CPAP

johnc · Member

CPAP

Janb · Newbie

Hi, newby here. My husband and I are buying a 5th wheeler and want to do as much free camping as possible and we're having solar panels, a big generator and expensive batteries. What we're not sure of, though, is how we'll go with my husband's CPAP machine. At night we'll need the fridge to continue to work, of course, and the CPAP machine must be on but there might be times we'll need the air conditioning on in the bedroom. Has anybody any advice, please?

DeBe · Guru

If you want to run the AC at night & its realy hot I find places where there is no one around. I have parked in truck bays with refrigeration units going all night. But park well out of there way. If your like me you sleep well with the soothing noise of machinery. The boat in the picture over the seals head had diesels that ran 24/7 & i slept well with them.

-- Edited by DeBe on Tuesday 21st of February 2012 10:05:52 AM

jimricho · Guru

Be aware that running a generator all night can make make you most unpopular with your fellow campers, especially when combined with the noise of an air conditioner. Even "quiet" generators can be intrusive on a still night in a bush camp. Some bush campgrounds have a curfew on generators after 10.00pm (or other times)

My suggestion would be to ensure you have sufficient inverter and battery power to run the fridge during the night. You can use solar to recharge the battery bank during the day, supplemented when necessary with the generator also during the day when it's less likely to impose on the amenity of others.

I'm assuming the fridge is a domestic 240v type. If it's a two way (12v/240v compressor type) obviously you won't need the inverter for the fridge. If it's a three way then you can run it on gas when "ground" power is not available, as "Johnc" suggests.

I would always suggest using a pure sine wave inverter with a CPAP machine although I'm aware of some CPAPs being run from a (cheaper) modified sine wave inverter. If you intend to do this check with the supplier of the CPAP first.

AmandaJayne · Guru

I have a cpap machine and it will run off the batteries fine at night.. we also will be running an engal fridge freezer, the tv, fan and lights... hubby did a lot of calculating of the battery power and solar to make sure everything works well :)

RnD Drifters05 · Veteran Member

I use a CPAP and just plug it into our inverter works fine. Not sure about running AC as well

AmandaJayne · Guru

I think the a/c is best left for powered sites or a gennie

briggspc · Senior Member

Hi there looks like you have been told all the good stuff, you will have no trouble running your cpap machine on 240v or 12v as most machines have a 12v socket but will run very well on a small 300w inverter or just plug straight into 12v if you have a lead, I made the one I use and saved me some $120 on a adapter they wanted to sell me, you must watch the polarity of the plug as the centre pin is neg and not pos, not sure if this is the case of all machines.

Good luck