Mr heater- burning the ceiling?

[97grandby]

So I have a mr heater and when it's on my counter it heats up so much that the ceiling directly above it gets too hot to touch. Does anyone else have this problem? If so how did you fix it? Most of the time I just use the furnace but i like having a back up plan. Thanks!


1990 Ford F-250
1997 fwc grandby

 

[Wallowa]

So I have a mr heater and when it's on my counter it heats up so much that the ceiling directly above it gets too hot to touch. Does anyone else have this problem? If so how did you fix it? Most of the time I just use the furnace but i like having a back up plan. Thanks!


1990 Ford F-250
1997 fwc grandby

Ah, most here know my opinion about an unvented [assuming ceiling vents are closed] combustion heater inside a FWC...that not withstanding I am cheered to see that the Mr. Heater has a low oxygen shut off...

Too much heating of the ceiling when heater is on the counter?

Move the heater to the floor...

Good luck...Phil

 

[Squatch]

Catalytic heaters heat the objects in front of them with radiant heat. They don't heat the air like a furnace does.

I'd make sure it isn't pointed at anything nearby.

 

[97grandby]

With my bottom bed out, there is no room on the floor to set it up. The only available place is on the counter. But the heat rises so much i can't put my hand on the ceiling with out it feeling like im going to burn it. Just wondering if anyone else has had the same issue and how you over came it. Thanks as always for your advice.


1990 Ford F-250
1997 fwc grandby

 

[idahoron]

I don't use mine on the counter. I am in the same boat as you when I have the couch made into a bed I am stuck. When my son is using the couch bed I use a electric heater. I normally have my generator when I go about anywhere so I go that route. But I wish there was a way to use the buddy on the counter but I haven't because I have been worried about it. This is the electric heater I use.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007ULR14/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

[TGK]

I've had a Mr. Heater for 12+ years and have used it quite a bit in our FWC Shell, an old Airstream and even in a large tent. Works great.
Of course, the FWC is pretty compact. I always leave it on the floor vs the counter and have never had a problem. I always leave a window cracked and the roof vent cracked when on. Also, never sleep with it on.

 

[TGK]

I meant to add that the Mr. Heater has a very effective tip switch. A bump or tipping of the unit shuts it down immediately. As Wallowa notes, it also has a low oxygen sensor. The literature warns that it may not work at elevations over 6,000 ft due to thinner air. However, my wife and I used it successfully in our trailer up to 7,000 ft on a multi week trip to Yellowstone at the end of September about 10 years ago.

 

[Bill D]

If using it on the counter is your only option then I guess you'll have to look at some form of a heat shield. Another thing that may help is some form of air circulation.

 

[Yukon]

I agree with Bill D. I would be very worried about the ceiling being real hot. A heat shield might do the trick; but, I'm surprised that your furnace is not adequate given how small the interior space is in the camper. Is this only for emergency backup?

 

[97grandby]

I agree with Bill D. I would be very worried about the ceiling being real hot. A heat shield might do the trick; but, I'm surprised that your furnace is not adequate given how small the interior space is in the camper. Is this only for emergency backup?

Yes, only for a back up. On this week long camping trip every night was below freezing and on day two the furnace fan started making a loud high pitch noise. Still worked the rest of the trip but with my six year old in the camper with me, just wanted to make sure I always have a back up source. Same reason I use an rv hose with a built in water filter and a surflow water filter on the other side of my water storage tank.

I've ordered a new fan motor for my furnace but still like the old belt and suspenders approach. With something as important as heat, better safe then sorry. So I think I'll take a look into heat shields or adding some computer fans to move things around.


1990 Ford F-250
1997 fwc grandby

 

[tree]

I have a hawk shell, and used the buddy heater for 2 nights during thanksgiving. I did notice a hot ceiling, even with the top vent cracked. and smoke detector chirped. so I opened the roof vent all the way. worked great after that. below freezing outside. my counter is low (battery cabinet) so next trip is a full week long in February. I will put heater on the floor for that trip. and I do sleep with it on. I had these heaters before. they work great. luckily I am a lite sleeper. and I bought a -5 degree sleeping bag.

 

[rickC]

Here is my solution with the Mr. Heater. As you can see in the picture the heater is "hung" on a 1/2 inch board which is placed under the lip of the bed and rest below the window. It does not move during transit and yet you can slide it left or right as you will. Must be careful that you don't have any bedding that may fall over it during use. I never operate the heater when sleeping tho. I'm sure that you could screw in a small board on the verticle lip so that you could slide the queen out with the added cushions. Most of the time I just use the single bed. At any rate the position works out great and on the floor just did not work out for me. BTW - You will notice that on the back of the Mr. Heater there are "cut-outs" that allow you to hang it on a wall.

 

[Yukon]

That looks like one very comfortable pup!

 

[68 Siesta]

I have the big buddy in my camper. Way too much heater for the space, but I like it because it has a little fan that circulates the heat. When I don't run the fan I have the same problem. When I run the fan - problem solved. A little air movement will solve that problem. Just get a little DC fan and position it above the heater. It Will have very little power draw and will solve your problem.


Sent from my iPad using Wander The West

 

[ETAV8R]

My last trip was the first time I used my buddy heater like in the picture with the dog. I only ran it when getting ready and into bed. It is on the side ledge near the passenger side window. I can reach down from bed and turn it off and on. I'd run it in the morning too. I couldn't imagine using it all night, it would be way too hot. Temps in Death Valley were down to the high 30's.

For your situation it seems a fan and/or shields are your best option.

 

[abqbw]

Running one of those heaters inside a camper sounds like a good way to die.

 

[park]

Running one of those heaters inside a camper sounds like a good way to die.

Crack a window and ceiling vent and you can run one all night. Only danger is if you close the unit up really tight. Plus, they have a low oxygen sensor. Danger of one of these is really overstated.

 

[tree]

Running one of those heaters inside a camper sounds like a good way to die.

ran one in a tent and camper shell for years. in the hawk I open the roof vent all the way. ran the heater all night thanksgiving weekend, was perfect. outside was down to 30. im camping for a week in the desert in feb. but this time my soft walls are lined with reflectix and I have a nice coleman heavy -5 sleeping bag.

 

[park]

ran one in a tent and camper shell for years. in the hawk I open the roof vent all the way. ran the heater all night thanksgiving weekend, was perfect. outside was down to 30. im camping for a week in the desert in feb. but this time my soft walls are lined with reflectix and I have a nice coleman heavy -5 sleeping bag.

Concur....I've ran mine all night on numerous occasions and am still here. I always crack the side window about an inch and the fantastic vent up top about 2 inches.

 

[tree]

I always open the roof vent. but not the side. I will try the side window this time, so I can close the roof vent a little. I hope the reflectix keeps down the condensation.