Little Buddy heater

[mjones12]

We live in a relatively temperate climate and camp all year. Sometimes we end up winterizing and de-winterizing several times a year. When there are a few nights that will be near or below freezing, we have previously hooked up power and used a cube heater to keep everything warm if we were planning on camping in the next few days. Now we park the camper farther away from the house, and safe power is not available. We are considering the Mr. Heater Little Buddy, which is an indoor propane heater. My question is: Will this work okay with a cover on the camper? The heater has a low-oxygen shutoff, but I'm thinking that if we crack the two ceiling vents, or even crack a window, there should be no oxygen deficiency. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[DAISY BOYKIN]

I would not use a propane heater in the camper. First, the camper is tight sealed which causes the heater to use up the oxygen. Even with vents open and a window cracked. Put on plenty of flannels, sweat shirts, cover up good. Or better yet, park it close to AC power, run a ceramic heater from WAL-MART.

Don't DO IT!

[WeBJammin']

If you are trying to keep the trailer from freezing for a few days until you are ready to use it why not use the furnace set on its lowest setting? I think that would be the safest and easiest thing to use.

[mjones12]

Originally Posted by WeBJammin'

If you are trying to keep the trailer from freezing for a few days until you are ready to use it why not use the furnace set on its lowest setting? I think that would be the safest and easiest thing to use.

Would this be okay with the cover on?

[mjones12]

Originally Posted by DAISY BOYKIN

I would not use a propane heater in the camper. First, the camper is tight sealed which causes the heater to use up the oxygen. Even with vents open and a window cracked. Put on plenty of flannels, sweat shirts, cover up good. Or better yet, park it close to AC power, run a ceramic heater from WAL-MART.

Don't DO IT!

We would not be inside the camper. We're just keeping the interior warm.

[MtnGuy]

I think the Little Buddy Heater will only last about 6 hours on the low position. We have the double tank Big Buddy Heater, and that will last 10 to 12 hours....enough to take you overnite.

If the camper cover is breathable, I would think cracking a window or 2 would allow the use of the heater with the cover on. Sounds like running electric to the camper is out of the question, so running the furnace even on low would probably run the battery down the 1st nite. If you do run the furnace, make sure the cover is pulled away securely from the furnace vent.....that puppy can get really hot.....probably enough to melt the cover, or even catch it on fire.

[mjones12]

Originally Posted by mtnguy

I think the Little Buddy Heater will only last about 6 hours on the low position. We have the double tank Big Buddy Heater, and that will last 10 to 12 hours....enough to take you overnite.

If the camper cover is breathable, I would think cracking a window or 2 would allow the use of the heater with the cover on. Sounds like running electric to the camper is out of the question, so running the furnace even on low would probably run the battery down the 1st nite. If you do run the furnace, make sure the cover is pulled away securely from the furnace vent.....that puppy can get really hot.....probably enough to melt the cover, or even catch it on fire.

Usually, 6 hours would be enough for us, especially taking into account that the interior heat doesn't immediately plummet when the gas runs out. Good point about the furnace exhaust. It does get hot. I could be wrong, but I thought the only battery power needed for the furnace would be for ignition and fan. I don't know what the implications would be with the furnace going on and off all night with no shore power, but obviously the cover is out. We're about 80 feet from the exterior outlets on our house, and we're afraid to run a drop cord that far. I'm thinking our best option is to take the cover off and run the furnace with the battery hooked up or use the Little Buddy with the cover off. Any more ideas? Thanks.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by mjones12

Usually, 5.5 hours would be enough for us, especially taking into account that the interior heat doesn't immediately plummet when the gas runs out. Good point about the furnace exhaust. It does get hot. I could be wrong, but I thought the only battery power needed for the furnace would be for ignition. I don't know what the implications would be with the furnace going on and off all night with no shore power.

The ignition and the furnace fan both run on 12 volts. The furnace is probably the biggest 12 volt amp draw in a camper......it takes some energy to move that air.

[LadyWindrider]

Why not blow the lines out with compressed air? There are directions on here somewhere on how to do it.

[jackhartjr]

PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS. You are asking for a fire...or at the least a lot of smoke damage when the heater starts to 'snuff out'!

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by jackhartjr

PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS. You are asking for a fire...or at the least a lot of smoke damage when the heater starts to 'snuff out'!

Yes, I would be a little reluctant to leave the Buddy Heater burning while no one is in the camper. But mine does not smoke any when shutting off.

[WeBJammin']

The furnace will work safely as long as you do not cover the ducts on the inside and keep the exhaust cleared on the outside. The lower the temperature is set the less the furnace will run and the longer the 12volt battery will last. Windrider also has a good idea in blowing out the lines after using the trailer so you will not have to heat it at all. That is unless you are storing some type of liquids in the trailer that could freeze and be damaged.

[WeBJammin']

The Home Depot sells a 100 foot 12/3 conductor heavy duty extension cord that would easily make the run you are talking about.

[mtl4]

Originally Posted by WeBJammin'

The Home Depot sells a 100 foot 12/3 conductor heavy duty extension cord that would easily make the run you are talking about.

X2

Forget the propane heater inside and either run an electric powered heater (resistance in the cord will be lower if temps are low outside) or use air to blow out the lines on the trailer.

Personally I would just use air to blow out the lines, drain the water heater and add a little antifreeze to the P-traps. Doesn't take long, nothing to flush out when reusing and no chance of a fire.

[mjones12]

Originally Posted by WeBJammin'

The Home Depot sells a 100 foot 12/3 conductor heavy duty extension cord that would easily make the run you are talking about.

Yes, that would reach. We've always been cautioned about running cords that far, but obviously if they make one that long, there must be a way to run it safely. We would just be powering a cube heater if we did it that way.

[rockwood06]

I wouldn't do it, it makes for too many worries with the way my luck is and then having to deal with the insurance company....... Just my two cents.

[Al Fresco]

One of the major byproducts of combustion from the Big-Buddy type of heater is water vapor. When I used one in a smaller trailer (A Chalet hard-sided folding trailer), after a relatively short period of usage, water was literally dripping off the walls. And this occurred with a roof vent cracked open and an outside temperature in the fifties. Based on my experience, I would not recommend using such a heater in your situation, particularly where cold outside temperatures would exacerbate condensation on the walls and windows.

[mjones12]

Thanks to all for the great advice.

[CountryGirl2]

We use the little oil raidiator looking heater when it's real cold all winter and keep it on low. It doesn't draw a lot of juice and keeps the trailer ready for us to use it if we want to. We sometimes winter camp.