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mrad's avatar
mrad
Explorer II
Nov 25, 2018

Question on running a fish house on battery power

After reading numerous replies to an earlier thread I started on best practices for making batteries last, I am trying to figure out the best setup for my winter ice shack without investing a lot of money.

It is a 10'X16' house that I use 1-2 nights every weekend from ice up (Usually around Christmas) until the end of February. I have two group 27 deep cycle wet cells that I plan to run in parallel.

It will be powering two LED tv's, one direct tv box, a ceiling fan, and 2-3 9 watt LED bulbs. The second tv will be hooked up to an underwater camera that runs on an internal battery rechargeable battery.

I have a 300) watt inverter generator that will be used to charge the batteries when needed and when we wan tto cook something in the 1500 watt electric oven.

Will the below inverter be enough to power what I need? Will the display give me enough info to let me know the charge status of my batteries?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T564EIY/?coliid=I2NAYJEK9DYDKQ&colid=25KCAS8Q5DPBK&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Do I need a two bank charger to charge both batteries or can I get by with my vector 2/6/12 amp smart charger. I have a minnkota 2 bank charger on my boat that I could probably take to the shack with me.


Last year I could power the place for 6-7 hours with one gorup 24 deep cycle but that was running it until the battery died. I now know that is a killer for the battery.

Noise is not a concern when the generator is running as everyone on the lake runs a generator, mostly honda or other lower noise inverters.

Any concerns with leaving the batteries in the house over the week if I leave them fully charged? Temps can get to -20 occasionally.

Thanks in advance

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  • B_O__Plenty's avatar
    B_O__Plenty
    Explorer II
    Nov 26, 2018
    I would get a 2,000 watt Genny, Champion or whatever flavor you like as long as it's an invertor type. This will charge your batteries for the 12 volt side and power all your electric stuff and it will do it for 6-8 hrs on a gallon of gas. Do a little shopping and you can find one for around $400.00. Plus you can run your trucks engine block heater on those 20 below zero nights. Been there.

    B.O.
  • mrad's avatar
    mrad
    Explorer II
    Nov 26, 2018
    mrad wrote:
    theoldwizard1 wrote:
    First, use TWO 6V golf cart batteries wired in series for 12V. Placed them on a 3-4" thick piece of foam to keep them off the ice.

    Second, get a 12VDC fan.

    Third, spend the money and get a pure sine wave inverter. 1000W should be more than enough for what you want to run (no fan) unless I am guessing wrong on the satellite box.

    Fourth, I am not sure if LCD TV would do well if you left them there and the temperature drop to -20F.

    If the batteries are fully charged (make sue you have a GOOD muti-stage charge) when you leave and you put them back on the charge for a couple of hours when you return. I would not worry about the batteries. You do need to check and fill them with distilled water. Of course, hauling them back into a warm cabin would be better.


    So two 6V GC would be better than my two 12V deep cycles? I was hoping to not spend a lot, but my RV battery will need to be replace so I guess I could put the CG batteries in the TT next spring, right?

    In a quick search I saw batteries plus carries duracell. 208 amp hour for $99, 220 amp hour for $109

    $199 for a 255 amp hour, I dont want to spend that much.

    I will get the true sinewave. Last year the cheap 750 watt inverter from norther tool ran both tv's, satalite and fan, but the fan hummed.

    No need to get batteries off ice as they will be sitting on a carpeted floor.

    With a 12V DC fan, Would I then have issues when running off gen power?

    What kind of charger would I need for the golf cart batteries?
  • mrad's avatar
    mrad
    Explorer II
    Nov 26, 2018
    MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
    • A 12 volt FANTASTIC ENDLESS BREEZE will consume half the watts and on high will cause a hurricane in the shed
    • One 13 watt spotlight will light up the floor like an operating room
    • High power microwave will tax the CCA out of golf car batteries
    • A pair of group 29-30-31 batteries may be a better fit


    Mex,
    No microwave. Just a 1500 watt mini oven but genny would run that. Half the time we go to shore and eat at the bar.
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    Nov 25, 2018
    • A 12 volt FANTASTIC ENDLESS BREEZE will consume half the watts and on high will cause a hurricane in the shed
    • One 13 watt spotlight will light up the floor like an operating room
    • High power microwave will tax the CCA out of golf car batteries
    • A pair of group 29-30-31 batteries may be a better fit
  • mrad's avatar
    mrad
    Explorer II
    Nov 25, 2018
    theoldwizard1 wrote:
    First, use TWO 6V golf cart batteries wired in series for 12V. Placed them on a 3-4" thick piece of foam to keep them off the ice.

    Second, get a 12VDC fan.

    Third, spend the money and get a pure sine wave inverter. 1000W should be more than enough for what you want to run (no fan) unless I am guessing wrong on the satellite box.

    Fourth, I am not sure if LCD TV would do well if you left them there and the temperature drop to -20F.

    If the batteries are fully charged (make sue you have a GOOD muti-stage charge) when you leave and you put them back on the charge for a couple of hours when you return. I would not worry about the batteries. You do need to check and fill them with distilled water. Of course, hauling them back into a warm cabin would be better.


    So two 6V GC would be better than my two 12V deep cycles? I was hoping to not spend a lot, but my RV battery will need to be replace so I guess I could put the CG batteries in the TT next spring, right?

    In a quick search I saw batteries plus carries duracell. 208 amp hour for $99, 220 amp hour for $109

    $199 for a 255 amp hour, I dont want to spend that much.

    I will get the true sinewave. Last year the cheap 750 watt inverter from norther tool ran both tv's, satalite and fan, but the fan hummed.

    No need to get batteries off ice as they will be sitting on a carpeted floor.

    What a 12V DC fan? Would I then have issues when running off gen power?
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    Nov 25, 2018
    theoldwizard1 wrote:
    Fourth, I am not sure if LCD TV would do well if you left them there and the temperature drop to -20F.
    According to many reports on here over the years, that's not an issue.
  • theoldwizard1's avatar
    theoldwizard1
    Explorer II
    Nov 25, 2018
    First, use TWO 6V golf cart batteries wired in series for 12V. Placed them on a 3-4" thick piece of foam to keep them off the ice.

    Second, get a 12VDC fan.

    Third, spend the money and get a pure sine wave inverter. 1000W should be more than enough for what you want to run (no fan) unless I am guessing wrong on the satellite box.

    Fourth, I am not sure if LCD TV would do well if you left them there and the temperature drop to -20F.

    If the batteries are fully charged (make sue you have a GOOD muti-stage charge) when you leave and you put them back on the charge for a couple of hours when you return. I would not worry about the batteries. You do need to check and fill them with distilled water. Of course, hauling them back into a warm cabin would be better.
  • Lwiddis's avatar
    Lwiddis
    Explorer II
    Nov 25, 2018
    Trojan says: “The only way that a battery can freeze is if it is left in a state of partial or complete discharge. As the state of charge in a battery decreases, the electrolyte becomes more like water and the freezing temperature increases. The freezing temperature of the electrolyte in a fully charged battery is -92º F (-69º C)”
  • 2oldman's avatar
    2oldman
    Explorer II
    Nov 25, 2018
    mrad wrote:
    Will the below inverter be enough to power what I need?
    It may be enough, but I'm not confident your TV and receiver will like it. I know you said this is a money thing, but for not a whole lot more you can get a pure sine wave unit, which works better, especially for TVs and audio. Cheap inverters can heat up 'bricks' (power supplies) too.

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