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thinair Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2005 Posts: 72 Location: Ann Arbor, MI
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Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:03 pm Post subject: Mr. Heater Buddy SALE $54.99 |
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I just received my Heater Buddy from Cabelas, they're on sale for $54.99 for factory reconditioned units. I fired mine up today and it seemed to work great! Almost too hot, I can't wait to try it out next weekend while camping.
Has anyone used these at night while sleeping? The box says do not sleep with it on, but it has an o2 sensor and if I left the top vent open and the pop top up I'm thinking I would be ok. Just want to see if anyone has any experience with these. Anyone else use this little unit in their vans? They have mounting brackets, where do you mount yours? Have you tried to hook up to the van's propane system? Lots of lovely questions
Thanks for the advice.
If you're interested I think they have quite a few of these for sale....here's the link, it's a long one, but if that doesn't work just go to www.cabelas.com and search for "heaters" you'll find it.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/...;noImage=0 |
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Tom Hutch Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2005 Posts: 31 Location: Falls Church, Virginia
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Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:13 am Post subject: |
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Many years ago and with a small propane stove, I dosed off in my 72 camper witht the top up and nearly died from carbon monoxide poisining. I woke up and had a massive headache and thew up. It took days to get back to normal. My wife may argue I never did. I recommend getting a good down bag and heat up the camper before bed and in the morning Please use only vented propane devises if you need to heat while you sleep. _________________ Cheers,
TomHutch - 85 Westfalia |
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Cat and Walter Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2006 Posts: 244 Location: Soutern Utah
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Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 6:45 am Post subject: |
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statisticly you are in more danger driving to the campsite. Install an co sensor, I am going to do it in my vanagon. |
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flyingCoyote Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2006 Posts: 514 Location: Burp Hollow, OR
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Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 8:41 am Post subject: |
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I have a Mr. Heater Buddy. You just have to keep a couple of inches of open window (out which escapes much of the heat) to be theoretically safe.
Even so, the moisture that thing pumps into the air turns the van into a swimming pool in a couple of hours _________________ 1985 Vanagon GL / homebrew camper (daily driver)
1974 Super Beetle (Wife's daily driver) |
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RCB Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2005 Posts: 4143 Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 9:00 am Post subject: |
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I am also looking to purchase a heater for winter camping and looked at the Coleman quick start Catalytic heater.It runs off a small can of propane and also has a battery operated fan. Seems like a good idea to help distribute the heat.
Would be kinda nice to have a built in timer in these type of heaters.
Oh well; wishful thinking. |
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Cat and Walter Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2006 Posts: 244 Location: Soutern Utah
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Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:20 am Post subject: |
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flyingCoyote wrote: |
I have a Mr. Heater Buddy. You just have to keep a couple of inches of open window (out which escapes much of the heat) to be theoretically safe.
Even so, the moisture that thing pumps into the air turns the van into a swimming pool in a couple of hours |
must be lots of humidity in the air, in Utah and out west bone dry is the by word. these things don't generate moisture. |
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mordeaux Samba Member
Joined: June 25, 2006 Posts: 249 Location: Mobtown
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Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:04 am Post subject: |
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It's the propane that contains the moisture.
In the building trades, we don't use propane salamanders indoors for just that reason. |
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Basilbomb Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2006 Posts: 871
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Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:19 pm Post subject: |
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Whenever you burn a hydrocarbon you will always get Co2 and H20 - it's the result of the oxidation process that releases the heat we want. You will get CO if the combustion is incomplete, which is why we now have catalytic converters on cars. CO is lighter than air and should theoretcially rise out the tent top, but I would suspect that having all the screens open would waste as much heat as you are creating. CO2 is heavier than air and is also bad for you but the concentrations have to be very high. All in all there is a risk whenever you burn something in an enclosed space, so if you went the way of this unit I would find a way of permenantly mounting it and providing a fresh air input and an exhaust.
There is also the issue of throwing away a lot of disposable propane canisters if you use it much. |
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thinair Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2005 Posts: 72 Location: Ann Arbor, MI
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Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:20 pm Post subject: Venting and Propane Canisters |
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I was thinking I could open the pop top vent about an inch as well as one of the front windows, this should provide enough venting. I also don't think we would sleep with the thing running as our bags are warm, I just don't want to crawl into bed at 7pm because the sun went down. This way we can have some nice reading and card playing time while warm.
As for Propane Canisters, I must be part Oakie but my father discovered a great way to refill the things. I've been useing the same canisters for 12 years. You just take a larger tank, attach the proper fitting that mates the two tanks together. You turn the larger tank upside down on a box. Hang the 1lb cansiter over the side and use vice grips or needle nose plyers to gently pull the pressure release valvue on the canister. It takes a smelly minute, but you get a nicely filled canister. Of course you should do this away from all sources of ignition and once the canister is full it's good to leave it outside for a day so that any excess pressure can bleed off.
Yes I know it says DO NOT REFILL, but if you keep reusing your canisters all the warning labels fade and you fell good about yourself again. It's cheap, and it's good for the environment too |
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hiram6 Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2006 Posts: 1880 Location: Beautiful South
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:05 am Post subject: What about this an an alternative? |
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http://www.origo-sweden.com/products_f.html
I have one of their stoves installed in my sailboat, and it's top-quality stuff. Have never used this particular product, but generally I'm much more comfortable burning alcohol than pressurized propane!! |
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flyingCoyote Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2006 Posts: 514 Location: Burp Hollow, OR
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:46 am Post subject: |
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Cat and Walter wrote: |
must be lots of humidity in the air, in Utah and out west bone dry is the by word. these things don't generate moisture. |
They produce a good amount of water vapor as a combustion byproduct.
Using the heater last Feb. in super-dry 20-degree weather, it wasn't a problem. I worked inside the van for hours without seeing too much condensation forming on the windows.
By the time we first went camping in late March, the air was more humid and the effect was really noticable. _________________ 1985 Vanagon GL / homebrew camper (daily driver)
1974 Super Beetle (Wife's daily driver) |
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Cat and Walter Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2006 Posts: 244 Location: Soutern Utah
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 8:03 am Post subject: |
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flyingCoyote wrote: |
Cat and Walter wrote: |
must be lots of humidity in the air, in Utah and out west bone dry is the by word. these things don't generate moisture. |
They produce a good amount of water vapor as a combustion byproduct.
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They Do? Sweet a drinking water generator. |
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[email protected] Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2003 Posts: 1839 Location: Englewood, FL
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 10:19 am Post subject: |
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I have used the Mr. buddy, the big one with the fan built in. It worked great. This was north florida winter though, not snowing or anything, pretty cold though! we just stuck it on the front table.
I'm sure you clould plumb in an adaptor hose but I think it comsumes a fair amout of propane. So if you are using your tank for fridge etc.. you might come up short on long weekends etc.. I have a spare westy tank that I am considering putting in on the otehr side of the bus with a connection hose only, that I could use for the heater and gas grill etc.. just so I don't have to carry extra cylinders etc.. I have just been kinda lazy to to get to work on that plus a buddy from the "Full moon bus club" that I always camp with always has clyinders at the ready as he has one of those refill attachments for the protable cylinders at home. we just give him our empties. _________________ Markus |
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cnskate Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2005 Posts: 295 Location: Bellingham, WA
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 2:01 pm Post subject: |
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Just back from trip using the Buddy, works great. I think they get about 4 hours on high and 8 hours on low per bottle of Propane. You can buy a kit to hook it up to your propane tank. Harbor Freight also sells an adapter to fill the little propane tanks.
I wouldn't stake my life on a $30 co sensor. They don't last very long and they are not entirely reliable. _________________ "Wherever you go, there you are." |
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GeorgeL Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2006 Posts: 7346
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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Cat and Walter wrote: |
flyingCoyote wrote: |
Cat and Walter wrote: |
must be lots of humidity in the air, in Utah and out west bone dry is the by word. these things don't generate moisture. |
They produce a good amount of water vapor as a combustion byproduct.
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They Do? Sweet a drinking water generator. |
If you like squeegeeing it off of the inside of your windows
The amount of water isnt excessive, but it will fog up the windows, since they are generally the coldest part of your bus.
I've used the Coleman heater and it will barely keep the bus warm on an Arizona winter night. The Mr. Buddy is probably better, but expect to go through gas cylinders pretty quick. You don't get heat without fuel!
George |
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getset Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2005 Posts: 437 Location: PNW | OLY
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with the thick down bag and life. About the only time I use heat in my van is when i am plugged in at friends houses. Then a little ceramic heater makes or a cozy winters night sleep. I just installed shore power and a small breaker box to make it a little safer. Otherwise just pile on the blankets. |
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msinabottle Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2005 Posts: 3492 Location: Denver Area, Colorado
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Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 10:57 pm Post subject: One Note about Mr. Heater Buddy... |
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They say not to use the 'Heater Buddy' above a certain altitude, I believe it's 7,000 feet. In Colorado, it's REALLY EASY to get above 7,000 feet, I was up to Timberline (Not in Winston, he has an AFM, and measures his air by volume, not oxygen content) Saturday looking at incredible views of Aspen and other good reasons to live in Colorado.
I wrote to Coleman and asked if their catalytic heaters had any altitude restrictions, getting back a resounding, 'NO!' They were quite positive. I keep my 'Black Cat' in Winston's bench with a cylinder of propane. I LOVE to sleep in a cold room under lots of blankets, although you can get sleeping bags with a great deal of insulation, too. My friend the Eagle Scout was telling me on our drive in the mountains that the Scouts have the 'Polar Bear' award for camping in a tent in 0 degrees. The Coleman would be nice for warming up the van in the early morning while you're trying to heat your breakfast without your fingers breaking off. Coleman says you only need 4" square of open window to replace the oxygen used by their heater. They say that it puts out NO carbon monoxide.
I imagine there might be some danger under very cold conditions of the water system freezing, although I doubt the tank would, overnight, at least. You could put the heater on very low. The plug-in/ceramic system would be the safest, of course. I have a CO detector ready to go in Winston if I did feel the need to use a heater, because I don't want to die, and that might also be a good idea in cold weather if you're using the range.
Just some thoughts...
Best! |
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wolfej1 Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2005 Posts: 679 Location: North Royalton, Ohio
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 7:03 am Post subject: |
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Best would be using an inverter with ceramic type heater I am certain that the battery would croak though...... |
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mightyart Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2004 Posts: 6188 Location: Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 7:56 am Post subject: |
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I've used the heater buddy for a couple of years now and it's worked great for the mild winters in Texas.
We've been able to keep the pop-top up and still be nice and cozy.
We sleep with it on, put it on top of the sink (with the lid down of course) and open the slider about a half inch, this allows the propane hose access to the 17lb tank I hook it to.
The one pound cylinders always seem to run out about 4 AM and changing them in the cold, dark, cramped Westy was a treat.
I'm planning on plumbing in a quick disconnect for it in the Westy's propane lines, then putting in an "extend a stay" hook-up on the outside.
I also just finished re-insulating the inside and tinting the windows, I'm hoping this year I can get away with using it on low all the time.[/img] |
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danfromsyr Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 15129 Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 8:44 am Post subject: |
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yepper, use one on occasion, gets plenty chilly in northen NY.
I find that the talking, drinking, breathing also get the winders misted up.. i've always carried a med sized shower squeegee next to my Ebrake.
habit from lack of defog fan in my old van (soon to be ammended) and towls just smear sweat condensation to produce fog/glare.
yes, it's a pita they only last about 4hrs on a green cylinder, which i factor into my sleeping safety feature.. about 2hrs intot he night it goes out and I'm already warm... if heating the whole day. then thats a differant thing. my Mr buddy came with a carry bag. I leave with 1 full tank in the unit and 2 in the pouches on the carrier.. which are used for the camp stove on the picnic table.
+1 MR buddy heater user. |
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