AT Electrical Guru's - I need help finding a CPAP Battery

[The Stigenator]

So next monday I am shipping out to Philippines for 3+ weeks. Problem is that I use a CPAP for my apnea issues at night. Turns out the islands we're heading for are having major brown-outs. Which means, I cant use my CPAP if there is no power, and no sleep = not a productive me.

So the options are limited. I have Philips Respironics PR System One Series 60 unit ( I use it without the humidifier, which i have).

Link here: http://www.cpap.com/productpage/pr-system-one-60-series-plus-cpap-machine.html

The battery they suggest to use is a sealed Lead Acid battery with a 14.4 Amp-Hour battery. It uses a custom cable (which isnt a big issue) with a 12v power connector. Ultimately the unit powers on 12v.

Link here: http://www.cpap.com/productpage/respironics-60-series-battery-pack-12-volt-dc-cord-kit.html

Problem

I cant take a sealed lead acid battery on a plane, more over its 13lbs by itself! So I need to find a lithium ion equivalent. CPAP.COM has lithium-ion one but it cant power my unit.

This is where you come in. I was thinking of using the Paul C Bluff Vagabond Mini unit to power it, it seems to be able to as per the specs but it got me worried. Its rated 8.8Amp-Hour with 130 Watt-Hours. This is in 110v mode.

By the looks of it, it seems it can power anything under 120w max draw, but not sure of continuous use draw. I havent checked my CPAP on how much power it draws, but I'll do that this evening when I get home. I'll hook it to my device and see what its draw like.

Other option is to find a compact lithium ion battery pack that can power my device in 12v but will provide at least 14.4 amp-hour equivalent. I got to do this by monday. I got 5 days.. eek!

Edit:

I found another manufacturer...

http://www.thecpapshop.com/cpap-batteries/c-100-cpap-battery-pack

 

[herm0016]

http://www.onlybatteries.com/showitem.asp?ItemID=13300


? this may work, it is expensive though. batteries plus will make you a custom battery pack while you wait. storing that much power is going to heavy or expensive or both.

you are going to loose a lot of power converting from dc to ac and back to dc.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Buy a solar charger here and a cheap car battery when you get there.

 

[sciencewhiz]

Problem

I cant take a sealed lead acid battery on a plane, more over its 13lbs by itself! So I need to find a lithium ion equivalent. CPAP.COM has lithium-ion one but it cant power my unit.

From http://www.cpap.com/productpage/respironics-battery-pack.html

Air Travel. The Respironics Battery Pack uses a sealed, lead-acid battery, which are allowed as carry-on luggage by the FAA and TSA. In-flight use will be determined by the airline and should be contacted on an airline-by-airline basis.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would buy a small solar charge controller and a small solar panel. Try to find out if you can get access to a car battery or even better, a marine battery while there. I would imagine there are a lot of dead cars that you will be allowed to just grab a battery from. Then you can let it trickle charge during the day and it should hopefully last the night. How many amps does the CPAP use?

Good job going there to help the storm victims. There is a really big need for aid overthere.

 

[slag]

I would just acquire a 12 volt car battery upon arrival and use that. I use a deep cycle marine battery when camping with my cpap and it works well. I have the S9 autoset and use it without the humidifier when camping.

 

[rudeguy]

check out "Goal Zero" stuff on Amazon. I am working on a project that needs solar/stored power in decent quantities and their stuff is great.

http://www.amazon.com/Goal-Zero-2100...s=cpap+battery

 

[sdifox]

I know battery on mobility scooters are allowed on plane since I helped someone disassemble his. Got me flagged at the chemical detection check point, but I explained it and they were ok with it.

 

[Rubycon]

They won't allow SLA but Li-Ion is ok? :biggrin:

Li-Ion motorcycle batteries are another option. They have really good current capability and can be recharged fast too.

 

[rudeguy]

They won't allow SLA but Li-Ion is ok? :biggrin:

Li-Ion motorcycle batteries are another option. They have really good current capability and can be recharged fast too.

yea...I'm not so sure. Here is the box of my last batch of batteries (only 3V):

 

[Mark R]

Lithium batteries are strictly restricted on aircraft. They can only be taken as carry-on, not checked. Lithium batteries with a capacity of 100 Wh or more cannot be taken on an aircraft (unless attached to the gadget it is powering - so a high-end laptop battery would be acceptable, provided that it was connected to the laptop; however a spare laptop battery would have to be below 100 Wh) . There is also a personal total lithium battery limit of 300 Wh (including any large batteries attached to gadgets, and any spares).

Lead acid batteries are (almost) completely forbidden on aircraft. Security will force you to leave the battery when they find it (funnily enough, they show up quite well on X-ray). I've seen an entire TV production crew have turned away from boarding a flight, because their cameras had lead acid batteries. There are some exceptions (e.g. electric wheelchairs), but I'm not aware of any others. You'll need to check with the airline whether your CPAP machine is acceptable.

 

[The Stigenator]

This morning I have been calling the airline to see whats acceptable.

Overnight I ran the CPAP under my power monitor and this is what I found.
Amps: 0.4-0.5
Watts: 42-33 watt (no load startup pressure, no mask on face, full pressure 11cm h2o) (power factor 65%)
Watts: 8-25 watt (mask on face, breathing normally - avg about 14 watt) (Power factor of 80% avg)
KiloWatt Hour: 20.8

 

[rudeguy]

This morning I have been calling the airline to see whats acceptable.

Overnight I ran the CPAP under my power monitor and this is what I found.
Amps: 0.4-0.5
Watts: 42-33 watt (no load startup pressure, no mask on face, full pressure 11cm h2o) (power factor 65%)
Watts: 8-25 watt (mask on face, breathing normally - avg about 14 watt) (Power factor of 80% avg)
Watt Hour: 20.8

Did you check out what I linked to?

 

[The Stigenator]

Did you check out what I linked to?

Yes I did, I am talking to Goal Zero now. Thanks

I may go with the one from thecpapshop, its more expensive but they have tested it and can run at my pressure at 24 hour run time, thats 3 days per charge (approx). I am checking with goal zero, since its got a 5amp draw on 12v (as per the output on the converter, even though its only taking 0.5amp on the input)

 

[The Stigenator]

Goal Zero Escape 150 is limited to 80watts, so thats not going to be enough to power my CPAP, plus its 13 lbs. I got a weight limit. SO that will not work under this circumstance.

 

[rudeguy]

Goal Zero Escape 150 is limited to 80watts, so thats not going to be enough to power my CPAP, plus its 13 lbs. I got a weight limit. SO that will not work under this circumstance.

crap...sorry

I really thought thinking outside the box would work on this. Guess not.

Good luck man!

 

[The Stigenator]

I might get a Goal Zero later for other applications since I am going camping next year again, i'll need power for my devices. But for this particular application, that Escape 150 would not work, more so for the weight limitation. 13 lbs eats into my checked in baggage space, i got 50 lbs to work with, my suitcase is 10lbs by itself, so that escape 150 will leave me 27 lbs for everything, which is not much considering all i have to take

 

[sdifox]

How much power do you need for the night? Maybe ask the place you are going to work at can lend you an UPS?

 

[tynopik]

just rent a generator when you get there

 

[Oyeve]

i thought it was CRAP battery. Leaving with disappoint.

 

[Scarpozzi]

just rent a generator when you get there

My guess is he'd be hard pressed to find one. Not sure if they have generator shortages, but I'd say they may be hard to come by right now.

I'm also going to guess that the a deep cycle battery and charger are the way to go. You can maybe get a few solar chargers to hook up and speed up recharging if you think the grid may be down during the day as a backup.

 

[slag]

I might get a Goal Zero later for other applications since I am going camping next year again, i'll need power for my devices. But for this particular application, that Escape 150 would not work, more so for the weight limitation. 13 lbs eats into my checked in baggage space, i got 50 lbs to work with, my suitcase is 10lbs by itself, so that escape 150 will leave me 27 lbs for everything, which is not much considering all i have to take

The cpap device and things needed to run it, i.e, the battery, are separate from checked luggage and should not be part of the weight. I always carry on my cpap unit, but the battery associated with it can be checked and is not considered part of your weighed luggage from what I've been told.

 

[The Stigenator]

Well I got the C-100 battery that is made by a company called Battery Power Solutions .net http://www.batterypowersolutions.net/
Its got 7.9g of Li-ion, its under the TSA / IATA requirements. I am only taking one, it will power up 3-4 days with my 5 hours a night sleep schedule. (rated 26 hours with my oxygen level). I should be good for a few days until I get a chance to recharge the sucker. I'll have to find a charging solution there once I get there. I hear the UN camps have power.