CPAP and other medical devices during a power outage

Step 1: Know your device

Write these down and keep them with your emergency supplies:

• The device’s make, model, and serial number.
• Its power use, from the label or manual, in watts or in volts and amps.
• Whether it can run on batteries, what kind, and for how long.
• How long you can safely go without it, according to your provider.
• What to do if the power fails during use.
• Phone numbers for your supplier, the manufacturer, and your provider.

The FDA publishes a free booklet that walks through these questions device by device. It is a thorough, practical planning document for exactly this situation.

CPAP machines

A CPAP machine on its own is one of the easier medical devices to back up. The big variable is the heated humidifier and heated tubing, which can use much more power than the machine itself. Ask your provider whether it is safe for you to use the machine without heated humidification during an outage, since that can stretch a battery much further.

Some CPAP makers offer their own battery packs or 12-volt DC power cords. Running from DC avoids the losses of converting battery power to household AC, but use only cords and batteries the manufacturer approves for your model.

For a rough idea, the calculator’s default CPAP setting of 50 watts for 8 hours comes to 400 Wh per night before buffers, and about 552 Wh with the loss buffer and reserve. With heated humidification on, your number could be much higher, so enter your own machine’s figures.

Estimate your device’s needs

Oxygen concentrators

Home oxygen concentrators generally draw far more power than a CPAP, which makes battery backup harder and more expensive. Ask your oxygen supplier about backup oxygen cylinders and how long they would last at your prescribed flow rate. Keep oxygen equipment away from candles, stoves, and any open flame.

Other powered equipment

Power wheelchairs and scooters, suction machines, feeding pumps, nebulizers, and powered beds each need their own plan. The CDC suggests keeping a durable, non-electric backup where one exists, such as a manual wheelchair, and fully charging battery-powered devices before a storm arrives.

Medicines that need refrigeration

The FDA says insulin vials and cartridges, opened or unopened, can be kept unrefrigerated between 59°F and 86°F for up to 28 days and still work. Do not use insulin that has frozen, and keep it out of direct heat and sunlight. For other refrigerated medicines, ask your pharmacist now what you would do in an outage. Our food safety guide covers keeping a refrigerator cold longer.

Backup power options, in plain terms

• Manufacturer battery packs are designed for your device and are usually the simplest choice.
• Portable battery stations can run many devices indoors safely. Check that the station’s output and capacity cover your device, and ask the manufacturer whether your device works with it. Some electronics are sensitive to the type of power an inverter produces.
• Generators can run devices longer, but only outdoors, at least 20 feet from the home. Never run a generator, or a car, in a garage, even with the door open.

Tell your utility

Ask your electric utility whether it has a program for customers who use powered medical equipment. Ask exactly what it includes, such as advance notice of planned outages. Do not assume it means your power will be restored first, and keep your own backup plan either way.

Short checklist

• Record your device’s model, serial number, and power use.
• Ask your provider how long you can safely go without it.
• Ask the manufacturer about approved batteries or DC power.
• Keep batteries charged, and recharge them after every outage.
• Keep at least 3 days of medical supplies on hand.
• Fill out the FDA power outage booklet for each device.
• Ask your utility what programs it offers.
• Decide where you would go if your backup runs out.

Sources and safety references

• Home Use Devices: How to Prepare for and Handle Power Outages for Medical Devices that Require Electricity (external, FDA, PDF)
• #PrepYourHealth for Power Outages (external, CDC)
• Information Regarding Insulin Storage and Switching Between Products in an Emergency (external, FDA)
• Avoiding Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (external, CDC)
• Your device’s manual and your supplier, for power use, approved batteries, and outage instructions.