a shout out for Mr Heater

[mountaintramp]

i just called the Mr Heater tech line about a problem with my "portable Buddy" heater. after explaining my problem the tech ordered a new heater to be sent to me, and i keep the old one.<br><br>two thumbs up for service!!<br><br>

 

[Wild_E]

nice, good service too

 

[oldnjung]

<P>The first time my control knob "froze" with the heater going full blast I freaked. It would not shut off!! I didn't want to break the knob since I figured it must have something to do with expanding inside after heating up. I "rocked" it once pretty firm, and the auto shutoff worked.&nbsp; No gas leaks. After it cooled down, I turned the knob to the Off position no problem. Then I reread the startup instructions. They are strange, but when I do like it says, the knob usually does not freeze and I can shut it off. Nice to know I could probably get a new one though.</P>

 

[mountaintramp]

that's exactly what was happening with mine. but i never figured out how to keep it from happening. maybe reading the instructions it the key. i'll have to try that. <br>

 

[4x4tour]

Mine did that on high setting the first time I used it, but I haven't used the high setting since. The low setting already blasts me out of my van... &nbsp;<div><br></div><div>Strangely, the same thing happens with my Jenn-Air outdoor barbeque. &nbsp;If I leave it on high for 10 minutes or more, the valves will "freeze" (very unsafe). &nbsp;I don't use it on high anymore either...lol &nbsp; But, in fairness, I did convert it from propane to natural gas, and I did use the proper jet resize. &nbsp; Who knows...</div>

 

[VanTrekker]

<p style="margin: 0px;">I've had the same thing happen&nbsp;with the Mr. Buddy in the van.&nbsp; It&nbsp;worked great&nbsp;this winter but when running the high position for a&nbsp;while,&nbsp;the control&nbsp;knob shaft&nbsp;would bind a little.&nbsp; I about shi* the first time.&nbsp; I think it gets hot and siezes up... Not sure...&nbsp; With the weather moderating, the heater never gets run on high any more and it's been trouble free.&nbsp; Today the Mr. Buddy is going to be hung up for the season...&nbsp; The electric space heater can keep up now.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Nonetheless, I bought a second&nbsp;Mr. Buddy&nbsp;for a backup.&nbsp; (Menards was running them for $52 brand new).&nbsp; Other retailers were giving deep discounts as well.&nbsp; I love the heater and plan to use it next year.&nbsp; It worked great for camping year 'round in Iowa weather!&nbsp; (We only got to -6 this year).</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br>Brad</p>

 

[Simran]

I just bought one of the small ones and used it on my trip back home from WA with success.<br>I was wondering if you'se are all using the small or larger one with two burner pads? At this point my van is in dire need of insulating and it doesn't seem heat real well with the small one. It worked alright fothe temps I encountered but normally it would have been in the low 20's or so. I don't think it would have kept me toasty warm in those temps. Like I said, my van needs some serious insulating from what I can see anyway. What'er your thoughts on the size?<br><br>gus<br><br>

 

[SoulRaven]

I have the one bottle smaller type and never have had an issue with the knob selector... You do know you have to push down a little to move between ignite, low and high or visa versa...<br><br>One important note is that you must use/buy the fuel filter if you are to run it off a bulk bottle... The green bottles are all filtered and super clean propane, but bulk propane in the Buddy Heater will kill it due to it being unfiltered... I lost my first Buddy heater because of me neglecting to buy the fuel filter, they are cheap and a must if using bulk propane...&nbsp; <br><br>

 

[byeceeya]

Years ago I lived in a converted barn loft, a little too well done as it was nearly airtight. Running the kero heater all night while sleeping nearly killed me....woke up with a start and a headache.&nbsp; Didn't realize the heater was burning up the available oxygen in the room. Duh!!!<br>Any problems with using the "buddy" overnight in an enclosed van?<br><br>

 

[Simran]

<P>

Years ago I lived in a converted barn loft, a little too well done as it was nearly airtight. Running the kero heater all night while sleeping nearly killed me....woke up with a start and a headache.&nbsp; Didn't realize the heater was burning up the available oxygen in the room. Duh!!!<BR>Any problems with using the "buddy" overnight in an enclosed van?<BR><BR>

</P>I've been using mine pretty regularly lately but this time of year it is not with any intensity. What I've been dong is using it in the evening and when I go to bed I shut it off. Usually I'll wake up a about 4AM a little chilly and turn it back on. I'm up @ 5:30AM so it is comfortably warm in the van by then.<BR><BR>disclaimer: my van isn't what you would call buttoned up real tight; it's a work in progress but I'm living in it for two weeks at a time. I go home for a weekend and back to livin in the van for two weeks.<BR>My wife lets me come home once in awhile.<IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif"><BR><BR>Bob will probably weigh in here as he usually does on this subject. He has extensive experience in AK using these heaters to stay warm all winter in the frozen north.<BR><BR>gus<BR>

 

[VanTrekker]

<p style="margin: 0px;">I experienced the headache thing too... I'd had it on HIGH after leaving the van for a full day.&nbsp; I cranked it up and fell asleep (I was also running the space heater at the same time).&nbsp; It got very hot in there and I woke up with a headache - the heater had tripped off and it was cooling back down a little.&nbsp; It might have been due to low oxygen... Once I aired out the van the heater re-ignited without issue.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I have since started leaving the window cocked a little to allow some air in.&nbsp; It doesn't take much of a draft - just a few inches by a few inches to keep you from suffocating.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I don't miss the cold weather but the Mr. Buddy does do a decent job of keeping things comfortable... I slept all nearly all winter in the van.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Even though it's getting a little cold again, I'm just running on shore power.&nbsp; I might put the Mr. Buddy back up for the weekend trip.&nbsp; I still have the new one in the box.&nbsp; "Buddy" is a good word for the little device - it's made camping fun!</p>

 

[caseyc]

Hello All,<br /><br />I'm considering getting a Big Buddy Heater from Camping World - see link here:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/big-buddy-heater-ca-model/48659#reviews">http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/big-buddy-heater-ca-model/48659#reviews</a><br /><br />Is there a consensus that it should be safe to use this heater inside the van while sleeping at night as long as say both front windows are lowered an inch for ventilation?&nbsp; Has anyone on this forum ever got injured by doing this?&nbsp; I will be using batteries inside the unit for the built-in fan circulation.&nbsp; Will also be using the small green Coleman propane cans.<br /><br />I also have a carbon monoxide and smoke detector inside in my van, just in case.<br /><br />Thanks,<br />Casey

 

[oldsoul]

Hi.Just be sure to ventilate, follow all the instructions with the mr buddy and you will be fine. I have the smaller one, it works really well.Make sure to get the filter if your using bulk propane instead of the little green cylinders. Mount that detector down low.

 

[caseyc]

Hi Oldsoul, Hello Ann,<br /><br />Thanks! &nbsp;I'm feeling more confident about getting this. &nbsp;I was worried about the use of propane inside a van, but I'm hoping with both front windows down a bit, things should be okay.<br /><br />Casey<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

 

[Blaker55]

We have the Big Buddy heater in our 6.5 x 16 ice shack and we have to run it on low or it gets too hot. &nbsp;By the way, the batteries for the fan last a long time.<br /><br />We also have a CO2 detector and do not have any problems with CO2. &nbsp;We usually crack a window but its as much to let out moisture as it is for fresh air. &nbsp;Propane heaters tend to give off alot of moisture.<br /><br />I also have a Little Buddy heater for my 2 man sled type ice shack and it does just fine at about medium heat in fairly cold weather.

 

[Where~the~wind~blows]

my little buddy is all I need for my van last night dropped down to the mid 40's and my little buddy was just on the pilot setting and I was ery comfortable, i do always crack a window, even though it has the O2/CO2 sensor.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

We've had one at my sisters place and when we hooked it to the big tank we heated up a surprisingly huge place with just the little one.&nbsp; Those heaters are awesome, and are very sturdy and safe too unlike the kind you just screw into the propane bottles.&nbsp;

 

[Blaker55]

In one of the ice fishing forums that I frequent, someone claims to have done a study, somehow, on the amount of carbon monoxide a buddy type heater kicks out Vs the screw on sunflower heaters and even the old style gas lights. &nbsp;The lights were the worse, then the sunflower heaters and the buddy heaters were negligable. &nbsp;Dont really know how much science was really applied here, but my own experience was one of headaches with the sunflower heaters and never yet a problem with the buddy heaters.

 

[mockturtle]

Tioga George had an Olympian Wave 6 catalytic heater in his RV <a href="http://vagabonders-supreme.net/olympian.htm">http://vagabonders-supreme.net/olympian.htm</a>.&nbsp; I think he recently replaced it with a smaller one as he follows the warm weather and found the 6 was more than he needed.&nbsp; <br /><br />Anyone here use an Olympian Wave heater?&nbsp; How does it compare to the Big Buddy?&nbsp; I'll need to get one or the other at some point.

 

[akrvbob]

I lived in a van in Anchorage, Alaska for 6 years, and I used both an Olympian Wave 3 and Wave 6. At normal winter temps I used just the Wave 3, in the teens I turned it off and used just the Wave 6, and below zero I used them both at the same time on low. When it got down to -30 below zero I had them both on high.&nbsp;<br /><br />The Olympian is a true catalytic heater while the Mr. Buddy is not. It is much safer! Catalytic is a chemical process (no flame) so it produces virtually no carbon monoxide. I turned my Olympians on in October, and they ran 24/7 till April. The only time I turned them off is when I changed or refilled the bottles. <br /><br />I personally would not run a MR. Buddy while I slept, although I have friends who do and think it is safe. In normal climates, the Mr. Buddy works fine--I have one now. But Olympian is a better, safer heater. Bob