Pimpin My Portable...

[stpaulslouch]

Well maybe not in the sense most people think of, but I just picked up a new Otter and am looking to make some mods to improve the fishability and comfortability. That said, I have the idea to install LED lights using industrial Velcro to make them removable. Additionally, I want to have an insulated, waterproof, enclosed battery case with flip switches that will allow me to control which lights are on depending on the application. I plan to put them on the back tube, middle tube and one strip in the sled. Has anyone done anything like this? I am not an electrician, but know a little about electrical work. I am not sure how to get them switched to allow me to control them in that manner. I plan on picking up the Sportsmanship Caddy and could also use that to store the battery. Please help!

Any other creative lighting ideas would be great as well, I am not stuck on doing it any specific way.

[AndRo]

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2476579/1

[Lawrence Luoma]

I get more and more confused on posts like this. Fishing out of a portable is meant to be mobile. To be mobile you need to make things lighter and not heavier. Adding batteries, switches and control panels just adds more weight. My suggestion is just look into clam's compact LED's lights. Rechargeable AA batteries last well longer than weekend, it's movable and a lot lighter weight than what you are planning to do. Plus they add more than enough light in your portable. I know this is a little off subject just trying to help think a little out of the box before you get deep into your project. Hope you get it setup how you like and can't wait for ice!!

[CaptainMusky]

THe amount of weight being added by those items is minimal and would hardly make a portable fish house not "portable" anymore.

You dont pick these things up and throw them on your back anyways so 20 pounds additional in the scheme of things is not noticeable when towing even if its done by hand.

I have firebrite LED lights from the store here on FM and they are awesome.

No offence, but those clams are junk and dont put out near enough like even if they all work which many people buy than and turn them on the first time only to find out many LEDs are inoperable.

I do not have switches wired to mine, but I will be doing that yet this Fall. I also plan to add a dimmer which you can control the lights from a remote vs a traditional switch.

If you just have a flip over style house and did nothing to it you are really missing the boat. Storage alone to protect your gear in transit is important and the main reason I set out to make a "system" in mine. Completely carpeted deck that is flush with the top of my otter sled and doors that open, with some open areas for the larger items like propane tank.

After all is said and done my house is 30# heavier, but is way more fishable and keeps my gear organized.

[aanderud]

I suggest NOT adding lights to the back pole, but instead use the FRONT overhead pole and the top pole. If you put them behind you, it'll just cash shadows toward where your holes are. You rarely need to see back there beyond what the ambient light from the top and front pole lights will provide -- if you really need it bright for a second, use a headlamp or flashlight. I haven't ever found the need for a special set of lights back there though.

For battery power, a little flasher battery works just fine. You don't have to go get a fancy switch box (though the one linked above looks nice!). You could just wire the lights up individually to banana plugs (the pass-through kind that can be stacked to each other). Then, just plug in whichever ones you need/want at any given time to a socket that's attached to your battery. Dtro has an example of this somewhere. You can always add more things. In my lab here at work I've had up to 6-8 things stacked onto a single power-supply socket without any issues. Beats wiring everything to switches, I think. Just a suggestion though. To each his own.

[CaptainMusky]

I suggest NOT adding lights to the back pole, but instead use the FRONT overhead pole and the top pole. If you put them behind you, it'll just cash shadows toward where your holes are.

Very good advice. I realized this the first time out and moved mine.

Also put wire loom on the wires to protect them from pinching.

[Get'n Jiggy]

I got all pumped up over the porty mods threads, made a top for my sled,

now it is really hard for one guy to load and unload. Used plywood for

the top doors, now I'm trying to figure out if I should make some lite

weight doors or just get rid of most of them. Kinda stupid dragging

around 2/3 of a sheet of plywood, tried making the rod holders in the

door lids and wound up buying an Otter rod box after breaking a couple

rods, too hard to get into to get rods out too. Live and learn I guess.

[marine_man]

I suggest NOT adding lights to the back pole, but instead use the FRONT overhead pole and the top pole. If you put them behind you, it'll just cash shadows toward where your holes are. You rarely need to see back there beyond what the ambient light from the top and front pole lights will provide -- if you really need it bright for a second, use a headlamp or flashlight.

I have a 12" strip on the back pole that is very handy when packing up. I turn that strip on, pack up what's laying in the sled and I'm done.. no headlight required.

marine_man

[AndRo]

That is what I use my back pole lights for too, for the tub, they do not cast a shadow at all when you have them all on. To each his own.

[Fishin4fun_MN]

I am adding lights to the back pole on mine too, just for that reason, set up and take down. I am also adding 2 small black lights and a regular white light on the bar over head. All are switched with DPDT (double pole double through) switches so I can control how many lights are on and when. All my mods added less than 30#. Along with the lights, I added 2 accessory ports for a small hot/cold cooler, charging a cell, a dedicated port for my fish finder, and a charging port to plug in the batteries to charge. I am powering my sled with 3 flasher or camera batteries (12v, 8Ah). Will post pics when done.

[stpaulslouch]

I am adding lights to the back pole on mine too, just for that reason, set up and take down. I am also adding 2 small black lights and a regular white light on the bar over head. All are switched with DPDT (double pole double through) switches so I can control how many lights are on and when. All my mods added less than 30#. Along with the lights, I added 2 accessory ports for a small hot/cold cooler, charging a cell, a dedicated port for my fish finder, and a charging port to plug in the batteries to charge. I am powering my sled with 3 flasher or camera batteries (12v, 8Ah). Will post pics when done.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this looks when complete.

[BuckyBadger]

Here's an older thread where I wired something similar, have everything mounted in the sportsman caddy.

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2133305/3

don't pay attention to the LED over writes in my posts, seems it was rewritten a little. But the photos should help with your wiring. I am currently wiring up my Rover 1.0, going to put the electronics in an enclosure similar to the first linked thread. One of my lights in overhead in the Rover is a Red LEDs, a nice change of pace to give a little light.

[Fishin4fun_MN]

I have it about done, just need to secure the wires. pics to follow, most likely in a new post.