Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater

[iffwalleyes]

I have been looking at these things for the past couple years and I can't decide if they would put out enough heat for me. I have a Otter Magnum lodge and I was woundering if anyone has used a Mr Heater Buddy in one of those do they put out enough heat on the really cold days? I fish sometimes when it is well below 0 and I don't like being cold. I have been using a Sunflower heater/cooker and that has been doing a good job but the have a higher BTU than the Buddy. So fellas help me out what do you think? Only 4-5 more months till ice time can't hardly wait. Thanks

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Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes

[This message has been edited by iffwalleyes (edited 07-17-2003).]

[irvingdog]

My Heating Tips:

Make a small windscreen for the bottom 2 inches of the HeatBuddy pilot light out of foil. The wind can sometimes blow them out.

It may be enough for most days, but get a cheap 3000 BTU black cat to set inside the sled on the coldest days.

And best of all, use one of those foil blankets (poly on one side, foil on the other) across the inside top of the house. You may have to tailor it to fit between the pipes and canvas, and allow the velcro closures to pass through the blanket. This will provide a foil surface to bounce back down heat and light, and create an insulating air barrier at the top of the house. I bet those new Coleman tent fans would also be nice to get some of that wasted heat down from the top of those taller houses, where it is always wasted. It would also serve to keep your holes open.

[This message has been edited by irvingdog (edited 07-17-2003).]

[Norsky]

They don't put out much heat, I had one and returned it after one use. I'd much rather just use a regular sunflower and keep the door open a little.

[LundExplorer]

IFF,

I have the same setup as you do, with the Buddy heater. It does not keep the shelter warm enough (at least for me) on really cold eves. I am planning on making one of those reflector tops mentioned here - if that doesn't cut it, then I'd get a sunflower.

TL

[Guest]

I own both, the sunflower and the Buddy. The buddy is for my small permanent shack and the sunflower is ONLY for the portable shacks. Not enough heat out of the Buddy to keep warm in portable shacks on cold days.

[Guest]

My buddy keeps my fish trap guide warm, but not toasty on those real cold days.

[EBass]

Just wanted to thank irving dog about the foil tip. I have a little fish trap scout. So the mr heater buddy heats her up just fine and even on cold days. (This is a REAL small portable)
The only problem I have is it blowing out. Never even thought of foil. I just bank the dump outa it.

[TUMBLEWEED]

I've had a Buddy for quite awhile. One big
tip for getting maximum heat out of it
for any length of time, is to NOT use the
one pound cylinders!! They are great for that
first 45 minutes, then the BTU's go way down.
If you want the thing to stay cherry hot
get yourself a 5,10,or twenty pound tank.

I would also say that it is probably undersized for below zero temps in your
Otter Lodge. I have an Otter medium cabin
and it is minimum for that. Especially if
you are running tip-ups, and have some in
and out traffic.

I will have to try out the tip with
the foil space blanket. It may just be enough for the buddy to keep the cold
burned off.....

[Gissert]

I have the buddy heater and I use it in a magnum otter. It is true that on a cold and/or windy day they fall short.

To make up for this, I hang my lantern from the top pole, and this provides enough additional heat on those days.

I have a sunflower heater, but do not use it much any longer. The buddy is just too handy and less bulky.

[Flashman]

I fished with my cousin in his lodge last year on Red with a buddy heater; it was no where near enough heater to be comfortable in his house. Yes, they are more portable than a Mr Heater/cooker but not even close to the same comfort level. Just my 2 cents.

[minneman]

Fan tip, if you do use a fan dont try to blow the hot air down, blow the cold air up, center the fan near the floor blowing up, the cold air mixes wth the warm and being in the middle of your shack it comes back down around the sides helping to keep holes ice free. blowing down does not work good at all, it forces the cold air off the floor further and you stay cold.

[irvingdog]

minneman

Makes sense. I haven't tried the fan yet. I was just thinking out loud on that one.....

[irvingdog]

Oh yeah, one more.........
Target sells these stainless steel measuring cups, with a steel handle. I paid maybe 3 bucks for mine. The cup has a long handle, and it balances perfectly on top of the Buddy, with the handle facing towards the rear. It boils water or soup in no time flat.

Recipe time.
Boil water, add one packet Swiss Miss cocoa, add 1 shot of "Buttershots" butterscotch schnapps. Stir, sip and fish. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm...

[iffwalleyes]

Alright thanks guys that is kind of what I figured I guess I will just stick with the sunflower. Ten Four on the just opening the door because you usually have to do that with the sunflower.

------------------
Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes

[G_man]

If you use a lantern, you should factor that into the equation. I have the Coleman 'Northstar' propane lantern and it puts out alot of heat. Between my Buddy, the lantern and the foil, I haven't been cold yet. The only thing I don't like about the Buddy is it can be a pain to start them (cuz you have to hold the button down for 30-45 seconds) and they are sensitive to being tipped. I think I'll put to use the foil tip for the pilot being blown out. I've been thinking about a 5 lb propane tank, but the 1 lb'rs are very handy.

[Guest]

I have used the Buddy now for two winters. I fish from a Shoremaster Jigger. I found that if I berm up the front with snow and come and go from the back (which zips open) it stays pretty warm in there when hooked up to my 11# tank. On real cold days, I also light off my Power Cat heater which has a small fan in it run by 2 D cell batteries. I keep that down in the fishing area where it keeps my feet warm and my holes from skimming over. I simply cannot stand the fumes from the sunflower type heaters because when you run them on low, they seem to produce alot more pollution from incomplete combustion. I always keep the back zipper unzipped a little to provide ventilation. I like the foil blanket idea and might just incorporate that in this fall's updating........T

[chucker]

I used a Buddy, Powercat with foil insulation last year on a very cold weekend on Red. The coldest temps were -20 and it was warm enough to sit in my portable for 5 hours with winter clothing on, I had to bank each heater so it faced my holes to keep them from freezing…the things we will do to caught a fish??? Not toasty warm but manageable, the fishing was good so that definitely took the edge off.

[This message has been edited by chucker (edited 07-23-2003).]

[fleeced]

I have a Frabill Ranger 2-man and the Buddy puts out enough heat for me. It was a bit chilly last winter with the limited snow for banking and I prefer a little nip in the air.
A lantern does help when it is seriously cold.

[pj4]

where do u get those fans? are they battery powered?