What do you use for lights in your portable?

[Animal]

I was wondering what you all used for lights in your portable fish houses.

[Gissert]

I have a 12 v LED light assy that I bought online. It is a 3 element LED, encased in a rugged plastic case. I have velcro on my center pole right ocer the top of the tub edge. I made a small wire harness with clips. It can clip right to my vex battery, and draws very little current.

I also wired a switch into the harness so I can shut it off and on when needed.

If it is really cold and/or windy, I use my 1 lb propane lantern.

[Guest]

A car headlight bulb wired to an old extension cord with alligator clips that I plug into my extra Vexilar battery.

[Guest]

This year I'm trying to get away from the gas lantern. I'm tired of replacing mantles and globes.

Wal Mart has LED clip on lights for $7.50.
I bought 4 of them and made brackets to hook them on the poles in my otter. two for each ice hole at different points to reduce shadows.

[ChuckN]

A flourescent light strapped/wired to the ceiling pole in my Otter house. This light is actually labeled as an emergency repair light deal. I got it at a dollar store (and also auto part stores, auto departments in major retailers, etc.). It has a cigarette plug along with aligator clips.
I made a system that holds a deep cycle battery in the corner of my Otter sled. I use an Orbital deep cycle battery that does not leak, no maintanence so there aren't any issues. It works slick.

I was sick of using my lanterns that constantly broke glass globes and mantles. It costed around $3 every trip in mantles alone.

[folke2000]

Gissert- Where did you get the LED light array? Ive been looking for something like that for my portable.

[EBass]

A headlamp!

[Lowe]

One thing I did that I really like was to install sealed lights (like the kind used to illuminate license plates on vehicles) under each hole. Eliminates shadows and works great for nightfishing, especially with bobbers. Runs off the same 12-volt battery that powers my Vex and overhead lights, all of which have seperate toggles.

[Gissert]

Folke

theledlight dot com

[Rip_Some_Lip]

I have a tree (thats what it is called) that hooks up to my 20lb cylinder. I put my lantern on the top and it has 2 other recepticles for a heater and stove. I read alot of people who have problems with mantles and globes breaking all the time. I have been using the same mantles and globe for 2 years. I have the plastic lantern case and I never have that problem. I guess I am more careful or just lucky I guess.

[MJCatfish]

Coleman has a neat tent light with a magnet on the back side. You put the light on the inside of the portable and reach around and put a metal plate on the outside. It isn't super bright, but it's the size of a pop can and even comes with a little remote control. It runs on 6 AA batteries if I recollect correctly.

MJ

[the big dipper]

Has anyone tried those little halogen lights that you can get at menards-etc that they use for under-counter lighting? I'm pretty sure that they are 12V DC bulbs.

[tfreezin]

I use 2-11 amp hour gel cell batteries in an ammo box with a 250 watt inverter and some of those high efficient flourecent bulbs(the curly ones)in a cheep small clip on work light(the dish type),the one I use puts out 100 wats of light and only uses 23 watts of power that is only 2.3 amps of draw, I clip that on the pipe above me, Its cool becouse when your buddys mantel brakes on his lantern I grab the 50 foot cord and give him my extra light,Very Bright

[Rywheat]

I use a dome light for truck toppers and a vexilar battery run the wires inside of my fishtrap poles and have a quick connect to disconnect at the battery works great and if any one needs the light and wire kit I can get them for $20 comes with a fuse than just pick up a vex battery or deep cell

[Northlander]

Either my headlamp or battery operated coleman lantern. I have to see if that lantern will handle the cold.

[danny berg]

I have a coleman battery-powered latern, for my portable. It has 2 flourecent tubes, they so far have withstood the abuse of bouncing around in the sled.

[Ole1855]

It kinda depends on how much stuff you want to carry. If I'm walking I bring the Coleman gas lantern, if I can drive the wheeler or truck, I bring a deep cycle battery and a 12v harness I made. The harness is just some light cord I bought at the hardware store and spliced in 2 standard light bulb outlets, I use 2 40w bulbs and they put off lots of light. I hang them in the frame poles of the portable.

Ole

[folke2000]

Thanks Gissert. That's why this forum is great.

[Mr55371]

I favor the Coleman gas lantern. Last week my sunflower ran out of gas, and the Coleman produced enough heat to keep my 6x10 fish house comfortably warm, (I have really good insulation). I have to Coleman battery lantern, and it doesn't put out near as much light as the gas unit does.

[mrclean]

I have a lamp clamp for my otter.Bought it at kmart for 8.99.I hooked it to a deep cycle and it gives of alot of light

[LocalGuide]

I use a coleman gas lantern for light and to heat my portable. Worked good for me so far.

------------------
AKA PikeEye 300

[Stradic]

Boy, you people sure do take alot of extra dump with you just for lighting.

Headlamp, headlamp, headlamp-

L.E.D. style

You can't get more portable and lightweight than that!

[LocalGuide]

O ya I forgot I have a headlamp also! I just havent fished at night that much to use it yet this year. But boy does that thing work! When I got it for x-mas last year it was probably the best fishing item I got.

------------------
AKA PikeEye 300

[Northlander]

Ya if I know Ill be out all night I use my Lantern. That little extra heat is nice. At times my band on my headlamp gives me a headache. Loosen it as much as I can but still a pain. Dont want to lose your only source of light down the hole.
I found when pulling your house as I do a lot I break glass and mantles a lot. Even in the case with a towel holding it still in a 5 gal. pail. Just found a headlamp easier.

[gvg_uwec]

wow guys i dont see how u all break those mantles and globes..Knock on wood..ive never had a broken mantle or globe, i have the red coleman case with my lantern and i dont keep it in a bucket or in anything. the only time i had to replace mantles was when i accidently knocked it into the hoole last year..i just dried it out and put on new ones and havent touched them yet!