Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Mr. Heater Portable Buddy in a tent?

I have used the big buddy with the long hose and a 25 bottle for a long time now indoors.

In a tent, deer blind and my shop. I wouldn't hesitate to use it in my house in interim if my furnace tore up

These heaters are used in fish houses all the time with no troubles. I would advise having some sort of a fresh air inlet but they are pretty safe.

I'd rather be a little cold than a little dead.

My cheapo summer tent leaks enough air to vent. I used a Coleman Blackcat for a few times, now I have the buddy, but haven't used it much yet. A lantern will put off a lot of heat, but also a lot of CO. Buddies do have the sensor in them, so some claim they won't work above 7.000 feet, but mine does, my nephews does

I wouldn't do it.

Nope,use them to take away the extremes.

I'm guessing that most of the negative posts here are from hearing of hunters using the older type of heaters. They've killed quite a few people. The new Buddy's are far safer. They'll shut off at the slightest hint of a problem. I bumped mine with my foot and the tip-over switch shut it off. I had to let it cool before it would relight. They won't produce any CO unless you get low on O2 and the low oxygen sensor prevents that.

Cause you are full of chit. No body has ever died from a Mr. Buddy. I invite you to prove me wrong...

That said, use in the PM and early AM to knock the chill off, buy a good bag. With ventilation I would run one all night in an emergency, but to plan to do it is poor planning.

If buddy heaters were so dangerous, there would be a million dead ice fishermen every year

I did some searching for CO deaths from portable propane heaters. By far the largest number of deaths has come from the Coleman Focus 15 heater. It was labeled for outside use only but people insisted on using it inside. It had no safety sensors on it.
I failed to find a single death caused by a Buddy Heater with the low oxygen sensor.

I use one on an external tank to heat my shop, sometimes running it on high all day. Hose to external tank under the bay door leaves a small gap for ventilation. Never had any problem, and I know from (industrial) experience what CO poisoning feels like.

We have used it in the camp trailer with a window cracked. Trailer has a CO alarm that gets tested regularly. Never set off the alarm and never shut off for lack of O2. Two 2 lb bottles last the night on low.

Catalytic heaters running all night with a small vent are not what kills. Show me one case that says otherwise. They also aren't the condensation source that you have with open flames. You'll likely see more condensation with indoor cooking with propane than running the catalytic heater all night. The condensation you will see if it's that cold will come from you.

I use one all the time in my camping tent and ice fishing tent. When camping I just use it to take the chill off when getting in at night and when getting up in the AM. I'm more worried about what's near it to catch on fire than the CO2 issue. I know my kids like it when we're hunting and its in the teens in the morning.

I'm sorry for questioning your assertion.

I will now begin to believe everything posted on the internet. Effective immediately.




Thanks,
Born Again 'Flave

Those are supposed to be safe, but I still don't feel comfortable using one all night when asleep. . I get everything warm before getting into my bag, then turn it off. Turn it on 10-15 minutes before getting out of the bag in the AM.

Great responses here! Sounds like lots of success using them in a ventilated area and they are pretty safe, but there's still that little guy on my shoulder that keeps telling me not to wake up dead. Thanks for all of the responses. The campfire is the best!

'flave is on your shoulder?....

Used here in tents solely to knock the chill off. Common sense dictates that continued use of an unvented flame in a closed space is not the brightest of ideas. Like firearm safeties, those oxygen detectors are mechanical devices that can fail. Is one willing to bet their life in such instances? I'm old, but there's still a bunch of sh-t I want to get to.

Use vented wood stoves in our wall tents.

MR Buddy site says they are safe... I'm just gonna say that if they say so, its a big liability.

I wouldn't run one at night, but will in AK in the future in the camper or tent to get up and clothed as the wife isn't so happy when its close to or below freezing in the tent.

rost,

I know they say they are safe, but you should be advised that entire camps of Coloradoans are wiped out every EVERY YEAR.



Stay safe bro,
Travis