How long does a PAPR battery actually last in a working day?
7 to 8 hours on the low setting, less as you raise the airflow, and less again as the filter loads. Plan for a working day on low, not a working day on high.
Quoted battery figures are always the best case: new filter, low setting, room temperature. Real runtime moves with all three.
The Breathie Thingy runs a 12.6V 5200 mAh Li-Ion pack, rated for 600+ charge cycles, and takes about 3 hours to charge. Documented runtime is 7 to 8 hours, and the honest reading of that is: a full day at 170 litres per minute, noticeably less at 250.
The variable people forget is the filter. As it loads, the blower works harder for the same airflow and the battery goes sooner. If your runtime has quietly dropped over a few months, look at the filter before you blame the cells.
The battery is removable, so a spare can charge while you work — $65 if you want one. For most independent shops the honest answer is that you will not need it; you will charge overnight like everything else in the shop.
Related questions
Do I actually need a respirator for woodworking, or is that overkill? Does the carbon pre-filter mean it handles fumes? Why do my glasses fog up under a dust mask, and what stops it? How often should a PAPR filter be changed?The Breathie Thingy
A powered air-purifying respirator for woodworkers. $499 for the first 30 units of each batch, including a spare filter kit.
See the current batch