Buddy vs. Olympian

[Toes]

Hey everyone!

So, I've been researching different heaters, and now I'm faced with paralysis by analysis. So I'm polling the audience, so to speak.

Things to keep in mind:
- I'm in a Toyota Previa minivan. Very short on space, but that means I don't really need a big heater to heat things up.
- Winters here (Cincinnati) can get pretty cold. Last winter we had several weeks where it was dipping below zero, and occasionally the windchill would bring it down to around -20 F. They say this winter is supposed to be worse than last.
- I only plan on running my heater in the mornings and at night before bed.
- Yes, I do have a way to vent my space while the heater is running.
- Would prefer to not have to worry too much about maintenance.
- I have a space planned for a 20lb propane tank, but I don't really have a way to seal and vent it. Not sure if this is important.
- Heater must be able to hook up to a larger tank.
- Not worried about price so much as I am about quality.
- I do have a fire/monoxide detector and a fire extinguisher in my van.
- I really don't want to die or jeopardize my health.

So, what do you think?
Buddy or Olympian wave 3? And any other thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[compassrose]

I have a Tag-a-long that is approved for indoor use and plumbed to a 20# tank. We have used the heater to heat the living room in our house when the power would go out (bought it on sale in 2004 from Wal-Mart) as well as heating our pop-up camper. Currently, the heater is mounted on the wall in the bathroom area. It heats up the small area quickly on Low without the cooling "wind" that a fan forced electric heater puts out. Definitely not wanted in the early morning when I'm getting dressed for work or when I'm wet from taking a shower. It is very important to have a well built LP locker. Or set your tank on the ground and do what my daughter does. Lots of info on the boating forums and websites on "how to build an LP locker". Just "google" it. My daughter has a Mr Buddy LP heater that she uses in the Class C (she loves her Mr Buddy and will be putting it in her bus similar to our heater set up). It is on a 20# LP tank that sits outside on the ground and the long hose threads thru the floor.

I know nothing about the Mr Buddy heaters. I do know that all I need to do to my Tag-a-long is to use some canned air to blow the desert dust off the heating brick and dust off the exterior of the casing in the fall before I start using it for the winter. I have read posts about the Olympian needed to be protected from the dust and the pad had to be replaced due to the dust "contamination". I never looked at an Olympian because I had a perfectly good little LP heater that worked exceptionally well.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

For a van that size you might also consider the Buddy Jr. With the other ones you would likely need to keep turning it on and off as you would find it much too hot leaving it on. That said, I think the Wave 3 is safer. Its design emits less toxins according to their literature.

Another option and one that I will try when the time comes, is to use alcohol candles, or olive oil "liquid fuel" candles. You have to build some sort of way to ensure they are not going to get toppled over. Once those issues are addressed, the olive oil, canola oil or other food oils are much MUCH less toxic to burn. You still *must* have ventilation for oxygen intake, however. Where I live its very humid (propane adds humidity to the air so not ideal in my environment) and the temps are usually fairly mild. You'd need alot of oil candles like 8 or more. You can also use the upside claypot idea. Check out youtube for lots more info on all this. My plan would be to use the propane heater for a short period to get the van toasty warm, then turn it off and then use 2 to 4 claypots with 4 flames under each to keep the van warm. The good thing about being in a smaller van is that it doesnt take as much to heat.

 

[akrvbob]

I used an Olympian in my box van for 6 years in Anchorage, AK. I turned it on in October and it ran 24/7 until May. I only turned it off to change the bottles.

I suspect you will want to run it more than you think. Get the Olympian.
Bob

 

[pros80]

I just tried the Olympian wave 3 in a van and it got to 25 degrees here in North Carolina from the recent cold front. I turned on the Wave 3 and I seemed to only feel heat when I got close to the heater. It didn't seem to warm up the full econoline van.

In addition after about 3 hours my CO detector went off. the levels had reached 42 PPM. Granted I didn't have a window open, but my van is sealed poorly and a lot of cold drafts come in. Plus I have openings in the floor of the van.

I am contemplating trying the buddy with more power.

 

[highdesertranger]

something isn't right if an Olympian is setting off your CO detector. I have an older 3100 which is comparable to a wave 3 in size. it worked great in my tt(16'). I pulled it out when vandals destroyed my trailer. highdesertranger

 

[Luisafernandes]

For those of you with an Olympian wave 3, can you dial in the temperature setting so that inside a van stays at a constant, lets say, 68?

 

[akrvbob]

Sorry, no thermostat. If memory serves it just has a high-low setting. When I lived in a box van in Alaska for 6 years, I left it turned on low all day, then at night I set it to high. That worked really well to maintain a constant comfortable temperature and of course I varied the amount of clothes I wore to fine tune comfort. But my box van was very well insulated.

When the temps dropped closer to zero, I would turn on my Wave 8 at low, and when t got much below zero it went on high. When it was -30 below or more, I also used my stove as heat. I would just barely stay warm but it was never unbearable.

That much propane burning puts out a massive amount of moisture!!!! While it was cold the moisture would freeze on the roof as frost, and then when the cold-snap broke it all melted at once. It would literally rain in the van!! The moisture would all run down to the low spot and pour out. I had to ut bucket all over the place to catch it!!

Bob

 

[66788]

I just tried the Olympian wave 3 in a van and it got to 25 degrees here in North Carolina from the recent cold front. I turned on the Wave 3 and I seemed to only feel heat when I got close to the heater. It didn't seem to warm up the full econoline van.

My first test of the Wave 3 had similar results as to the effectiveness of the heater. I had the unit on high all night long and it really didn't do much to warm the van. I had ice on the inside of the back windows and the ambient temperature outside was 27 degrees. Unfortunately I didn't have a thermometer inside the van, but it was noticeably cold. I have a Wave 6 that I'm going to try next to see it that helps more.

---

That much propane burning puts out a massive amount of moisture!!!! While it was cold the moisture would freeze on the roof as frost, and then when the cold-snap broke it all melted at once. It would literally rain in the van!! The moisture would all run down to the low spot and pour out. I had to ut bucket all over the place to catch it!!

Bob

Although the vented RV heaters are propane and electric hogs, they do a decent job of warming up an RV.

I really don't want a wet interior in my van.

 

[mockturtle]

My Wave 6 has three settings: High, Medium and Low. I have used it now for two years [in two RVs] and have been very comfortable with the warmth. When it's really cold, I leave it on all night, on low.

Now, as for the propane tanks. I understand that it is not considered safe to store LP tanks inside the living space because of venting of the tanks during hot weather. I'm sure you can find a way to work around that. Never had a Mr. Buddy but my experience and that of people I know is very favorable to the Olympian Wave heaters.

 

[akrvbob]

66788, how likely is it you will ever be in -30 temperatures for weeks at a time for 6 years? I never had a problem with moisture at normal Anchorage temperatures which is 20s as a high and teens as a low.

No, normal RV furnaces will not keep you warm when it's below zero!! After 6 years in the box van my son wanted to live with me so I bought an older travel trailer and put it in an RV park. It was miserable beyond my ability to describe. I added extra insulation and put in electric heaters and it was always cold. Below zero it was miserable. The box van was 100 times better and warmer!

Bob

 

[ccbreder]

Bob, that is one heater in one van. I had a 30 foot something with forced air, thermostat controlled, propane heat. Wild winds and Maine winters were often well below -10. They were handled with out problem except running out of fuel. Not many here will experience -30 degree. Isn't the theory move with climate?

 

[akrvbob]

ccbreder, you're absolutely right, i was just using examples of extremes to show that the small portable heaters work very well and that most RV furnaces do not.

The idea is to be a snowbird, but I've found that doesn't mean your exempt from cold weather. I've spent hundreds of nights in the Arizona, California and Nevada desert with the temps down into the mid-teens and many of the those nights with the desert wind howling. So even a snowbird should be ready for cold.

My problem with most portable heaters is that that they put out too much heat for the small space of a well insulated van. That's why I had multiple heaters. A small one on low was perfect for normal temps in the 20s but not enough when it gets colder. As a bonus, it burned less fuel.

I was just over at New Mexico photographing the Festival of the Cranes at Bosque del Apache NWR and it was in the low teens at night. I found the Little Buddy heater at 3000 BTUs to be perfect. I turned it on at sundown and left it on all night till bedtime. I like a steady even heat, and I hate a blasting furnace that gets me too hot and then I turn it off then get cold and turn it back on and then I get hot and then I turn it off. I hate that!
Bob

 

[Suanne]

The other issue with RV furnaces (at least ours) is that they are forced air. So, they not only use propane, but also electricity to run the fan. If you have hook ups, that's not a problem. But, if you are boondocking, your battery could easily go below 50%.

For the OP, you might also want to consider a propane detector alarm (mounted close to the floor), especially if you are keeping the bottle inside with you.

Suanne

 

[Willy]

Get an 'old style' convection RV furnace, uses NO electricity, and then do as I did and add a 12v muffin fan hooked up to a normally open thermocouple to force air past the burn box. Only draws something like 100 mA to run, and only while the furnace is at a certain temp. ..Willy.

 

[66788]

ccbreder, you're absolutely right, i was just using examples of extremes to show that the small portable heaters work very well and that most RV furnaces do not.

The idea is to be a snowbird, but I've found that doesn't mean your exempt from cold weather. I've spent hundreds of nights in the Arizona, California and Nevada desert with the temps down into the mid-teens and many of the those nights with the desert wind howling. So even a snowbird should be ready for cold.

My problem with most portable heaters is that that they put out too much heat for the small space of a well insulated van. That's why I had multiple heaters. A small one on low was perfect for normal temps in the 20s but not enough when it gets colder. As a bonus, it burned less fuel.

I was just over at New Mexico photographing the Festival of the Cranes at Bosque del Apache NWR and it was in the low teens at night. I found the Little Buddy heater at 3000 BTUs to be perfect. I turned it on at sundown and left it on all night till bedtime. I like a steady even heat, and I hate a blasting furnace that gets me too hot and then I turn it off then get cold and turn it back on and then I get hot and then I turn it off. I hate that!
Bob

I've stayed a winter in a Lance 19' 5th wheel, and I enjoyed the forced air furnace a lot more than the electric heater. Coldest temps were around 28 degrees F.

I think my recent test of the Olympian Wave 3 was a failure because I had too much open glass in the van. No divider behind the front seats, and a lot of glass in the back. Essentially no insulation would work because of the exposed glass.

I probably would have had better results that night if I had used a 15amp electric heater over the Wave 3. Maybe the Wave 6 would have been a better choice for that night, as I do own both models.

I'm not quite sold that radiant heat is good.