Hunting Shack Ideas

[jbell1981]

24 minutes ago, jeffeg64 said:

the folks in the loft will be hot and the folks downstairs will be cold.

 

Loft folks have a window if they get hot. Downstairs folks can add a blanket. 

Edited December 6, 2018 by jbell1981
I was being an A-Hole

[jbell1981]

1 minute ago, nofishfisherman said:

 

If there is any electricity planned a couple fans can help regulate that.

 

There's not but I have some small battery powered fans that work ok. Also, there are these that work with a 12V battery that I already have on my wish list. 

[Big Dave2]

If it were my cabin, I would for sure wire the whole thing up for 12 volt and a few 110 outlets just like an RV. I would install a converter and a couple of deep cell batteries. Then you could fire up the generator once a day or so and charge your batteries as well as run any larger appliances. This way you have DC power all the time to run lights, fans, water pump, etc.

[jbell1981]

25 minutes ago, Big Dave2 said:

If it were my cabin, I would for sure wire the whole thing up for 12 volt and a few 110 outlets just like an RV. I would install a converter and a couple of deep cell batteries. Then you could fire up the generator once a day or so and charge your batteries as well as run any larger appliances. This way you have DC power all the time to run lights, fans, water pump, etc.

 

I do plan on wiring the whole cabin up for a generator or possible future solar system. I don't currently have a generator but I want it ready for when I do. 

[Big Dave2]

40 minutes ago, jbell1981 said:

 

I do plan on wiring the whole cabin up for a generator or possible future solar system. I don't currently have a generator but I want it ready for when I do. 

 

For out in the boondocks you can get a cheap used generator that would do the job for $200 or so and upgrade to a quieter Honda as funds allow. Solar charging would be great if you intend to use the cabin throughout the year but if you are only going to use it a few weeks during hunting season, I would just get a generator.

[jbell1981]

11 minutes ago, Big Dave2 said:

 

For out in the boondocks you can get a cheap used generator that would do the job for $200 or so and upgrade to a quieter Honda as funds allow. Solar charging would be great if you intend to use the cabin throughout the year but if you are only going to use it a few weeks during hunting season, I would just get a generator.

 

It will be used all year. It will hopefully become a retreat for me and get used at least once a month, more in the summer months and hunting season. 

[jbell1981]

1 hour ago, Big Dave2 said:

If it were my cabin, I would for sure wire the whole thing up for 12 volt and a few 110 outlets just like an RV. I would install a converter and a couple of deep cell batteries. Then you could fire up the generator once a day or so and charge your batteries as well as run any larger appliances. This way you have DC power all the time to run lights, fans, water pump, etc.

 

Back to this post, is there any reason to wire it for 12V. Why not just wire the entire place with 14-2 like you would a house? I'm a noob with 12V and trying to understand why I would need it. Would 14-2 wire and standard outlets/lights not work with a battery bank and inverter?

Edited December 6, 2018 by jbell1981

[Big Dave2]

Just now, jbell1981 said:

 

Back to this post, is there any reason to wire it for 12V. Why not just wire the entire place with 14-2 like you would a house? I'm a noob with 12V and trying to understand why I would need it. 

 

I would wire it mostly 12 volt because then you could run lights, fans, etc on batteries. If you wire the whole thing for 110 volt, you would have to run the generator anytime you want to turn on a light bulb. If you look at how an RV is wired, that would be the ultimate off-grid way to do it. Everything in an RV is able to be operated by 12 volt battery power except air conditioning, microwave and a few outlets. Anytime the RV is plugged in, everything works including 110 V items and the battery is being charged. This is what would happen when you run the generator. When you cut power to the RV, only 12 volt items work but luckily that's most everything including lights, ceiling fan, hood fan over stove, water pump, furnace fan, etc.

[jeffeg64]

17 hours ago, nofishfisherman said:

 

If there is any electricity planned a couple fans can help regulate that.

yup that's true, we have a generator, but it usually doesn't run al night.

 

[jeffeg64]

17 hours ago, jbell1981 said:

Loft folks have a window if they get hot. Downstairs folks can add a blanket. 

I was promoted to window man this year (the guy next to the window).

Just saying, with wood heat the temp changes during the night.

guys like to over stoke the wood burner before they go to bed or at pee breaks and by morning its still cold.

the window opens and closes all night long, hard to keep everyone comfortable.

not really any way to avoid it with the open loft.

I've heard of guys using sliding partition to regulate the temp between the main room and  the open loft

definitely keep a window cracked for ventilation for CO and last nights Chile !

[nofishfisherman]

I think BigDave is right on the wiring.  It would be nice to shut the generator off at night but still be able to run some fans and lights if needed off the 12v.  That will really help with heat distribution and probably allow you to get by with less wood in the wood stove.  Then you can run the generator at certain times of the day to recharge the batteries and run any larger items you may want throughout the year.  

[Big Dave2]

3 hours ago, nofishfisherman said:

I think BigDave is right on the wiring.  It would be nice to shut the generator off at night but still be able to run some fans and lights if needed off the 12v.  That will really help with heat distribution and probably allow you to get by with less wood in the wood stove.  Then you can run the generator at certain times of the day to recharge the batteries and run any larger items you may want throughout the year.  

 

Yep, there's a reason that just about every RV that's been made in the last 40+ years has been wired this way. If I were building an off-grid cabin I would look closely at all RV systems and products on the market. They've been doing this for a long time.

[delcecchi]

On 12/6/2018 at 1:18 PM, jbell1981 said:

Loft folks have a window if they get hot. Downstairs folks can add a blanket. 

ceiling fan?

[swamptiger]

On 12/6/2018 at 5:23 PM, jbell1981 said:

 

Back to this post, is there any reason to wire it for 12V. Why not just wire the entire place with 14-2 like you would a house? I'm a noob with 12V and trying to understand why I would need it. Would 14-2 wire and standard outlets/lights not work with a battery bank and inverter?

 

Two years later...Wondering how the project is going?

 

 

[jbell1981]

On 2/22/2020 at 7:05 AM, swamptiger said:

 

Two years later...Wondering how the project is going?

 

 

 

Put simply, it's not. Had to much going on last summer to get started. Maybe this summer but with my oldest starting college it might be tough. 

[Mike89]

it will when the time is right for you.....

 

and Rick why is that funny??

Edited February 25, 2020 by Mike89

[jbell1981]

1 hour ago, Mike89 said:

and Rick why is that funny??

 

I was kind of wondering the same thing. 

[swamptiger]

1 minute ago, jbell1981 said:

 

I was kind of wondering the same thing. 

 

The positive side of this is it gives you more time to think about your cabin design.  I was going to suggest putting a gambrel style roof on it

and maybe a half loft rather than a full loft.  This would make the sleeping area in the loft more usable and the open ceiling on the other end would be good for air circulation if you wanted to install a ceiling fan at some point.  Plus you would never have to worry about snow load on the roof.

 

[Rick]

2 hours ago, Mike89 said:

and Rick why is that funny??

I've had the privilege of an oldest going to college. 

[Mike89]

all I can say is interesting, laugh at someone who is trying to take of family and set aside their goals or wants....  stay the course jbell1981 and swamptiger you are right...

[Rick]

1 hour ago, Mike89 said:

all I can say is interesting, laugh at someone who is trying to take of family and set aside their goals or wants....  stay the course jbell1981 and swamptiger you are right...

I'm not laughing at you. I've been there done that. I don't view it as a misfortune as it appears by your response, you have. I've set aside my goals and wants...big time through 3 of my kids. Wouldnt want it any other way.

 

It's more of a lighthearted smile/laugh with you, understanding it's a hard but cool process to go through.

 

You feel good you gave things up afterward.

 

So going through it is really pretty good.

[Mike89]

 i can most agree with you after you saying it that way!!     to start with I couldn't see that...  

[Rick]

6 minutes ago, Mike89 said:

 i can most agree with you after you saying it that way!!     to start with I couldn't see that...  

I forget, you haven't gone through it yet. My bad.

[Mike89]

dude I have done things far longer than you!!  LOL!!!  my kids are in there 40's and I have a pile of grand kids...  been there done that.....  

[Daniel-J]

There may be an option to save your strength. Try to find a house like this not far from where you want to place yours. Would it be cheaper to buy a house already made and move it to a place where you need it? It would be cheaper or more expensive, I do not know, but it is worth considering.