Do you have input good and bad on mr heat big buddy heater

[azlee56]

I am thinking about getting this for a xmas gift. Have many of you used it in your RV's and if you use the 20lb propane and hose, how do you keep the tank outside and feed the thing inside to the heater?

Did you find it saved on propane from the RV's furnance heating up your little home, or was it about the same?

[Festus2]

azlee -
We have used both the regular-sized Mr. Buddy and the larger one (with double burners) to supplement the heat provided by our furnace. The smaller one has been put away and we now only use the large one.

I use a smaller 10 lb propane tank but have also used a 20 lb one. I drilled a large enough hole just to the left of our stairs leading to the upper bedroom. This hole allows us access to an exterior storage compartment and then outside where the tank is kept.

You will need a long propane hose to reach but I think the hose is either a 10 or 12 ft one. So the hose from Mr. Buddy goes through the hole, into the storage compartment and then outside. I have to leave the storage compartment door slightly open on one side to allow passage of the hose but the door can still be "locked" using one of the two locks.

We use Mr. Buddy during the day-time and early evening hours only -- not when we are sleeping although one of my friends does this. You have to open a window(s) to allow enough fresh air for proper ventilation. Mr. Buddy has a low-oxygen sensor but I've never tested it out to see if it works.

I'd get the two burner one rather than the single. The larger one can be set so that it works on just one and has a couple of more heat settings than the smaller one.

We dry camp a fair amount (no generator) and make good use of this heater. It saves drain on the battery and provides us with plenty of heat should the temps drop. It can also be used in the home in cases of emergency - BUT WITH CAUTION!!! AND PLENTY OF PROPER VENTING AND VENTILATION.

[azlee56]

thanks Festus. I was looking at the larger one, it seemed to have more favorable reviews. I was wondering about the fan adapter, which I could run when dry camping anyway. ha. So it heats without that really great. We won't use the heat while we sleep either, unless something funky happens, but how long do you think it takes to take the chill off when it is 35-40 degrees?

I like how you got the hose out and it says it is 12 foot. What does it need in addition (like filters?). I've read a lot but you know how this stuff gets confusing at some places.

[Festus2]

azlee-
The fan is powered by 2 D cells and; quite frankly a couple of gerbils on a treadmill could disperse more air than this fan. The batteries don't last long and the fan is not all that effective or efficient IMHO. Tried the fan a couple of times then gave up on it.
I've never had to use filters but I know the literature says you should. Before lighting, I turn the propane on at the tank so that the hose is filled with gas - then I use the Piezo lighter (the gizmo that produces the spark).
If it is quite cool in the mornings, we sometimes use both the furnace and Mr. Buddy until it warms up then shut the furnace off and just use "him".

[MNawman]

I bought a catalytic heater from Camping World and it works great. I had a couple gas lines plumbed in so it can be placed at either end if the rv. It can be wall mounted or has legs so it can be free standing wherever you want it. It is made for indoor use, but I dont use it at night, and will crack a window or vent when it's on. I also have a big buddy which works great too.

[Redfox458]

Old post I'm hoping to bring to life - I have hunt in the fall time and boondock for a week or so at a time, I have a generator, however my furnace would burn up all of my propane within about three days, so I use the big buddy heater - it sips propane in comparison to the furnace.

My question to you guys out there - looking to disconnect the propane line that feeds the furnace and get a few brass adapters to screw into the existing line to run a line to the big buddy heater with a quick disconnect. This way I won't have to drill a hole to the outside of my brand new trailer. I have done this in my older trailer and it works great, however it takes about 4 different brass adapters and some LP pipe dope or double thick thread tape. I'm wondering if there is an adapter that is more of a one piece adapter that would screw into the female flare nut on my existing copper LP pipe that would then allow me to screw the Mr Heater hose directly into this.

I hunt with a couple guys that have a 20# tank inside the trailer with a big buddy heater that they run non stop all week - not a big fan of this considering the possible risk of death by explosion. Does anybody else have any experience with installing this directly to the RV gas supply? Maybe I'll just have to get the 4 connectors together and slather the fittings with a liquid sealant?

[Festus2]

If you have an exterior propane quick disconnect connection, then why not use this and a long enough propane hose that can be fed into the interior of your RV and hooked up to Mr. Buddy? Almost all RV's have some kind of outside propane QD that folks mainly use for hooking up a BBQ.

You can feed the hose through a cargo door (if one is conveniently located) and into the RV from there. It's just a matter of finding a good route for the propane hose. You'll probably have to drill a hole somewhere but it won't be in the side of your RV.

This way, you don't have to disconnect your furnace propane line and try to fit together a series of fittings, etc. to make it work.

[Redfox458]

I have one of the models without an exterior propane connection unfortunately. I do however have the pass through storage under the front bed, I could run a hose through the "cabinet" under the bed, into the pass through storage, and just have a hatch open 1/2" I'm thinking I'll need more than 12' of hose though, and then I'll have to get some Mr Heater filters.