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Topic: boondocking with a CPAC machine (Read 11 times) previous topic - next topic
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boondocking with a CPAC machine
Yahoo Message Number: 147816
Hi A friend of mine just bought his first motorhome  (SOB). He called me yesterday and said he was concerned his use of his CPAC  machine with a small inverter while camping without hookups. I'm not really sure  what these devises are for, but he claimed his, on the settings he uses, only  uses 30 watts.
 I told him that if, in fact, it does only use 30  watts, that the inverter is going to add a little to that, as it has it's own  overhead. I said it should work ok if his house batterys are fully charged at  bedtime and he charged them back up in the morning. That's a couple of big its  since he does not have solar.

Do any people here use one of these machines? What  do you do?

Tom
Re: boondocking with a CPAP machine
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147817
CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. It's a machine that pumps air into your lungs (through a mask) so that you breathe well while sleeping. It's often prescribed for people with sleep apnea, which if untreated, can result in loss of sleep, chronic fatigue, and may even increase your risk of a heart attack.

If your friend's CPAP machine really uses just 30 watts, it'll probably be workable when dry camping. In the worst case, with an inefficient inverter, it'd use about 3 amps at 12 VDC. In the course of a night, that would add up to 25-30 amp-hours. Any decent house battery bank should be able to handle that, providing, as you said, that it has a full charge at bedtime.

I don't use a CPAP myself, so this is just an overview. Plenty of others here have firsthand experience with CPAP and BiPAP machines, and can fill in the details.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: boondocking with a CPAC machine
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147818
Tom, in addition to the information Andy provided and the responses from CPAP users on this board that you'll likely receive from your post, you might also suggest to your friend that he contact the CPAP machine's manufacturer for information on "adaptations" for use in his particular situation. There are also discussions of CPAP use while RVing on the Escapees board (rvnetwork.com), irv2.com, and rv.net/forums.

BTW, friends don't let friends buy SOBs; didn't he listen to you?  ;-)

Joan
2003 TK has a new home
Re: boondocking with a CPAP machine
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147819
I did use a CPAP for a while.  I looked into getting a self-contained battery-powered model.  These are much more expensive than a standard CPAP and you still need to recharge it in the morning.  It would be essential for tent camping, but for RV use I would think just finding a reliable way to recharge your house batteries wile boondocking (solar, generator etc). would be all you need.

-Don
boondocking with a CPAP machine
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147821
1941 Joan wrote:
 I hear you Joan. Believe me I tried. He was in a  hurry and let a salesman talk him into a 10 month old Fleetwood rental. It is 26  ft and has a full time bed and a slide. It is probably the worst floor plan I  have ever seen. It has a recliner so one watcher can view the TV in the overhead  in comfort, while blocking the aisle for others, even with the slide  deployed.
 Anyway, he had allready called the manufacturer of  the machine and got no help.

Tom
Re: boondocking with a CPAC machine
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147825
I assume you are referring to a CPAP machine.  It aids those with sleep apnea, a respiratory disorder in which people stop breathing for several seconds at a time intermittently during sleep, due to intermittent obstruction of the respiratory pathway.  It not only results in restless sleep, which leads to daytime drowsiness, but reduces the level of oxygen in the blood during sleep, which potentially compromises one's health.  The lack of sound sleep and full rest is also potentially harmful to health.
 A CPAP machine delivers a stream of air under light pressure (custom-calibrated to the severity of the obstruction for each user) to the nose via a flexible hose and mask.  Some machines also have a module that humidifies the air via a reservoir of mildly heated water  that is filled each night.
 The electricity draw is minimal, especially if the humidifier module is not used.  Like all appliances, power consumption should be labeled on the device.  I use one in our LD (sometimes with and sometimes without the humidifier).  I have a battery monitor, so I have noted the cumulative amp draw at the time I go to bed and then again in the morning and have found that the CPAP draws very little current.
 I would advise your friend to try it without the humidifier module (if he or she knows that that is medically safe) and monitor overnight power consumption.  If the batteries are ok in the morning, then I would try it with the humidifier, if its use is desired, and observe the difference in power consumption.  I have used mine for years without a power consumption problem when dry camping/boondocking, but we also have four solar panels.  Even with solar panels, however, one  can measure the draw overnight when they are not charging the batteries.
 Only his or her physician can advise whether a with-and-without-cpap energy consumption comparison is a medically safe, in order to conduct a semi-controlled experiment to determine the precise net power consumption of the machine.

Hope this helps--Ted
Re: boondocking with a CPAC machine
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147827
I use a CPAP when out boondocking and use a 75w inverter that gives me 115v AC output. I use the inverter because of the distance to the nearest 12v outlet. 115v AC travels farther via an extension cord vs trying to use a extension cord for 12v DC which there will be a higher loss of voltage with a long extension (that is unless you use a large enough wire to compensate for the length). I have a 85w solar panel and it more than keeps my batteries topped off for three days before I need to use the generator. I do not use a humidifier which also conserves power.

Jerry 2000 30 IB
Jerry Galang
Meridian, ID 83646
Re: boondocking with a CPAP machine
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147830
In my experience the decision to get a Fleetwood motor home will cost him dearly in maintenance. I owned one several years back before getting smart and researching various brands of class C units. It became clear the LD was the best choice. My LD is 13 yrs. young and only problem I ever had was my propane detector went bad recently. It's rated for 8 years so I got my moneys worth.

With the Fleetwood I had in the past I spent mucho dollars on repairs.. Leaked like a sieve. Now with the LD spend money on cool upgrades, almost nothing on repairs.  The quality makes me laugh at the old Fleetwood.

My advice is dump the Fleetwood before it becomes a money pit. Step up to an LD, you will have less headaches, meet some fine folks at the gatherings/events, and have pride of owning the best.

Bob 01 23.5 TK Jeep Cherokee Toad Pahrump, NV. for a few....
Re: boondocking with a CPAP machine
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147832
"In my experience the decision to get a Fleetwood motor home will cost him dearly in maintenance."

Funny--I initially read that as "Firewood." ;-) Yup, I completely agree--I've talked with enough disgruntled Fleetwood owners over the years. Fleetwood boast that they can turn out a motorhome in less than 100 hours. Lazy Daze spends four times as long, You can guess which one is better built.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: boondocking with a CPAP machine
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147836
We have one inverter that drives TWO CPAP machines (been traveling with them for years -no humidifiers). Two 85w solar panels on the roof. There is only a little appreciable decline in overnight battery drain down. We have a 2001 Midbath. Orig. owners.

Steve

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Re: boondocking with a CPAC machine
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147895
My last 2 CPAPs have had 12v capabilities, more efficient than using an inverter.
20 + MH's since 1977 incl...
Past
FMC, 2x GMC's, Foretravel, 2x LD
Present
1996 LD RB under restoration, my project to keep me off the streets.