Running generator all night - Cpap

[2oldman]

Last night around 10pm I heard a generator fire up. Took a stroll and found it about 300 feet away. No problem for me as I could barely hear anything in bed. Got up during the night and opened the door and could hear it still running. My guess was a Cpap.

Yep, talked to the owner this morning and that's what it was for. Thank goodness it's a Honda and I was not parked next to him. I politely suggested he needs to get an inverter and more batteries. He had no idea what an inverter is.

He was real nice about it, her, not so much. I guess I'm kind of amazed anyone goes to a campground expecting to run a generator all night for any reason.

[ReneeG]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Most CPAP machines have an optional 12VDC power supply. No need for inverter.

Two 6V golf cart batteries would work well.

The 12V connector would work well if you have one. Our FW does not, so we have to turn on our inverter so it can be plugged in to the outlets that run off the inverter and 6V batteries.

[2oldman]

ferndaleflyer wrote:
I go to lots of race tracks where the only power is what you bring with you

That's a whole different story from a campground with generator rules.

[2oldman]

Janss wrote:
Do you know why they had to use their generator when there are hookups?

The hookups are in another area.

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Most CPAP machines have an optional 12VDC power supply.

He didn't know that either. And he only carries one battery. Not exactly well-prepared for dry camping.

Fresno Tundra Driver wrote:
When she said "well, we just won't come back here anymore." did you say thank you?

LOL. Felt like asking her if they go to other campgrounds and get away with this.

valhalla360 wrote:
it's not worth getting excited.

I'm always excited about helping a fellow camper to learn a better way to do things.

[Fresno_Tundra_D]

When she said "well, we just won't come back here anymore." did you say thank you?

[valhalla360]

With ADA rules, they will have a tough time prohibiting it.

But heck, if you couldn't hear it anyway, why complain. The new inverter generators under light load (and cpap would be a light load even for a small generator) make so little noise, it's not worth getting excited.

[time2roll]

2oldman wrote:
He was real nice about it, her, not so much. I guess I'm kind of amazed anyone goes to a campground expecting to run a generator all night for any reason.

You were infringing on her freedom. "Don't Tread on Me"

[theoldwizard1]

Most CPAP machines have an optional 12VDC power supply. No need for inverter.

Two 6V golf cart batteries would work well.

[ferndaleflyer]

I have never boondocked so my first thoughts were where is the electric. I go to lots of race tracks where the only power is what you bring with you. Many times I have ran my gen for 5 days and nights without ever turning it off but it is a super quiet 7500 diesel Onan. Many times I have been near someone with one of those things that don't even have a muffler and its not fun but I accept it as mine is running to.

[Janss]

Do you know why they had to use their generator when there are hookups? Maybe their electric cord or the campsite post was damaged?

My spouse uses a 12v cord (when no hookups), which people on this forum have indicated uses less power (or more efficient) than running the cpap with an inverter.

[ReneeG]

dedmiston wrote:
This battery isn't cheap, but it will run your machine for a few nights on a single charge if you turn off your humidifier and heated hose. Or if you have an inverter but it isn't pure sine, you can plug in the battery to charge and run your machine (including heated hose and humidifier) off the battery for cleaner power. It will supply power to the cpap and charge at the same time.

Thanks for the feedback and product link. It's always good to have extra information.

[dedmiston]

This battery isn't cheap, but it will run your machine for a few nights on a single charge if you turn off your humidifier and heated hose. Or if you have an inverter but it isn't pure sine, you can plug in the battery to charge and run your machine (including heated hose and humidifier) off the battery for cleaner power. It will supply power to the cpap and charge at the same time.

[2oldman]

Tiger4x4RV wrote:
Does your neighbor have the right to run his generator all night for CPAP? Possibly, maybe even probably.

I imagine he would have said that if so. The ranger comes through often, if I happen to see him I'll ask if there is an exemption for that. This campground has full hookups too, so there's that.

Judging by the wife's comment of "well, we just won't come back here anymore", I kinda doubt they have an exemption.

Exemption or not, I'd be moving if that was next door to my bedroom. There are plenty of other solutions besides a generator.

[Tiger4x4RV]

I remember somewhere in the dim past seeing something exempting necessary medical devices from the generator time rules. Can't find this info right now.

I'm not intending to whine here, but just display the situation of a medical device user. I've been a CPAP user since 2013. Without the CPAP, I can get almost no sleep. My RV does not have a generator or solar. (Yes, it could have those, but I had it without them long before I got the CPAP.) I have spent quite a bit to be able to run the CPAP in the RV. My insurer pays the full cost of CPAP equipment for home, but would not pay for the 12V cord made by the CPAP manufacturer or for the small lithium power packs which I sometimes use when running low on 12V coach battery power. Their latest trick was to issue me a new CPAP machine for home, which requires more power than my current RV system or portable packs can reasonably supply. My old CPAP still works, so I use it in the RV but now have to pay out of pocket for any supplies or repairs for it.

Does your neighbor have the right to run his generator all night for CPAP? Possibly, maybe even probably. I'm not sure if this issue might come under rules on access for persons with disabilities. A CPAP is a necessary medical device. It's not like he was running the generator to play computer games and watch movies.

That said, I think that we medical device users need to do our best to be considerate neighbors in camp. Night noise is not considerate.

Will campgrounds come up with quiet and not so quiet area divisions? Or electrical hookups for medical device users? Time will tell.

[ReneeG]

Yes, my hubby now has to use a CPAP and thankfully we have a bank of 6v deep cycles and inverter due to having a solar system. When we have electricity, no problem, but can use the batteries and inverter otherwise. He was told by the CPAP tech to turn off the heater/humidifier on the machine to save on power on the batteries.