Building a Small System for camping off grid.
- Thread starter Bongerscc
- Start date
HarryN
Solar Enthusiast
I am pretty sure that there are adapters to run those CPAPs directly off of a battery without the need for the 120 vac inverter aspect.
That brings your cost down to battery, solar charge controller and panels of your choice.
You don't really have all that much time during the day to charge the batteries, so for a fast charging battery, something like a lifeline AGM marine battery will work or you can go LiFe.
If you are really dependent on it, then something close to 600 watts of panels minimum and ~ 2 x 100 amp-hr batteries.
That is one of the big challenges with camping with those small trucks - not much room for solar and batteries.
If you set your solar panels up sort of like a ladder so that some are facing morning and some afternoon, then you could use a controller like a bogart engineering PWM setup as it can handle 30 amps.
That brings your cost down to battery, solar charge controller and panels of your choice.
You don't really have all that much time during the day to charge the batteries, so for a fast charging battery, something like a lifeline AGM marine battery will work or you can go LiFe.
If you are really dependent on it, then something close to 600 watts of panels minimum and ~ 2 x 100 amp-hr batteries.
That is one of the big challenges with camping with those small trucks - not much room for solar and batteries.
If you set your solar panels up sort of like a ladder so that some are facing morning and some afternoon, then you could use a controller like a bogart engineering PWM setup as it can handle 30 amps.
Bob B
Emperor Of Solar
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2019
- Messages
- 8,645
I don't know anything about that one, but at first glance, it looks like it can be used in a series and parallel configuration for future expansion.
Maybe someone will see it who has experience .... if you get more serious about it, maybe start another thread with the name of that battery in the title and see if anyone has any info.
If it is a good battery, it will give you much more capacity than the lead battery with much less weight.
I have seen some Cpap threads on here, but haven't paid much attention to how much they draw overnight ..... If yours can be powered straight from 12V like HarryN says, that would be the way to go .... just gotta make sure you have enough battery and solar capacity.
SoggyShoes
New Member
@Bongerscc if all you want is to take some pre-charged batteries with you to power you CPAP, then just get a 12v DC charger for your AirSense 11 and a 12v socket that you can directly hook up to a spare battery. This will cost about $50 plus the battery and whatever you need to charge the battery at home.
I have an AirSense 11 and have been using this adapter from Amazon for over a year when camping, in car, and in the RV. It works great (https://www.amazon.com/FLGAN-Charger-AirSense-R390-7230-Machines/dp/B0BHW7KY37).
Then get a 12v socket like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08D1XS411.
Hook this directly to a 12v battery, plug in your CPAP, and you are ready to sleep safe and sound!
You can get a multiple 12v socket receiver in case you need to run a second CPAP
, charge a phone, or run a 12v cooler. It would be easy to get more batteries and wire them in parallel to increase the Amp hours to power more stuff or the stuff you have for longer.
https://www.amazon.com/Cigarette-2-Socket-Splitter-Replacement-Waterproof/dp/B0C4F5842T
https://www.amazon.com/Cigarette-Lighter-Socket-Volt-Outlet/dp/B0B823FZFJ
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGL458WD
I would really encourage you to buy a LiFePO4 (LFP) battery over any other kind. For many reasons:
Combine the battery with the solar and you are on your way. Remember the panels are never as efficient as the label. But you should be able to get at least one hour of CPAP time for each hour the panel has good sun exposure. This would make your system pretty sustainable with good sun exposure.
You also might consider a 12v to 12v DC Lithium charger so you can charge your Lithium batteries when driving or in case of emergency.
Get this so you can go now. Then you can build up the system using the same batteries later.
I have an AirSense 11 and have been using this adapter from Amazon for over a year when camping, in car, and in the RV. It works great (https://www.amazon.com/FLGAN-Charger-AirSense-R390-7230-Machines/dp/B0BHW7KY37).
Then get a 12v socket like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08D1XS411.
Hook this directly to a 12v battery, plug in your CPAP, and you are ready to sleep safe and sound!
You can get a multiple 12v socket receiver in case you need to run a second CPAP
, charge a phone, or run a 12v cooler. It would be easy to get more batteries and wire them in parallel to increase the Amp hours to power more stuff or the stuff you have for longer.https://www.amazon.com/Cigarette-2-Socket-Splitter-Replacement-Waterproof/dp/B0C4F5842T
https://www.amazon.com/Cigarette-Lighter-Socket-Volt-Outlet/dp/B0B823FZFJ
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGL458WD
I would really encourage you to buy a LiFePO4 (LFP) battery over any other kind. For many reasons:
- Lithium batteries run until they shut off. A lead acid battery will drop in voltage (kind of fade out) which won't be good for the CPAP.
- Lead acid also only let you use half the stated charge so they really are not the savings they appear to be at first.
- Lithium batteries weigh less than half as much as lead acid batteries. Combine this with the fact that lead acid batteries can only use half their capacity, then per usable capacity were are talking 25% of the weight.
- Lithium batteries last 10 times the cycles of a lead battery.
- If stored properly, Lithium batteries lose about 1% of capacity percent a month. Where stores the same a lead acid battery can lose up to 1% a day.
- Lithium don't have the off gassing a lead acid battery has.
- A lithium battery you buy now can be used later if you decide to build up a system later (like add solar or an inverter).
Combine the battery with the solar and you are on your way. Remember the panels are never as efficient as the label. But you should be able to get at least one hour of CPAP time for each hour the panel has good sun exposure. This would make your system pretty sustainable with good sun exposure.
You also might consider a 12v to 12v DC Lithium charger so you can charge your Lithium batteries when driving or in case of emergency.
Get this so you can go now. Then you can build up the system using the same batteries later.
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