Buddy Heater

[Pat C]

With the cool weather approching we were thinking of purchasing a Buddy Heater.We wanted it for outside use on cool nights around the campfire or early mornings.The info on the box says it produces up to 90,000 BTU.Shows it being used by ice fishermen....Any thoughts as to how this would work for us?????Thanks.Pat.

[Weinel, Alan]

I thought all you Canuks went to AZ for the winter.... lol

Originally Posted by Pat C

With the cool weather approching we were thinking of purchasing a Buddy Heater.We wanted it for outside use on cool nights around the campfire or early mornings.The info on the box says it produces up to 90,000 BTU.Shows it being used by ice fishermen....Any thoughts as to how this would work for us?????Thanks.Pat.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Pat C

With the cool weather approching we were thinking of purchasing a Buddy Heater.We wanted it for outside use on cool nights around the campfire or early mornings.The info on the box says it produces up to 90,000 BTU.Shows it being used by ice fishermen....Any thoughts as to how this would work for us?????Thanks.Pat.

I have one and it is a nice heater, we use it when transporting trailers for rehab. It makes a lot of heat, but it is radiant. In an insulated 13ft trailer and on low it will heat all night on a one pound cylinder. On high in an uninsulated trailer it will knock the chill off for a few hours. If you plan to use it outside, better have a shelter or enclosure of some sort.

[Pat C]

Originally Posted by Weinel, Alan

I thought all you Canuks went to AZ for the winter.... lol

Oh how I wish.

[Pat C]

Originally Posted by floyd

I have one and it is a nice heater, we use it when transporting trailers for rehab. It makes a lot of heat, but it is radiant. In an insulated 13ft trailer and on low it will heat all night on a one pound cylinder. On high in an uninsulated trailer it will knock the chill off for a few hours. If you plan to use it outside, better have a shelter or enclosure of some sort.

Thanks Floyd.We usually sit in our first up with the wind curtains on three sides so guess it would be enough to take the chill off.

[Matt in SV]

Are you talking about the Big Buddy or the Portable Buddy? Big Buddy is 4/9/18K BTU and holds two 1lb bottles. Portable buddy is 4/9 and holds just one.

I have a Portable Buddy and it worked fine on low in a mild winter climate - you get plenty of directional radiant heat from the tile. It does weep water off the bottle: the combustion puts water in the air and the expansion of gas cools the bottle, so the result is it gets a little wet around the bottle area. Neither one has a thermostat. They have low oxygen sensors but they still produce CO2 and, probably, some traces of carbon monoxide as the oxygen gets depleted, although the combustion is very efficient.

So, while they are "indoor safe" you are supposed to keep a window cracked and not go to sleep with the heater going.


Mr. Heater - America's Most Popular Portable Heaters

Regards,

Matt

[Terry G]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that the Buddy heaters won't work at an altitude above 7500 feet. That doesn't cause problems for most folks but makes them fairly useless for us Coloradans.

Edit--Coleman claims that their equivalent catalytic heater is good for high altitudes. Anybody have any experience with this?

[ScottG]

I use a big buddy heater with the adapter for a 30lb cyl and it works well. I have a 19ft layton that i keep in Pigeon Forge TN, just before you head up to Gatlinburg and it gets cold there. The trailer is well insulated but this is a good heater. thanks

Originally Posted by Pat C

With the cool weather approching we were thinking of purchasing a Buddy Heater.We wanted it for outside use on cool nights around the campfire or early mornings.The info on the box says it produces up to 90,000 BTU.Shows it being used by ice fishermen....Any thoughts as to how this would work for us?????Thanks.Pat.

[pbraunton]

So you guys are saying this buddy heater would be okay in a 13' boler so long as there are some windows cracked for ventilation?

[Matt in SV]

Originally Posted by pbraunton

So you guys are saying this buddy heater would be okay in a 13' boler so long as there are some windows cracked for ventilation?

Yes in theory, but I wouldn't trust it without a backup carbon monoxide (CO) alarm, and even then I would probably sleep with one eye open. But that is just me, and I have a young daughter to watch out for.

Regards,

Matt

[Shadow56]

I used my buddy with the adapter for a 20lb tank, cracked a window and was fast asleep until I woke up sweating.....had to turn it down and I'm still here.
(Note) I have CM detector.

[mary and bob]

We have the portable buddy and the little buddy. Won't sleep with one on in the trailer. We use an electric heater when shore power is available. We have used the portable buddy in our screen room that also has solid flaps, and it keeps it nice and warm. Last fall I gave the portable buddy to our daughter in case of power outage like she experienced for a few days last winter.Now I'm looking for another for us and they seem to be a little hard to find. Northern Tool appears to not be selling them anymore. Other places have them listed as being out of stock. I should have ordered one a month or so ago when a couple places had them on sale.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by Shadow56

I used my buddy with the adapter for a 20lb tank, cracked a window and was fast asleep until I woke up sweating.....had to turn it down and I'm still here.

Presumably, those who are not still here, don't post.

[D Davis]

Gandor Mt has mr heater buddy for less and free shipping
Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater-432333 - Gander Mountain

[mary and bob]

[QUOTE=D Davis;446712]Gandor Mt has mr heater buddy for less and free shipping

Earlier today we drove 45 miles to a Gander Mt store to return a camp stove that was an impulse buy at another store in PA on our way home from SC. Could not find a Buddy Heater anywhere in that store even though the web site said they had them. Disappointed that Gander Mt does not have some of their merchandise out of the boxes on display.

[Pam Garlow]

Originally Posted by D Davis

Gandor Mt has mr heater buddy for less and free shipping
Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater-432333 - Gander Mountain

I've considered getting just this little one, for the small size. It seems to have nice safety features in a small package. Its a 'little Buddy' heater

[mary and bob]

We have that little one. It's OK. This winter we used it a few times to supplement the electric heater in our screen room when the temps dropped into the 40's. Using 2 electric heaters overloaded the power cord.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Presumably, those who are not still here, don't post.

your on a roll today Glenn!

[Borrego Dave]

I've got the small Mr Heater that I used in a class A and had plenty of room for clearance as per the manufactures specs. I now have a SD 17 and can see no place that those numbers can be met. So my question; is anyone using this unit in a 17 and where are you placing it ?

[John G in Ontario]

I use a Portable Buddy in a 1972 Corsair (21') in -20c weather while fishing for Steelhead. I keep the Roof vent cracked and a window cracked for cross ventilation and also a 12v fan (boondocking) that I place close to the window to draw fresh air in and it also circulates the warm air.I had the Buddy heater tested for CO2 emissions by a Gas technician friend with his $700.00 dollar tester and the levels were very low.I also have a Portable CO2 monitor I place above the heater on a shelf as backup to the one on the Buddy heater.(P.S.) If you are the market for one of the best fans any camper or sail boater should have when running off your battery, try the 12V fan made by a company here in Ontario called Caframo. The draw on the battery is next to nothing and the amount of air circulation is amazing. Its great for moving heat around in your trailer or keeping you cool in the summer.It retails for around $55.00 CAD.John