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TURN OFF the Heated Tube and if possible turn off or remove the Heated Humidifier to maximize life on any CPAP Battery.
The Portable Outlet 160UPS and PO160UPSv2 (159Wh) CPAP Batteries were developed, because the existing 99 watt CPAP batteries failed to power a CPAP for at least 6 to 8 hours. The Portable Outlet 160UPSv2 has been tested with 3B Medical, Fisher & Paykel, iBreeze, Luna, ResMed, and Respironics brands of Auto CPAP and we have achieved an average of 8-10 hours of use, with the humidifier set at low temperature setting, with the heated tube turned off, with pressures between 4cmH20 and 15cmH20 in Auto CPAP mode. Popular Travel CPAPs achieve 12 to 14 hours of run time with similar pressure settings. The Auto CPAPs we tested were connected to a water column manometer while usage was timed.
Over the past 3 years we have received feedback from CPAP users and have learned that battery life varied in actual patient use because of the following conditions: 1) Use of a Heated Tube 2) Use of Humidifiers with varied settings 3) Undocumented Mask Leaks 4) Use of pressure dropping modes during exhalation (C-Flex & EPR)
To maximize battery life we recommend that you turn off your heated tubing, and when possible turn down or turn off your heated humidifier and C-Flex or EPR (pressure dropping modes during exhalation).
Watch the videos on the bottom of this page to learn how to maximize battery life
1) Turn OFF the Heated Tube, or replace it with a non-heated tube: Heated tubes were developed to stop re-condensation from occurring in a CPAP Tube. This sometimes happens in cold bedrooms, where the warm moist air will turn into water droplets inside the 6' length of tube from the CPAP Heated Humidifier to the CPAP Mask. Because most insurance companies cover the cost for a Heated Tube, providers will usually include a Heated Tube with the CPAP device, but a Heated Tube may not be necessary. Most CPAP users have a standard tube and do not experience tube "rain-out".
The use of a heated tube in the CPAP or BiPAPs "Auto" or "Climate Control" heat settings can raise the tube temperature and heated humidifier to the maximum levels. This is an additional use of power and will drain your CPAP battery faster. The easiest solutions are to: - Turn OFF the Heated Tube, or - Replace the Heated Tube with a Standard Tube
2) Turn down, turn OFF, or REMOVE the Heated Humidifier: Heated Humidifiers add moisture to Continuous Posititive Airway Pressure, but they are not always necessary. The best way to maximize battery life is to turn down, turn off, or remove the heated humidifier. Many CPAP patients do not need heated humidification in situations that they are using a CPAP Battery. In many cases they do not need Heated Humidification and still sleep comfortably: - By just adding water without the heat turned on or with the heat at a low level - When they are using a Full Face Mask - When they are sleeping outside, or camping - When they are on an airplane - When they are sleeping in an environment without air conditioning, or with the heat or a/c turned off
Since about 2005, the most popular brands of CPAP and BiPAP have sold with optional integrated humidifiers. However most CPAP users have never tried to sleep without using a humidifier. Prior to 2005 most CPAP patients used their therapy without heated humidification. Some have been using CPAP without humidification simply because at one time or another their CPAP ran out of water, they did not refill their humidifier and they realized they do not need heated humidification. Either way, you will maximize battery life by turning off the heat or lowering the temperature setting on your heated humidifier.
3) Fix mask leaks: One of our top resellers had a patient who went from only a few hours sleep, to a full 8 hours sleepon their Portable Outlet by simply changing their mask. The device and accompaning app did not show a leak. The pateint never realized that they had a mask leak. But the waveform data reports showed that the patient was having massive leaks above 20L/Minute. Most CPAPs, AutoCPAPs and Bi-Level PAPs compensate for mask leaks by increasing pressure. This sometimes leads to rapid loss of humidifier water. But the increased pressure that compensates for leaks can unecessarily drain your battery life. By replacing your leaking CPAP mask or possibly changing a nasal or nasal pillow mask to a full face mask, you can stop mask leaks and achieve better battery life.
4) When possible, lower or turn off pressure dropping modes (C-Flex or EPR): In addition to turning off the heated tube and heated humidifier, turning off the C-Flex or EPR will extend battery life. The use of the EPR (Exhale Pressure Relief), drops the pressure on exhalation as much as 3cmH20 (from 14cmH20 to 11cmh20). That shifting of pressure from 14cmH20 to 11cmH20 on every breath (on average about 14 breaths per minute) would happen about 840 times an hour, over 6,000 times in a 8 hour period. Again, the shifting from inspiratory pressure to expiratory pressure, nearly a thousand times an hour, will also drain the battery faster than without using C-Flex of EPR.
Consult your prescribing physician about lowering or turning off your C-Flex or EPR to extend battery life.
Watch these videos to turn off your heated tube and heated humidifier to maximize battery life
1a) REMOVE the Heated Tube and Humidifier Tub on the Resmed Airsense 10 and AirCurve 10 Autoset, CPAP & VPAP The best way to maximize battery life is to turn down, turn off, or remove the heated humidifier. This video shows you how to turn off the heated humidifier system without attempting to adjust any setting on the Airsense or Aircurve 10 models. Simply removed the Humidifier Tub and replace it with the Resmed A10 Sidecover.
1b) Turn OFF the Heated Tube and Heated Humidifier on the Resmed Airsense 10 and AirCurve 10 Autoset, CPAP & VPAP
2a) REMOVE the Heated Humidifier on the Respironics DreamStation AutoPAP, BiPAP & CPAP Just having the Heated Humidifier attached to the flow generator with the heated tube and humdifier off can unnecessarily drain the battery as current travels from the PAP device to the humidifier. Simply remove the Humidifier and connect the CPAP tube to the back of the PAP device.
2b) Turn OFF the Heated Tube and Heated Humidifier on the Respironics DreamStation Auto PAP, BiPAP & CPAP
3) REMOVE the Heated Tube and Humidifier on the Resmed S9 Autoset, CPAP & VPAP The best way to maximize battery life is to turn down, turn off, or remove the heated humidifier. This video shows you how to remove the heated humidifier system without attempting to adjust any setting on the Resmed S9 Autoset, VPAP or CPAP models. Just having the Heated Humidifier attached to the flow generator with the heated tube and humdifier off can unnecessarily drain the battery as current travels from the PAP device to the Humidifier. Simply remove the Humidifier and connect a non-heated CPAP tube to the side of the PAP device.
4) Turn OFF the Heated Tube and Heated Humidifier on the Respironics System One Auto PAP, BiPAP & CPAP
