My CPAP power usage numbers - RV-Dreams Community Forum

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

My CPAP power usage numbers

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome to the club of CPAPers. Good info on the consumption. I've never figured mine out. I used to run mine only on shore power or on the generator. I was worried to try it on my old modified sine wave Heart Interface Inverter. This last summer I decided to give it a shot and it worked fine off the inverter. That was my old Resmed S-6 without the humidifier. I have a newer Resmed S-9 now with the heated hose but never tried it on the inverter yet but I think it should work good.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

I seem to be joining all kinds of "clubs", the hernia club, the heart murmur club and now the CPAP club. biggrin

I had wired in a 300 watt pure sinewave inverter in for my wife's and used it before we got the residential fridge. It cost me about $100 US and since the 12 volt fuse box is in the bedroom, it was easy to wire in close to the bed. Our big inverter/charger is also pure sinewave, but has more phantom load.

I used a Floureon TS-836A, which is a lot like a Kill-A-Watt, to get the watt-hour and watt usage. The 836A was about $16 US from Amazon.

-- Edited by bjoyce on Sunday 7th of June 2015 10:24:40 PM

BamaBob · RV-Dreams Community Member

Forget the CPAP!! RE: My CPAP power usage numbers

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

RE: My CPAP power usage numbers

BamaBob · RV-Dreams Community Member

Good points Bill.

I have only had my Somnadent for 6 months now, so I guess I will have to see what the long term result is.

Both CPAP and Somnadent work on the underlying cause (like the surgery). CPAP forcibly opens the airway whereas the Somnadent moves the lower jaw forward which tightens the soft tissue and muscles of the upper airway (identical to the surgery).

I can see where there is a possibility that, over the long term, there is a chance that no matter how much you move the jaw forward the muscles and tissue will not tighten sufficiently but hopefully, before that occurs, the surgery will be perfected and available for me.

I am glad CPAP works for you and the DW Bill - you are right, if it ain't broke why fix it? :)

But for those who cannot tolerate CPAP or dislike the experience, you really do need to check out the Somnadent - sleep apnea is a SERIOUS disorder that can lead to all sorts of health complications.

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

The only thing I dislike about CPAP is having to carry it around where ever I go for overnight. Other than that it's my Life-Line.
I was looking at the surgery procedure Bill mentioned, where they insert a stiffener. Seems like a good cure but not recognized or done in Canada just the U.S.

BamaBob · RV-Dreams Community Member

Trailerking - the Somnadent fits in your jacket pocket.

I am in the unfortunate situation of being not-retired yawn even worse I have to travel occasionally ad overseas every now and then. Somnadent is my hero! Not only is it discreet (no more "Mommy why is that man putting on a gas mask" biggrin ) But no power is needed and it just works.

I even use it outside the RV when I am taking a nap. Even if I am woken up by a neighbor, I can still hold a conversation with the Somnadent in place - shoot I can even drink with it in!

And best of all? I can insert my Somnadent and kiss the DW goodnight wink

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well that wouldn't work for me........I have a bad Gag Reflex. Just looking at it I want to start to gag.

BamaBob · RV-Dreams Community Member

Trailerking - have you ever had a impression made for a crown or bridge? That is how they get your impression for a Somnodent. The device itself is *much* less intrusive than the impression used to make it. There is nothing in the device to trigger a gag reflex everything is on your teeth - just like a braces retainer. As a psychologist though, I could envision a psychological response/aversion to the appliance.

(BTW folks I am in NO way related to Somnomed - don't even own stock - although I should :D I am just a satisfied customer who realizes there are a HECK of a lot of folks out there with OSA that cannot tolerate a CPAP & this is a potentially life saving alternative)

Lonney Wade · RV-Dreams Family Member

I know nothing about this machine, but I looked on line for a DC 12 volt powered CPAP, could used less electric but what do I know, just trying to help.
Lonney

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

The Pillar Procedure is the one using siffeners, http://www.pillarprocedure.com/ and has been approved since 2004 in the US Multiple surgeons do it around Seattle.

A friend says that for short durations, the Provent system, http://www.proventtherapy.com/index.php, works for him and is what he takes on trips instead of his CPAP.

-- Edited by bjoyce on Thursday 11th of June 2015 09:32:16 AM

A-S Travelers · RV-Dreams Family Member

My goodness your CPAP machines sure use a lot of power! My wife uses a Respironics System One (I think that is the proper model) with a heated water tank attached to one side (it looks like the one in this link: www.cpap.com/productpage/respironics-pr-system-one-remstar-plus-cpap-cflex.html ).

I bought the 12V cigarette lighter cord for it and tapped into the 12V light power source at the head of our bed. No complicated inverter hookup or need to run the big RV inverter at night.

With the machine turned off, but still plugged into the 12V source it uses about 0.1 amp or less, so I never remove it from the 12V source. She doesn't use the water heater for the water tank so when it is running it only pulls about 0.6amp to 0.7amp. This equates to about 6.3 amp hours (AH) in a 9 hour overnight use.

It is good to note that the heater in the water tank is not there to warm the air, but to warm the water so more water is absorbed by the air flowing through the water tank (i.e. a little higher humidity air flowing through the hose). If she was to turn on the water heater to even the lowest setting it consumes about 4 to 5 amps. That really jumps up the overnight power usage!

We have never had any problems with condensation in the hose. She has used the CPAP with air temps inside the RV down to the upper 40's.

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

My S-9 is 24V/90W. So it has a power converter to plug in the wall (120vac) and steps it down to 24vdc. Not sure what it consumes through the night but it did work alright running on my Heart Interface Modified Sine Wave Inverter. My S-9 system cost me $2,000.00 cdn.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Update. My wife's CPAP started turning itself off randomly at night. So now we both have Resmed AirSense™ 10 AutoSet models. Our daily battery usage if we unplug the machines in the daytime would be around 25AH or around 40AH if we left then plugged in.

Anyway if you really need something that is smaller and uses less power the new Resmed AirMini, https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed-airmini-auto-travel-cpap-machine.html, might be for you. It only supports a couple masks/pillow systems and costs almost $900, but it is small and low powered. Since both my wife and I use Resmed P10 nasal pillows, we could use this machine if we had the need and wanted to spend the money. Back in my working days I probably would have bought one, since I traveled more by plane and car and had more money to spend.

-- Edited by bjoyce on Thursday 18th of January 2018 07:58:05 AM

Acheron2010 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I know this is an old thread, but you can turn off the climate control on the Resmed 10, and it will not use the heater. that could save some energy.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Acheron2010 wrote:
I know this is an old thread, but you can turn off the climate control on the Resmed 10, and it will not use the heater. that could save some energy.

Not going to happen, we like the heated air. We have the batteries and are also running a residential fridge (which warms up too much in 5 hours when off).