Mr Buddy portable heater

[ernest917]

Anyone use a Mr Buddy portable heater????

Safe to use inside a coach??

[itat]

Lots of folks use them. Keep a window cracked open just a bit for some ventilation and use a CO detector near the Mr. Buddy.

[Igave]

You’ll get pretty proficient at changing those little bottles out frequently if you’re relying too heavily on it. We use one to augment our other sources when traveling in very cold weather and it does that pretty well. Then it becomes a matter of packing it around the rest of the time.

[D W]

I would never use one of these heaters indoors, especially when sleeping quarters are occupied. They are not recommended for use inside your house, so why would you use one of these inside your RV?

[lesptr]

Originally Posted by D W

I would never use one of these heaters indoors, especially when sleeping quarters are occupied. They are not recommended for use inside your house, so why would you use one of these inside your RV?

They clearly state right in the box safe for indoor use. I used one for several days inside my home when the furnace died. I’m still here.
I keep a small one in the camper for just in case.

Irrational fears.

[wahoonc]

Use them all the time. When I had the pop up I had one with a hose that ran under the canvas to a 20# cylinder outside. I still use them to take the chill off of a room on occasion. If you plan to use them much get the hose and use a bigger tank. Just for the record, they do have low oxygen shut down on them. A CO detector is a good idea, if your camper has an LP furnace it should already have one.

Aaron

[5picker]

I have used various propane space heaters to augment my R/Vs heat source for 40+ years.
I'm still here too!

Common sense folks... common sense.

[ernest917]

“Heater brand Buddy heaters and similar heaters that use a catalyst do not produce carbon monoxide and are safe for indoor use but still need a window cracked for a fresh air supply......”. Not my opinion but a fact about this type heater....

With a slight ventilation this heater is safe....

I’ve had mine on for a few hrs now (4) and no odor to speak of...,

It heats up the coach very quickly and on low a bottle lasts about 6 hrs....

[JLeising]

I also have and use one. Of note, the heater does produce significant water vapor. Never had a CO alarm while using it, but have had a lot of condensation on the windows and some of the walls.
The propane furnace, of coarse, also produces water vapor, but it’s heating flame is vented to the outside- so no moisture buildup inside the coach.

[Sunvalley ID RVer]

Seems managing the propane bottles could be a hassle. What about kerosene??

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Sunvalley ID RVer

Seems managing the propane bottles could be a hassle. What about kerosene??

Kerosene heaters could provide supplemental heat but have their own circumstances to deal with. Black soot on startup/shutdown and carrying Kerosene. But hey... back in the day, our heaters, lanterns and cookstove all used white gas or Coleman fuel... we survived that too!

[dave-g]

To all my rv friends- a word on safety. Everyone should have a carbon monoxide detector with a digital display in their home and RV. Carbon Monoxide can build up in you body and cause all types of health issues. Most carbon monoxide detectors go off between 100-125 parts per million. At that level a 180lb health male will get very sick- long term exposure could kill you. But say you level is 80 ppm- the detector never goes off but in 24 hours your just as sick as you would be at 100pp for say 3 hours.


Also notice a said 180 lb healthy male- old and young tolerate less. Lighter weight also less tolerant.



So EVERYONE buy a digital display carbon monoxide detector with battery back up (so it works when you loose power and use your buddy heater) and any reading above ZERO is a problem.


Home-depot $45

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kidde-10...9715/203728677



Ok I'm off my soap box now.

[NavyLCDR]

Originally Posted by D W

I would never use one of these heaters indoors, especially when sleeping quarters are occupied. They are not recommended for use inside your house, so why would you use one of these inside your RV?

Then I guess you need to move up to the Big Buddy?

[timfromma]

I use my Big Buddy quite often when it starts getting chilly. I have an adapter hose to run it off a standard size propane tank.

[just4u_cara]

Originally Posted by lesptr

They clearly state right in the box safe for indoor use. I used one for several days inside my home when the furnace died. I’m still here.
I keep a small one in the camper for just in case.

Irrational fears.

They clearly state on the US manufactured units they're safe for use indoors. However, units marketed for use in Canada clearly state they are NOT safe for use indoors. I'm sure it's different safety rules and guidelines.

But, as you're burning a fuel that does produce CO, keep a window cracked for ventilation. Yes, you're wanting to conserve any heat they generate, but you don't want to conserve that much heat it's your last time doing so ever.

We have one, have used it for fall camping. Used on LOW, one green tank lasted about 6hrs (not sure what the outdoor temp was tho, likely below freezing for most of the overnight.

Do what YOU think is safe for your situation as always

[lesptr]

Originally Posted by just4u_cara

They clearly state on the US manufactured units they're safe for use indoors. However, units marketed for use in Canada clearly state they are NOT safe for use indoors. I'm sure it's different safety rules and guidelines.

But, as you're burning a fuel that does produce CO, keep a window cracked for ventilation. Yes, you're wanting to conserve any heat they generate, but you don't want to conserve that much heat it's your last time doing so ever.

Do what YOU think is safe for your situation as always

I tried to find where it states not for indoor use on the Canada models. All I could find was the Massachusetts and Canada model and it didn’t say one way or another.

But I also found this.

[just4u_cara]

A bought-in-Canada Mr Buddy will state "not for use indoors". (Perhaps Mass has the same restriction). See the shopping link below for a major Canadian auto parts (& etc) store.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/m...-0762357p.html

However, amazon.ca has this item for sale and advertised for use indoors. Yet states clearly unable to ship to Canada or Mass [emoji1745]

[lesptr]

Originally Posted by just4u_cara

A bought-in-Canada Mr Buddy will state "not for use indoors". (Perhaps Mass has the same restriction). See the shopping link below for a major Canadian auto parts (& etc) store.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/m...-0762357p.html

However, amazon.ca has this item for sale and advertised for use indoors. Yet states clearly unable to ship to Canada or Mass [emoji1745]

Yep. [emoji2369]

[Brother Les]

propane heater.... but keep a window opened/cracked....?


If we want to cut the chill, we will light a back burner on the stove for a little while. We also have a small oscillating ceramic electric heater to use for a longer time.



My wife would kick my behind if I lit up a Buddy Heater in our unit.

[timfromma]

Originally Posted by lesptr

Yep. [emoji2369]

Can't buy them here in Massachusetts. I picked mine up at a Home Depot in Rhode Island.