Will I have to give up camping?

[The Great Escape]

Ready and waiting!

Sorry but I chickened out at Easter due to the cold weather. However it gave me time to make a battery carrier to put into my bike's top box to stop it moving around. The battery weighs 6 (stated on box) or 7 kilograms (according to bathroom weighing scales and dodgy readout at small weights). The Resmed works well using the battery but there may be issues when used out in the field.
I will let you know how it goes after my first camping trip. Roll on the good weather!

[dogtired]

I was at the Isle of Wight Festival this weekend and couldn't take my hospital loaned APAP. Wow did I feel tired and have a sore throat at the end of the weekend.

How I longed for that air/humm to drown out the rubbish music the kids in the tent three down were playing

[James @ Intus]

Dogtired, may I suggest a product (oral splint) we offer that helps in such situations where you really can't bring your PAP device. It's primarily designed for snoring but also helps improve sleep apnoea. Custom ones are better but for the odd weekend like you described, this could be a relatively cheap outcome (£90), it's called the SomnoFit - we also do a custom one called SomnoDent but that's 10 times more expensive and could even go as far as replacing your CPAP entirely (clinically validated too). End of relevant infomercial!

PS @ The Great Escape - our battery is just 2.2 Kg!

[The Great Escape]

Carry on camping

New update! I have been on several camping weekends since Easter with no problems.

When I get one of my two bikes ready, all I have to do is clip the top box on. This holds the battery and my ResMed case with all my equipment in it minus the humidifier. I make sure the battery (see previous posts) has been charged up fully, the night before, and this lasts me for two nights usage. I make sure it gets recharged as soon as I get home after the weekend.

The machine is fairly quiet in use and no one has asked about any noise, only about other blokes (never come across a female sufferer) who have been snoring near by.

[g3az66]

Advice needed please

Can I get some camping advice from you lot please.......

I want to start camping but obviously need to take my machine with me. I only intend to run from battery power. My machine is a "Philips Respironics PR SYSTEM ONE REMSTAR AUTO" and according to the manual the DC Power Consumption is 12 VDC, 5.0 A. I have looked on Fleabay for a suitable leisure battery and have seen a 12V 110AH one for £70.

1) Is this a good deal?
2) How many hours running time would I get from this from a full charge?
3) Will I need additional leads etc.?

thanks in advance

[Tigers Fan]

Happy camping

Hi g3az66

1. I doubt it. What make of battery and what standard? If you know little or nothing, go talk to someone who does - garage, Kwik-Fit, ATS, etc.

2. 5 goes into 110 22 times. A humidier would crash that time.

3. Of course - battery terminals to APAP socket.

4. How will you recharge the battery?

5. Aren't there CPAP specific battery sets available - from Intus, say?

TF

[g3az66]

Hi g3az66

1. I doubt it. What make of battery and what standard? If you know little or nothing, go talk to someone who does - garage, Kwik-Fit, ATS, etc.

2. 5 goes into 110 22 times. A humidier would crash that time.

3. Of course - battery terminals to APAP socket.

4. How will you recharge the battery?

5. Aren't there CPAP specific battery sets available - from Intus, say?

TF

Thanks for the reply TP

The battery I found was just a generic one. I will talk to an expert, good shout......
So are you saying I would get 22hrs usage?
Some onsite camp shops have battery charging facilites
I have seen CPAP specific batteries and they are brilliant but I dunna have best part of £300

[Tigers Fan]

In theory

Hi g3az66

On paper, in theory 110 AH at 5A would giveyou 22 hours. However, that needs 100% efficiency of battery and transmission (large copper cable like welding plant). Against that, your machine probably runs at less that 5A because you use it at less than 20 cm water.

In ro.und numbers, let's say two nights.

Ouch! for the CPAP battery price.

Not so long ago, someone wanted to go night fishing and needed a battery much as you do. Aye! search under 'night fishing' and silvercarper will tell you lots. Campers and bikers have also posted about batteries.

TF

[TiredBoy]

CPAP in a VW camper

It's nice to see this thread come to the surface. As I'm getting used to the CPAP at home, I'm desperate to get out camping with it asap.

It was particularly good to come across the posts by puffin, as he's a fellow V-dub T2 enthusiast. I see he hasn't been on the forum for a while, so although my questions are directed to puffin, advise from anyone who might have experience of these issues would be very welcome.

I am new both to CPAP and VW Type 2s, so I wondered if you could give some advise on this unique(?) combination. All she has is a full width rock'n'roll bed and only really needed was for us to fit out the rest of the interior as we would like. We wanted to set up a leisure battery anyway, so my questions to you would be:

1. Are you now using CPAP of a leisure battery and is this same battery running any other camper lights etc.? - Any advise on aH capacity?

2. Have you got this set up to charge from the van when on the move? Zig units and electric hook-up charging?

3. Any advise on the positioning of the CPAP machine and the run of the hose in the van? Are there any set ups you've tried that haven't worked? I wondered about placing the CPAP machine just under the bed, so that the air in-take doesn't get blocked by duvet? And then a remote switch near head end?

4. Any other advise on how to set up my CPAP in VW campers?

5. Any trades people near Herefordshire / Gloucestershire good for fitting leisure / electric hook-up / zig units?

Many thanks
TiredBoy

[James @ Intus]

Hi TiredBoy,

Puffin did one of those stomach operations, lost a lot of weight and I think he's no longer on CPAP, hence his absence. But I'm pretty sure that if you pop him a private message (click his name on any post) he'll make time to pop in and answer you.

Just briefly what I know about it, a 12V 220WH battery can yield a good 2-3 nights of unhumidified CPAP. Drive in the day, charge in the day and you can go on forever. We get calls from mototbike, narrow boat, camper and yachting enthusiasts for CPAP cables and batteries. It's always possible, but indeed doing a bit of homework and some electricians' advice and you can get a pretty perfect setup going.