olympia wave or mr.buddy for car living?

[jake4569]

I'm gonna be living outta my Chevy Malibu soon, I need a heat source I know its not thesafest idea bit sometimes layers don't cut it. Any other ideas?

 

[Wild_E]

Olympia wave gets better fuel consumption, but it is way to big for a car!&nbsp;<br>In my box truck I put a smaller&nbsp;Coleman&nbsp;heater The Sport Cat, with minimal setting of 1500 btu inside an old kerosene heater cabinet, with a mass on top. Even in Lower Ontario it was what I used most of the time this way.&nbsp;<br><br>The Big Buddy was only used for about 3 weeks when it was -20+&nbsp;Celsius with a wind. In your little car it might be too big as well. If you get the Sport Cat, look for the one that says it goes 14hrs on a 1 gal propane tank.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes it is louder, but runs much longer on a 20lb tank than the Big Buddy, which only runs for 4.5-5 days on the 20lb tank . The smaller Sport Cat will run from 7-14 days on a 20lb propane tank.&nbsp;<br><br>I do&nbsp;prefer&nbsp;the Olympia Wave and will hopefully be buying one for this coming winter, as I will be moving another 6-12hrs North into Northern Ontario.&nbsp;<br><br>Look at putting the Sport Cat inside a hollowed out 5 gal round container, with a weighted bottom for safety. My heater is run non stop, inside its safer Kerosene Heater base.&nbsp;<br><br>~Cheers Wild_E

 

[Zil]

Don't use a plastic bucket.

 

[jake4569]

Do I need to buy a hose like the Mr. Buddy heater to hook up a 20 lbs tank? Thanks for the tip <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[Instead]

Yes you would be wise to get the hose, but take care to get the correct one for the corresponding model number.<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[owl]

&nbsp; And the filter

 

[Wild_E]

of course use a metal 5gal bucket!!!<br>make some holes in the top and then put a big field stone on top to act as a mass that will warm up and hold the heat longer.&nbsp;<br><br>yes the longer hose allows you to set the propane outside the vehicle or better yet in a holder that you can put into the trailer hitch. Those little platforms that slip into the trailer hitch would work great. also it is safer

 

[highdesertranger]

i wouldn't put any of the portable heaters in a car.&nbsp; bad things are going to happen.&nbsp; i seen someone trying to run a buddy inside a blazer it was melting all the plastic and headliner i feel we save his life because we noticed, &nbsp;and he had fallen asleep.&nbsp;&nbsp;every piece of plastic on the inside of the roof had melted into long stringers some were over a foot long.&nbsp; &nbsp;highdesertranger

 

[Wild_E]

that is why i suggested the smaller sport cat..&nbsp;<br>my box truck gets too hot from the Big Buddy heater most of the time, compared to a car it is huge!&nbsp;

 

[VanGirl]

Has anyone tried the sport cat in a van yet.

 

[jake4569]

I will go ahead AnD try the pro cat with the bucket and rock idea ill let all you car campers know how it goes tehe! Hopefully no plastic melts I definitely will monitor it for awhile before sleeping.

 

[Sunny1]

Van Girl, I like the Black Cat better than the Sport Cat. The Black Cat is adjustable from 1500 - 3000 BTUs.&nbsp; If it's really cold you can get things warmed upon 3000 BTU, then cut back to 1500 BTU.<br><br>Just remember ventilation!&nbsp; <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[Wild_E]

The Rock which should a solid Field Rock, is mass so it holds the heat for an extended period of time.<br>option 1. leave on all night<br>2. turn off heater just as you get into bed, leave rock on heater cage<br>3. warm up rock, put under the covers, maybe in a roasting pan or an old frying pan with a lid, warm up the&nbsp;sleeping&nbsp;platform, put back on the heater, re-warm<br>turn off and let it&nbsp;dissipate&nbsp;the heat longer into the night.&nbsp;<br><br>sport cat/black cat, too many names, look on the box, find the info, lowest and highest btu as well as how long it lasts on 1 gal container. One of the lasts 14hrs now, the one I use lasts 9-12hrs. Will buy a new one on sale soon, or in the pre-fall sales.&nbsp;<br>.. Will post a pic soon, will go and take a photo of my setup, now it is in Box truck, has lots more room but I did do a few tests to see how hot it gets behind and above the heater setup, before sleeping.&nbsp;<br><br>When it is around 6-10&nbsp;Celsius I turn it off overnight as it is warm enough to sleep in my insulated home. The big trick is to make sure you do not open any doors 1 hr before bed, warm up with your body and heater, turn off at bed time.&nbsp;<br><br>So, why leave it on, I did try to turn off when not there a few times, but it takes 2-3 days for the mass of the vehicle and objects in it to warm up in the middle of winter. Too cold too long and too many problems. I have mine connected to a 100lb tank and it lasts a month and a week when only using the small heater. The Big Buddy would consume the tank in 3 weeks as it used 20lb propane tank in 4-5 days or so.<br>&nbsp;

 

[Wild_E]

Here are two pics for visuals<br><br>This one shows how close plastic is and not being melted. Now it is a much larger area than a car, so .. test if a few times yourself, please. At first I had the heater standing up inside there, this way with it down, I get the added&nbsp;benefit&nbsp;of the full design of the old Kero cabinet, so full energy not just frontal radiant dispersal.&nbsp;<br><br><img rel="lightbox" src="http://wildernessreturn.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/small-heater-002b.jpg" class="bbc_img"><br><br>This one Shows, how close the bed is and that the mass stops the heat from going straight up, so hot. Never a problem and it was been in almost constant use since End Nov.<br>There was thermometer and no touch Temp taken as well.<br><img rel="lightbox" src="http://wildernessreturn.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/small-heater-004b.jpg" class="bbc_img">&nbsp;<br>This is also a heater that I use in my living area. Note the size difference as well as the fact that it runs on Veggy oil ! This will run all night long by the way.<br><img rel="lightbox" src="http://wildernessreturn.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/veglamps-132b.jpg" class="bbc_img"><br><br>or this setup, put the can on top of the jar, it runs all night as well. This is what I use for heat until it goes below 7&nbsp;Celsius. (aprox 44 deg far)<br><br><img rel="lightbox" src="http://wildernessreturn.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/veglamps-104b.jpg" class="bbc_img">