Are there any Tradgangers out there who have used the Big Buddy heater in a camping situation? Do you have problems with condensation on the inside of your tent or trailer? Do any of you use the heater with a hose attachment and a large propane bottle? It is my understanding that a single hose equipped, with a fuel filter, will run the Big Buddy and is more economical then using the standard one pound propane bottles. Input from experience Big Buddy users will be appreciated. Thank you. :banghead:
Bill I love it when I used it a few weeks ago. In a tent, my cooking gear out side with a 10' hose just the heater in the tent. It got to hot for me in the tent, I will use it again though.
did get a little con. but not my concern... I am more concerned with fumes and had NONE. I reccomend it with the the low oxygen shout off system.
Using the heaters in a tent can be very dangerous. They are not vented and should never be used in a confined space. Low Ox sensors do go bad.
I have had the standard heater buddy for about the past 8-10 years I guess. We used it exclusively in a tow behind model camper that was about 18ft, I think. I ran a hose out the back window to a 30g propane tank and we usually cracked a window on the opposite end of the camper and the roof vent.
That heater could run you out of that trailer it would get so warm in there!! Always toasty warm and no issues!
I have two of the "portable buddy" heaters.
I have used them for two years in my 10x15 cabin.
They work great! Last weekend it was 18 degrees at night and I ran one, and when it ran out of fuel, I lit the other, they ran all night and kept me plenty warm.
The only ventilation is my nightly "calls to nature" when I open the door!
I never need to run both at once, one is plenty for the space I have.
I've never had a condensation issue in the cabin.
John
I thought about using one while sleeping in the shell in the bed of my pickup. As for fumes and condensation, you should be alright if you leave a window slid open a bit.
You could just fire it up and leave it going to get it nice and toasty before going to bed, then again for getting it warm before you crawl out of your bed.
I've got the standard Buddy, it'll cook me out of my ice shanty in no time flat. With a 3.5 season tent or breezy canvas you should have no problems. Get the line and filter for the external tank, the 1#er's will work for an over-nighter but will put you in the poor house before you know it.
Are you guys worried about the fumes?? I use a tent with a tarp over it when its in the teens, I'm thinking this could be an issue??
You must have ventalation!!!!
I am liking the tee pee design more and more
I've been wondering about these too, are they quiet? Completely silent?
I've got a little buddy heater I got at a local farm store I use it to heat my tent blind it gets hot quick. And when we smell the fumes we jsut turn it off or a bit.
for a bit
I've got the "little buddy" one for my pop-up camper. It does have a low oxygen sensor and will automatically shut off. I would put a battery powered back-up sensor in there if I used it more often. But the way I see it, one of two things will happen concerning oxygen content.
1) Your tent doesn't leak much air and is well insulated. In this case, that heater will heat you clean outta there in an hour or two anyway. So you'll naturally shut it off.
2) Your tent leaks like most. It will heat the air to something more tolerable, but enough fresh air is getting in through the crack and crevices and general lack of insulation. This will be the case for about any tent.
In either case, the low-ox sensor is probably your back-up plan. A battery powered one would be a third level of safety. Anything is dangerous if you carry the logic out long enough though...maybe a bear will eat you and you won't have to worry about it!!!
As long as you have some ventalation you will havde no problem, been using them for years.
I got one for Christmas for use in duck blinds but haven't tried it yet. I'll have to try it this weekend while working in the garage.
The part that will kill you,you won't smell they are the byproducts of the burn.that is a fact.I work for the state medical examiners office and I have seen it!
I use the "little buddy" when ice fishing with my three year old or in the pop up when camping with the family. I would not use it in my mountain tent, even if I was dumb enough to pack it in! 4 season tents, especially those designed for mountaineering are just too tight. I will occasionally use a candle in a camp lantern for extra heat but normally my body heat keeps the tent bearable even in sub zero temps.
QuoteOriginally posted by lpcjon2:
The part that will kill you,you won't smell they are the byproducts of the burn.that is a fact.I work for the state medical examiners office and I have seen it!
Happens enough up here that all home are required to have CO2 sensors and we still loose a family or two every year. Nothing to mess with that for sure!
We've used a small Buddy heater in a larger tent when hunting early Sept. in Wyoming. We only use it for a few minutes right after the alarm goes off, and again a short time before we hit the sleeping bags for the night. Just enough to knock the chill out. We don't run it over night, because we have warm enough sleeping bags that it isn't needed. They are a nice, quick heat source if you want one.
C02 cannot be seen, smelled, or recognized until it is way to late. Hundreds of people a year die from it in America. Buy a better sleeping bag! Running a propane heater with someone awake at all times is safe enough. Doing it with everyone asleep is asking to get dealt out of the equation. It is not a question of if you will get C02 poisoning by sleeping while running propane, it is when.
We had heaters in our tents in the Army and always had a fire watch on them to keep everyone safe. Most often we didn't bother with them no matter how cold it was.
Better safe and a bit cold than comfortable and whole lot dead.
If you have a canvas tent check the manufactures instructions.
Some say that petroleum products can hurt the canvas or treatments on it.
Actually, guys, it is CO that kills you. We breath out CO2 with every breath. Carbon monoxide (CO), not carbon dioxide (CO2) will definitely do the trick though. CO is a byproduct of combustion.
At any rate, be very careful of heaters in confined areas or you will be a nice warm, dead body by morning.
I use mine in a portable flip style icefishing house. It works OK. I think my pilot is getting dirty.
I'd add a inline filter to it if you use the big tanks. Up till recently I only used the small tanks till I realized how much money I was wasting by doing so. Now that I have it hooked up to a big tank, it wont work....damn the luck LOL!
We will use it icefishing down to -40, after that I stay home ;)
AKDan - take a daisy or red ryder bb gun- empty it; dry fire it to make sure its empty; and then hold the barrel right up to the pilot light. The small puff of air can dislodge the build up of by products in the line. Do it several times in a row.
Do not try a smoking pipe cleaner (do they still make those ? ) or any abrasive.
The gas is odorless; but it contains a chemical to provide odor. That stuff is impure; and bits of it clog the pilot light tube. By firing small bursts of air into it; the particles will dislodge; and when you turn it on - the flame will be yellow at first; then turn blue.
the shut off valve can shut off over 7000 feet in elevation automatically. These heaters are not intended for use therefore: over 7000 feet in elevation.
Brian,
I dont have a bb gun up here. hmmm..how about getting some of the bottled air (as embarassing as it is to say)?
I was going to rip things apart...one of those weekend projects ;) ...hopefully it goes backtogether !
Thanks for all the input. CO is a major concern to be sure. I always have open ports/windows and a free flow of air when using my heater. The question about condensation came form another TradGang member. Since I have not used my Big Buddy in a tent I could not answer his question. As always, you guys have responded to the call. :thumbsup:
Fumes and CO2 are not a problem. I use one in my 12' fiberglass Scamp trailer all the time. The Buddy heaters have a built-in oxygen sensor so it will turn off if there ever was an issue with CO2. I have never had any issues and have been sleeping with it on full power all through the night for three years (at least when it's cold out. Buddy heaters are catalytic and designed to be used indoors.
I wouldn't trust my life or family to a sensor.
Clay,
you brought back memories with the recollection of fire watch in tents at night. We did that as well when we had "war games" near Fairbanks in the dead of winter.
I have a Big Buddy heater and it is great for some applications. But as others have said I would not trust my life or my friend, families lives on a sensor.
QuoteOriginally posted by Bill Turner:
Are there any Tradgangers out there who have used the Big Buddy heater in a camping situation? Do you have problems with condensation on the inside of your tent or trailer? Do any of you use the heater with a hose attachment and a large propane bottle? It is my understanding that a single hose equipped, with a fuel filter, will run the Big Buddy and is more economical then using the standard one pound propane bottles. Input from experience Big Buddy users will be appreciated. Thank you. :banghead:
I use the regular buddy in my 10x14 Kodiak canvas tent with no condensation problems. I use it with the hose and filter on 11# and 20# tanks. I do have to hold down the pilot light knob longer with the hose before it will light properly. I like this heater but wish I had the big buddy just for the added fan option. Take some safety precautions and you will be good to go. I unzip the vents on both sides of the tent and have never worried about carbon monoxide, also it helps that my tent is canvas and breaths.
Use mine in my ice shanty, and love it. Has th3e oxygen sensor and it owrks great. I often have to open a door to let heat out.
ive got the big buddy the one up to 18,oo btu's use it in my sturgeon spearing 8x8 shack it gots hot in there quick i sit in there with jeans and a t-shirt when shack is first heating up there condisiation but that quickly goes away have used it with a 20 lb tank in the shed will be using it on the ice this year have had no problems with fumes of any kind the fan is system is nice to move the air around all thu makes noise the fish dont mind.
Best money I ever spent. I use mine with a bulk propane tank and line with filter. I set the tank outside my 8 man alaskan guide tent. No condensation. I unzip a little of two windows just as a precauation. I almost never have to use it higher than the low setting but occasionally on medium. I have used it for several years and it is the one item I double check to make sure I did not forget to take with me when going hunting or camping.