Cpap machine in europe

How would my DIL be able to use her CPAP machine while on a pre-cruise stay in Europe. I know we need an adapter but is this a two part device or just a one piece device that plugs into the European Outlet (Barcelona/Italy) and then you plug the CPAP machine into that?

I have a very old adapter pack (from 2000) that has a bunch of different plugs and then another piece that plugs into that which you would then plug whatever device you are using into that. Seems like a lot of plugging in to me:eek:

Thanks for any info you can give me.

Jackie

Solivita Lady

If the CPAP is dual voltage, you'll only need a plug adapter. Somewhere the machine will say 110-240 if it's dual voltage.

You would need a "plug adapter" that changes the US pronged plug to the European prong plug. Then, you need to know whether the CPAP machine is "dual voltage", meaning that on the specification tag that it says something like "input voltage 100-240 vac". If not, if it says "input voltage 120vac", then you would need a voltage converter (transformer) as well. Some of these travel transformers come with plug adapters.

Almost (probably all) modern CPAP machines are dual voltage. You only need the adapter for the country you'll be visiting.

Years ago (like 20), most CPAPs had a fuse. I had a patient who was going to England. I carefully instructed her how to change the fuse from the 110 to the 220 fuse. She ignored me and borrowed a transformer from her hotel to plug in the machine. End result: dead CPAP on the first night of her visit. She called me in a panic and wanted me to overnight a new machine to her. Uh, yeah, right. As soon as I'm done laughing. She found a company in England to rent a machine from for her 2 week stay.

Glad they stopped using fuses.:cool:

Almost (probably all) modern CPAP machines are dual voltage. You only need the adapter for the country you'll be visiting.

 

Years ago (like 20), most CPAP had a fuse. I had a patient who was going to England. I carefully instructed her how to change the fuse from the 110 to the 220 fuse. She ignored me and borrowed a device from her hotel to plug in the machine. End result: dead CPAP on the first night of her visit. She called me in a panic and wanted me to overnight a new machine to her. Uh, yeah, right. As soon as I'm done laughing. She found a company in England to rent a machine from for her 2 week stay.

 

Glad they stopped using fuses.:cool:

Not sure how a fuse would allow a machine to operate on a different voltage, since a fuse only limits the current. Also, going from the US (110v) to England (230v) would reduce the current by half. Operating the CPAP on a higher voltage would result in blowing the input transformer or any electronics that were only rated for 110v, and this would not be protected by a fuse.

Thanks everyone this is exactly the info we needed.

Jackie

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Stayed at the Hotel Arts in Barcelona last Aug and my Dh was able to just plug in his CPAP to a wall socket like we have here in Canada.

Also maybe check with the hotel you are staying at to see if you need to get an

adapter.

Almost (probably all) modern CPAP machines are dual voltage. You only need the adapter for the country you'll be visiting.

 

Years ago (like 20), most CPAPs had a fuse. I had a patient who was going to England. I carefully instructed her how to change the fuse from the 110 to the 220 fuse. She ignored me and borrowed a transformer from her hotel to plug in the machine. End result: dead CPAP on the first night of her visit. She called me in a panic and wanted me to overnight a new machine to her. Uh, yeah, right. As soon as I'm done laughing. She found a company in England to rent a machine from for her 2 week stay.

 

Glad they stopped using fuses.:cool:

Not sure how a fuse would allow a machine to operate on a different voltage, since a fuse only limits the current. Also, going from the US (110v) to England (230v) would reduce the current by half. Operating the CPAP on a higher voltage would result in blowing the input transformer or any electronics that were only rated for 110v, and this would not be protected by a fuse.

My first CPAP had a replaceable fuse *and* a switch which needed to set to the correct voltage. They both had to be set properly. I don't miss traveling with it one bit... :rolleyes:

Stayed at the Hotel Arts in Barcelona last Aug and my Dh was able to just plug in his CPAP to a wall socket like we have here in Canada.

Also maybe check with the hotel you are staying at to see if you need to get an

adapter.

You can buy an adapter for a couple of bucks at your AAA or any travel store. The odds of your European hotel having NA outlets are pretty slim. I lived in Europe for several years and never ran into one. Hopefully the OPs machine is dual voltage, so she won't also need to lug along a transformer,/converter. The ones we used to have were HEAVY.

Look at the label on the power-supply "brick". That's where the appropriate voltage indication would be. Unless the CPAP plugs directly into the wall with NO power supply in between, any voltage listing on the machine itself would not be appropriate, as that would cover the input from the brick into the CPAP.

Same for laptop power supplies and other devices that have an intermediate "brick" between wall and device.