Lighting the Shack?

What is your best idea for lighting your portable shack?
Also how/where and what do you use to place the light?
Pics would also be great if you have them.
Thanks

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I had a post on 4 December about a DC electric light powered by a vexilar battery that I made for my portable. That light didn’t work out as well as I thought – the 50 Watt DC bulb really ate up the power of the vexilar battery quickly. So now I am on the “B” model of my electric light idea.

First off I wanted a stronger battery to power my light. I found a small battery booster pack at Northern Tool and Equipment called “Power-2-Play”, Item#66847 that was on sale for $13. It is not that much bigger than a vexilar battery, weighs about 12#, and the cost is about the same. The booster pack has two female DC lighter type outlets on the front which will power any DC lights you might want to use. And if the truck won’t start when I want to leave I can use the booster pack to jump the truck battery.

I then stumbled on a great DC trouble light at Menards that was on sale for $7. It has a DC male plug-in designed to fit in your lighter outlet and is a 12 Volt 20 Watt Halogen worklight with a 20′ cord. It will hang easily off the center support pole in my Eskimo Quickflip III. It is much brighter than my 50 Watt DC bulb and eats only 20 watts which is even better. This is my current setup – all I need now is some ice to sit on with my portable.

I also have a plan for a “C” model light if I don’t like the “B” model. I bought a small power inverter that plugs right into the booster pack DC outlet. This power inverter has a standard 110 volt receptacle on it and converts the battery pack DC power to 110 volt AC. I bought a clamp on incandescent light with a 19′ cord at Walmart for $5.50 that will use any standard AC bulb. I can now plug in a standard 110 volt light which gives me the flexibility to use many of the new low voltage florescent light bulbs. Check out Menards and they have 13 watt to 20 watt florescent light bulbs that will give you the equivalent of 60 to 100 watt lights which would really make it bright in the old portable. I’ll be glowing in the dark whenever I go.

One other nice option with the booster pack power supply. I can use it this summer to power my catfishing lights. The booster pack might be the ticket for a reliable light source.

What ever happened to a lantern? That’s what I use when I stay out past dark. Plus the bonus is you can use it when you walk back. You can use tin foil to let the right amount of lite out. Plus the lantern let’s off a little extra heat and weighs about 2lbs.

If i could ever figure out how to post pics I would but it never works for me.

Lanterns are OK. The mantles keep breaking on the propane and gas models which gets to be a pain in the . I have an electric lantern which works OK but it eats batteries and is not that bright. I still wear a headlamp for tearing down in the dark and walking in and storing everything in the truck. Lighted bobbers work OK on the dead stick rod which helps too. Besides this little project has helped keep me occupied while I wait for fishable ice.

I have never had a problem with lanterns. I think I have broken about 4 mantles in 14 years. And now they have those mantels that you don’t have to tie on, uses a spring wire. You just have to use care when handling a lantern, such as not letting it tip over or banging it around. I just hate dragging around an extra 30lbs of stuff.

Lanterns are the way to go

Lanterns work great if your not pulling your fish house with all your gear in it across the lake with a snowmobile or ATV.

If I’m walking I use a lantern otherwise forget it. Too much of a pain in the

Just don’t do what my ex-old lady did years ago. First time she was on the ice I decided to take the shanty & lantern for her (I usually just take a bucket & auger). I let her wear my nearly brand new ski jacket to make sure she stayed warm. The burn hole she left on the arm of the coat is still visible on the top of my lantern after 15 or so years.