Been looking at the little buddy portable propane heaters that use the screw in 1 pound propane tanks. Has anyone used these and do you have any feed back? Thanks

BAD for putting out Carbon-monoxide, there was a tag on the last bottle of propane saying to stop using them.

Yes, I have one and they work great. If using a small tank carry a spare so you are sure to have enough to last all day.

I haven't used that one, but the "Black Cat" works well and lasts a long time in adverse conditions.

http://store.rogerssportinggoods.com/servlet/-strse-1971/Detail

I have both the portable and the big buddy. The main problem I've had, and many others if you search the net, is keeping it burning on high. It tends to go for a while and then shutoff even with a good air supply. Cleaning the orifice seems to help. They will run forever on low. I also got surprising life out of the D batteries that run the fan on the large one.

Do you really need to remove the little tank when not in use? Or is that just a CYA thing?

I have a Big buddy and have never had issues with it. If you have problems with it shutting off I bet its the low oxygen shutoff doing it. I had this problem on a Standard buddy.
I run mine of 20lb tanks and pretty much have it on high all the time during deer season and when ice fishing.

I have the big buddy with fan, and it works great in the boat. I also procured the fittings to make a long hose for bulk tank use, more convenient than the little bottles and cheaper.

They were sold a year ago as ok for enclosed spaces, has that changed?

Allen

The reason I was asking questions is I just purchased one to use 5 or 6 hours at a time, couple of times a week in an enclosed 10 x 20 foot size room. Just was curious to others knowledge of this product. Thanks again.

We have six of the Mr. Heater Buddies for our enclosed blinds and they have worked great. Keeps the old toes nice and toasty even in below zero temps.

Mike

No way it will heat a 10 x 20 room IMO.

Mike

We use ours in a 12X14 wall tent. We run them off of a 20# tank.When I started having problems, I did some Googling and found that some have the same problem and others don't. I suspect that the O2 sensor is a bit too sensitive on my Big Buddy.

I use one in my boys blind. I had a 20 ft. hose made to connect it to a gas grill size tank. The tank sits at the base of the blind. I also disconnected the "clicker" that works the igniter as it was too loud. I light the heater with a long butane grill lighter. I don't worry about carbon-monoxide as we always have open windows. It keeps us warm.

You can see the tank here, it's sitting in a milk crate.

We have a couple at the lease. We use at least one in the mornings to knock the chill off inside the trailer (no elec, no heater).
Box says ok for indoor use, but I still don't think I could bring myself to use it all night.....I might wake up dead.

Used one for years in my converted carge/camp trailer until I installed a 30,000 BTU blue flame heater by the same manufacturer. I used mine in the trailer and a tent all night long. Just make sure you have a vent or window open. It will shut off as it has a low oxygen sensor if you don't allow it to breathe. A 1 lb bottle won't last all night even on low. When I used mine like that I hooked it up to a bulk tank.

I have one and have had it for a while, it's a pre CO2 sensor model. The small bottles are good if you want to warm up your tent or camper for a few minutes before you jump in bed or first thing in the morning, but won't last long.

Anyone else used these?

I have an older small one. I always use a bulk tank but it's a bugger to hook up the hose. You can't get a hand in there to turn the fitting. I cut out part of the side to make it easier to hook up. It does a good job of heating my 12' round army tent but I never trust it at night. I would suggest getting a CO sensor to hang in the tent if you do use it.

I tent camped in a 6-man tent one-only night with a propane burner going on low. Next morning, everything inside my tent was soaking wet.

They work nice. Some i've used are tough to light not all of them, but they work great after.

You guys in Texas use heaters in those stands? What does it get down to at night...like 28?

The byproduct of burning propane is water. I have a catalytic heater in my camp trailer. If we have to run it 24 hrs a day when elk hunting, in about 2 days we'll have water running down the walls.

I've got a newer model (CO2 sensor) Big Buddy that is plumbed into the propane line in my camper at my hunting lease. I've never run it on anything other than low at night and it keeps my camper (old 70's model 30') plenty warm. I keep a small window cracked and I have a CO2 sensor/alarm mounted at bed-level not too far from my head.

I'm happy with mine.

Nov 3, 12:35 PM EDT

3 Montana hunters recovering from CO poisoning

BUTTE, Mont. (AP) -- Three Montana hunters who suffered carbon monoxide poisoning while sleeping in a wall tent with a propane heater are recovering at a Salt Lake City hospital thanks to some young family members.

Sheri Cook of Missoula said five teenage boys who were hunting with their fathers and grandfather in the Lima area pulled the men out of the tent Monday morning and called for help.

"They saved their lives - they're heroes," Cook told The Montana Standard in an interview from LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. "They really knew what they were doing."

Randy Cook, 44, of Missoula; Bret Butler, 50, of Frenchtown; and Carl Saunders, 65, of Frenchtown were upgraded from critical to serious condition Tuesday, LDS Hospital spokesman Jess Gomez said.

The hunting party arrived at the camp site at the East Fork of Little Sheep Creek trailhead in southwestern Montana on Sunday evening, put up their tents and went to sleep, Beaverhead County Sheriff Jay Hansen said.

The men were in a wall tent with a propane heater, and the boys, ranging in age from 13 to 16, were in another tent with a wood stove for heat. When the boys woke up, they found the men unconscious, Hansen said.

Sheri Cook said one of the boys drove to where he could get a cell phone signal and call for help while the other four stayed and pulled the men out of the tents. Two of the men were vomiting and the boys wiped out their mouths to clear their airways, she said.

Sheri Cook said her twin 14-year-old sons said they were scared at first but then fell back on skills they learned in Boy Scouts.

"Each had their little instances of panic, but they all knew what needed to be done," she said.

This one won't kill ya...



Zodi.com/tent heaters

I went to this site and the heaters are no longer available at this time. I wonder why??

The small unit is how I heat my trailer with a bdrm window cracked. 20lb tank with a hose.

Many years ago, while at a lease, got in late and placed the gen next to my trailer and left it running all night just so the central heat in my trailer could run all night. Seems a storm was moving into the area, the wind blew the exhaust of the generator into the intake of the heater system. 8:30 Sunday morning one of the other hunters came and beat on my door for a while to get me and my son up. I did get up after a while not feeling good at all. Me and my son just sat in the door for 3 hours to recover from the CO poisoning we didn't know we had. I'm very careful today with any heating unit in an enclosed space. Just like in my blind, windows are open at all times during the hunt. May use the 30 degree bag this year to keep the chill off.

Me too. I've looked at those in the past and it seems like the perfect heater for a tent.

? ? ?

I see that, I have the combo heater/shower and it works well, never had a problem but if the flame was to blow out???? could cause some problems then..

Zodi has switched over to this one now....



New and improved version

Looks to be a bit overkill for the original posters needs...
But..propane heat, as convenient as it is can be more problems than savings...

I didn't read the spec's on this new model but it'd be my guess they have put a thermo switch in to shut the propane off if the flame was to blow out.....

Yes, because it is cheaper than buying insulated clothing for the boy who out grows them every season.

Insulated? It's texas!

I hear ya. Dang kid grows a new size every few months.

My dad bought me a blaze orange flannel shirt that was 4 sizes too big, that I could put over my gear when I was a kid. I could put that thing over any jacket I had for about 5 years.

Their $80 bulk tank adaptor is outrageously expensive for what it is. I'm sure anyone with any savvy could make their own for a fraction of the cost.

But, they show their tent heaters as no longer available so it's a moot issue anyway.

Have a question since I have not used one before. When you screw in a 1 lb. cylinder and use the heater for 2 or 3 hours and don't plan on using again until next day or later in the week, can you leave the gas cylinder screwed in with unit turned off. If you remove a partially used cylinder can you put back in heater or is it better to leave it attached to heater until cylinder is used up. Thanks

I leave mine on, but don't think it matters.

One more time. Thanks, again for input.