Dry Camping with a Little One - Heater? |
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fwunder
Senior Member Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676 |
Topic: Dry Camping with a Little One - Heater? Posted: 16 Sep 2017 at 3:38pm |
This made my Lil Buddy more stable than the one pounders and burns a lot longer.
We use it mainly under the dome or next to my work bench in the garage.
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2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288 |
Posted: 15 Sep 2017 at 10:21pm |
One caution about the Little Buddy heater--The thing is top heavy. The base is inadequate to hold the propane container sufficiently to keep it from sliding out and tipping the unit over. If the base were redesigned to provide more solid support, I could see using it. I couldn't keep it upright. The newer propane tanks with the plastic base don't help either.
I ended up returning the Little Buddy and buying the Mr. Buddy Portable. I liked the BTU output of the Little Buddy, but the safety risk of having it tip over so easily negated that. I like that the Mr. Buddy Portable is much more stable, but performance at the lower setting does not seem to be very good and the instructions say not to run it except at the two settings but not between them. The low setting seems like it is not burning very efficiently and the top setting will drive one out of the 'Pod in short order. I don't want a Sauna Pod. |
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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Tars Tarkas
Senior Member Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1446 |
Posted: 15 Sep 2017 at 7:42pm |
The Mr. Heater Big Buddy and smaller Mr. Heater propane heaters are advertised as indoor safe. At least one model says it's safe for RV use. We use our all the time inside, but always with a window and maybe the vent cracked. And I don't like using it while asleep. The furnace is louder than a helicopter, but I've found I actually get used to it after a while and don't start up straight in bed every time it comes on. It's combustion is outside: no exhaust or fumes inside at all.
You said no hookups, but if/when they are available a 1500w 110v little ceramic heater will keep a pod toasty down into the 30s. There is no battery powered heater that would keep you warm or leave you with any juice in your battery in the morning. Marwayne, a guy on the forum here, created a heat exchange heater that works off the water heater. It is very quiet, and really pretty elegant. Some of us wish he'd sell them or kits for them, or at least provide a parts list. It uses a tiny bit of 12v power, but even that seems to be optional. It works well on pure convection. (I guess that's the right word.) TT |
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2010 176
FJ Cruiser |
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rawest50
Senior Member Joined: 07 Mar 2017 Location: Arkansas Online Status: Offline Posts: 440 |
Posted: 15 Sep 2017 at 4:41pm |
Got lucky and googled it. It is a Mr. Heater Big Buddy Propane Heater. It was $160 but they have smaller ones.
The smaller is good for 200 sq.ft. 4K BTU and 9K BTU settings. 3 - 6 hours with 1 pound bottle. 20 pound 48 - 110 hours. It is $80. I bought the larger for use in the house when we lose power during the ice storms. It works fantastic. Expensive but well constructed and operates very quite. |
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2017.5 RPod 179
2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab 2 Weiner dogs Great wife puts up with my BS ❤️ Thoroughbred Racing. |
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d_rose
Newbie Joined: 07 Jan 2016 Location: Ashland, Oregon Online Status: Offline Posts: 24 |
Posted: 15 Sep 2017 at 3:54pm |
Thanks very much. Would love to hear what model you bought. Thank you!
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2016 rPod 177
2015 Ford F150 4X4 Crew cab |
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rawest50
Senior Member Joined: 07 Mar 2017 Location: Arkansas Online Status: Offline Posts: 440 |
Posted: 15 Sep 2017 at 3:26pm |
Got lucky and googled it. It is a Mr. Heater Big Buddy Propane Heater. It was $160 but they have smaller ones.
The smaller is good for 200 sq.ft. 4K BTU and 9K BTU settings. 3 - 6 hours with 1 pound bottle. 20 pound 48 - 110 hours. It is $80. I bought the larger for use in the house when we lose power during the ice storms. It works fantastic. Expensive but well constructed and operates very quite. |
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2017.5 RPod 179
2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab 2 Weiner dogs Great wife puts up with my BS ❤️ Thoroughbred Racing. |
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rawest50
Senior Member Joined: 07 Mar 2017 Location: Arkansas Online Status: Offline Posts: 440 |
Posted: 15 Sep 2017 at 3:17pm |
I bought a propane heater made specifically for indoor use. Has both the tip over and carbon/oxygen monoxide monitor. I cannot remember the name but it was expensive ($160). Works like a charm. I will look at the make when I get home.
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2017.5 RPod 179
2017 Jeep Unlimited Wrangler 2017 Chevy Colorado Z71 Off Road Crew Cab 2 Weiner dogs Great wife puts up with my BS ❤️ Thoroughbred Racing. |
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GlueGuy
Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2629 |
Posted: 15 Sep 2017 at 3:01pm |
None of the propane Buddies that I looked at is certified for "indoor" use. Sure they have an oxygen sensor, but I think you may be taking chances with children or infants. I believe I would not be comfortable using one inside the pod. I'd prefer the built-in furnace.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
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fwunder
Senior Member Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676 |
Posted: 15 Sep 2017 at 12:58pm |
I have both the Buddy and Little Buddy heaters.
We found the Buddy is great for cold nights under the dome, but would blast us out in the pod. The Little Buddy is great for taking the chill off the inside of the pod. We don't run either all night. Prefer sleeping bags and/or blankets and Henry (the camping cat) for warm comfortable sleeping. First one up turns furnace on or Little Buddy, puts water on for coffee and tea and feeds Henry before breakfast. fred
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2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
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d_rose
Newbie Joined: 07 Jan 2016 Location: Ashland, Oregon Online Status: Offline Posts: 24 |
Posted: 15 Sep 2017 at 11:52am |
Thanks for the feedback. I probably will not be able to sleep anyway if I'm running an external propane heater inside the pod because I'll be thinking of my little one. Probably best just to run the built-in heater.
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2016 rPod 177
2015 Ford F150 4X4 Crew cab |
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