battery charge

[TyGuy02]

I'm borrowing my father's 6x12 wheelhouse this year for the first time. He's in Iraq and has never used it, so I can't ask him how he did it. But what would be the easiest/most inexpensive way for the electrical setup in the house?

I have a camera and a vexilar I would like to power off of that source as well. When I've had my portable I've never had very good luck with the small batteries that come with them, so I want to avoid using those.

There a two inside lights and an outside light as well that will be hooked up to it.

I thought about a generator but that can get spendy, and useless for me other than ice fishing.

Will one deep cycle work for everything? How long should I expect that to run? would I be able to add an inverter onto that and get a 110 outlet as well? I'm just totally confused and want to do it right

[eyebjim]

A good deep cycle will last much longer than the little vex battery. Do you have a cigarette lighter type recepticle in the house for DC power? If so you can set up your vex and camera power to the same type of plug to fit that recepticle. Just check to make sure you get the polarity right.

As for how long the deep cycle will last that all depends about how much power you use. If you are running the vex and the camera only that should last quite a long time. Add lights and that will reduce the time. add the inverter and it will shorten the time more. With just the vex and camera I would think you would get at least 24 hours with a decent deep cycle.

[T.O.W]

First, thanks to your father for his service and to you for supporting him, especially since he's going to miss the hard water season. That's not easy trust me.

A couple of questions to clarify on what might be the best for you. Besides running three lights does the house have forced air heat? How long will your outings be and what will you be running on the 110v?

If your just running two or three lights you could expect one battery to easily last overnight. I'd certainly recommend two batteries if your going to be out more than overnight and want to use your camera and vex with an external battery. Definitely have two batteries if you need it for your heater to run. Running an inverter will really draw down a battery. Once you start running things on 110 you would have to look at the generator option IMO.

[TyGuy02]

it IS a forced air furnace. Forgot to mention that as well as a power drainer. It shouldn't be much though, is it just the fan that is pulling getting power? probably much of the unit with the thermostat as well?

The house does have the two plug-in sockets on the outside. All I know is they are for the two different power sources. But I have NO idea how they operate.

As for how long the trips will be. 90% of my time should be spent on a local lake where it will sit most of the time. but I am planning on taking a handful of trips to LOW and Red as well. I doubt they will be overnighters (even though it does have bunks).

For how much would be running off the 110, probably just a radio. I want to possibly install a car stereo system and wire some speakers in when I get a chance down the line

[eyebjim]

If you have forced air you will want two batteries.

The fan uses more power than you would think.

No battery no heat!

[leech~~]

TyGuy02, what did your Dad run everything off of when he did use the house? He seems to have it setup pretty nice not to have some kind of power source to run everything. Also, does he know you are going to be using it while he is away? Maybe you can try to get a hold of him over there or write him a letter sometime and ask him about it? It sure wouldn't be a very nice home coming for him if you messed up his house while he was off serving. Also, maybe you could get one of the guys on this site that already has a wheel house to go out with you one time and see what all you need to run everything and give some pointer and how to handle everything from setting up and towing it. And, running all the way with it to RED or LOW's is a long way to go for a day run with a wheel house. Have fun and leave it the way you got it or better for your dad.

[TyGuy02]

oh yeah, he's the one that gave it to me. but he's never used it before. So he doesn't really know either. My first instinct would be a a deep cycle would work, but I'd just be worried it would eventually run out (paranoid me talking) so I'd bring a 2nd. He's home now until next week, but he just doesn't know how long the battery would last once I run all the extra electronics.

O, it's not too far for me to LOW and Red. It is a nice house though. I don't know the model, but it's built by "The Lodge".

I just don't want to buy a generator unless I have to.

[bak2MN]

Buy a smaller generator and dont worry about the batteries,

[minnbowhunter]

If you want to run the sonar off the deep cycle, you will have to

1) move it around with the sonar

2) add some plug ins around the house

3) put up with wires running around the house

none of these is a real good option in my opinion. I have run my sonar for 3 days on the gel cel. Not sure why yours is'nt lasting. I have a wheelhouse with a forced air furnace and a single deep cycle, but I have a Honda gen. How about this for a solution, hook up some connections from the deep cycle to studs on the outside of the house thru the wall. You could charge the battery from the truck if you ran low on power. My battery in the house is good for about 24 hours running the furnace and 2 lights. My battery in the camera does not last as long as the sonar but I don't use it that much. You could bring a long a buddy heater to heat the house as well. The deep cycle would last quite a bit longer that way.

[T.O.W]

Good points from minnbowhunter also. Should be just fine with two deep cycles. Make sure their topped off before you leave. Not sure if it makes much of a difference but I try to keep my batteries at room temp. I keep them in the truck on the trip to the lake so they don't go through such a big temp change when I put them in the house. Do a couple local trips first to work the bugs out. Also a very good idea to have a portable back up heater like the buddy especially on those trips to LOW or Red. If you run a buddy heater in a "Lodge" just remember there sealed really tight and you will need to vent through a window for oxygen.

[luv2fish]

I bought a wheel house 3 years ago. If it is cold enough your forced air will drain 2 deep cycles in a weekend (depends on size of battery of course and how much your furnace actually runs). I am ultra paranoid, and bought a generator. I run it once a day for a few hours to charge up the batteries. I work with a couple of engineering types. 1 thing they told me to remember was that even a deep cycle should not be run to empty. At around 40% left you should charge it back up. I spent $20 on a deal for your boat that tells you how much juice you have left, mine works with 2 batteries. I also bought a switch to go between the 2. That way I can switch from one to the other when I charge.

my $.02.

[TyGuy02]

interesting...I always thought that you were supposed to run all batteries just about dead before you charged them.

[Big Buck Buster]

Wouldn't that cause a memory charge??

[minnbowhunter]

Wouldn't that cause a memory charge??

That's what I always believed too, that it would reduce capacity.

[luv2fish]

I did a quick google search and found this.

# Deep cycle batteries are designed to be discharged down as much as 80% time after time, and have much thicker plates. The major difference between a true deep cycle battery and others is that the plates are SOLID Lead plates - not sponge. This gives less surface area, thus less "instant" power like starting batteries need. Although these an be cycled down to 20% charge, the best lifespan vs cost method is to keep the average cycle at about 50% discharge.

I am by no means an expert, so I read as much as I can...

[TyGuy02]

nice research, thanks for the info!

What I'll probably do is a set-up much like yours luv2fish and see how it goes. I'll need two batteries anyways. Since I do most of my fishing close to home. I just wanted an excuse NOT to have to buy a generator. I know I've seen small generators for like 150-200 bucks. But my source (which I get things for cost from) cannot get those. And I don't think my wife would allow me to buy a $400-$500 one(being x-mas and all). Thanks for all the input guys.

Next I just need to research to find a 1/2 dozen to a dozen kinds of go-to crappie/wallleye lures!