CPAP draw on 630 AH Lithium battery

[MarkC]

Is anyone using a CPAP unit with the lithium batteries?  I have a September 22  delivery date and have ordered the 630 AH size batteries.  We will be using 2 cpap units with humidifiers.  I have used small portable batteries ($$$)  while out for extended periods camping. Always run out of power before end of stay. Your lucky if you get 10-12 hours per battery. Many variables…your air pressure (mine is 17, her’s is 6), if you use a humidifier, what setting your set your humidifier, even how fast you breath. Those of you using a cpap know it’s impossible to get a good night sleep without your unit.  I’m thinking it’s a wait and see thing.  So, getting the solar and a generator just in case these things suck a lot of juice.  But, wondering if someone is dealing with this…it would really help our anxiety level between now and September!

[John E Davies]

I can’t answer your question, but I do suggest that you calculate how much energy is consumed over a week or more at home, then you can calculate an average daily figure. Once you have that number, somebody here can help you figure out how long the Ollie’s lithiums will last. There are endless choices for an energy/ watt meter, I have this one and it works fine.

Poniie PN2000 Plug-in Kilowatt Electricity Usage Monitor Electrical Power Consumption Watt Meter Tester w/Extension Cord

https://truckersinsider.com/how-many-watts-does-a-cpap-use/

John Davies

Spokane WA

[MarkC]

Thanks John!  Will get that monitor and post our using in a few weeks.

[AndrewK]

Mark,

I use a ResMed APAP Air10 with the humidifier.

I purchased the 12V adapter and plug it into the 12V/Cigarette lighter plug in the attic.  

It uses very little power.  When we don't use the heater, we use 20 to 25 amp/hours a day.  

Keep in mind we don't have an inverter.

Andrew

[Mark and Lorraine]

I was just thinking of this myself as I have to finalize my choices shortly for my May build.

I use the ResMed unit described above. Looking at the power requirements listed on the bottom, it requires 24V and 3.5A.  

Looking at Andrews post above, I'm now curious if it better for me to use the DC power plug and convert to 24V vs the AC plug and then again transform to 24V. 

Seems to me with the power loss each time a conversion occurs, limiting it to one conversion reduces power consumption. I wasn't overly concerned with the smaller lithium package we have landed on.

 

[CnC]

Our son-in-law goes 3 nights on the Goal Zero Yeti 1000 that I gave him.  Their site claims 15 hours @ 65w.

[Rivernerd]

On 1/15/2022 at 11:59 AM, MarkC said:

Is anyone using a CPAP unit with the lithium batteries?  I have a September 22  delivery date and have ordered the 630 AH size batteries.  We will be using 2 cpap units with humidifiers.  I have used small portable batteries ($$$)  while out for extended periods camping. Always run out of power before end of stay. Your lucky if you get 10-12 hours per battery. Many variables…your air pressure (mine is 17, her’s is 6), if you use a humidifier, what setting your set your humidifier, even how fast you breath. Those of you using a cpap know it’s impossible to get a good night sleep without your unit.  I’m thinking it’s a wait and see thing.  So, getting the solar and a generator just in case these things suck a lot of juice.  But, wondering if someone is dealing with this…it would really help our anxiety level between now and September!

1 hour ago, Mark and Lorraine said:

Looking at Andrews post above, I'm now curious if it better for me to use the DC power plug and convert to 24V vs the AC plug and then again transform to 24V. 

Seems to me with the power loss each time a conversion occurs, limiting it to one conversion reduces power consumption. I wasn't overly concerned with the smaller lithium package we have landed on.

Short answer:  Even 390 Ah of LiFePO4 battery capacity, recharged with 340 watts of solar power, should be far more than adequate for two CPAP machines, even with humidifiers, IF you don't burn up your battery capacity with other use, like running the air conditioner or the microwave for extended periods.  But, I recommend you consider investing in 12-volt CPAP machines, to limit inversion power loss.

We take delivery on our Elite II in September.  We plan to purchase the Lithium Pro Package.

But, I have been using a 12-volt CPAP on extended wilderness river trips for the past 20 years.   I, too, am dependent on it for a decent night's sleep.  20 years ago I installed an 11-watt solar panel on top of a Pelican 1600 (waterproof) case and connected it to a small PWM charge controller and, in turn, a 34Ah AGM battery inside the case.  Carried on my raft, the solar panel provides some recharge during the day.   I have used 3 different travel CPAP machines over those 20 years.  They draw from .9 amps to 1.1 amps per hour of use.  With an average of 8 hours' use, my 3 machines have drawn down between 7.2 and 8.8 Ah per night.  I monitor the voltage level daily with a voltmeter.

Although the 11-watt panel has never been sufficient to restore all of the power drawn on any night during the following day, even if fully sunny, it extends the available battery life with a 34Ah battery from about 3 to 5 nights.  On 21-day Grand Canyon trips, I used a second 34 Ah AGM battery connected to a second, 20-watt solar panel, so I could get 2 days' charge for every night of use.  With a total of 68 Ah of battery capacity recharged by 31 watts of solar panel space daily, I never ran out of battery capacity.

2 years ago, I switched to (4) 10Ah Dakota Lithium LiFePO4 batteries, which are less than 1/2 the weight of a 34Ah AGM.  On river trips, that means I am lugging much less weight from my boat to my tent each night.  That 40Ah of capacity, with some daily recharge via the 11W solar panel, has provided sufficient power for my CPAP (with no humidifier) on 5-night extended river trips.

Given that 68Ah of AGM battery, recharged by 31 watts of solar panel capacity on my Grand Canyon trips, was sufficient to keep my CPAP machine powered for 21 days (and likely longer), I am satisfied that the 390 Ah of LiFePO4 battery capacity included with Oliver's Lithium Pro Package, when recharged daily with 340 watts of solar panel capacity, will provide many times the amps needed to run my CPAP machine over night.  I believe the Lithium Pro Package will also enable significant other power use, even with extended boondocking. 

MarkC, with 630Ah in the Lithium Platinum Package, I expect you could even operate 2 machines, with humidifiers, on 120VAC through the inverter and still be fine.  But, it makes sense to me to check out 12-volt CPAP machines, if you don't already have them, so you can plug directly into the built-in 12-volt outlets.  

 

[MarkC]

Thanks for the info!  Its reassuring to hear this from someone who has experienced this. This forum is such a great tool!  Thanks again!