Shopping for a new Jump Pack for my CPAP machine.

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Dude
Posts: 368
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:21 pm

Shopping for a new Jump Pack for my CPAP machine.

Post by Dude »

What kind of jump pack do you have? Do you know how many amp hours it is? Do you use your CPAP on it? How much did you pay for it?

I dry camp a few times per year and I sleep with a CPAP machine (Constant Positive Air Pressure). It needs to run off of a battery/jump pack. My old jump pack seen in the video I got at a car show flea market and paid $40 for it before I had the CPAP. I have had it for at least 7 years and somehow the switch for the work light is stuck in the on position so that drains the battery and basically I can't use it anymore. Time for a new jump pack.

I picked up a Harbor Freight 5 in 1 for $80 on sale and thought that would work good since it was their biggest one and it had a power inverter built in so I could plug other items into it if I needed to. I would continue to use the 12v plug for the CPAP. The first one I got couldn't take a full charge.....it happens, this is a battery after all. I exchanged it and got another one. This took a full charge but I couldn't get a full night out of it. That means it won't work for the main purpose I need it. So I returned it and got a full refund.

Now I am on the hunt for a new jump pack. I need to find one that will power my CPAP for 2 nights at least. It would be nice to have a USB port and air compressor, but not necessary. What do you have?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY3NYZAX ... w&index=35
Matt
1989 26 foot Rear Side Bed
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whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Post by whemme »

First explain what you mean by 'jump pack' - I don't know what you mean by that term.

Second, I also use a Respironics CPAP machine in my Born Free and it came with both a 12 vdc power cord and a 120 vac power cord. If I am in a campground with shore line power, I use the AC power cord. If I am dry camping, then I plug the DC power cord into one of the DC cigarette lighter power jacks. Why can't you do the same rather than use a 'jump pack' whatever that is?
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
Dude
Posts: 368
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:21 pm

Post by Dude »

A jump pack is basically a battery in a box that has jumper cables. Many people who work on cars use them. They are great to jump start a vehicle....you no longer need jumper cables. Over the years they have added 12v sockets, lights, air pumps, USB ports, and this last one I picked up even had an inverter built in so you could plug in a table lamp, tv, or laptop. I guess the name has now evolved to "Power Pack" HERE is a link to one. Sorry, I am not at home and can't post it as a pic, feel free to modify it with a pic.

I like using a jump pack because if I lose power at home, I can plug the cpap in.

My machine did not come with the 12v adapter (thats great that yours came with it). I had to buy mine and at first I bought a radio shack plug that didn't have a high enough guage wire to handle the power draw so the machine wouldn't work so I had to buy a real Respronics 12v adapter that had thicker guage wire to handle the power draw.

My popup had a 12v outlet that I tried to plug into but the internal wiring couldn't handle the power draw so the machine would not work. I only have one 12v outlet in my BF in the area above the fridge by the door in my TV cabinet. I found it by accident when I was messing with the ancient TV that I have. Honestly, I figured the wiring in the BF wouldn't be able to handle the draw as well, I never tried it. Plus it is not in a convenient location.

I will try my machine in the 12V outlet and see if I can rewire one closer to the bed and cab so I can take advantage of that. I am still going to purchase a jump pack for extended dry trips and when the power goes out
Matt
1989 26 foot Rear Side Bed
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whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Post by whemme »

Matt,

My 2002 BF 26' RSB coach has three 12 vdc cigarette light power jacks, one in the over the cab entertainment center, the 2nd one inside the upper cabinet forward of the refrigerator right next to the TV wall plate and the 3rd one in the wall above the foot of the rear bed.

The DC circuit that powers these three jacks is fused for 10 amps and your CPAP machine should draw way less than that. I will check the DC amperage draw for my CPAP machine and let you know what it is. I have also powered my CPAP from one of the two jacks located on the Ford cab instrument panel - that draw then of course comes from the chassis battery and not the coach battery(s).
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
User avatar
whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Post by whemme »

Matt,

I checked the specs on my Respironics M Series CPAP machine and the maximum draw when powered by 12 vdc is 3.0 amps - way less than what a Born Free coaches cigarette lighter power jack can supply. And even then that 3.0 amp maximum would only apply when the CPAP was set to its maximum air pressure output.

The pressure range setting is from 4.0 to 20.0 cm H2O and mine is set to 12.0 H2O.
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Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
Dude
Posts: 368
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:21 pm

Post by Dude »

I read somewhere that mine had a 5amp draw and that is what I use to calculate. For arguments sake if I sleep 10 hours per night I would need 50amp hours per night in the battery x 2 nights = 100 amp hours needed for a weekend.

I know that wire guage plays a factor. The cheap radio shack cord couldn't handle it and the 12v outlet in my popup couldn't handle it either. When I clipped right to the battery it worked.

I forgot to try it in my 12v outlet last night, my son wanted to go in the hot tub.....who was I to say no :wink:
Matt
1989 26 foot Rear Side Bed
al1florida

Post by al1florida »

CPAP DC Current Draw
My wife just got her CPAP and I took it out to our RV to see how many DC amps are used by the CPAP.
The CPAP she has is a Panasonic Respironics System One Series 60 CPAP with an integrated humidifier. We do not have the heated hose option which would draw even more power.

These measurements were taken from my Trimetrics battery monitor and the CPAP is connected to a cigarette lighter outlet with the 12V power cord made by Respironics the company which made the CPAP:

0.1A Plugged in, on standy by, not blowing air
1.3A Blowing air at 10cm H2O pressure, humidifier water heater off
5.0A Humidifier water heater on, blowing air at same above pressure

Note the heater in the humidifier is only used to warm the water so air passing over the water will absorb more water so to increase the humidity. It does not significantly warm the air. My wife says amount of humidity is fine with the heater off.

As long as you leave the heater off, the CPAP uses very little power.
Dude
Posts: 368
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:21 pm

Post by Dude »

I was putzing around in my garage and decided to pull apart my old Jump Pack to see if I could fix the light switch for the light and charge it up again and use it.

To my surprise the battery that is exactly the same as the aftermarket Sealed Lead Acid battery I got for my sons PowerWheels. It is marked 12v 18 amp hours :?

I couldn't fix the switch but I pulled the battery out and put it on my regular charger. After a full charge I put my CPAP on it.....and it worked :D . I got 1 full night out of it and I am going to see if I can get a 2nd night out of it. I see no reason why I can't, I did before when it was all inside the jump pack. Then I will see how my CPAP works on the PowerWheels battery. If it works, which I think it will, I will have 2 batteries to dry camp with!!

No I am baffled by the 18ah. Obviously my 5amp number that I found is incorrect. Unless where I got it included the use of the humidifier....which I don't use while camping. The 1.3 amp number that Bill gave me seems to be the number. 1.3amp x 8 hours = 10.4 amp hours x 2 nights = 20.8 amp hours. How did I get 2 full nights plus some leftover juice on an 18ah battery?
Matt
1989 26 foot Rear Side Bed
al1florida

Post by al1florida »

The sealed battery you are using for the jump pack is a deep cycle battery, just like the ones we use in the RV for dry camping. It is just a lot smaller.

Keep in mind for the best life of the battery you shouldn't discharge it more than 50%, which would equate to about one nights usage.

I'm guessing your CPAP uses less than 1.3 amps as long as the humidifier heater is off. That would account for getting two nights usage from one 18AH battery.
Dude
Posts: 368
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:21 pm

Post by Dude »

So the SLA battery from the jump pack let me sleep for 9 hours the first night and 5 hours the next night. I guess it is loosing some of its power.....it is a few years old. I have to grab the one out of my sons PowerWheels and see what a brand new battery does.

I know about the 50% discharge rule. I may pick up a meter or something so I can test it.
Matt
1989 26 foot Rear Side Bed
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