Best Portable Generator for CPAP
According to Bob Wilkins, the CEO of SoClean, there are over 8 million CPAP users in the USA. And the number is likely to increase by 8 to 9% annually. Experiencing a power blackout amid the night is one of the worst nightmares for any CPAP user. How about if you are going camping in an area with no connection to the main grid? Whether you are worried about losing power at night or need power for your CPAP machine while on the go, you need a portable power solution. Investing in the best portable generator for CPAP is your best solution.
However, there are many brands of portable generators for Continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) machines in the market today. While many brands come with different features which influence their performance, every manufacturer claims theirs to be the best. This can make your shopping experience challenging, especially when buying it for the first time. But with the right shopping guide for the best portable generator for CPAP, your shopping experience can be seamless. This article will provide you with the necessary information to help you make a rational decision when buying a portable generator for your CPAP machine.
What is a CPAP Machine?
If you are reading about CPAP machines for the first time, CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. It is a machine used for treating people suffering from apnea disorders. This is a condition that interrupts your normal breathing when your airways or throat is temporarily blocked.
As a remedy, the CPAP machine ensures a continuous flow of oxygen to your mouth and nose as you’re sleeping. This steady flow of oxygen keeps your airways open, ensuring your breathing is normal.
When Do You Need a Portable Generator for Your CPAP?
A reliable portable generator for powering your CPAP machine can save your life. Here are scenarios where you will need a portable generator for a CPAP machine;
When there is a power outage:
Power blackout can occur any time of the day or night. While the first two to five minutes of a blackout may not be alarming, it can be troubling when it lasts for hours. This is one of the instances you’ll need to invest in the best portable generator for CPAP. If you’re suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, you still need to enjoy a peaceful rest even when there’s a power outage.
While camping:
Do you love camping or RVing but wondering about your apnea condition? You don’t have to power your CPAP device via your car’s battery; instead, get a dependable portable generator for CPAP.
While in transit:
Sometimes, you may need to undertake a long train journey or flight. Taking a nap during such trips is sometimes inevitable, and you may not have a wall socket to plug in your CPAP machine. Carrying a portable generator for your CPAP will give you a peaceful nap.
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Our Best Portable Generator for CPAP Machines
Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station
It is one of the best portable generator options for running a CPAP machine. It can handle CPAP machines in the range of 12V to 30V. If used to only power a CPAP machine, this generator can run one for about 40 hours. This runtime translates to about 5 nights should you decide only to use it when sleeping at night. The number of nights will depend on how many hours you will be powering your CPAP machine.
This model has both AC and DC power outlets. This feature allows you to power even two CPAP machines as long as they are within their power output range. It also features three USB ports for convenient charging of Smart handheld devices such as smartphones and cameras. So when you are out there camping, you don’t have to worry about recharging your phone, tablet, or camera; utilize the USB ports. The device has a starting power capacity of 1000 watts and a running power wattage of 500W.
This portable power station produces clean and stable power for the safety of your sensitive appliances, including your CPAP machine. This generator has a 518Wh (watt-hour) lithium-ion battery size, which can run several devices in its range simultaneously.
Jackery Explorer 500 has an LCD that shows the power input and output and the battery status. With this feature, it becomes easy to monitor the status of this generator when it is running.
You can recharge the 518Wh lithium-ion battery in three different ways;
How long the battery will take to recharge fully will depend on your charging medium. Charging it via an AC wall socket takes the shortest time of about 7.5 hours.
Using Jackery SolarSaga 100 watts solar panel (bought separately) will require around 9.5 hours to recharge under full sunlight fully. Charging it via the carport takes the longest time of about 16 hours, for the 518Wh battery to attain full charge. The battery charging cable is included in your purchase of this portable power station.
This model weighs about 13.3 pounds. Its lightweight nature and compact design make it a must-have power solution to wherever you want to go.
Aeiusny Portable Solar Generator Review
Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles.
Aeiusny Portable Solar Generator
The Aeiusny 288WH Portable Solar Generator is too big for a daily carry, but it’s a fantastic choice for any situation where a more convenient source of power won’t be available. With its pure sine wave inverter, it’s even suitable for sensitive medical equipment like CPAP machines.
Aeiusny Portable Solar Generator
Aeiusny bills this unit as a portable solar generator, but it’s really a large lithium ion battery combined with a pure sine wave inverter and some other hardware. The solar component only comes into play if you buy an additional accessory, but you also have the option to charge it via AC power at home or in your car on the road. It comes with a large assortment of inputs and outputs, a big 288WH battery, and even a bright LED flashlight, making it a great choice for camping, day trips, survival situations, and any time or place where easier access to power isn’t available.
Living in an area known for natural disasters and potentially prolonged power outages, I’m always on the lookout for ways to generate backup electricity without storing gas or propane. And while I didn’t run into any hurricanes during my time with the Aeiusny 288WH Portable Solar Generator, I did put it through its paces over the course of a long weekend, testing charge speed at home and on the road, its ability to keep devices like my phone and laptop charged, and whether that big battery capacity is really all it’s cracked up to be.
Design: Basic and blocky with a faux industrial look
The Aeiusny 288WH Portable Solar Generator is made of hard plastic with a two-tone orange and black look. The notched and corrugated aesthetic gives it a rugged appearance, although the plastic doesn’t feel that tough and actually rings hollow when you tap on it.
The overall form factor is evocative of a lunchbox or a small portable radio, with the main body of the Aeiusny 288WH being blocky and rectangular with a carrying handle attached to the top of the device.
Inputs and outputs are split between the front and rear of the unit. The front has the USB ports, DC ports, an LED lamp, the battery capacity display, and a few switches. On the rear, you’ll find the power inputs, AC outputs, fuse access, and another switch. It’s a fairly clean setup, although there are a few issues with outlet placement that I’ll address later on.
I’m not really convinced that this unit is worksite ready, but that’s not really what it’s for. It isn’t waterproof, and I see no indication that it’s dust proof or resistant either, but I was careful to keep it out of the elements and it held up fine for me.
Initial Setup: complicated than it needs to be
Initial setup is fairly simple, but the instruction manual makes it out to be more complicated than it really is. The manual gives a procedure for connecting the AC power cord, and then says you have to turn on the AC output switch. In practice, the unit will charge just fine with that switch off, as indicated by the charge light.
If you want to use this unit as a UPS, then you do need to switch the AC output switch on. This allows you to charge the internal battery, provide power to a device that you want on the battery backup, and then provide emergency power to that device if the power goes out.
Charging the device in your car via the 12V adapter works the same way. Plug the device into a 12V adapter, and it will start charging automatically. However, the device will show a full charge erroneously if the charging voltage is over 12.4V. If that happens, you have to unplug the charger and plug it back in.
Display: Basic but it gets the job done
The Aeiusny 288WH Portable Solar Generator has a red digital display that shows the remaining charge level of the battery. The display only lights up when either the DC or AC output is switched on.
The one issue I ran into with the display is that it shows a different percentage depending on whether you have turned on the DC output or the AC output. For example, at one point the display read 62 percent battery capacity with the AC output switched on, and just 51 percent capacity with the DC output turned on.
Sockets and Ports: Great assortment of inputs and outputs
The Aeiusny 288WH Portable Solar Generator comes with a lot of ports. For inputs, you can choose between AC power, 12V DC, or an optional solar charger. For outputs, you get three power outlets, four USB ports, and four 12V DC ports.
The three-pronged power outlets work great, but they were too close together for some applications. If you need to plug in any wall wart style chargers, for example, you’ll end up blocking one of the outlets.
For the USB ports, you get two 1A and two 2.1A ports, all of which are standard USB-A. There are no high wattage USB-C ports, so I had to pack my Pixel 3 and Nintendo Switch chargers and plug them into the power bank’s traditional outlets to take advantage of high speed charging.
The three-pronged power outlets work great, but I they were too close together for some applications.
The 12V DC barrel connector ports are less likely to see use, because they’re specifically limited to 12V and 3A. It’s a nice feature if you have any devices that can be powered by 12V DC, but you’ll have to find your own barrel connector adapter to take advantage of it.
Battery: Plenty of power and a pure sine wave inverter
The Aeiusny 288WH Portable Solar Generator is too big and bulky to use as a daily carry, but that bulk and weight are the result of a large 288WH lithium ion battery and a high quality pure sine wave inverter. The large battery capacity means you can depend on this unit to provide the power you need for most small electronics, and the pure sine wave inverter means its suitable for sensitive electronics like CPAP machines.
When used over the course of a long weekend away from power, I was able to charge the high capacity battery in my HP Spectre x360 once, keep my Pixel 3 fully charged the whole time, fully charge my Nintendo Switch twice, charge my Kindle that I wisely forgot to charge ahead of time, and even had plenty of juice leftover to run the LED light intermittently at night.
The large battery capacity means you can depend on this unit to provide the power you need for most small electronics, and the pure sine wave inverter means its suitable for sensitive electronics like CPAP machines.
Aeiusny claims you can get a full two nights of CPAP usage out of this unit. I wasn’t able to verify that, since I don’t use a CPAP, but they do recommend you switch off the heater or humidifier function if your CPAP supports those modes due to excessive power consumption.
Keep in mind that this power supply is rated at 500W continuous, which means you can’t use it with anything that draws more than 500W during normal operation. It can handle brief spikes of up to 1,000W, but doing so can create an internal fault and shut the power supply down.
The battery took between seven and eight hours to charge to full in my experience, although the charging method and whether or not you’re powering any devices will change that speed.
Keep in mind that this power supply is rated at 500W continuous, which means you can’t use it with anything that draws more than 500W during normal operation.
Charging Speed: No USB-C fast charging
The Aeiusny 288WH Portable Solar Generator includes four USB charging ports. According to the labels next to the ports, two are capable of putting out 1.0A, and the other two can put out 2.1A. That means your phones and other devices should charge about as fast as they would if you were to use a 1.0 or 2.1A USB charger or plug into a powered USB port in your computer.
In practice, both ports put out the same amperage. When plugged into my Pixel 3, each port provided 1.46A. Other devices that I plugged in all drew between.46 and 1.46A, but none drew more than that.
There are no USB-C fast charging ports, so you have to use the power outlets and pack a charger if you want to take advantage of the fast charging capabilities of any specific device.
Price: Expensive
With an MSRP of 300, the Aeiusny UPS-500AD is an expensive device. It’s far more expensive than most consumer grade battery packs and similarly-sized UPS devices, but you have to take into account the fact that this is a UPS that you can take with you. That gives it some extra utility, since you can use it as a UPS at home for any devices that use less than 500W of power, and then throw it in your truck for a weekend of camping.
It also has a built-in pure sine wave inverter, which is a huge value add. Most battery packs like this provide a dirty, stepped sine wave that can damage some delicate electronics like CPAP machines.
Even with its expensive price tag, the Aeiusny UPS-500AD isn’t that out of line with the competition, and it even provides more features than some similarly-priced battery packs.
The Aeiusny 288WH Portable Generator is expensive, but the value is definitely there to support the price tag.
Aeiusny UPS-500AD vs. Jackery Explorer 240
The Jackery Explorer 240 provides stiff competition for the Aeiusny, with a decent 240WH battery capacity and an MSRP of 249. It’s slightly less expensive than the Aeiusny unit, features a much more robust molded handle, and has nearly the same battery capacity.
In terms of wattage output, the Aeiusny unit outperforms the Jackery significantly. Where the Jackery can only put out 200W continuous and 400W peak, the Aeiusny can handle 500W continuous. The Aeiusny also has more power outlets and more USB ports, offering even more functionality.
This is a great portable UPS if you don’t mind the price tag.
The Aeiusny 288WH Portable Generator is expensive, but the value is definitely there to support the price tag. If you’re looking for a portable UPS that can handle 500W continuous output, and you don’t need a ruggedized commercial or industrial product, this battery pack has everything you need to stay powered up through a long weekend roughing it, or even longer if you buy the optional solar charger.
Can Solar Help Run Your CPAP Machine?
If you or a loved one rely on a CPAP machine at night, you know just how important it is to have a constant source of power. After all, CPAPs are one of those electronics that are absolutely essential. But is it possible to venture off-grid while using a CPAP on solar?
Below we cover everything you need to know about using your CPAP machine on solar, including how much energy they use, how much solar you’ll need, and whether or not it’s even worth trying. Let’s dive in.
What Is a CPAP Machine?
A CPAP machine stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine. It’s typically prescribed to treat sleep apnea disorders. It sends a steady flow of air into your nose and mouth as you sleep. This process helps keep your airways open and prevents any temporary collapses.
CPAP machines typically have a motor that compresses pressurized air. The air then goes through a filter, which then leads to a mask sealed around your nose or mouth (or both). This ensures that you receive plenty of oxygen as you sleep, so you don’t have to wake up throughout the night constantly.
Does a CPAP Machine Use a Lot of Electricity?
In short, no. A CPAP machine uses a very minimal amount of power, which is good news for travelers who want to venture off-grid.
For example, a CPAP that doesn’t use a humidifier uses as little as 30 to 60 watts. This means that it will likely only use about 0.5 kilowatts in eight hours, which is less than half of one 100Ah 12V LiFePO4 deep cycle battery.
CPAPs that come with a humidifier may use as much as 90 watts, but you should still be able to rely on minimal battery power if you’re using a CPAP on solar power.
How to Bring Your CPAP in Your Boat or RV
First and foremost, it’s important to remember that CPAP machines need to be hooked up to a continuous supply of power. This is because virtually all CPAPs rely on plug-in electricity versus their own internal batteries.
Thus, you’ll need some kind of power source next to your bed. If your boat or RV is always plugged into shore power overnight, this simply means plugging into an outlet. However, if you are boondocking without hookups in your RV or anchoring out, you’ll need another source of power.
Depending on your CPAP machine’s power requirements, this might be a 12-volt plug-in or a standard 120-volt outlet connected to an inverter. The inverter will turn your 12V DC power off your house batteries into the 120V AC you need to plug in the CPAP. To recharge your batteries, you will want to use a generator or solar power to replenish your energy reserves.
Can You Run a CPAP Machine on 12-Volt?
Nearly all CPAPs on the market run off of 120-volt outlets. However, 12-volt CPAPs do exist, and they’re usually referred to as “dual voltage” CPAPs. A dual-voltage CPAP can save you quite a bit of energy when compared to converting DC power to AC via an inverter.
It is possible to use an inverter however to run any CPAP on 12V. An inverter converts 12V to 120 or 240V for use by the CPAP. Using an inverter typically ensures a 25% loss. This means a 60-watt CPAP running on an inverter will actually use 75 watts.
Can CPAP Run on Solar?
Yes, a CPAP machine can run off of solar power. However, solar panels aren’t the only equipment you’ll need to ensure your CPAP has a reliable power source.
Obviously, the sun doesn’t shine at night, which is the time of day you will need your CPAP most. Therefore, your panels won’t emit any power when it’s dark. Not only that, but a cloudy day can significantly reduce the amount of power you’re pulling in.
This is why it’s extremely important to have a way to store your solar energy in the form of reliable deep-cycle batteries, such as lithium-ion. Just make sure they’re completely charged before bedtime. Check the state of charge in the morning, and you’ll soon learn exactly how much power you need at night.
Why lithium? Our LiFePO4 batteries are much safer than lead-acid batteries because they don’t produce hazardous gases, among other reasons. Plus, they have Battery Management Systems that prevent potential malfunctions.
LiFePO4 batteries can also recharge much faster than lead acid, and are considered the best solar battery available. They experience nearly 100% discharges (compared to only 50% for lead acid) and are much smaller and lighter. Believe it or not, lithium batteries are much more cost-effective over time, as well.
In fact, their longer lifespans make them four to six times less expensive than their lead-acid counterparts. Choosing lithium is really a no-brainer if you want a reliable source of power for your CPAP machine or other uses.
How Much Solar Power Do I Need to Run My CPAP Machine?
In order to determine how many watts of solar you’ll need for your CPAP machine, check the label on your device. All electronics indicate how much power they use, either in watts or amps. If the power consumption is in amps, simply convert it into watts by multiplying the amps by the volts.
→ Not everyone is an electrician, and you don’t need to be. Here are Amps, Volts, and Watts explained in easy terms!
Once you have the watts, convert them into watt-hours to determine how much power you’ll need from your solar panels. Watt-hours are a way of calculating how long you’ll use your device in a day. It also calculates how much power consumption you’ll use. Therefore, if your CPAP uses approximately 50 watts, multiply this by the number of hours it will run. For examples, 50 x 8 = 400 watt-hours.
To determine how much solar you’ll need, keep in mind that an average 100-watt solar panel will produce about 350 watt-hours per day. Thus, in order to figure out how many panels you need, divide your watt-hours by 350. In this case, 400 / 350 = 1.14. Therefore, you’ll easily be able to power your CPAP off of two 100-watt solar panels.
Keep in mind that this energy is just the energy for the CPAP saved in the batteries. If using other loads you will need more solar panels. Usually, it’s best to double the estimate anyway to make up for some cloudy conditions.
How Much Battery Do I Need To Run My CPAP?
Naturally, the next question is how much battery storage do you need to use that power overnight?
As we discussed above, when figuring out the watt-hour needs of your CPAP you can use that same number to determine how much battery you need to run your machine. If you determined your CPAP needs 400-watt hours, then you can calculate how much battery you need. A 100 amp hour Battle Born Battery has 100Ah x 13V = 1300 Watt Hours capacity. Thus, one 100Ah Battle Born Battery will run this CPAP for 3 nights if fully charged (if running nothing else).
If trying to use a lead acid be sure to estimate a proper watt-hour capacity which will be much less. In Mortons on the Move extensive tests, it was found that most lead-acid batteries produce less than half what one Battle Born can supply depending on cut-off.
Which Size Inverter Is Needed to Run a CPAP?
Most CPAP machines only need an inverter that can support 200 watts. Using a smaller inverter for the small load will be more efficient than a larger one. Of course, if you have other electronics that you’d like to run off your batteries, you might want to consider purchasing a bigger one.
Is Using CPAP on Solar Worth It?
Just because you or a loved one uses a CPAP, it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on off-grid adventures! Exploring off-grid and going without hookups just means factoring in your energy needs. Luckily, it’s entirely possible to power your CPAP with solar and battery power. And it is totally and completely worth it! Sleep soundly knowing your CPAP will have reliable power throughout the night.
How to Power a CPAP When Tent Camping
Most tent campers who use a CPAP use a “portable power station” (also referred to as a battery generator) to power their sleep. They also rely on a fold-up solar-panel to recharge the power station. The two together can be expensive, but as of today, this is by-far the most popular, and the most elegant way to take your CPAP off-grid.
How to Power a CPAP When Tent Camping
Portable power stations are all the rage with tent campers and boondockers. These units have 2 to 4 electrical outlets. They can power your CPAP, a small refrigerator, as well as recharge your electronics, even power travel-sized hair dryers and curling irons. Portable power stations come in various sizes, depending on how many electrical appliances and electronics you have.
To power a CPAP when tent camping, you just plug the CPAP’s power cord directly into the power station. All portable power stations come with several types of outlets to fit just about any kind of power cable.
A mid-range portable power station holding 350 to 500 watts of power should be able to power a CPAP for 1 to 2 nights and that’s with both humidifier and heated hose turned on. You can get larger power stations, at 1,000 watts, 1,500 watts, up to 2,000 watts. These larger units can hold enough power to run a CPAP for a week or more.
How Do You Recharge a Portable Power Station?
- Solar panels – Almost all manufacturers of portable power stations sell solar panels designed to work with their units. These panels can recharge a power station in just one sunny afternoon. A larger power station may require two solar panels. These panels are designed to fold up small for easier storage.
- Plug it into your vehicle’s cigarette lighter – All portable power stations have a 12v DC cord designed to plug right into a cigarette lighter. You will have to run the engine on your vehicle, however.
- Plug it into a wall outlet – If you’re tent camping or boondocking, you’re not going to have a 110v wall outlet to plug into, but if you’re able to find such a thing somewhere else, you can also recharge it that way.
Make Sure to Get “Pure Sine Wave”
Make sure to buy a portable power station that produces “pure sine wave” AC power. This produces electricity about the same quality as, or sometimes better, than the electricity you get from a standard wall outlet.
Some portable power stations produce “modified sine wave”, which creates rough peaks and dips in voltage. This type of erratic power can damage sensitive electronics and computers chips found in modern-day CPAP machines.
If a portable power station does not say, “pure sine wave” on it, then you can be certain it’s “modified sine wave”.
What Kind of Portable Power Station Do We Recommend?
To power a CPAP when tent camping, get a portable power station holding between 500 watts to 1,000 watts. This should get you 2 to 4 nights of CPAP power…
- Jackery 500 watts (see it on Amazon) – This is the most popular brand of power stations. Many big box stores now sell them online. A lot of campers swear by this brand. This comes with one solar panel bundled in, but there is an option for two.
- EF Ecoflow 576 watts (see it on Amazon) – Ecoflow has been making its rounds in camping forums lately. For about the same price as the Jackery, you get a little bit more power. This particular unit comes with one solar panel.
- Bluetti 700 watts (see it on Amazon) – Bluetti is a newcomer to the field, but getting a lot of great reviews lately. For the same price as the Jackery, you get even more power. This unit comes with a solar panel.
- For more recommendations, check out this article, “8 Best Solar Inverters“.
Make Sure to Keep Your Power Station Locked Up
Portable power stations, along with an accompanying solar panel, are expensive, and are targets for easy theft. Make sure you have a way to keep them locked up and out of sight if you plan to leave your camp to go hiking.
What About Using C-PAP Batteries?
CPAP batteries are less expensive, but not that much. A lower end C-PAP battery, that holds enough charge for one night, will cost between 350.00 to 400.00. For the same price, a portable power station can power you for two nights. On top of that, the portable power station can power any other electronic or electrical device, whereas as a C-PAP battery is far more limited in what it can power.
over, CPAP batteries don’t normally come with solar panels, you have to buy them separately from other brands. This gets you the difficulty of finding a solar panel that has the same size and type of plug as the CPAP battery. Otherwise, you have recharge a C-PAP battery by plugging it into a wall-outlet, or plugging into your car’s cigarette lighter and running the engine anywhere from 5 to 10 hours.
The only advantage to a CPAP battery is its physical size. They are very small and light, which is great if you do all your traveling by foot. However, most CPAP users we know of are not in the physical condition to go on a long hike. They are usually car campers, van dwellers, or motorcycle tourers.
This is why we recommend getting a portable power station instead. It offers the ability to power all of your electronics and electrical appliances, and keep you powered for days at a time. And all manufacturers make solar panels designed to work with their units.
Top 4 Solar Generators for CPAP Machines (500-1,300Wh)
Using a CPAP machine, solar energy stored in power stations or solar generators is an exceptionally reliable backup.
Whether you have occasional power outages or spend time on outdoor recreational activities like camping, the right solar generator can maintain your CPAP machine’s power requirements for days on end.
The following solar generators are excellent for use with CPAP machines.
ModelRockpals 500Jackery Explorer 500Goal Zero Yeti 500XEcoFlow Delta 1300Image
With CPAP machines, people with sleep apnea can sleep comfortably
A good solar generator for a CPAP machine should generally have three key features. Once these features are present then they should serve your machine well and should pass for great functionality.
Pure Sine Wave Technology
CPAP machines are sensitive medical devices and using them with an inverter that produces modified sine waves is not advisable. Given that CPAP machines are also used for medical emergencies, pure sine waves are much preferable.
Battery Management System (BMS)
Due to numerous factors that are clearly beyond our control, we can neither guarantee stable current, voltage nor temperature. It is then quintessential to use a solar generator that has a BMS that offers short circuit protection, voltage control, temperature regulation, and current control.
Display and Battery Capacity
Solar generators must offer the capacity that they claim. This is important to help you truly enjoy its functionality.
An LCD display would also prevent you from running out of battery at a crucial time, as you are prepared ahead for the next recharge, This is very important on a camping trip, for a recreational vehicle, or another outdoor usage.
Other Features
These features are fairly forgivable, and slight variations just below these standards should still pass for a good solar generator.
One of such is that a good solar generator for a CPAP device should operate at an optimal temperature range of 40 F to 104 F (0 C – 40 C), you do not want your solar generator overheating while your CPAP device is in use.
Also, a good solar generator for CPAP use should have a good battery cycle. If you use a CPAP device regularly, it is highly unlikely that you would not recharge once or twice every week.
If the solar generator has a battery with a lifecycle of fewer than 500 charges, then it is not a good buy. Preferably, 1000 charges and above is a good one.
Note that solar generators vary from product to product and all solar generators DO NOT have the same features, but we have not compromised on the standard for the three key features a good solar generator for a CPAP device must-have.
The other two features are quite forgivable. All five solar generators on this list have the three key features needed for using a CPAP machine, and one or two other features have been forgiven. It is also important to note that this article is tailored to CPAP machines and a solar generator.
It doesn’t make this list appropriate and inclusive for other purposes. So, here are the top four solar generators for use with CPAP machines.
ROCKPALS 500
Rockpals 500 (540Wh version)
The Rockpals comes with two variants. Both variants will be reviewed side by side. These power stations use an in-built 540Wh and 520Wh lithium batteries.
Far better than conventional batteries, both Rockpals use a lithium battery. You do not need to worry about self-discharge; they have little or no self-discharge as compared to other battery types.
CPAP USAGE
Sleeping well in a camping activity is just as important as the camping itself.
Both power stations are capable of emergency sources of power for your CPAP machine while you enjoy your sleep (the 540Wh generator works just well if your CPAP machine is less than 100W while the 520Wh can work with CPAP machines of up to 120W).
Using any variant of the Rockpals 500 is safe as they only produce pure sine waves which is important for the safety of your CPAP machine. Also, an in-built BMS ensures circuit protection. You should be sure of a temperature range below 65°C and 40°C. for the 540W and 520W variants, respectively.
Display and Accessibility
The battery life status display also ensures for better maintenance. Both solar generators also give you an alarm beep when your battery status runs at 10% and below prepares you for the worst. A backup should be a backup, and at that, it could prove frustrating to ‘suddenly’ experience the backing out of your backup, sometimes a gentle reminder will do.
Multi-Purpose Power Station
Apart from working with your CPAP, they can charge your multiple devices such as phones up to 40 times. They can also power a mini cooler or a mini-fridge to keep your food and drinks cool.
Super Bright LED Flashlight
If you love to sleep with the lights on, the LED flashlight uses a meager 1W to 4W meaning it can last for up to 100 hours, that is, 4 days of uninterrupted lighting when fully charged. You can also reduce or increase the brightness and intensity of the LED flashlight on both generators. The flashlight makes it a good option for outdoor users
Durability
The in-built batteries are rechargeable, the 540Wh variant has a rechargeable life cycle of up of 500 times, which the 520Wh variant has a life cycle of up to 1000 times. Both power stations are very efficient.
Proper use should ensure 3 to 5 years of optimum use at the least beyond the 2-year warranty. Like any other gadget or device, routine maintenance is necessary, and you should ensure that you regularly clean the power station(s) to avoid dust, and immediately clean up in the case of a water spills.
Quick and Flexible Charging
A 100W Rockpals Solar Panel can be used to charge both solar generators, you may even charge in your car with a 12V car charger or with a simple wall socket of 110V, 90W AC Adapter.
With the 540Wh variant, any means of charging usually takes around 6 to 7 hours.
The 520Wh variant takes an hour longer or two to completely recharge, using a 12V car charge or a 110V wall outlet takes around 7 to 8 hours, while a solar panel (6A max) should fully charge this variant in 8 to 9 hours.
For better efficiency, do not use your power station to power or charge any device while you are also charging it, it is best to perform only one of these at a time. Do not charge any of the power stations with your car, when not in use.
Charging the power station with your car cigarette lighter is only appropriate when your car engine is started and in use, to avoid power loss of your car battery.
You can review the 540Wh and 520Wh versions of the Rockpals 500 in my article here: Rockpals 500 Review (In-Depth) – Features, Specs, and This goes over the similarities and differences of the first two generations of the Rockpals 500, but there is a newer model that I’ve reviewed myself below.
Check out the newest (3rd generation) version of the Rockpals 500, called the Rockpower 500, here: Rockpals Rockpower 500 Review (Testing, Pricing, and ).
JACKERY EXPLORER 500
CPAP USAGE
The Jackery Explorer 500 is a great option for CPAP, especially for outdoor use, as they are very portable. At 13.2 lbs., you can carry them almost effortlessly and at a dimension of 13.11in. by 9.17in. by 11.14in., you can even put them in your camping bag.
A very grippy handle is present on the top of the power station for easy carriage. Considering the fact that the Jackery Explorer 500 holds a 518Wh battery and 500W inverter, its total weight of under 14 lbs. is simply meager.
It is compatible with 12V-30V CPAP machines and can power your CPAP machine for a 32-hour period (if that’s all you use it for), if you sleep around 4 hours daily, it should serve you for a few days without a recharge. The Jackery 500 can power up to 3 CPAP simultaneously (for shorter durations) as it has 3 separate DC output ports.
There is an LCD display screen on the power back that allows you to monitor the charge and discharge rates, it also displays the battery status; this is important used outdoors to help you monitor your battery and when you need to charge, which can be very essential during camping trips.
Battery Capacity and Charging
The Explorer uses a lithium (Li-ion) battery with a 1000W power for continuous use and a 1000W peak surge, 518Wh (21.6V, 46.4Ah). The cycle of this battery is 500 cycles before reducing to 80% efficiency.
It also comes with an in-built MPPT charge controller for faster and efficient solar charging. The battery management system provides short circuit protection and voltage regulation control.
Full charge time using two SolarSaga 100W panels takes around 8 hrs, and the adapter cable to be used has already been included in the pack, and with a single 100W, it recharges fully in 17 hours. An AC car charger of 12V can also be used to charge the Explorer in 14 hrs. Using an AC wall outlet takes around 7 hrs.
Utility and Display
The Explorer is packed with a powerful in-built LED flashlight (which has a normal mode and SOS modes). Its 3 AC outlets use pure sine waves which are safer and protects your sensitive device(s) from damage or current fluctuations.
With no fumes, discharge, or emissions, the power station is outdoor-friendly. It also has a very welcoming display that shows you all the battery information you need.
Safety
This solar generator is just as safe as it can be. Pure sine waves are used rather than modified sine waves for the overall safety of electrical appliances.
With 2 BMSs, more and more safety is guaranteed, over temperature, voltage, and current fluctuations as well as circuit protection. When the solar generator is not in use for about 12 hours, it automatically shuts down, it does the same thing is the power draw is below the 10W mark for the same amount of time.
GOAL ZERO YETI 500X
CPAP USAGE
The Yeti 500X is a good option for many reasons. CPAP machine usage requires a level of safety assurances which is what solar generators like Yeti 500X that operate on pure sine waves have to offer.
It powers heavy-duty CPAP machines for around 10 hours. At under 13 lbs, it is very easy to carry. It also has respectively faster charging times in comparison to other products in this category, average charging time using any of the three available charging methods take about 6 hours.
Battery Capacity and Fast Charging Output
Its lithium battery capacity is 505Wh (10.8V, 46.8Ah) which can power a range of devices such as cameras, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. It is equipped with fast charging features that ensure a high-speed charge via a USB-C power delivery port.
It also features an MPPT charge controller, which is very important for outdoor use and to get the best charging efficiency rate from solar energy. The battery life cycle is at 500 charges and it has a shelf life of 3 months, meaning you have to recharge it every 3 months to prevent the battery from damage.
It has a custom 60-W USB-C power delivery port that turns on in the click of a button; this is very effective for power-hungry devices. The Yeti 500X also has an 18-W USB-C port that enhances faster charging for lesser power-hungry devices. Its battery can power a portable fridge with the USB-C PD.
Charging
The Yeti 500X, much like most Yeti series, have fairly efficient charging rates. It can be charged via 3 means: a solar panel, an AC wall adapter, and a car charger.
Using a Boulder 100 solar panel fully charges the solar generators in about 8 hours, using a Boulder 200 can be much faster to recharge, at just under 4 hours. Charging via an AC wall charger will recharge the system in 8 hours and a car charger recharges it fully in 5 hours.
Portability
At 12.9 lbs, it is one of the lightest solar generators in this power category, if not the lightest. With a dimension of 7.5 in by 11.25 in by 5.8 in, it is very handy and easy to carry. It is designed such that the handle is easy to hold.
Output
It comes with numerous ports available to power devices.
A regulated 5V USB port (12W max), a regulated USB-C port (18W max), a regulated 5-20V USB-C Power Delivery port (60W max), a 12V 6mm port (120W max), a 12V car port (120W max), and a 120V AC inverter (300W and a peak surge of 1200W). All outputs give pure sine waves.
These ports can work simultaneously, in a single purpose use, it can charge a camera 70 times, a smartphone up to 40 times, a tablet 10 times, and pellet grill for up to 9 hours. If you intend to use it indoors, it could power your TV for up to 3 hours.
CPAP USAGE
The EcoFlow Delta 1300 is a good solar generator for CPAP machines. The last one on this list and the best in some respects, it powers a CPAP for about 20 hours.
It features a 1800W AC outlet with 3300W peak power. In addition, these outlets use pure sine waves to keep your devices safe.
The Delta 1300 can power up 13 devices simultaneously, while it is highly unlikely that you would need to power 12 other devices while using a CPAP, it can be useful for three to four other devices, such as a bed-side fan or lighting.
Battery Capacity
A lithium battery capacity of 1260Wh hours is designed with a 1800W inverter that has a peak surge of 3300W. The Delta 1300 can be charged and discharged (used) at the same time.
This lithium battery can power a large freezer for up to 15 hours, a coffeemaker to make 50 cups, a toaster or grill for about 2 hours and a hairdryer for about 3 hours.
Charging
The DELTA 1300 charges at a ridiculous rate. The three conventional means of recharging solar generators are available, and, in just an hour, the Delta 1300 goes for 0% to 80%, just one hour from an AC wall outlet, in another hour, the solar generator is fully charged, that’s 2 hours via an AC wall outlet.
This is about 7-10 times the rate of any other solar generator in this category. This ‘X-Stream’ superfast technology has been patented by EcoFlow.
The Delta 1300 fully recharges in 10 hours using a 12V or a 24V car charger port. Using two or more EcoFlow 110W solar panels can recharge the device in about 4-12 hours, depending on the number of panels used, the fastest rate is gotten using 4 of 110W solar panels, which recharges the Delta 1300 in 4 hours.
Durability
With an already amazing charging, you would have thought you would not need a lengthy warranty, well the Delta 1300 has a 48-month warranty, that is, EcoFlow has got you covered for 2 years. Considering the super-fast charging feature, its whopping ability to simultaneously power 13 devices, the warranty is by no means small.
Utility
The DELTA has 6X 1800W outlets (3300W max), with pure sine waves, for heavy-duty or power-hungry devices, and for sensitive devices as well, such as a coffee machine, Do It Yourself (DIY) tools, saws, projectors, fridge, and a microwave oven. In fact, the Delta 1300 can effectively power 13 devices simultaneously, whether in use or for a charge.
Summary
Every product has its pros and cons, the solar generators you choose simply depends on what suits you need best.
With solar generators becoming far more reliable than gas generators, safer than fossil fuel systems combined, and more durable than many energy alternatives, you can go ahead and trust them with your health as well.
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