Powering a CPAP off-grid

If you use a CPAP, this is probably the load you care about most. Good news: it's very manageable.

The humidifier is the variable. It's a resistive heater and it's the single biggest factor in your overnight draw. Turning it off, or running it low, is the biggest saving available.

Run it on DC if your machine supports it. Many CPAPs have a 12V DC input or an available DC cable. That skips the inverter conversion entirely — meaningfully more efficient on an all-night load, and it means you don't need an inverter running while you sleep.

Sizing a power station for it: at 40W for 8 hours (~320Wh), even a modest 500Wh station covers a night with margin. A 1,000Wh station covers two nights with the humidifier off. Add a folding panel and it refills daily. This is one of the strongest use cases for a portable power station — no rig required, works in a car or a house during an outage.

The reliability piece, which matters more than efficiency: build in redundancy. Know your runtime. Keep the bank topped. If you're medically dependent, have a backup charging path — car adapter, generator, or shore power.