Alternative Heat Source for Power Outages! Mr. Heater Buddy
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- Опубликовано: 20 окт 2024
- Mr. Heater makes a number of different propane heaters that can be used indoors for an alternative Heat Source for power outages. We're going to take a look at setting it up, hooking up a 20lb tank, and doing safety checks for carbon monoxide and propane issues. I bought this from Sportsman's Guide and you get a $20 $100 or more purchase using SOOTCH.
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Hi guys , I have had this in my emergency kit for years. I purchased another for my garage and on the low setting a 30 pound tank lasts for 7 days . I highly recommend buying the adapter for the fan , it makes a major difference in larger areas . Thanks sootch
The regulator in the heater is good for up to a 100lber. Please please please make sure you keep bulk cylinders upright. You do not want liquid propane to enter the heater
Thanks for the tip!
That is very good to know.
Do they make it an adapter to cook two hoses together the 12 ft or 15 ft hose if not long enough for me to get it into the house and to leave the 20 lb tank outside
Is it safe to use it at night time ( speaking about Mr Buddy ) ???
@@debbiec6216 yes it has a low oxygen or a co2 detector inline with regulator in the heater. It will shut itself off in the event of co2 or low oxygen. Crack a window and turn it on. It's also tip over safe
The reason you press and hold is because the pilot ignitor needs time to warm up the thermocouple enough for it to stay lit. It's the safety cut out that shuts off the gas if it can't detect heat.
I have the little buddy and we absolutely love it!
I've heated my 2 story 2000ish square feet house to a comfortable high 60s at the far end of the house. Great emergency heat source actually used it Christmas eve.
Great to know.
Add a heat fan on top. $20-$30. Great add on
I've had this heater for about 6 or 7 years now. I bought the 12 ft hose for the 20 lb tank. I had to heat my house in 2016 when our furnace went out. I put the tank under the deck ran the hose to the window. I heated the downstairs for about 2 hours open the door to the upstairs did that three times got my 2000 square foot house to 70° for 2 days on 2 20 lb tanks. I now use this in my insulated garage and one tank lasts an entire week on the coldest days
Question is can’t you just put the 20 pound tank of propane in your room and use it on a short hose next to the Buddy heater?
Or how did you put your tank outside and run the hose to the window? You would never be able to close the window then… Could you fill me in more and how to get this done?
You should not put a propane tank inside of an enclosed space. My best friend's dad was killed a few years ago doing this in his garage with the tank inside the garage. The tank apparently was leaking and when it got to the heat Source it was a flash fire in the garage which killed him over time. You pack towels under the bottom window Sash and you just insulate the crack with the towels that helps keep the heat in the cold out
Great video - Adding a thermal operated fan, typically used on wood stoves, greatly improves the circulation of heat as well.
I've used these for decades camping, I used one of its smaller brothers in the van three winters. About 24 inches of ventilation is recommended. So Crack both front windows, one inch.
3 foot clearance is required too.
I never use it when sleeping, but it warms things up nicely. I have it mounted in my side door, and ventet to the outside, like a small fireplace. It does consume oxygen, and produces water vapor, just be ware of that too.
I use a carbonmanoxide detector and a propane leak detector.
And I keep a couple fire extinguishers close by too
how am I supposed to sleep if it's not safe to use the Mr buddy ? LOL
@@debbiec6216
Warm sleeping bag, battery operated electric blanket. Keeps me warm even at 15 below zero
We used our Big Buddy recently when it was 5 degrees and TVA was doing rolling blackouts. It worked great. We used it quite a bit for several days on a 40 lb cylinder and never ran out. It performed very well.
I love this channel. Your one of my favorites. Amen brother.
Just bought 2, because 2 is 1 and 1 is none. Also got 2 adapters for the 20lbs tanks. We live in WI and without power we lose heat. Only a matter of time before it happens for a day or more at a time!
Thanks for the review Sootch!
Thank you very much for this helpful video demonstration. This is the first time I’ve actually seen how these are used.
I bought the Heat Hog right before the big freeze around Christmas. I liked it over the Mr. Heater because of the tilt back feature. Filled the room more efficiently. Kept it on medium (9k btu) for close to three days. Went through about 13 one pound cylinders. Highly recommended for this stuff. Great video Sootch
It’s a great heater! I bought it a couple years ago after the first time you recommended it. It’s gotten me through a couple 2-3 day power outages and worked like a champ. Great video👍🏻
I have the buddy heater in my bedroom of my hunting cabin and it's tapped into my main 120 gallon propane tank line. It keeps the bed room nice and warm when needed and has worked without fail for years. I am going to get one for the house to keep handy during winter power outages. I may get the Big Buddy for the house.
This is the best video on this subject. Thanks
This saved my buns one Christmas in Colorado when my furnace quit working in my travel trailer. Instead of soapy water I found that a gas sniffer works better, they're under twenty bucks and more accurate finding leaks.
So well done! Wish this video was available 10 years ago.
If you pull that grate down, you can put a pan on it and boil some water, or warm up a meal also
I use the heater to heat my 25ft travel trailer... low or medium works great. On frosty mornings... high. Always crack a window ... needs plenty oxygen for complete and safe combustion.
Just watched this video. I was gifted one of these today & really appreciate watching you set it up! Thanks!
I have used one of the smaller ones for years inside. Does great.
My aunt lives in Asheville & just got her power back after the storm. Going to get one of these for her.
We picked up a heat powered wood stove fan to go with ours. I think it moves the heat just fine and no batteries to worry about.
One thing I would mention that I learned from my propane supplier last year. Those propane exchange tanks you can purchase at big box stores etc. The tanks are not actually 20# of propane, they're actually 15# by law. For a long time these big box stores didn't tell you that and now there's supposed to be a tag on it telling the buyer so.
Every family should have one and a case of Coleman propane tanks
Great Video I was thinking about going down and picking up a Big Buddy now I know I will. Thanks!
Hello, Thank you Sir. I use one in my RV I live in year round. Helps supplement my heat when Temps drop in the teens.
Love the new studio, and I'm sure you've already noticed this, but the audio was leaving a bit to desire on the introduction setup. Two thumbs, way up!
I recommend the F271803 12ft Big Buddy Hose with Regulator. No filter is needed because it is low pressure. Cheap/improper hoses *will* gunk the heater up! We've been heating our 40' 5th wheel with our big buddy for the last 3 months using 20 and 30 lb cylinders. The only down side has been that it has no thermostat, just different heat settings.
I looked this one up on Amazon and the fittings look different? The one he uses is a screw in, the one with this part number is not?
@@TomJones0065 The hose I mention has a quick disconnect to the heater, similar to the type used on air hoses.
Yes. Or Mr. Heater part #F273704.
I have one that I have used in the house and last year I used it in our garage to watch our daughter's three large dogs. It was cold outside but they stayed warm.
I have had a smaller heater buddy for a few years now. This year I was lucky to find a retuned Heater Buddy at wall mart in September. I got it for $40.00 dollars, and it works great. I used both during the frigid cold snap we had and they were awesome, I keep 80 pounds of propane around alond with the 2-pound cans. Great work horses for warmth
Great review!!! I just survived the massive blizzard that hit Buffalo, New York, and a looking for an emergency heat source in case my power goes out. This past blizzard, I was lucky -- but just in case, I think I am going to go with one of these.
MY THOUGHTs for all those in buffalo and Upstate NY .
try a wool sweater. does not run out of fuel.
Just a FYI years ago I had to use the Big Buddy to heat a shed. I bought two hoses and used two 20 pound cylinders. That heater ran for days on two cylinders.
Been using the Big Buddy in our 5th wheel for years and it sure beats having to depend on the RV's battery/gas hog furnace system. As a safety precaution we do crack a window open when in use. The only drawl back is it really goes through the 1# bottles of gas when on high so we keep it tied in to the RV's gas system, works fine. You may have problems with it above about 7500 feet ASL the o2 depletion safety mechanism will interfere with it staying lit.
Great timing we just got 1 yesterday. Extra heat is always good in the north.
all you need is an extra layer
I was homeless for couple years & had got one the little Buddys. I was in a 8x10 cabin tent. It kept it warm as Hell. Then I built a shack put the tent inside the shack. Had couple windows etc. Same results. Like he said check for carbon monoxide & you're good to go. Still got mine. Use it when camping in the fall & winter. One of the best buys I've made.
I have a Mr. Heater little buddy, and I have put the tank outside the window on a ladder or put the hose and propane out the sliding glass door, then filled in the window or door gap with blankets.
I recently bought a smaller Mr heater plus a couple 1 pound propane bottles and the hose plus fuel filter for the larger propane tanks (don't have a larger tank yet), when I do get a larger tank it will go out on my deck and the hose running inside to the heater thus providing me the ventilation I woukld want. have not used it yet but my carbon monoxide detector is already running even though my main heat source for my apartment is electric heat
Oh good, I was looking at buying one of these
I love my Big Buddy, I got mine at TSC because they carry a green and black version. I also found a tutorial on RUclips to convert the fan to USB power versus expensive D cell batteries. I bought one of the small Anker portable power banks and it fits right in the battery space. I get a little over 24 hours fan run time on a 5200 mAh charger and about three days on a 20000 mAh charger.
the whole point is to get by without an electric power source
@@DrSchor if you have a solar generator those power banks are not much of an issue to charge. Do I absolutely need to run the fan, no but it does help with circulation.
When testing our Big Buddy we saw normal (0) CO levels but the CO2 went up. ALL combustion produces CO2. Use a CO2 monitor and provide enough fresh air. Ours includes a built-in blower powered by D cells that blows a lot of heat out the front. I have a Mr. Heater hose and screw-on filter for the 20 lb tank.
I got the smaller one and use it in a pop-up ice fishing tent for cigar smoking in the wintertime, works well.
We have had ours for a few years. It is the two tank model. Never had an emergency that it was used. I have tested it. Ours takes like 6 D batteries to operate the fan. That was not discussed. Maybe it is not needed and that feature was deleted from the system. The cracking of the window is good advice. Did not think of that. It does get cold in Florida. And we have power outages too. This gives us the edge against that. Thanks.
I have the big buddy on my enclosed porch n when it is cold out it heats it up to 70 degrees when it is 24 out. They are an awesome buy. I have 3. 👍
I had a problem with the first filter I purchased (Mr Buddy brand filter). Second one was great. I also got the power supply cord because I want to use it in my garage. Could also run the fan on batteries if you are trying to heat a larger space or if you were in an un-insulated garage and wanted to push out more heat.
Pro tip: If you have a fireplace. put the heater in the fireplace and open the flue damper. Works great for emergency heating without needing to burn a bunch of wood.
NO no need for that put it where you need it
Sounds like way more ventilation than is required, too much heat going up the chimney.
If you have a functional fire place you would be far better served installing a woodstove insert. Yes, more money but also way more versatile.
This is a must to have a few in Wyoming
I use a combustible gas detector it has percentage numbers too just got it yesterday going to get a 20 lb bottle hoses too also a 1 lb bottle fill adapters too guys make sure to do this outside with proper Ppe and ventilation too !!
I enjoyed this video so much, why iaam going to rewind and waaatchnit again.
Impecable timing. Looking into them.
Pro tip...take the grate off and hook it under the handle...you can cook or heat water on it as it hangs over the burners.
The front grate can be removed and attached under the handle and extended over the front and enable you to set a pan or skillet on it to cook, etc.
Propane/butane like natural gas is odorless. What you smell is something added to the gas. All three are also heavier than air.
And, the odorant will apparently build up in the tanks. I knew when the 500 gallon tank was running low, as I was getting the smell in the trailer, while there was in reality no leak. NEVER presume that's your case.
The hose is flexible because of oil in its plastic. That oil ends up inside the hose and then inside the heater. The heater will stop working. A Mr. Heater brand hose is stiffer, but will will not foul the heater with oil.
If your hose is very flexible, it is very oily. An oil trap can be placed in line with the hose to extract oil before it gets to the heater, but those traps don't work extremely well. The other fix for a very flexible hose is to hang it up all summer and let the excess oil drip out onto the ground.
I recently got a heat-activated fan to increase the dispersion of heat from the Big Buddy heater. No batteries required, and it moves the heat around the space very well.
Yes I have 2 Mr. Buddy heaters
Use a quick connect hose that has a regulator, this reduces the high pressure gas thus eliminates the oil bleeding out of the hose (caused by the pressure) and you can also bleed the air out of the hose giving you a much quicker start.
Adding Thread Sealing Tape on the bottle threads is bad advice.
The sealing is done by a face seal via a compression seal, not the threads.
I used one of these in the awning room (8'x8') attached to my vehicles roof rack a couple of weeks ago while camping.
It got down to 27 degrees that night and we were very comfortable inside all night with the heater set on low.
I kept two opposing doors slightly open for ventilation. It does cause condensation inside of a tent/awning room so keep that in mind.
My CO detector never went off and the heaters shut off never activated.
I highly recommend these heaters. They're kind of bulky if your packing out for a camping trip but worth it.
I refill my one pound tanks to save money. Do that at your own risk.
The green ones that you can get from Tractor Supply do come with the built-in fan.
I have the Little Buddy. It heats fine but has a flaw where the control knob gets stuck after the unit heats up, so it can’t be turned off. Not the greatest from a safety standpoint.
Contact the manufacturer, I'm sure they wouldn't want that being an issue for anyone and they will have a solution or replace it. There's a lot of liability with these kind of products so don't compromise your safety.
I've just recently bought a Big Buddy!
Thanks so much! Happy New Year!
Holding it the pilot on for several seconds is done to heat up the thermocouple. The pilot and thermocouple are part of the oxygen depletion sensor system. How that works is that as the oxygen in the air is burned up the flame lifts off the thermocouple causing it to cool and shut off the gas. It is calibrated to a very tight percentage. Sourdillon of France developed those safeties after WWII and saved untold lives with it.
You can use a heated blanket if you have a solar generator. You can cut back on the propane
If you don't have the model with a fan, or if you would like to use say a wood stove fan that works off of the heat then you can use a paint tray rack to make a shelf.
I would recommend getting a seperate CO detector and natural gas detector. Install CO up high in your home and the natural gas detector down low in your home.
I’m so happy you did a video on this thank you SP 👏👍🤝 could you hook every thing up with the 20lb tank on the smaller mr heater?
Yes, the smaller heaters work with the bigger tank. This is such a great option for emergency heat. Thanks Julia!
yes. Just remember, when you use the "tank exchange" places you only get 15 pounds of gas. In order to get a full 20 pounds you need to go to a fill station that will refill your tank.
@@SuperUncleRyan propane tanks should only be filled to 80% regardless of who does the refilling. It is the same with the 1# as it is with 1,000 gal. tanks that require a truck to refill.
my backup after the propane is gone is a kerosene wick heater( Sengoku Kerosene Heater)
VERY INFORMATIVE.THANK YOU.
Look into the hack of adding a painters screen/mesh panel. It loops behind the handle, and creates a “grill” that you can use a pot on to boil water and cook. It really gets hot enough and work!
Sprayway glass cleaner is another good choice for checking for leaks. It’s alcohol based and really foams. I used to know a truck driver that checked the propane fittings on his truck daily. I think he was a little paranoid but definitely safe.
Got ours today, Northern Tool, got a great sale and coupons. Upstate SC is out of them, but Mid State had 11 I think. My husband said 3 of those sold while he was getting ours
As I understand it, only one specific model of hose Mr. Heater sells is OK to use without a filter, all the rest need one.
Another great video. I would only add that Heater Buddy sells an adapter that allows you to refill the one pound tanks from a 20 pound tank. Just make sure the one pounders don’t show excessive wear after several refillings.
They're $10 or less on Amazon.
With the right adapter, you can refill the green propane bottles from the 20lb cylinder.
Thanks for the great video.
Just got one. It came with their 6 foot hose, and the filter.
We have one in case of power outage that we will use in our family room. Have hose and filter to use 20lb tank for extended time.
I love the channel man.
All ways learning something of your channel.
OSSS 🤙🤙🤙
First, thanks for a great video! I've watched several related videos and have one unanswered question regarding all of them. Every video recommends placing a 20-lb. propane cylinder outdoors and running the extension hose indoors. How is having a 20-lb. cylinder indoors any more dangerous than having two 1-lb. canisters connected to the heater indoors? If the hose connections have been tested for leaks -- and there is no evidence of propane leakage -- why not permit the larger cylinder to remain indoors? Thanks for any response that you, or your viewers, are able to provide. Side note: We have two CO detectors in the house, as well as a gas leak detector capable of detecting both propane and natural gas.
Great question I don't understand that either.
Northeast power outages and storms have me owning 2 different styles of Buddy heaters. 5- 20lb.s tanks last quite long.
I got the newest big buddy heater and I love it Also got the fan and I'd love to have where I could hook it into a USB port
Scooch you are amazing
Sootch GE makes a great heater. The GE minigun 😂
I've got 2 of the Porta Buddy heaters and have been using them for years. I've found the hoses go bad every few years, start to leak just past the tank end fitting. Another issue can be if the 20 / 30 lbs tank is to far lower than the heater when temp is below freezing or close, not enough pressure to heater. I had that problem when temp was in 20s. I recommend using the filter even with Mr. Buddy's hose when using bulk tanks better safe than plugged heater when you need it.
I saw a guy do a test in his camper and it did fine no carbon monoxide
Which Mr. Buddy has the quick release propane hose connection?
Been using indoor propane heaters with oxygen cutoff sensor for several years
I have the smaller version that will take only one tank but i love it. I live in Sweden so we dont have those propane tanks here but its actually provided with an adapter for Lindal valve type of Isobutan tanks and it works just fine. I was actually counting on what was cheaper between a isobutan or a diesel heatet and the Isobutan tanks are half the price of the diesel here in Sweden and it smells less. Could not recommend this enough. You could ofc also use a larger propane tank with an adapter and the same goes for the Isobutan tanks is that you can buy adapters that will let you connect 3-4 tanks at once.
Thank you 🙂
QUESTION: …. Could I actually use a typical 20 lb propane tank inside of a house with the My Buddy heater ??
I’m thinking why not, if they allow you to put the 1 pound bottles on what would be the real difference with using a 20 pound tank sitting in your room, as long as you don’t have any leaks should be safe… Correct or ??
Otherwise I’m not sure how you would keep it outside and run a hose line to your heater, like how would you close the window or feed it through an outside source ??
Appreciate any honest feedback Please
People have different opinions on this. With a long hose and ensuring no leaks, I consider it safe-ish. Evaluate for yourself though.
I live in a 40 foot bus sized older motorhome, I installed ( on a tiny budget ) one propane Atlas catalitic heater, also one large Mr Heater Buddy free standing, also one tank top stand alone sunflower style Mr Heater , plus an old cook top cast iron wood stove. Yes I have 2 built in propane heaters, and 2 potable electric heaters. WOOD IS BEST, one hardwood 13 inch log will keep my RV warm. Propane is not economical but it works good.... PLEASE do everything you can to get a wood stove /heater installed....MR HEATER / BUDDY "warning " ⚠️ do NOT use a quick connect snap on snap off style connector to join the big propane tank to the Mr Heater Buddy only use a screw on with a wrench perminant type hose connector as seen in this video.
A can is where you get beans, a tank shoots big bullets, a bottle is where you get beer. Compressed gasses come from a CYLINDER!
To your last statement. Amen and amen🆘️🙏 good so thank you
I have the little buddy and the one pound propane is more like 4 1/2 to 5 hours
Can I use the 20 pound tank inside the house?
I guess I will just keep it simple with the 1 lb tanks so I don't have to worry about the hose Making a smell or melting or needing a fuel filter and all that
It is simple with the right hose. Get Mr. Heater part #F273704. No filter needed, ever.