Any ideas for ice hut lighting?

Hey everyone, i have a Frabill Refuge ice hut and sometimes it can get pretty dark in there, especially early morning and late evening. Has anyone ever built their own lighting system for their ice hut?

I have tried a few different led strings and they don’t put out near enough light for what i want. I’m not even sure that the light clam or frabill makes for the hut would do for me.

I’m kinda a DIY guy when it comes to projects like this, so i would like some ideas as to what type of lighting system to construct. Bright, but portable. The Frabil Refuge has a couple roof poles that should make it easy to attach a light once it’s put up.

Maybe not for the Do it yourself guy but, the guy like me that would just buy lights, I like this set up. My rope lights have finally bit the big one and need replacing. After doing some researching this is what I think would fit me best.

Portable Lights

Could Order Here

You could even put a string together like this yourself, I have seen the LED lamps at hardware stores. You would just need to make yourself some kind of frame.

I use hong kong lights,ran all night long+ last year on my spare 7.5ah battery. Seems they ran about a buck or so per inch and took 3 weeks to get in the mail.Two 18″ strips will easily light up a 12′-14′ house and any portable you use them in. Just tie them up to the ceiling cross bar and they will light up everything great. They do produe some heat and need to be hanging a few inches from fabric though.

web page

This lantern kicks all kinds of butt. It works especially well when hung upside down from something. I’ve had one two years and it has lasted well and battery life is really impressive. They’re cheap at lowes also.

Here’s mine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq_01YNyGKY

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Here’s mine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq_01YNyGKY

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So Dtro, what brand and where did you get them.

Thanks!

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Maybe not for the Do it yourself guy but, the guy like me that would just buy lights, I like this set up. My rope lights have finally bit the big one and need replacing. After doing some researching this is what I think would fit me best.

Portable Lights

Could Order Here

You could even put a string together like this yourself, I have seen the LED lamps at hardware stores. You would just need to make yourself some kind of frame.

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Bret i just bought this light system and it works great tried it out tonight and no complaints

The only thing the steers me away from some of the newer lights is that they run on AAA or AA batteries. I like something that I can recharge with ease. An extra Vex battery is the way I like to go, I found some 12 volt LED’s at Autozone that work really well. I attached a broom clamp to the back of them so that the lights latch onto the tubing in the shack. I ran four of them across the top of the shack and they pivot to the desired spot. Never ran a battery dry yet, and 75% of our fishing is at night. Everything fits nicely into a plano dry box for safe travel.

Pics……

I must be missing something, but what are you guys fishing for after dark that hyou need these types of lights? Please teach me what you are doing. Thanks cause I was thinking that in my portable I use either a coleman lantern using either the 1 pound propane cylinders or white/unleaded gas. I use it for both warmth and light.

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I must be missing something, but what are you guys fishing for after dark that hyou need these types of lights? Please teach me what you are doing. Thanks cause I was thinking that in my portable I use either a coleman lantern using either the 1 pound propane cylinders or white/unleaded gas. I use it for both warmth and light.

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Glad to answer Jeff. In the last 5 years I’ve broken 5-6 glass globes and gone through countless mantles so a LED lite setup will save me money in the long run. I will miss the soft glow and sound that a gas lantern gives off though. Oh I almost forgot I’m fishing pies and eyes

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Here’s mine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq_01YNyGKY

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So Dtro, what brand and where did you get them.

Thanks!

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I bought them on Ebay. Not sure of the name, but I just did a search on “LED 96cm bright light”.

Hey I’m liking Gaustin’s idea. No more tanks or mantels to buy. Headed to Autozone tomorrow.

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I must be missing something, but what are you guys fishing for after dark that hyou need these types of lights? Please teach me what you are doing. Thanks cause I was thinking that in my portable I use either a coleman lantern using either the 1 pound propane cylinders or white/unleaded gas. I use it for both warmth and light.

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Jeff- The gin clear natural lakes I fish here in SW MI produce fantastic action at night The main lake I fish throughout the winter has at times 30 foot of visibility. With a large multi-specie predator base to boot the crappies {and I mean some dandy Magnums}come to feed at night. I would say 90% of our fishing comes at night and the other 10% is scouting out new areas to fish. Like the couple of posts above mentioning broken globes and I have seen my fair share of burned holes in shacks from the lanterns too We use the Buddy Heaters for warmth. The light set-up I use has had been working flawless for 3 seasons. So get out there and give it a try

Couple of Night Pics………

How much were the LED’s at Autozone?

I was thinking something similar. I see you can get 24 led lights on Ebay for about $3 apiece. Supposed to be 70 to 80 lumens. I was thinking of wiring up about 3 of these in some kind of small lightbar and mount it to the roof bars with the same clips you used.

Anybody know anything about wiring LED’s and know if this is possible?

They were $18.00 for two. I have 4 in my shack and lights it up nice. I’m not sure how many lumens they are but recommended for on and off road use. Very durable they don’t draw to much juice out of my extra vex battery.