Powering Cpap machine without electrical hook-up

[Warfarin]

I know this is an old thread but this is my cpap set up. First you need the 12v plug for it. Then I took a cheap Harbour Freight solar charger and mounted it to a battery box lid. Then got a 12v receptacle with USB ports. I wired a switch by the plug so I can turn it off and not waste battery running the red light. Then I measured from my bed to the ground and extended the wires that long. I set the battery under the bed on the ground and run the receptacle through the tent on my side. This keeps the battery shaded and dry. Then put the solar panel in the sun. Super easy and I have gone 4 nights this way. Don't know the limit. Only downside is carrying an extra battery.

 

[West Coast Canuck]

We camp via a 2006 Rockwood popup, typically in state campgrounds without an electrical hook-up. We have (2) deep cycle batteries on the camper and have added an Inverter to power my Cpap. With the humidity option turned off I can usually get 2 -3 nights without recharging the batteries via our tow vehicle. We have some longer trips planned and I am wondering what others do to get more nights of operation without a generator or recharging the batteries.

I use a dedicated group 31 deep cycle agm battery with an Inverter to run both my wife’s and my Resmed AirMini CPAPs. These are travel CPAPs that use a cartridge for humidification. I top the battery daily with my Go Power 120 watt Suitcase solar panel With a built in 10 amp controller that monitors battery level too. Each Night used less than 10% battery. I also keep a spare group 31 AGM battery in my truck just in case I need it.

 

[dbhost]

Time to resurrect an old thread after some more experience with the matter. My prescription has changed and the hurricane down my throat pressures are eased way back. I am now on an Auto CPAP machine. I was in another situation of more HSA left over after my max out of pocket was passed. So I snagged a Travel Auto CPAP, as well as the 12v adapter. I got the AirSense Mini Auto. Not cheap, but I got it on a promo deal so not anywhere near as bad as it could have been. The 12v deep cycle battery I started with took a permanent siesta in the Texas heat, and I opted for and this is a spendy route mind you, but I ended up with a 40 amp DC to DC charger / MPPT charge controller for solar, 2 300w solar arrays, and 2 200 amp hour Lifepo4 batteries, hooked into the campers 12v system. There is a way to wire this stuff to a trailer but it requires running wire and Anderson plugs to your vehicle to get power from your alternator for the DC to DC charging...

I run my 12v fridge, CPAP, gaming laptop, TV, and about a half dozen USB chargers off of this and rarely even put a dent in the battery charge level unless I am having a nasty rainy overcast day, and even then, not a huge dent... I am moving all of this over to my Camper van and out of the truck camper shell it started in...

My only issue is the 40 amp wiring, and the solar panels. SAE connectors are typically wired to 10ga wire max has an ampacity of 30 amps, at 18v which is what my panels produce, 600w is 33.333333 amps, a bit over what 10ga is rated for. I have 2 so I figure on running them into the van with an SAE connector cable each, and then soldering them into a parallel cable arrangmenent with 8 ga wire which can handle 50 amps which should handle the panels at max amperage even at 12 volts output. This is going to be interesting, poke the holes in the van for the bulkhead connectors, run the leads together, and solder using a soldering torch upside down under a van. Yay! Seal and electrically protect the joint with heat shrink tubing and silicone sealant, then follow the factory 110v input wiring into the van and electrical cabinet with the 6ga lead... The same can be done with a trailer, BUT be careful, SUPER careful of the soldering torch and anything flamable!

An easier, but likely more expensive option would be one of those solar power generators, like a Large Jackery, they often have 12v power port charging so you can recharge it as you go down the road off of your alternator, although it will be a very slow charge as those sockets don't handle much in the way of amperage...

 

[SteveP]

If your MPPT controller can handle the voltage, 35-40 volts, connect the panels in series on the roof and keep the 10 gauge wire.

 

[dbhost]

If your MPPT controller can handle the voltage, 35-40 volts, connect the panels in series on the roof and keep the 10 gauge wire.

My panels are portables / semi flexible suitcase style and are not mountable. I am not sure how I would go about wiring these in series. The panels I have are...

Dokio 300 watt portable solar panel kit

My DC to DC charger / MPPT Controller (one unit) has a max input voltage of 26v. So wiring in series wouldn't work for me, the solar panels kind of have to be wired in parallel.

Atem Power 40 amp DC to DC charger MPPT controller

My battery bank is a pair of Chins 12v 200 amp hour Lifepo4 batteries.

Chins 12v 200 amp hour Lifepo4 battery

 

[SteveP]

https://powerwerx.com/dc-power-products#?specs=305

Change out the SAE connections on the panels for 30 amp Anderson Powerpole connectors. Mount a Powerwerx PanelPole2 to the wall of the camper near the batteries, requires a 1.125" round hole. Make your parallel connections to the back of the PanelPole2 before installing. The specialty crimper is strongly recommended and there is some learning curve for the Powerpoles. You can get Chinisium knock offs on Amazon.

Personally I would use 12 gauge wire on the connector and 8 gauge butt connectors. Twist the two 12 gauge wires into the the 8 gauge connector. I use an anvil crimper when connecting 8 gauge or larger.

 

[dbhost]

https://powerwerx.com/dc-power-products#?specs=305

Change out the SAE connections on the panels for 30 amp Anderson Powerpole connectors. Mount a Powerwerx PanelPole2 to the wall of the camper near the batteries, requires a 1.125" round hole. Make your parallel connections to the back of the PanelPole2 before installing. The specialty crimper is strongly recommended and there is some learning curve for the Powerpoles. You can get Chinisium knock offs on Amazon.

Personally I would use 12 gauge wire on the connector and 8 gauge butt connectors. Twist the two 12 gauge wires into the the 8 gauge connector. I use an anvil crimper when connecting 8 gauge or larger.

You are giving me an idea. I already know how to do Anderson connectors, and there are bulkhead connector mounts for the Anderson connectors. Specifically the 50 amp. It would be a minor thing to do a parallel cable SAE / SAE to Anderson 50 amp.

I want to keep the SAE connectors on the panels themselves as I have multi function for these panels, not just the Sportsmobile... and I can and do use 1 panel at a time to an existing SAE setup.

 

[dbhost]

https://powerwerx.com/dc-power-products#?specs=305

Change out the SAE connections on the panels for 30 amp Anderson Powerpole connectors. Mount a Powerwerx PanelPole2 to the wall of the camper near the batteries, requires a 1.125" round hole. Make your parallel connections to the back of the PanelPole2 before installing. The specialty crimper is strongly recommended and there is some learning curve for the Powerpoles. You can get Chinisium knock offs on Amazon.

Personally I would use 12 gauge wire on the connector and 8 gauge butt connectors. Twist the two 12 gauge wires into the the 8 gauge connector. I use an anvil crimper when connecting 8 gauge or larger.

ar
I think I have it figured out. I have a 50 amp Anderson connector / bulkhead passthrough mount on order from Amazon. I have a box of 50 amp Anderson connectors, and I do have some existing 12ga SAE Y cables. Simply snip the leads off the Y cables, so thatI just have an SAE at one end and strip back to expose copper on the other, join red to red, and then flooded solder them into the Anderson connector, same black to black. So I have a Y cable with SAE / SAE to Anderson 50, Anderson 50 to the side of the van, through the pass through to the interior / electrical compartment to the SAE at the charge controller. Bada boom bada bing we have quick easy reliable connectors that will handle the amperages that my panels will ever be capable of producing. The fun part will be making sure the dust / mud covers for the anderson connectors can be tethered to the van insted of the connector itself.

 

[PopUpSteve]

See my thread about testing a Jackery with a CPAP:

Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station - First Impressions

I was gifted a Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station by a relative as an early Christmas/Birthday/Christmas/Birthday/Christmas/Birthday [LOL] present. They know from experience that I need to use my CPAP when camping. To quote them, I sound like a "wounded tiger using a chainsaw while...

popupportal.com