How to Power CPAP While Camping? [7 Tips]

According to Forbes, there are more than 8 million CPAP users spread out across the U.S. Additionally, the 2021 North American Camping Report, shows that more than 86 million U.S. households consider themselves campers. 

If you happen to be adventurous and one of those 8 million people struggling with obstructive sleep apnea, this article is for you. 

We will unveil 7 tips to camping with sleep apnea and how you can prepare for using a CPAP while out under the stars.

Disclaimer: (The material contained on this website is for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.)

7 Tips to camping with a CPAP machine

1. Plan accordingly

The first step to camping successfully with your CPAP machine is planning accordingly. It would be best to consider all the components you'll need to use your CPAP machine efficiently. According to Healthline, a CPAP machine comes with the following components:

• a motor housed in a base unit
• a cushioned mask
• a tube that connects the motor to the mask
• a headgear frame
• “elbow” pieces that act as joints
• adjustable straps that allow you to customize the fit of the device

Make sure you bring all these components. Lastly, in order to camp with a CPAP machine, you will need a cpap battery for camping. If you are not camping electricity, this is where your solar generator will come in. Make sure to bring it. 

2. Charge that battery

This is incredibly important if you aim to power your CPAP machine with your solar generator.

A solar generator without a charge is pretty much useless. We recommend charging your solar generator at home before going on your camping trip. Depending on the model of solar generator you use, you could have up to 40 hours or more of usage time if you have a fully charged solar generator.

3. Bring an extra long hose

At home, you can optimize your CPAP setup to your heart's desire, thanks to the convenient placement of electrical outlets.

However, when camping outdoors, you will often have to rely on power outlets not placed as conveniently as you are used to.

We recommend bringing along an extra long hose to connect your CPAP machine to your face to combat this. This will allow you the best chance to stay connected should your CPAP machine need to be placed further away from you in order to connect to the power.

4. Keep your CPAP clean and dry

This is unlikely to come as a surprise, but CPAP devices are made to be used indoors. Meaning they can not get wet. If they do, the electronics inside will likely be fried, rendering your machine useless.

Just like all electronics, make sure you keep your CPAP machine clean and dry.

5. Have a backup plan

Remember, should your CPAP machine stop working at night, you can still breathe room air, even with the mask on. However, when it comes to running out of battery during the night, it may make sense to have a backup solar generator to use in this case. 

Even though this is highly unlikely to happen should you be camping in sunny conditions/with one of our higher capacity generators, you never know. In this case, bringing one of our smaller solar generators as a backup could prove handy. 

We recommend the EB3A for this purpose. If fully charged, it will power your CPAP machine for 9 hours. 

6. Try to avoid humidity

"High ambient relative humidity will be associated with a lower apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) than low ambient relative humidity in patients with mild OSA." /  "Can you use a CPAP without the humidifier or water chamber? CPAP machines are usable without a humidifier or water chamber. The machine will continue to disperse dry air to your mask. If you are in a humid environment, you may find that a humidifier is not necessary."

7. Take a test run at home

As with most mechanics, it is always best to test out your system at home before trying it outdoors. Imagine you are not capable of successfully using your CPAP machine with your solar generator at home. How in the world will you get it to work in the wilderness?

We recommend recreating real-world scenarios that you are likely to experience well camping.

For example, try testing out your extended hose. Place your CPAP machine further away from you and connect it to your solar generator.

How does the whole setup feel? Perhaps you also want to test the discharge rate to see how long your CPAP machine will work with your particular solar generator model.

Powering your CPAP machine with Bluetti solar generators: 

Below we have created a table that shows you how long each Bluetti solar generator model is capable of powering a standard CPAP machine: 

Final thoughts

Camping with CPAP machines in the past proved very difficult, if not impossible should there be no easily accessible power outlet. 

However, in 2022, solar generators have made many complex off-grid tasks possible, such as powering your CPAP machine. 

Your top priority when preparing to camp with your CPAP machine should be choosing the correct sized solar generator. 

If all you need power for is your CPAP machine, then we recommend either our EB55 or EB70S cpap battery for camping. Both these machines will power your CPAP for 2 or more nights (depending on the model you choose). 

This will mean at 100% charge, you are guaranteed at least 2 nights worth of CPAP usage should you choose not recharge your solar generator during the day.