Mr. Heater Little Buddy Portable Heater: This is the smallest of the three sizes and I personally think it is the best choice for people in cars, SUVs, mini-vans and even vans because it takes up less space and has the lowest heat output at 3800 btu.Most people find that to be plenty and that the middle size Buddy puts out too much heat for the tiny space of cars and vans. Buddy or Big Buddy propane heaters? We strive to maintain a safe space to ask questions, discuss relevant topics, and support each other. 1 year ago Using a propane heater in your camper will cause a ridiculous amount of condensation. I'm removing the non functional RV furnace and using the line that was feeding it. RV heaters are very convenient since they are very good in energy efficiency. RV furnace operates with a 10.5 V supply and at times if the battery is not able provide above 10.5V then the furnace wont ignite. Yes, they take a little power, but if you can't handle the power requirements, you should seriously upgrade your batteries anyway. (This post was last modified: 09-24-2017, 09:27 AM by. This unit uses propane as its main source of power.The first thing that I like about the Camco Olympian is its capability to heat up my RV fast. I had talked to a buddy of mine about purchasing a truck camper, and she was of the opinion that a truck camper, for a 4.8 L half-ton pickup, be "too much weight and not enough engine." We strive to maintain a safe space to ask questions, discuss relevant topics, and support each other. I narrowed my choice down to the Mr. Heater Big Buddy model MH18B and this Xmas Santa delivered me a shiny new one! The propane for the furnace can really add up. Please Login or Register to gain Full Access! Hello There, Guest! If you have the right equipment, camping in the quiet off-season when it’s cold outside can be extremely rewarding. Item Reviewed: Mr. Heater Buddy available at Amazon Can you go camping with a Mr. Heater Buddy in the tent? Lucky enough, there are a wide range of pop up camper furnaces available in the market that you can get your camping trailer fitted with if it is not already equipped with one. Having a proper vent on the furnace makes it so much nicer, venting out the harmful gases and excess moisture. Yep, I used the Buddy in my old van for several years. RV furnace. Hi All- Does anyone have any experience with the Mr. #Bonus: Pop-up Camping Tips Like a 3 season tent that is seen as a removable tent used in spring, summer, Coleman pop-up camper is also fit for camping in all seasons. Goodguy, Oct 4, 2006. Buddy heater gets top marks in the van life community. We used one in a pop up camper a few times with a tank outside. The Mr. See also: These Portable … I have been looking at either purchasing a truck camper or a pop-up trailer. None of the RV furnaces come close to the fuel efficiency of a Propex, and electric very thirsty too. Fatally dangerous if you don't crack a window. A 3 season tent is lightweight and protects you from rain and the wind with enough ventilation. I am also thinking about a Big Buddy heater and connecting it to the low pressure RV appliance lines. Some pop-up campers feature propane furnaces for space heating, which must be lit in a strict sequence. There's no CO danger, they don't add moisture to the interior, and they run on a thermostat so you can set it and forget it. The furnace prevents that by venting the combustion gas outside. Goodguy, Oct 4, 2006. RV furnaces are safe, convenient, and generally reliable (except when they arent), but they are noisy, power hungry, and also, terribly inefficient. When connected we simply run the camper heater as needed. 1 offer from $599.99 (This post was last modified: 09-24-2017, 11:12 AM by. I did read on some van life forums that this van heater stops working about 7,000 feet, but others say they’ve gotten it to work at altitudes up to 10,000. What we should have bought was a used one, for maybe $2,000 or $3,000 tops. Step 1. Which is all fine for the 'typical' target RVer: Occasional weekends and vacations throughout the year. There are a few ways to do that in your pop up camper. Calculating how many gallons a furnace will use up in an hour is very simple – you just need to divide the furnace’s energy output by propane’s energy output per hour. If you are worried about the power supply in your RV, the Camco Olympian will heat up your space without consuming a single volt of electricity. These tanks are typically about 20 gallons, but they may be smaller depending on the size of your camper. You have so many choices! The camper warms up well. I hook up the Big Buddy using a 15-foot hose to an outside tank. With mine it is usually running out of propane on the bottle I am using at 3 AM. Most times now I have electric hook-up so instead of running my propane furnace I was looking into buying a ceramic mini electric heater. I also picked up a 12 foot propane rubber extension hose so I could utilize a larger LP gas cylinder. Suburban New SF-35FQ 2400A LP Gas Furnace for RV Camper Motorhome Trailer Furnace 35,000 BTU 4.3 out of 5 stars 79. Contact us TODAY or visit our online store for high quality RV furnaces & heaters. This Furnace Dynatrail Quiet SF Series model is one of the best choices when it comes to looking for a replacement furnace. A very popular and well thought of brand is the Mr. Heater. We also only spent ONE night in the camper not an extended weekend or stay. RV furnaces usually have an energy output of 30,000 BTUs, though some RVs have 20,000 or 15,000 BTU furnaces. There are endless tips for cold-weather camping, but in the end a Mr. Heater Buddy propane heater can make the biggest difference when trying to get a good night’s sleep in the great outdoors.. Buddy, while safe to use indoors, will fog up your windows/cause condensation quickly. Mr. Heater MH9BX-Massachusetts/Canada approved portable Propane Heater 4.5 out of 5 stars 601. True anything can fail. Furnace is a key part of your RV, that provides you with a steady flow of warm air on those cold nights while out on the road. This has worked well but is a little cumbersome to setup. Mr. Heater Little Buddy Small Indoor Safe Propane Heater. So I got the Mr. Heater Buddy. See my previous blog postfor details. Mr. Heater 9,000 BTU Portable Buddy Radiant Propane Heater $44.70 (Reg. Yup, we are one of the statistics. Price $89.99), Mr. Heater Big Buddy 18,000 BTU (MH18B) $89.99 (Typically $139), Experiment: running Buddy heater on pilot only. Furnace. I can not the the fumes even with venting. Since the … Check Price at Amazon. Mr. Heater 9,000 BTU Portable Buddy Radiant Propane Heater $44.70 (Reg. I want to, for the lack of a better phrase, "move up" in terms of equipment. Thanks! A good way to test this out is to run the blower, (blower is apt to operate fine under 10.5 V) if the blower runs then that means the battery supply may be under 10.5 V and thus its not able to open the furnace valve. Many pop up campers have or bought furnaces that run on propane tanks. Our Mr. Heater Big Buddy propane heater has been an awesome addition to the rig. The Mr Heater Buddy is the go-to space heater for many campers, hunters, and people who are just trying to stay warm during the winter. Glad I kept it when I sold her. Depending on battery strength we will run the heater on 12 volt and will be comfortable for sure.” – Jim and Genie Dailey, 2002 GMC 2500HD, 1993 Shadow Crusier pop up “If we are off the grid, we use the propane furnace built in the camper most of the time. The Big Buddy heater uses no electricity and is much more efficient at heating the rig than the regular RV furnace. The original furnace in the '77 Brougham was cracked and unusable so we removed it and I am using the space for storage. Mr. Campervan Heating Options. We use it a ton, especially when camping off the grid without electrical. All are welcome, in a car, van or RV, including full-timers, part-timers, and those preparing for, or exploring the vandwelling lifestyle. But sheesh, that thing is noisy and the air coming out was warm but not that "oh man that feels good" heat. That is the funny thing about following the 70's. In this video, I test out a Mr Heater in my pop up camper. In that case the furnace starts, doesn't fire and shuts off until I reset it at the stat. Please Login or Register to gain Full Access! I think RV furnace's are much much better than the Mr Buddy's. It runs on a low-pressure gas that makes it ideal for recreational vehicles. The Mr. Heater Little Buddy is a smaller version of the Buddy heater reviewed above and a fantastic tool for heating tents, vans, small trailers, or just keeping a room in your home or area in your RV extra toasty. It was the worst decision because we bought the wrong pop up camper. When it is a high of 70 the low is usually cold enough that you want some warmth at night. I will also be getting the Buddy hose to connect to a 20# propane tank to use it outside. I can hear that IF it wakes me up and can turn on the other tank. Some use electricity, via an electric outlet or with the use of batteries, … I like the sound of the Propex, i'm going to look into that for whatever build I end up doing. Will be heading down hill in a couple days but in the meantime, it's 38 degrees this morning. Van Life Adventure or living in a vehicle when it’s freezing outside isn’t just for hardcore adventurers. Price $89.99), Mr. Heater Big Buddy 18,000 BTU (MH18B) $89.99 (Typically $139), Experiment: running Buddy heater on pilot only. The Mr. We will only need heat occasionally. 2. For heating larger spaces, the Mr. Heater Portable Big Buddy Propane Heater fits the bill as it can heat up to 450 square feet. We bought a shiny new pop up camper with all of the bells and whistles for over $10,000. It worked better than I thought and highly recommend it. If you have a bigger vehicle, you could possibly get away with a larger propane tank, but tread carefully. This portable space heater is ideal for a variety of settings including tents, campers, hunting stands, garages, and other small areas that are prone to cold weather. (half the heat seems to go outside!) The Mr. Even though this is only intended to be used as a secondary heat source, it works great in a motorhome as it provides 4,200 to 8,000 BTU. The noise is annoying during the day if I'm watching TV but at night on the rare occasion that it wakes me I just think that's nice, it's running and I won't freeze before drifting back off to sleep. All are welcome, in a car, van or RV, including full-timers, part-timers, and those preparing for, or exploring the vandwelling lifestyle, (This post was last modified: 09-24-2017, 10:36 AM by. Don't use a regular heater and become a statistic. They do use a lot of power though, so depending on your set up they may not be a viable option all the time. I'm on the other side of the fence. When out on a road or camping adventure in your pop up camper, the last things you want to experience are cold nights and days. The pop up was a lot less tighter than a van would be and that is the only small enclosed space I would use a vent free heater in. In addition, the motorhome furnace is ideal for small spaces, such as cabins, travel trailers, campers and recreational vehicles. They do use a lot of power though, so depending on your set up they may not be a viable option all the time. Consult the manufacturer's literature or look on the case of the furnace, or on the inside of the front panel or on the fascia, for a sticker giving the operation instructions. On the class B, furnace works, but I was trying to preserve the built-in propane tank's propane to power the fridge (for up to 2 weeks at a time) and the furnace burns thru the propane pretty quick, too quickly to run it for heat and the fridge for 2 weeks for sure. I can hear that IF it wakes me up and can turn on the other tank. Took the pulk sled out for another overnighter in my Tahoe Gear Bighorn Teepee but this time I heated it with the Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Propane Heater. I'm going to vote RV furnace here too. It was 60 degr inside; in about 15 mins, it was 65. All you have to do is get yourself an RV heater that suits you. Indoor heaters use different means to provide heat. The most important aspect of keeping warm in colder temperatures is the ability to generate heat. Buddy connects to 1 lb propane bottles or can modified to connect to a 20lb bottle with the optional hose. I think RV furnace's are much much better than the Mr Buddy's. And yes, they are noisier, I can't give any retort to that point. I will keep my RV's furnace thank you. Yep, I'm going through this too now. $101.59 #5. This small camper van heater is powerful, pumping out up to 4,000-18,000 BTUs for spaces up to 450 square feet. There's no CO danger, they don't add moisture to the interior, and they run on a thermostat so you can set it and forget it. Buddy and the detector to be safe. Hello There, Guest! Instead of storing the RV for the winter, bundle up and outfit your camper for the season with RV heaters and furnaces from Camping World! I think I need to chase the 80's because the A/C runs off the solar for free. Mr Heater Big Buddy Review Jack Of All Trades Master of None. 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