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rick wickline
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# Posted: 20 Jul 2015 02:34pm
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New to this but anxious to learn. I need to run a CPAP machine, fan, and an IPhone radio alarm clock. No electricity at all. Please give low investment startup advice.
Thank you
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groingo
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# Posted: 20 Jul 2015 03:08pm
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I guess first question is how many volt / watts does it use, should be on the device itself.
Do you have good sun exposure near or at your cabin for possible solar power?
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rick wickline
Member
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# Posted: 20 Jul 2015 03:25pm
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80 watts and yes plenty of sun exposure
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NorthRick
Member
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# Posted: 20 Jul 2015 04:12pm
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We have a small solar setup at our cabin and run what you have listed plus an occasional DVD on the TV.
Plenty of info here and on other sites regarding a small solar setup.
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groingo
Member
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2015 10:32am
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80 watts and how many hours a day or night?
Worst case estimate of daily power use would be a 1000 watts total.
The amp draw is the key over time which would dictate how much battery storage you would need then you need to know how many hours a day under best and worst conditions by season or when you use the place.
All this to run a few items but the key issue is that you have X hours to recharge your batteries and batteries only charge so fast or your panels only put out so much power, all these variables, so my rule of thumb, whatever amount of power you think you need, double it and in winter if exposure is lowest....quadruple it.
Then there is a small efficient generator option till you get things sorted out regardingsolar...it all depends how often you stay at your place and what season.
There simply is no simple formula, baby steps.
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offgridjunkie
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2015 10:40am
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Amps = watts / volts. But remember, you can not drain a battery to zero. So you need to have 2-5 times what you use in storage depending on battery type.
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razmichael
Member
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2015 11:22am
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You might get some ideas from this set of pages
The Phantom Sleep Journal
I remember a lot of threads on this topic on a Pop-Up Trailer forum I used to follow (prior to the cabin build) that talked about using CPAP machines. One thing you should check is what is the actual power needs of your machine as many of them have the wall plug/adapter to plug into the 120AC but the adapter outputs 12VDC which is the actual voltage needed. In this case you have a possibility of skipping the need for an inverter which saves complexity, power, size etc. I think this is discussed in somewhere in the document linked too above.
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Brknarow
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2015 11:56am
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I found this site a few years ago http://site.theinverterstore.com/blog/inverter-faq/battery-run-time/how-to-choose-a-p ower-inverter-for-a-cpap-153/ when I first started looking into off-gridding. This may be the information you seek.
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Gary O
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2015 06:34pm
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Yes, solar is the way to go, and we will...one day.
However
For quick set up and go with little to-do, I recommend the Ryobi 2200 generator/inverter.
It's designed for sensitive equipment, and is $600 at Home depot.
We've punished ours for 90 days straight, 5 to 6 hrs a day since we are off grid (less than a tank/gal per day).
The only goofy things about it that I can find are the position of the oil plug and the teeny weeny wheels.
I change the oil once a week.
We run four 60 watt lights, two computers, a small TV and VCR, a bat charger for a12V drill along with charging one phone and one lap top...and a Verizon jet pack...all at the same time.
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2015 10:04pm
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Nice reactor lol,I mean inverter , Gary
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Salty Craig
Member
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2015 10:27pm
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Gary O
How high does the jet pack fly when it's plugged in? I'm guessing that it's dictated by the length of cord? Do you get dizzy circling?
Salty
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offgridjunkie
Member
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2015 10:52pm - Edited by: offgridjunkie
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Gary. At least you got wheels. My $1000 honda eu2000 didn't even come wth them. These small gen sets are the bomb for off grid.
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Gary O
Member
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2015 11:24pm - Edited by: Gary O
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Quoting: Salty Craig Do you get dizzy circling?
I get dizzy standing
Quoting: offgridjunkie These small gen sets are the bomb for off grid.
I can't argue with that
Quoting: offgridjunkie At least you got wheels. My $1000 honda eu2000 didn't even come wth them
Mine might as well not have them. If I choose to pull it and not tote it, it ends up being dragged on it's side...
But the twin handles (one on each side) are kinda nice
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Gary O
Member
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# Posted: 21 Jul 2015 11:28pm
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Quoting: Just Nice reactor lol,I mean inverter , Gary
Just....you funny
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Mtnviewer
Member
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# Posted: 23 Jul 2015 01:35pm - Edited by: Mtnviewer
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Others have given good info. Come CPAP machines will work on 12 volts, so a backup battery such as a car starter with an aux plug (cigar lighter plug) will work fine for short term use. The higher the air pressure that your CPAP pushes, the greater the current draw though.
Have you ever tried forced side sleeping, that is trying to stay 100% OFF your back when sleeping? This for many can greatly reduce the CPAP air pressure required or even eliminate it. It takes some creativity & time to figure out how to force yourself to side sleep, & most commercial products are snake oil (T shirts with tennis balls). Things like firm wedges or a solid fanny pack or backpack filled with light weight blue foam blocks work. This, like all things CPAP, require fiddling, sometimes lots of fiddling & some time to get the combo right & used to it, but side sleeping IME, is SO WORTH IT over high pressure CPAP back sleeping. Plus if you were not to require CPAP when side sleeping, you would not need electricity!
I would also recommend that you video record your sleeping several times & study the video to figure out what EXACTLY you do when you sleep, when & how you might influence snoring, apneas, sleep positions, as otherwise, one is mostly guessing.
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