Product Spotlight: Medistrom CPAP Batteries

A look at why you should consider—or avoid—this alternative to manufacturer-made CPAP batteries

If your power grid goes down, CPAP machine batteries are an affordable option for redundancy and peace of mind.

They’re also ideal for keeping your CPAP machine running while travelling or enjoying the great outdoors.

Many manufacturers make external CPAP batteries.

However, using a proprietary model might mean that you won’t be able to use it in the future should you switch to a different brand of CPAP machine.

You’re also locked into whatever price they charge since they rarely offer multiple models to compete with themselves.

Medistrom’s CPAP battery options provide two flexible solutions that work across various popular CPAP machine models.

If you’ve considered whether one of these batteries is suitable for you, we’ll cover the critical details, including compatibility, capacity and runtime, weight and size, charging time, and any needed accessories in this product spotlight!

Medistrom CPAP Battery Compatibility

These popular battery backups come in two models to offer widespread compatibility with a range of commonly used CPAP machines.

The Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite CPAP Battery offers compatibility with a range of 12-volt compatible machines, including:

Philips Respironics DreamStation
Philips Respironics DreamStation 2 (requires separate cable kit)
Philips Respironics System One S60
DeVilbiss IntelliPAP I and II (requires separate cable kit)
HDM Z1 & Z2 (requires separate cable kit)

The Medistrom Pilot-24 Lite CPAP Battery offers compatibility with a range of 24-volt compatible machines, including:

ResMed AirSense 11 (requires separate cable kit)
ResMed AirSense 10
ResMed AirMini
ResMed S9 (requires separate cable kit)
Philips Respironics DreamStation Go
Apex Medical iCH (requires separate cable kit)
3B Medical Luna (requires separate cable kit)
Sefam S.Box

Unless a cable kit is required, the battery will typically connect directly to the CPAP machine without the need for specialized adapters or modifications to your CPAP setup.

We’re happy to clarify and assist you in finding the perfect solution to keep your CPAP machine running dependably at home or on the go!

Medistrom CPAP Battery Capacity and Runtime

Regardless of the model you choose, the batteries feature a capacity of 95Wh and safely operate between 60- and 80-watts for both the 12- and 24-volt models.

Exact runtimes will vary depending on your machine, accessories used, pressure settings, humidification settings, and heat settings.

However, if you have an average pressure setting and follow recommended practices for maximizing CPAP battery runtime and disable your heated humidifier and tubing, both should easily provide a whole night of use on a single charge.

Many machines will reach closer to two nights on a full charge.

Of course, we always recommend testing your battery setup in a situation where power is already available to understand the limits of your equipment and know that you can count on the battery to provide access to your PAP therapy when traditional power sources are unavailable.

Weight and Sizing for the Medistrom CPAP Battery

Both the Pilot-12 Lite and Pilot-24 Lite are designed to be portable CPAP batteries and easily fit into your luggage when travelling or easily fit on the nightstand with your CPAP equipment at a hotel.

Both models feature an identical 17cm-by-9cm-by-2cm footprint, a metal casing, and weigh just 560g.

While you’ll undoubtedly notice them in your bag or pocket, they will not cause undue stress or require you to sacrifice much room to bring them along.

Of course, you’ll need to bring any required cables and accessories.

But even with a cable kit, car charger, and other accessories, there’s a good chance that the complete CPAP battery kit will take up less space than the CPAP machine itself.

Charging Times for Medistrom CPAP Batteries

As with most external battery packs, the exact charge time will depend on your power source and the charging adapter.

Medistrom claims a full charge is possible in 2 to 3 hours using the recommended adapters for both batteries.

If you’re using the solar charging accessory or a lower-powered power adapter, charge times can reach 7 to 9 hours.

Also, remember that most batteries require a minimum current to maintain charging.

So if you plan to charge via solar while camping or off the grid, always ensure that you’re placing your panels in direct sunlight and use a panel capable of outputting the recommended 50 watts or higher to experience consistent results.

Medistrom CPAP Battery Accessories

Accessories is one area where Medistrom shines. As noted in the list of compatible CPAP machines, they offer DC output and power adapter cables for a range of popular devices.

However, they also offer solar charging panels and a car charger for additional flexibility in keeping your Pilot-12 Lite battery or Pilot-24 Lite battery topped up while away from traditional power sources.

This makes the batteries an excellent choice for people looking to keep their CPAP running in areas prone to brown or blackouts.

Other Considerations

Both the Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite and Pilot-24 Lite can function in passthrough mode—much like an uninterruptible power supply.

This means you can feed power through the battery to your CPAP machine when using it with traditional power at home or anywhere else.

If the power should drop, the battery will seamlessly take over, allowing you to sleep through the power outage.

If power resumes, it will automatically switch back to traditional power with no need for you to interact with the machine, swap connections, or change settings.

If you’re looking for an option more for redundancy and peace of mind than travel, the battery pack is truly “set it and forget it.”

However, if you take your battery on the go, you can also use it to power other devices—such as your phone, tablet, GPS, or anything else that will charge off the included USB port.

Be careful, though.

Using your CPAP battery to charge other devices could leave you without a whole night of CPAP use available at the end of the day.

Lastly, while this isn’t the highest capacity CPAP battery available today, the capacity falls within FAA requirements for safe travel.

If you have a travel CPAP machine, you can enjoy the comfort and convenience of your CPAP machine on extended flights.

You won’t have to worry about unexpected delays, complications, or charges checking in for your flight.

Overall Thoughts

The Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite and Medistrom Pilot-24 Lite are both excellent choices for anyone looking for a reliable backup or travel CPAP power option.

They’ll keep many machines running using conservative settings for more than a night.

Their lightweight, compact design also means they won’t take up too make space or weigh you down too much.

Just be sure to check compatibility with your CPAP machine and pick up any required cable kits to avoid surprises on your next work or leisure trip.

CPAPSupply.ca is Canada’s leading online CPAP supply store in customer satisfaction. If you’re considering adding a CPAP battery to your equipment collection, call us today to experience this satisfaction for yourself and learn about the best options for your preferred accessories, prescription requirements, and equipment. We love helping you get a great night’s sleep!

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