To those parents that go camping with their kids and have not solved the problem of sleeping without a CPAP, I found a solution for me. It is a CPAP battery, but more versatile and surprisingly long lasting.
Without a CPAP camping is a nightmare. I am wiped the next day. Not to mention it is dangerous for those with sleep apnea. Two days of it is torture and that is typical of a Cub Scouts camping trip. I am in no way my pleasant cheerful outgoing self.
My goal was to power a ResMed AirSense 10 CPAP for two nights. I bought a Renogy 72000mAh 266Wh 12v Power Bank for $160. Its basically a battery that you can use with a laptop or to recharge phones but it has a 12V car adapter port. About the size of an old style tape recorder it would fit easily in a backpack or in a drawer for emergencies. I’m 51 and understand that tape recorder might require translation. I then got a $37 KFD Car Charger DC Adapter for ResMed S10 Series to hook my CPAP to the battery.
I tested it and with my CPAP with the humidifier disabled (I never run it with that on anyway) at a pressure of 9 and it lasted 5 nights at an average of 10 hours a night. My initial calculations suggest consuming full rated power of the CPAP would use up the battery in 17 hours. I couldn’t guess how much power would be reduced running it without the humidifier. Comments on Amazon show similar performance. Note, don’t leave it plugged in because it will drain the battery and that is not good for the battery if you keep doing it. Yes, I accidentally left it plugged in. It recharges in 4 to 6 hours.
The big benefit here, it isn’t a battery dedicated to a CPAP. You can charge any device that takes USB-A, USB-C, DC 5.5mm, or a car adapter. One of the USB-C is a 60W PD that can charge non-gaming laptops while running. Check the voltage requirements of your CPAP before buying, but it likely will be fine.
I also got a ROCKPALS RP082 foldable solar panel and this can be recharged directly off of that. I wont need it now that I know it can go 5 nights. The pair also serve as a backup in case of loss of power at home, where I would be equally messed. There are other ways to solve this issue.
Now I can sleep and camp. That part about cheerful and pleasant and outgoing was deceptive. I simply won’t be as tired while not being any of those things.