David Repasky - CPAP Advocate & Specialist
Written and edited by David Repasky. David is a CPAP Patient Advocate and Equipment Specialist who brings a unique and vital perspective to the field of sleep apnea treatment. Since his own sleep apnea diagnosis in 2017, David has been on a personal journey that has transformed into a mission to help others navigate the challenges of CPAP therapy. His firsthand experience as a CPAP user, combined with his extensive knowledge of equipment and therapy practices, allows David to offer invaluable insights and support to those embarking on their own sleep apnea treatment paths.
Our content undergoes rigorous expert review, evidence-based research, and regular updates for accuracy.
This article covers an overview of the Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite and discusses the differences between the Medistrom Pilot-24 Lite and the Pilot-12 Lite. If you're going off-grid and won't have access to an electrical outlet, you'll need a CPAP battery or portable power pack to give your machine the juice it needs. One of the most popular batteries on the market today is the Medistrom Pilot-24 Lite—designed to meet the power needs of 24-volt devices. But what about 12-volt devices? While the Pilot-24 Lite won't work for those devices, the Pilot-12 Lite can! Introducing the Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite, perfect for 12-volt devices like the DreamStation and System One. The Medistrom family of CPAP batteries have similar qualities. You'll find all of the features below on both the Pilot-12 Lite and the Pilot-24 Lite:
- Connects Compatible Machines to Battery With One Cable
- No Inverter Needed
- Provides Roughly 1 Night of Therapy On a Full Charge
- Has USB Outlets for Phone or Tablet Charging
- Extra Cables Available for Powering Other CPAPs
- Uses the Machine's Power Supply for Charging
- Can Be Used as a Failover Battery Backup
Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite Compatibility
Like its cousin the Pilot-24 Lite, the Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite is compatible with a handful of popular 12-volt machines:
- DreamStation Series
- System One 60 Series
- IntelliPAP*
- IntelliPAP 2*
- Z1 Series CPAPs*
- Z2 Series CPAPs*
*Requires the Pilot-12 Mixed Kit, sold separately. The Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite includes the correct cord to connect to the DreamStation or System One with purchase of the battery.
Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite Battery Runtimes
We recently contacted the manufacturer to verify battery run times for the Pilot-12 Lite, and we were told that users could expect the Pilot-12 Lite to have similar run times to the Pilot-24 Lite. The manufacturer also advised that battery life can vary widely depending on pressure setting, altitude, and whether or not humidification is used, as is the case with any battery. For our battery life calculation, the tests were done assuming a pressure setting of 10, no humidification, and use at sea level. Given these parameters, the Pilot-12 Lite was able to power a CPAP machine for at least one full night of therapy. However, your results may differ based on how you use your machine. For best results, we recommend using an auto-adjusting machine (as it always selects the lowest pressure necessary) and to not use humidification with your therapy.
Using as a Battery Backup
The Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite can be used as a battery backup in the event a power outage is expected. When set up this way and power is lost, the battery will detect the loss of power and automatically switch to battery power. This added functionality is essential for anyone who lives in an area where powerful storms are frequent, as power loss can happen at any time. Not all batteries have battery backup capability. If that feature is important to you, make sure you look for it in the description of the battery you are considering purchasing.
The Myth of One Battery That Powers Everything
Different machines require different voltages, and in the CPAP space, machines are usually either 12 volts or 24 volts. Each machine connects to its power supply, using a unique connector. You not only need to get the voltage right, but you need to have a connector that can serve as a bridge between the battery and the machine. Depending on the machine, you may also need an inverter that converts the battery power to AC outlet power.
Related Reading: DreamStation Battery Backup Options
Since each machine has a relatively unique set of power needs, it's almost impossible to create a battery that connects to every machine, using DC power strictly. The Portable Outlet CPAP Battery overcomes a lot of these considerations by converting its stored DC power to AC power using a built-in inverter, making it more universal.
Related Reading: How to Choose the Best CPAP Battery
The advantage in doing it this way is you can easily connect it to multiple devices. The only disadvantage is you're using an inverter, which draws power from the battery while your device uses power. The Portable Outlet has some decent run times despite this, but it's sometimes better to use a pure DC solution that's customized to your specific machine, like the Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite.
Conclusion
The Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite is a convenient and easy way to take your therapy off-grid, allowing you to go wherever life takes you. If you don't use humidification and you don't require high-pressure settings, you'll get a decent run time that can last for a whole night or longer. This makes the Pilot-12 Lite the perfect companion to your DreamStation or System One 60 Series, allowing you to do more with your CPAP device.
