I Want Buddy Heater Safety Tips

[Carla618]

Is it safe to leave a Buddy heater running in my trailer while I am not in it? I make sure there is nothing near it. When turning it off while swapping bottles the temp drops super fast.

Anyway, I'm bored from babysitting my trailer and Buddy Heater and would like to run to the hardware store or hang out in the house.

Btw, the heater has been on all day with no windows cracked and the carbon monoxide detector isn't making a peep. It's new today and when I test it, it beeps.

I already know I can't sleep with it running.

 

[Gr8ful]

3 opinions
https://drivinvibin.com/2023/10/01/mr-buddy-heater/
https://cheaprvliving.com/why-i-no-longer-recommend-the-mr-heater-portable-buddy/

 

[Carla618]

3 opinions
https://drivinvibin.com/2023/10/01/mr-buddy-heater/
https://cheaprvliving.com/why-i-no-longer-recommend-the-mr-heater-portable-buddy/

thanks. really interesting. the man in the tent explained it well and read the figures from the EPA's website.

i'll just shut it down while i go to the store. I know it's going to feel like a deep freeze when I return. That's my punishment for not learning how to light my furnace and swap out my propane tanks.

Thanks again.

 

[abnorm]

"Experience is a cruel teacher........................."

 

[bullfrog !]

It seems a lot of people think boondocking doesn’t involve much getting used to a little discomfort and can be simply done, not really!

 

[Carla618]

It seems a lot of people think boondocking doesn’t involve much getting used to a little discomfort and can be simply done, not really!

I'm really appreciating this Buddy heater. It's very convenient, but could get very expensive. Good to have in an emergency situation. I bought 8 one pound bottles at Walmart tonight. They cost $18.87 for four. So around $44.00 with tax.

I'm gonna start timing them, because I seem to go through bottles pretty fast.

Edit: my daughter said I need to get the salt off the flooring in my trailer before it eats it. Does salt hurt vinyl laminate flooring?

Everywhere is salted right now=/

 

[eDJ_]

I knew a guy who had a Winnebago Lesharo who used an older Mr buddy to heat it while he was away. Risky but he never had a problem.

He bought an extension hose from Amazon and used his BBQ grill tanks for bulk propane. His hose had the end that would screw onto the propane filter he installed on the Mr Buddy. The hose also had a regulator valve at the tank end.
.

My guess is that you could get a webcam to install in the trailer that you could access via your cell with app so you could monitor it while you are away.



Extension Gas Hose

Gas Filter

 

[abnorm]

They cost $18.87 for four. So around $4.40 each.....................

Corrected the math

Nice price point.....in Quartzsite grocery stores they're $11 EACH......even at Walmart "Greenies" are over $6

We use a tank and hose/filter to feed the Buddy

 

[tx2sturgis]

Anyway, I'm bored from babysitting my trailer and Buddy Heater and would like to run to the hardware store or hang out in the house.

If the trailer is currently on shore power at your home, it would be safer and make more sense financially to use a space heater or two.

At least to keep some warmth in the trailer when you are not in it.

I'm referring to good quality, safe, space heaters like the oil-filled radiator types, or even the 'milk-house' style, but not the cheap ones that have exposed ribbons or coils that glow orange hot.

 

[bebewanna]

I have lived using a Big Buddy heater for 13 years, 3 years living in the minivan. Replaced the original this year. I have hole drilled in the floor from heater to tank outside.

On low setting using 24/7 a 20lb propane tank lasts about 3.5 days.

I use it at night sleeping too, never an issue. I leave the sliding door ajar, closed but not fully and front passenger window down about 1-2".
It was -12f a few nights ago here at 8100 feet in New Mexico and it was 58f inside when I woke up to turn the heat up.

I am very happy with the heater to say the least...

 

[maki2]

Safety tip Mr. Buddy heater. If you read the instruction manual you would have all the safety tips you need.
They do have low oxygen sensors built into them. You can go to sleep with one on as it will shut itself off if you get too much carbon dioxide and not enough oxygen.

Time wise they only run on a green bottle for about 4 hours so it is not going to last through the night anyway.

Get busy and get your propane furnace going. There is a lot of winter cold left before spring.

 

[WanderingRose]

That's my punishment for not learning how to light my furnace and swap out my propane tanks.

A few dollars spent at a local RV repair place might give you this instruction, tho I understand the reluctance to take this plunge.

On our first RV, a ‘77 Barth, which we put 40,000 miles on in 5 years, we never did learn to light the furnace nor use the stove.

But if you’re going to spend any real time in this rig, you should learn, in my opinion.

And that includes having the system thoroughly checked for leaks, rust, etc.

Good luck.

 

[camperdan]

I'm really appreciating this Buddy heater. It's very convenient, but could get very expensive. Good to have in an emergency situation. I bought 8 one pound bottles at Walmart tonight. They cost $18.87 for four. So around $44.00 with tax.

I'm gonna start timing them, because I seem to go through bottles pretty fast.

Edit: my daughter said I need to get the salt off the flooring in my trailer before it eats it. Does salt hurt vinyl laminate flooring?

Everywhere is salted right now=/

Hi Carla, Regarding the high cost of the 1 pound propane cans, even though LP is approaching $5/gal, I only
spend $5 for a 4-pack. That's because a nice camper showed me how to refill them many years ago. Once
you have the right adapter that connects the little green can with a 5 gallon bottle, it is easy to do. It works simply
because with the 5 gallon bottle on a table upside down and the green can right side up, the liquid just runs
out of the big tank into the little one. You only want to do this outdoors because one has to vent the little tank twice for
about 15-20 sec to relieve the pressure . Otherwise the liquid will stop flowing because of the pressure buildup.

This is perfect;ly safe to do. Go on the internet and see if you can find video demos. The adapter I have is
superior to any I have seen online. 1) It is NOT straight, but has a 90 degree angle in it so the big tank is straight
up and down instead of angled. 2) there is a built-in valve in the adaptor, because the valve on the big tank
is a bit hard to get to. Any good hardware store can help you find the brass pieces that you would put
together. I will experiment with attaching a picture to a future note if that will help. Dan

 

[Carla618]

If the trailer is currently on shore power at your home, it would be safer and make more sense financially to use a space heater or two.

At least to keep some warmth in the trailer when you are not in it.

I'm referring to good quality, safe, space heaters like the oil-filled radiator types, or even the 'milk-house' style, but not the cheap ones that have exposed ribbons or coils that glow orange hot.

It got too cold for my milk house heater. It couldn't warm the air enough . So I tried using two space heaters and flipped a breaker . So my daughter brought me her Buddy heater . It works great.

I ended up using just the milk house when I ran to Walmart and the temp dropped 14 degrees . Not bad . Did the same last night, so I could sleep in the house, and temp in trailer was 37 this morning . Least it is keeping the trailer above freezing when I am away .

 

[Carla618]

I have lived using a Big Buddy heater for 13 years, 3 years living in the minivan. Replaced the original this year. I have hole drilled in the floor from heater to tank outside.

On low setting using 24/7 a 20lb propane tank lasts about 3.5 days.

I use it at night sleeping too, never an issue. I leave the sliding door ajar, closed but not fully and front passenger window down about 1-2".
It was -12f a few nights ago here at 8100 feet in New Mexico and it was 58f inside when I woke up to turn the heat up.

I am very happy with the heater to say the least...

Wow! You live in extreme conditions. Thumbs up to you

 

[Carla618]

Hi Carla, Regarding the high cost of the 1 pound propane cans, even though LP is approaching $5/gal, I only
spend $5 for a 4-pack. That's because a nice camper showed me how to refill them many years ago. Once
you have the right adapter that connects the little green can with a 5 gallon bottle, it is easy to do. It works simply
because with the 5 gallon bottle on a table upside down and the green can right side up, the liquid just runs
out of the big tank into the little one. You only want to do this outdoors because one has to vent the little tank twice for
about 15-20 sec to relieve the pressure . Otherwise the liquid will stop flowing because of the pressure buildup.

This is perfect;ly safe to do. Go on the internet and see if you can find video demos. The adapter I have is
superior to any I have seen online. 1) It is NOT straight, but has a 90 degree angle in it so the big tank is straight
up and down instead of angled. 2) there is a built-in valve in the adaptor, because the valve on the big tank
is a bit hard to get to. Any good hardware store can help you find the brass pieces that you would put
together. I will experiment with attaching a picture to a future note if that will help. Dan

Yes, a picture would be great . I'm sure others would appreciate seeing it, too . Thank you .

 

[Gr8ful]

I used to fill them at the cabin & only got 3 or 4 refills before they leaked. Maybe they're better now but they make ones made to be refilled. I'd use a 20# & a hose to the heater. We have a 500 gal propane tank & pay $1.99 per gallon & a new place in town is $1.79 locked in till mid 2025. We had a propane fill station where I worked & it was a money maker!

A: One gallon of propane weighs 4.2 pounds. A “full” 20 lb cylinder should have 4.7 gallons or propane in it. The most common way to measure it is by gallons. It can also be measured by pounds (one gallon = 4.2lbs).

 

[eDJ_]

Carla, what kind of furnace is in your rig ? A Dometic or a Suburban ? (or other)

As for those green bottles there are several suppliers who carry the brass adapter where you can refill the green bottles from a BBQ tank. It is best done in around 70 degree weather. (outdoors) Once your bottles are refilled there are brass screw on caps you can use to seal them. I believe Harbor Freight carries them too if there is one near you.

Refill adapter

Brass Caps to seal 1 lb bottles

At my home the furnace is fueled with propane. My "Gas Man" told me that propane is a natural attraction to bee's, wasp, and mud daubers....and I've had my share of them all. They also like to build under the dome lid of the 500 gallon tank. And anywhere in the furnace they can get into. My Gas Man showed me where to install some window screen in my furnace air intake to keep them out of the inner workings of the unit and that nearly eliminated the problem. . My Gas Man showed me this "sting kill stick" he carries to use if he does get stung. (so I have one of those in my medicine cabinet in the house now)

Sting Kill Med

Boy Scouts used to teach, the anti venom for bee's is ammonia. (always use the edge of a knife to scrape out a stinger as tweezers will help inject venom into the wound). For wasp use vinegar as an anti venom. (provided you have those items)

 

[travelaround]

I lived in a travel trailer ( TT ) for the last three years. At first the propane bottles seemed difficult to change but once I got used to it, it became easy enough. I had to run downtown every couple weeks for refills but the men working at Napa Auto Parts made it as easy as possible for me to get that done. I was paying about 40 dollars every time I filled two 20 lb. tanks.

The Dometic furnace in the TT was/is wonderful. It heated the place much better than the two electric heaters I had. I kept the radiator-style electric heater on low at night, and turned off the furnace to conserve on propane use. My recommendation to you is to deal with the process of learning to use the TT's furnace for quality of heat and rapid re-heating after leaving it off a while.

 

[Carla618]

eDJ:

one of my daughters often ends up at the ER from bee stings and spider bites. copying your info. thanks.

took a pic of my thermostat. the brand surprised me, mr. heater: