Mr. Heater Little Buddy

Any body use this inside the trailer. Are they safe.

 

I won't. They burn oxygen, just like we do. Sure you can open a window, but then you still are not sure if enuf O2 is getting in. Invest in comforters or sleeping bags.
they also put out a ton of water vapor. Walls will be wet.
Electric heater? Different story.

 

How cold is it where you camp? I wouldn't use a buddy heater. But, if you camp where there is a 20amp plug, a small ceramic heater will cook your chickens....1200 watt is more than enough.

We sleep with an electric mattress pad, and a Pendleton blanket --- we're good down into the 20's with no problem except internal condensation.

If we burned LP with a little buddy, that would be even worse as the LP produces a lot moisture....bad combination in a camper. I wouldn't take anything out that had a flame --- its just too easy to have bad things happen. Do you want to burn to death or suffocate?

If you are buying new, Ci does offer a heater -- which will at least exhaust outside -- so you just warm air inside....and the heater has safety systems which just don't exist in buddy heater.

 

I recently spent two nights just below freezing with a ceramic heater set to 375W. It was more than adequate. Of course you do need shore power if you want to run it overnight.

 

We have the CI built in heater it works almost too good. But that was just movie move first time we used it. LOL

 

I agree wouldnt use a Mr Buddy. We use ceramic heater with shore power. We were toasty

 

Here's an earlier thread:

LIttle Buddy Propane Heater?

TLDR: dont do it!

 

Mr Buddy do come with hoses you can hook up to bigger bottles. We use some for hunting and have hooked up to 5 gallon tank.

 

I'm just echoing every other "don't do it" comment above. The wife-unit and I slept in 24 F with long underwear, beanies and comforters, no heater. Did just fine.

Cheers,
--Ken

 

This is a suggestion from awhile back, I think from Jenn, but if you don't have an elec. hook up, but have a stove, and water, a hot water bottle is a nice low tech, safe manner of both pre-warming your bed, and can last awhile until your body heat has sufficiently warmed the bedding.

 

I use a 1 qt. Nalgene bottle, putting almost boiling water in it. Put it under the covers or sleeping bag about 15 minutes before climbing in. It is astounding how well this works to keep you warm all night.
I have slept many nights in northern Minnesota at temps colder than 20 below F in double sleeping bags (not in a CI), and this was standard procedure.

 

I like Chicken!!!!

 

We just returned from camping in Smokey Mountains NP. No hookups. I took a big buddy and a little buddy heater. The temps were upper 30s to lower 40s with 87% humidity, cloudy. The big buddy was used outside, hooked to the propane outlet. It worked ok. In the mornings we used the little buddy in the side tent with the roof vent and one door open. The temp was good for getting dressed. The instructions warn not to sleep with the heaters on. I also have a CO alarm which can go off with breathing. Sleeping was with a double down bag. Two adults and a small dog kept the comfort level ok while sleeping. I suppose they call it Smokey Mountains NP because of all the wood campfires and generator exhaust.

 

With hookups I have a 500 watt heater that is almost too much. I seldom take a generator to run the AC in Florida. SMNP allows generator use from 8am to 8pm. Funny, but at 8am (sunrise) in SMNP it was like a gran prix start, “Gentlemen, start your engines”.

 

If someone could come up with a way to efficiently produce heat with a 12 volt battery they would be rich!

 

You are so right!
And if someone could come up with a way to retain heat using some byproduct like goose or duck feathers, they would also be rich!
...Oh, wait, never mind...

 

I have a hand warmer made by zipp o that take 5.1v. Keeps hands warm but need to supersize it.

 

We like our 12 volt bunk warmer - we put it across the bottom of the mattress to warm our feet and calves.

If you have shore power and can use an electric heater, don't forget to pull the bedding down when you turn on the heater.

 

I just did a 2400+ mile winter trip (early December 2021) with my 550 + 1970 IH Scout tow vehicle, which included crossing the rocky mountains twice. I have an electric ceramic heater (which worked well), although after high recommendations from several friends in the colder area's, I purchased a Little Buddy in case of emergency.

During my trip, frequently experienced night time temperatures from 0 to 10 F, but between the body heat generated from (2) people, my Camp Inn heated up well, and the ceramic heater was the "cherry on top". I'd like to think that the ceramic heater helped some with the humidity generated by two adults, but that is an ever on going issue.

I would not have ever left the little buddy running un-attended and/or while we were asleep, but in an emergency situation I definitely would have used it.

 

Jerry, did you run into any issues freezing the plumbing or water tanks?