Heater advice will be welcomed

[tracksnorth]

I am in the process of building a 19ft permanent shack. I think I am going to go with a vented LP heater with up to 30,000 btu output. Any suggestions are more than welcome. Also I plan to run the electricity off of a couple deep cycle batteries and power inverter. Any advice in this area will be more than welcome as well.

[fish-kabob]

sorry for the long post:


need the get the square footage so it 19 by what or 19x? = ?  cause I think that will heat the shack at 30,000 btus but you never know? cause you could be 30 x19 foot = 570 sq foot  and 8 foot high would be 30x19x8=4560 cubic feet which is what I would use to figure heating capacity got to remember you not just heating the floor to keep warm that why I don't think a buddy heater will work cause they say 200 sq foot not cubic foot which if it is 200 cubic foot it would only heat my s3000  shappell . but it heat my hub shanty just fine which is 7.5x7.5x6.5 foot....  so give me some numbers I see what I can come up with...




also might want to consider some solar panel kits like from harbor freight or a generator explained more below.. don't forget to use the 20% off on each item you buy like if you buy 3 solar kits use three coupons just go in the store three times etc.. etc.. you got to figure load on the lights , TV's or etc you plan on running on the circuits for the inverter.. and convert it over to watts  so if you using 120 volts and .15 amps volts times amps equals watts... even in dc it the same formula  like vxa=w or p  the w =watts p = power there the same  then start calculating loads like if your using 10 amp a hour on lights and 100 amps on tv screens your going to need a ton of solar panels to keep up @12volts

remember that 120 volts x.15 amps for each light equal 18 watts per hour or watt hours so if you got 12 volts /18 =1.5 amps or volts divided by watts gives amps...  to run one light bulb at 120volt  I would guess more like 2 amps cause of circuitry of the inverter I would also give a big cushion of what's needed like 100 amps extra for every thing so if using 100 amps  a day you will need 200 just because for a safety cushion...then you calculate how many hour of day light you will have on avg. at say 45 watts per solar panel so how many hour will it take to fully charge and how many panel will be needed to charge it all up to 100 percent for say night fishing... but this is ware you got to do some figuring if a generator is more economical or is a solar set up? or more logical? cause you don't want to spend for a solar set up and really need a generator  right??  even if running solar lights or even halogen do the math it save money... those Honda generator run real quite so does the cabelas sports men generators they cost 399.99 for a good sized one and Hondas start out at 799.99 for a small one but run the number and figure out what you need...

if you do the math it saves  you could install 15 solar panels and they don't keep up at 15 x$89  is that worth it  $1335 for 675 watt hours for 8 hour days =5400 watts were a generator will put out 5-6k watts for 399.99 what is more economical?   $1335-$400 =$935 extra spent on solar panels  see what I am say there?  but don't for get annual fuel costs generator   versus battery replacement solar set ups  etc... etc...
 see battery every 6 years or so...and the fact you use it three months out  of the year.."approx." make a generator more economical  so weight your options is what I saying there... so why do you need battery storage if running a cheap generator? you can make it plug right in to the generator and the generator can sit in the sled towed behind snowmobile or in the truck when you leave... and just leave a long plug cord for hook the wheel house to a generator.. and just run that same cord strait threw the fuse box @ 240 volt and power the whole thing and distribute it from there. 

[williev18]

I'm assuming your building something that can be hauled over the road so say 19x8 making 30k btu just fine. I would highly recommend the Empire DV35 direct vent wall heater. no electricity required unless you add the optional blower, and they heat very well. can usualy pick one up for about $700 new, and if you watch craigs list you may be able to get a used one for much less.

[IFF]

Wish I had your problem, but have to stick with portable shelters out here.

[thewyler]

how to wire your house: red to red, black to black, wire in a fuse... i recommend matching the type of fuse your vehicle uses (atc, Atf, 1/4" barrel). aftermarket dome lights available any where that sells automotive lights will work nicely, and add a 12v socket of two.

[thewyler]

direct vent if you can do it is also optimal as water vapor from non vented heaters is annoying at the last, and maybe a fan to circulate air is always good.

[fish-kabob]

if planning on dc you could run a generator and a ac to dc converter for the retail price of three 45 watt solar panels check the price last night there about 189.99 to 139.99 at harbor freight three to four solar panels will cost between 759.96 to  559.96 and figure the generators at cabelas cost $329.99 for a 3400 watt continuous running power generator 4000 peak watts... and a ac to dc converter for 172.99 which is retail you can check e bay for them I am sure there cheaper...   here is a link to ac to dc converters...502.98 still cheaper then solar panels that was for the 30 amp model you can get a 15 amp model to just a heads up for 129.99... problem with solar it just don't keep up with demand here is a link to the manufacture of those ac to dc converters....   

http://cascadeaudio.com/power_converters/power_converters.htm


if you use battery banks and led light like 6 batteries in parallel will be enough for a week of fishing. see my point if using 3 to 12  total 12 volt batteries  the need to use a 15 or 30 amp charger for quick charging...  if your only pulling say 20 to 30 watts per all lights then the fish finders etc.. etc.. and only using two batteries  there is also a cheaper model sold at parts-express.com an ac to dc converter...I think it costs 59.99 but is not that powerful ...  but would do...
I think it puts out 5 to 10 amps....max  at that point you could run a standard car/ boat  battery charger at that point...

[thewyler]

two deep cycles handle our  permy with 2 weeks between charges easily, you have to think youll only have the lights on for a few hours a day not 24/7

[fish-kabob]

two deep cycles handle our  permy with 2 weeks between charges easily, you have to think youll only have the lights on for a few hours a day not 24/7

power inverter

tell you the truth I would not use a dc to ac power inverter that is what will drain the batt's the fastest cause it will... if you can I would go with some thing like said 2 deep cycles and run every thing on dc sig lighter outlets, usb plugs, lights , fish finders,,  all on dc is how I would do it.. try plugging in a deep fryer in to the inverter you going to see you batter go to 0 volts with in a few minutes of using it cause you plug in a deep fryer..... what I would do is get a propane model would be a lot easy etc  like a turkey fryer... if  the inverter is for a coffee pot go with a propane coffee pot etc..etc.. or get a percolator pot for coffee and run it off a propane tee and put the pot on a stove...  if your just running a few simple items then solar will do you but power inverters will kill batt's it makes dc in to ac buy a switching circuit which it take power to switch the dc to ac...    if it kids and video games why use a power inverter why not just get a portable game system or a cell phone?  then charge it with the usb or sig lighters out puts? when you run inverters dc to ac you will need a battery bank 3+ batts and they only last a couple hours depending on what your running  like coffee pots , deep fryers, tv with gaming systems,,etc...etc... that were you will need the  ac to dc converter if you go to big...those items said earlier will drawl the most power so keep it simple... on the dc circuits like lighting only and a few charging ports for  like sig lighter out puts for cell phones and fish finders  those are the best way to do it and maybe t stat control etc ...etc......