Anyone experienced with CPAP; Batteries; Inverters...

I use a Cobra 200 watt inverter like this


it works fine to power my Devilbiss Intellipap, however it sometimes would fail to power my Fisher & Paykel Icon machine. Now I have a generator and a larger (1500 watt) inverter, so I can power any sleep machine easily.

The sleep machine should not discharge your batteries under normal use. If you are powering your sleep machine, computer, lights, fridge, etc... you would be advised to start the truck every 4 hours or so and run for 1/2 hour or longer. and make sure you have a 4 battery system to begin with, 3 batteries doesn't cut it when generating power while the engine is off.

 

There is some legal requirement that your company allow you to idle all you want with a CPAP machine. A driver at Arnold has a cpap and the company was required to remove the anti idle stuff on the truck. Legaly they have to provide "reasonable accommodation" to you which involves allowing you to idle all you want or providing an apu for you.

 

SNI was like that. Had a raised allowed idle. then they installed ambient temp sensors to restrict idle. What they came up with was a portable batt system that uses a 300 watt pure sine wave inverter plugged in via 12v(blows fuses and the cheap plug end they bought) battery charger and 12v car battery with a 12v outlet with batt clips to use the cpap. with. All contained in a very thick and durable ripstop fabric tool bag

If a couple of the accesory (12v cord for inverter and the 12v plug with clips) components were better made and some thought by the engineers on amps and such this is a very good system otherwise. I have been a cpap message board and this set up is used with success by people there. My opinion the inverter should be hard wired, just have to be careful with on/off switch when truck is shut down.

Problem I have run into is the charging in the truck due to cheap accessory components.. Not recommended charging in a closed space according to the manuals. I would suggest everything above but charge at home or via alternate A/C power source.


regardless your company must accommodate the cpap in some fashion, not necessarily allowing "all you want idle". If your truck has good batteries , you shouldnt have an issue using cpap while bunk heater is on anyway. Just be careful about Cpap humidifier use. adds to the discharge rate.

 

I use a bpap and my company said they would hard wire an inverter but they want a doctors note stating I need my machine while im on the road even though I gave them all the medical paperwork stating I had to sleep with it at least 4 hours a night....its hard to get a doctors appointment and be able to make it while trucking....

I use a plug in inverter and it works ok most of the time but when im running the bunk heater my inverter gets voltage drops and my machine cuts in and out, I have thought about various ideas to improve my situation but havent done any of them as of yet. One thing I have considered that I read some others have done was to get a jump starter with a built in inverter, I read one person gets 3-4 days running their cpap off a single charge so I might get me one this next week when I get paid. They also make 12v adapters you can buy for your cpap machine plus the portable batteries you can recharge so there are options.

If I get the jump starter I will give my review on results with it

this is the one im thinking about getting, it has a built in 200 watt continuous and 400 peak inverter.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Schumacher-Electric-6-in-1-Jump-Starter/25955544

 

My company allows me to use no more than 400 watt inverter. They also have a circuit isolated just for my machine. Cabt idle because my 2014 Freightliner has a safety device that shuts the truck down after 5 mins of idoling.

 

Can't you call the doctor and have them fax a letter stating that you have to have the machine? It does not make sense that they would ask for a letter anyways due to you have all medical forms. If you have a cpap machine I think they would understand that it has to be used all the time.

 

yeah thats what I said, the problem with my doctor is she is a pain in my arse, she wants to see me before she even approves for my prescriptions on the machine or a letter, half the time it takes over a month to even set an appointment and as a trucker you know its hard to get a set day off in a month