 minutes ago, sheryl said:

Yes Meagan!!!  After reading about this post he told me our Wagan Power Dome LT.  He said that would work using the idea itsheresomewhere suggested!  I just don't know how long/hours the Wagan will charge the cpap so we'll test it out.    Thanks much for the tips.  I passed along to dh!!!! 

 

I'm glad to help! Another thing I've read is that if you can use a DC converter (like cigarette lighter), that is much more efficient. I haven't tried it, but it is recommended many other places as a way to get more life out of a battery with a CPAP.

[sheryl]

27 minutes ago, MeaganS said:

 

I'm glad to help! Another thing I've read is that if you can use a DC converter (like cigarette lighter), that is much more efficient. I haven't tried it, but it is recommended many other places as a way to get more life out of a battery with a CPAP.

Thanks, Meagan!  I'm very appreciative of this!