"I am looking for advice on how to properly wire my lights into the battery bank."
At the risk of sounding somewhat anal, that word "properly" opens a door to all sorts of opinions and, like belly buttons, everybody will have one.
The word "safely" could even open that same door.
There is the National Electrical Code (NEC) however, which would most likely apply here because your cabin would be considered a dwelling.
Things to consider are; element (for example; copper, aluminum, steel) AWG. (wire size) and type of wire insulation and their voltage and amperage ratings, means of overcurrent protection as well as physical protection of the wire and, a disconnect means. One other thing to consider with low voltage dc that is very important is voltage drop.
To give you an idea of what all that means.
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/electrical-wiring/part2/section-5.htmlNM-B 12/2 - Inner conductors are type THHN, rated 90 degrees Celsius, 600 volts. Solid strands. Outer jacket is PVC rated at 75 degrees Celsius. Ampacity of the product is limited to that for 60 degrees Celsius rated conductors per the National Electric Code Article336. Dwellings not exceeding 3 floors above grade. Exposed or concealed wiring. May be fished through walls, ceilings, and masonry blocks. Use for new wiring or replacement wiring. Only for use in normally dry locations. U.L. Listed. /2 = 2 Insulated Wires with Bare Ground. /3 = 3 Insulated Wires with Bare Ground.
Romex NM-B 12/2 has a maximum rating of 20 amps BUT! at 12 vdc there can be significant voltage drop over, even over a short distance. As an example if this Romex NM-B 12/2 was used on a 12 vdc lighting circuit with one, 12 vdc 50 watt incandescent bulb that was 20 foot away, in wire legnth from the battery, there would be about a 3% voltage drop.
A lot of folks try to stay 2% or lower especially when power is coming from a battery that is discharging the whole time the light is on.
Switches must have UL listed ratings as well for use on direct current circuits. Those cheap alternating current switches at home improvement stores will not last and can be dangerous on dc circuits.
Think about how a conventional homes 120/240 ac breaker panel works. There is the main power supply (the utilities) going through a main breaker or over current protection device then all the branch circuit going out into the home from there each one protected with an overcurrent protection device sized according the wire size which is sized according the load.
You'll want to follow this example. There is the battery then a main and branch circuits. All overcurrent protection must be rated for use in direct current circuitry and be sized for the wire used which is sized and typed according the load and its location.
I could write a book on all of this, wait, there are allready books written on this subject. Psssh! Go buy the book.
Check Alt-E Store's, book store. You'd think they would have one for low voltage dc wiring. Oh! Check out
http://www.homepower.com/home/ What the hey, here is one of my favorites.
http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Biographies/OhmBio.htmIt says it all at the end of the first paragraph.