Home medical equipment and devices are becoming common with the aging population. People suffering from lifelong diseases or needing medical assistance at home for time being, use such equipment to lead a good life.
The home medical equipment can range from a simple blood pressure monitor to a more critical equipment like oxygen concentrator. All of these equipment need electrical power to function. Considering the dependence on these equipment, power outages can be a nightmare.
If you’re managing a patient at home with support of different home medical equipment, you should have a reliable battery backup. It will keep the devices running during power outages and ensure optimal patient care.
This blog will help you choose a reliable battery backup for your home medical equipment. It gives you a fair insight into what makes the best battery backup. You’ll also get to explore an expert’s guide on selecting the best battery backup.
What is the best home battery backup?
Home battery backups are judged on their features and efficiency. There are multiple home battery backup systems available in the market, and differentiating the best can be a daunting task. If you’re looking for a home battery backup, especially for medical equipment, check the following factors:
Battery Technology
The efficiency of battery backup relies on battery technology. The batteries are broadly categorized as lithium-ion and lead-acid. Both have their merits and demerits, but lithium-ion is a preferred option. They have higher efficiency (up to 90%) and durability. You can find nickel-manganese-cobalt, lithium polymer and lithium iron phosphate batteries in this category.
EPS/UPS Feature
Next critical factor that makes a battery backup best for medical equipment is the EPS/UPS feature. It allows automatic transfer of load to battery backup during power outage. Your equipment will keep on running. Most battery backup systems have this feature, but one with lowest transfer time is preferable.
Multi-recharge
For enhanced reliability, the battery backup should have a multi-recharge facility. In case there’s a long-term power disconnection due to any reason, you can recharge the system with other sources like solar power. It makes the system much more reliable and efficient.
Control and Monitoring
The battery backup should provide remote control and monitoring for convenience. When using battery backup for medical equipment, you should keep on checking battery levels, charging status, and other stats. If the system offers smart connectivity, you can have access to the data on your mobile phone.
Portable Power Stations as Battery Backup for Home Medical Equipment
Portable power stations are becoming increasingly popular for use as battery backup for home medical equipment. They’re a 360-degree power solution that operate independently from grid supply and offer convenience of indoor and outdoor use. You can charge them and use them as needed. Most power stations have expandable capacity, you can add more battery packs for growing power needs.
Compared to other battery backups, portable power stations have better features. You can connect them with your mobile phone for convenient monitoring and control. While other systems only recharge on solar or grid supply, you can recharge power stations with multiple sources, even car generators. All these features may not make them the best for you, let’s compare pros and cons for a clearer picture.
|
PROS |
CONS |
|
Portable power stations are easy-to-carry and use both indoors and outdoors |
The power output of portable power stations is limited |
|
Portable power stations have hi-tech features like EPS, remote control and monitoring, etc. |
You may experience compatibility issues when using a portable power station with other devices. |
|
The safety in portable power stations is the best. There are no electrical hazards, open wiring, etc. |
Portable power stations don’t last a lifetime, the battery packs deplete over time. |
|
Portable power stations offer plug-and-play usage, and don’t require dedicated electrical installations. |
The costs of some portable power stations may be higher than other power solutions. |
|
These are an eco-friendly solution, highly reliable, and sustainable. |
You may face slow recharge when using power sources like car generators. |
Guide to Choosing the Battery Backup for Home Medical Equipment
There are numerous factors that you must be mindful of when choosing a battery backup for home medical equipment. This guide explains each factor in detail, don’t miss out.
Medical Equipment Compatibility
The power backup must be compatible with the medical equipment. You can check and compare the output ratings of backup with the input rating of your medical equipment. The specifications include voltages, amperes, and wattages. In case, the output of battery backup is not according to ratings of the equipment, it will not run and can malfunction.
Backup Capacity
You should calculate your required power capacity to run all your medical equipment. Also account for additional devices that you may run on the battery backup. The battery capacity is in kilo-watt-hours (kWh), you can calculate the total required kWh by multiplying the power rating of equipment in kilowatts (KW) with expected hours of usage. For example, a 200W CPAP machine running eight hours a day will need 1.6 kWh of battery backup.
Other Features
The EPS/UPS feature is critical when selecting a battery backup for home medical equipment. It keeps the backup on standby and enables automatic turn on and off during power outages. You should also consider other features like bluetooth/Wi-Fi connectivity, multi-recharge, etc as per your needs. Don’t go for ‘the more the better’ options, it will increase the costs of the system that may not be fruitful.
3 Best Battery Backup Power for Home Medical Equipment
BLUETTI offers the best battery backup for home medical equipment. It has brought a portability revolution with its advanced portable power solutions. The BLUETTI is competing in the market with superior quality, hi-tech features, and competitive prices. Let’s check out experts-recommended BLUETTI power backups for home medical equipment:
BLUETTI AC200L Portable Power Station
The BLUETTI AC200L Portable Power Station is a next-level portable power solution for home medical equipment. It has 2,048Wh capacity to run most of the medium-sized medical equipment like patient monitor, CPAP machines, etc. The capacity is expandable up to 4,096Wh to add more hours of use. The battery backup has blazing fast charging speed, it can charge up to 80% within 45 minutes.
The power station has a multi recharge facility with a whopping 1200 W solar input range. It comes with LiFePO4 battery packs with high efficiency, durability, and longevity. The EPS feature is enabled with a 20-ms shift time. You can control and monitor the power station via smart BLUETTI mobile application. Overall the power station is lightweight with sleek design.
BLUETTI AC300 + B300 Home Battery Backup
BLUETTI AC300 + B300 Home Battery Backup is a high capacity power solution with expandable capacity of 24,576Wh. It can run your entire home along with the medical equipment. The system provides uninterruptible power supply for emergency backup. It supports dual-charging (solar + grid supply) for fast recharge. The system comes with advanced LiFePO4 battery technology for longevity and durability.
The system seamlessly connects over Wi-Fi/bluetooth for easy control and monitoring. It has a LCD display for manual control. You can provide up to 2400W solar input for recharging and complete independence from grid supply.
BLUETTI EP500Pro Solar Power Station
BLUETTI EP500Pro Solar Power Station is the ultimate power solution for home medical equipment. It has a highly portable design with a wheelbase for easy maneuverability. The system comes with a 5120Wh powered by advanced LiFePO4 battery packs. For added reliability, the power station has in-grid EPS Mode & Flexible EPS Mode, you don’t need to worry about sudden power outages any longer.
The BLUETTI EP500Pro Solar Power Station keeps you in control with Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity. You can check charging status, battery levels, and other stats on mobile applications. You can also use the device indoors and outdoors.
Do I Need Emergency Battery Backup Power?
Imagine moving a low-mobility patient using a mobility assistance device and a sudden power outage occurs. It can create a difficult situation for both patient and the caregiver. If you’re managing a patient at your home and using medical equipment, you must have a backup power. The dependence on medical equipment is high, a power outage can risk the patient’s health. It can lead to an emergency situation and you can avoid it with power backup.
The power outages happen from time-to-time, there can be numerous reasons like electrical failures, rough weather conditions, etc. A battery backup will keep on running the medical equipment uninterrupted.
Final Thoughts
Managing a patient at home requires effort and planning to avoid any inconvenience. The patient’s health and wellbeing is of utmost priority. Even a short-lived power outage can disturb your routine and adversely affect patient care. You must have a good home battery backup to ensure optimal care. What’s more crucial is the reliability and efficiency of power backup, it should be enough to meet your requirements.
This blog covered every aspect of battery backup for home medical equipment. You have the right information to select the best battery backup. Don’t miss out the crucial factors like capacity, standby feature, and more when choosing a battery backup. Explore our recommended options and select the system that best suits your needs. Signing off!
