I am looking at heaters for the Phoenix slide-in pop-up shell model that is currently being built for my Tacoma. I am looking for a lightweight and portable option, so I do not need to lug it around in the heat of the summer. Does anybody have experience with Mr. Heater products? I am wondering if the Little Buddy would be sufficient to heat up the small space of my camper on occasion. Any opinions of Little Buddy vs. Portable Buddy vs. Big Buddy?...or any other brands/models out there?
Mr. Heater
- Thread starter whybother
- Start date
John C
Advanced Member
I have the Buddy heater, it works just fine in my fleet (it does only have 2 settings, low and high) its 100 bucks at wally world.
J
J
I have a knock off mr buddy from home depot. The little version. Same BTU ratings. It heats my hawk just fine. Almost always leave it on low, only use high when it first starts. Will keep camper in the 60s when 30 outside easy. May get too hot and have to cycle it. I never sleep with it on. Cold in the mornings, though. Little canisters are a pain. I wish someone made a version without the space to hold them. Use 5# propane tank and hose. Both stored outside and run into camper via turnbuckle access hole. When I sleep, I disconnect hose and it stays outside with propane. Safer, me thinks. Good luck and don't forget the down sleeping bags!
dave
dave
RC Pilot Jim
Senior Member
I have been using my Mr. Buddy portable catalytic heater in my Flip Pac truck camper on a '99 Toyota Tacoma
the last 7 years. In 25* weather it keeps the truck bed and sleeping area a toasty 70* on high. The Flip Pac is a tent on a truck with NO insulation. I sleep in a down bag with the heater off. In the morning I use the auto-igniter to turn it on and the camper warms up in about 3-5 minutes. A singl bottle of propane lasts 6-8 hours - about 3.5 nights of camping.
As with any portable propane heater don't sleep with it on.
I have been saving my pennies for a replacement truck and a 4 Wheel Hawk camper, and plan to use the Mr Buddy instead of the furnace as it won't deplete the camper auxiliary battery.
the last 7 years. In 25* weather it keeps the truck bed and sleeping area a toasty 70* on high. The Flip Pac is a tent on a truck with NO insulation. I sleep in a down bag with the heater off. In the morning I use the auto-igniter to turn it on and the camper warms up in about 3-5 minutes. A singl bottle of propane lasts 6-8 hours - about 3.5 nights of camping.
As with any portable propane heater don't sleep with it on.
I have been saving my pennies for a replacement truck and a 4 Wheel Hawk camper, and plan to use the Mr Buddy instead of the furnace as it won't deplete the camper auxiliary battery.
Any advice on which model to get?
Little Buddy seems nice and compact, but only 3,800 BTU's. Is that enough to heat up a truck camper?
Portable Buddy has a hi & lo temp setting.
Big Buddy has much more power and a fan.
I think the Little Buddy may be the ticket for occasional use in a small truck camper (in the evening and to take the chill off in the morning while making coffee. It's light, compact, cheap, and claims to be able to heat up 100 sq. ft., which is more than double the square footage of a truck camper. Will I regret this smaller heater for winter camping/ski trips in Colorado? Any thoughts?
Little Buddy seems nice and compact, but only 3,800 BTU's. Is that enough to heat up a truck camper?
Portable Buddy has a hi & lo temp setting.
Big Buddy has much more power and a fan.
I think the Little Buddy may be the ticket for occasional use in a small truck camper (in the evening and to take the chill off in the morning while making coffee. It's light, compact, cheap, and claims to be able to heat up 100 sq. ft., which is more than double the square footage of a truck camper. Will I regret this smaller heater for winter camping/ski trips in Colorado? Any thoughts?
leadsled9
Contributors
Any advice on which model to get?
Little Buddy seems nice and compact, but only 3,800 BTU's. Is that enough to heat up a truck camper?
Portable Buddy has a hi & lo temp setting.
Big Buddy has much more power and a fan.
I think the Little Buddy may be the ticket for occasional use in a small truck camper (in the evening and to take the chill off in the morning while making coffee. It's light, compact, cheap, and claims to be able to heat up 100 sq. ft., which is more than double the square footage of a truck camper. Will I regret this smaller heater for winter camping/ski trips in Colorado? Any thoughts?
I make 4-5 week trips to Colorado all the time.....more heat than you think you need is a good thing. Sudden cold fronts/storms in the Rockies is the norm.
If your heater is putting out too much heat you can always turn it down.
I'd rather have a powerful heater that is set on low......than weak heater always running on high and never quite getting the job done.
Little Buddy seems nice and compact, but only 3,800 BTU's. Is that enough to heat up a truck camper?
Portable Buddy has a hi & lo temp setting.
Big Buddy has much more power and a fan.
I think the Little Buddy may be the ticket for occasional use in a small truck camper (in the evening and to take the chill off in the morning while making coffee. It's light, compact, cheap, and claims to be able to heat up 100 sq. ft., which is more than double the square footage of a truck camper. Will I regret this smaller heater for winter camping/ski trips in Colorado? Any thoughts?
I make 4-5 week trips to Colorado all the time.....more heat than you think you need is a good thing. Sudden cold fronts/storms in the Rockies is the norm.
If your heater is putting out too much heat you can always turn it down.
I'd rather have a powerful heater that is set on low......than weak heater always running on high and never quite getting the job done.
strannik
Member
I haven't used the little buddy in a truck camper yet, but I have used it in an enclosed porch where I work. On high, it is adequate for the entire room, and I usually keep in on low near my desk. While the heater has the requisite safety features, I wouldn't use it in a space that isn't well ventilated - there is a pronounced propane odor from the unit.
Barko1
Senior Member
I am looking at heaters for the Phoenix slide-in pop-up shell model that is currently being built for my Tacoma. I am looking for a lightweight and portable option, so I do not need to lug it around in the heat of the summer. Does anybody have experience with Mr. Heater products? I am wondering if the Little Buddy would be sufficient to heat up the small space of my camper on occasion. Any opinions of Little Buddy vs. Portable Buddy vs. Big Buddy?...or any other brands/models out there?
\
What elevation will you be at? I seem to recall that those don't work so great over 8000'.
I really like the Wave 3, little more money, carry a 20# tank and run it for weeks at a lower operating cost.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=safari&rls=en&q=Wave+3+heater&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=14874121550893103269&sa=X&ei=9T79TdXxL6_WiALltvmRBQ&ved=0CFEQ8wIwAQ#ps-sellers
\
What elevation will you be at? I seem to recall that those don't work so great over 8000'.
I really like the Wave 3, little more money, carry a 20# tank and run it for weeks at a lower operating cost.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=safari&rls=en&q=Wave+3+heater&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=14874121550893103269&sa=X&ei=9T79TdXxL6_WiALltvmRBQ&ved=0CFEQ8wIwAQ#ps-sellers
I wouldn't use it in a space that isn't well ventilated - there is a pronounced propane odor from the unit.
Hmmm....there shouldn't be any propane odor. Maybe there's a leaky fitting -- ??
The main danger of using a heater indoors (without ventilation) is that if combustion isn't complete then CO is produced rather than CO2, because not enough oxygen. In a catalytic heater the burning is low/slow enough that a propane molecule has enough time to meet enough O2 molecules to get-it-on to completion. I'm not an expert, but I haven't heard of un-burned propane (in the exhaust) as one of the dangers...so maybe propane is leaking somewhere upstream of the combustion -- a leaky fitting. My 2¢
My personal experience, FWIW:
I use my Wave 6 (6000 BTU) catalytic heater in my camper without worry -- with a lower-wall vent open about an inch and the roof vent open about 1/2 inch, how-far open depending whether it's running at Low, Med, or High (I only use High on initial start-up). I've never smelled any propane; the heater is next to my propane sensor and it's never smelled any either. In winter camping I've left it running overnight and have never died in my sleep.
Of course, seriously, everyone needs to decide for themselves when it comes to safety/risk.
Hmmm....there shouldn't be any propane odor. Maybe there's a leaky fitting -- ??
The main danger of using a heater indoors (without ventilation) is that if combustion isn't complete then CO is produced rather than CO2, because not enough oxygen. In a catalytic heater the burning is low/slow enough that a propane molecule has enough time to meet enough O2 molecules to get-it-on to completion. I'm not an expert, but I haven't heard of un-burned propane (in the exhaust) as one of the dangers...so maybe propane is leaking somewhere upstream of the combustion -- a leaky fitting. My 2¢
My personal experience, FWIW:
I use my Wave 6 (6000 BTU) catalytic heater in my camper without worry -- with a lower-wall vent open about an inch and the roof vent open about 1/2 inch, how-far open depending whether it's running at Low, Med, or High (I only use High on initial start-up). I've never smelled any propane; the heater is next to my propane sensor and it's never smelled any either. In winter camping I've left it running overnight and have never died in my sleep.
Of course, seriously, everyone needs to decide for themselves when it comes to safety/risk.
chnlisle
Post Master
You may have a combustion issue. I used the Buddy Heater for several years in the past and never had a propane odor. We used it at 9000' with no problem. To be sure adequate ventilation is a must. I opened the turnbuckle ports about half way and the roof vent.
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