Forced Ait Heaters how long can I go one battery...?

[usmcjsy]

Can anyone give me a heads up on what I can expect for run time on a big deep cycle battery...?

[beer batter]

There's a lot of depenancies (what temp is it outside, what temp are you running it inside, how big a battery, etc..)

I'm going to throw out an average number of 18 hours with a fully charged battery, interior temp set to 68, external temp around 15 degrees, with no wind.

[BobT]

It would depend on how much current will be consumed from the batteries and the duty cycle.

[SapperACE]

It will depend, but mine will run an average of 2 whole days (48 hrs) or so on 1 battery, and thats running my lights off the same battery also. Alot of people don't like the FA heaters because of the batteries, but for me I have a pretty good system down. When I'm fishing around home I just switch out the batteries every other day or so. (I have 2 batteries of course) If i'm going on a trip or something i'll bring a generator along which allows me to charge whenever I want.

I love my FA furnace and will never have another kind of fish house heater. It's the most comfortable heat you can get.

[jeffreyd]

how about putting a solar charger on board so the batteries will have some help with the load

[walleyesforever]

I also have a Forced Air furnace and it is the best heater I have owned, with the help of a 3' ceiling fan I can keep the heat within 2 degrees from the ceiling to the floor...As I run the furnace 24/7 it helps keep the holes open all the time, I keep the temp at 68 all the time and I can get 4-5 days on running two batterys. My house sets 100 yards outside my front door on the lake so it is nice to walk out to a warm house with holes open, I do hook up a generator about every 3 days but the best thing I have learned is to have good solar panel...Mine is a 50 watt panel, it charges even when there is very little Sun, this way I can keep my batterys charged up with very little effort.

[fisherdog19]

I'll get anywhere from 18-24 hours on a battery. I bought a 750 watt invertor so if my batteries get low, I can start the car, hook up the invertor to the batter and run an extension cord to the 110v plug on the outside of the house. We then can charge the batteries from that. It's a emergency thing, but we have used it a couple times. They are the best as far as keeping the heat more consistant from top to bottom and the floor really stays dry.

[eyemaster]

I also have a Forced Air furnace and it is the best heater I have owned, with the help of a 3' ceiling fan I can keep the heat within 2 degrees from the ceiling to the floor...As I run the furnace 24/7 it helps keep the holes open all the time, I keep the temp at 68 all the time and I can get 4-5 days on running two batterys. My house sets 100 yards outside my front door on the lake so it is nice to walk out to a warm house with holes open, I do hook up a generator about every 3 days but the best thing I have learned is to have good solar panel...Mine is a 50 watt panel, it charges even when there is very little Sun, this way I can keep my batterys charged up with very little effort.

What kind of solar panel do you have?

[usmcjsy]

Excellent, I bought a new shack last yr and had the forced air heat installed. I was just trying to get an idea on what I can expect on a battery as far as run time. I have 4 batteries so I should be fine.

Thanks Again

[walleyesforever]

Eyemaster...There are many choices, with that said the solar panels that have Mono-Crystalline cells have worked best for me. They cost more...but it's for the fish house.

[crappiekid]

walleyes forever is spot on. You will need 2 good deep cycle batteries and either a 50 W solar panel or a generator to charge your batteries. (this is only needed on longer 3 plus day trips. I love my forced air suburban furnace. The ceiling fan also moves the air down to holes and keeps floor dry!

[Glockwinger]

I love my forced air suburban furnace. The ceiling fan also moves the air down to holes and keeps floor dry!

I didn't know if I would like mine when I got my wheel house since I had only had a perm with a radiant heater. Now that I have forced air, I LOVE it. Like crappiekid said, keeps the floor dry. I point the heat registers towards the floor to keep the floor warm as the air blows across the floor. Couldn't be happier.

[JeffB]

Any suggestion for which forced air furnace to get atwood or suburban. Are the forced air furnaces noisy?

[Glockwinger]

My forced air furnace makes noise, but I wouldn't call it noisy. Due to the size being small, you obviously hear the blower motor and air movement. Just sounds like a loud fan running. I don't have any particular recommendation for you.

[fisherdog19]

They make some noice, the fan is pretty powerful so it makes some noise. I have a Suburban, but the Atwood's are good as well, you won't go wrong with either one.

[Phred52]

usmcjsy, I have an Attwood forced air furnace in my perm. I can run a full weekend easily, (Friday afternoon to Sunday late) with the house maintained at a comfortable temperature on 2 batteries. I have the house circuits divided that the primary lighting, TV and radio are on 1 circuit and the heating, circulating fans and a secondary/emergency lighting circuit are on the other. I also have a built in jumper circuit (just in case). I run 2 Trojan SCS-225 Outdoor series 31 batteries, that during the summer are my trollers for my boat. This winter will be the 9th season on them, the reciept shows 5/2001. I figure in another 1 or 2 seasons I'll need to replace them with fresh. (You can BET they'll be Trojans). I think I got my money's worth. Phred52

[jfish21]

I have another question about a forced air heater. I have a 6.5x16 ice castle with a forced air heater. Is it worth while to put in a fan or two to keep the air flowing? Any recommendations on a fan? Anyone play with the new clam led/fan combos? Thanks in advance.

[Phred52]

jfish21, YES!! In my house (6.5x16') I have fans mounted 3" from the ceiling pointed down and toward the windows. Each is seperatly switched so I can turn on or off the ones that are needed. They are just computer (12volt 'muffin fans'). They keep the windows from fogging over and help equalize the temp from ceiling to floor. Phred52

[hibanks1]

where the best place to find Mono-Crystalline 50 W solar panels?

[walleyesforever]

hibanks1...check out that bay area on the internet or email me at [email protected]. The key to a good working panel is to get a good one.