Propane hose for Mr. Heater/cooker??

[RiverFish]

I have heard a couple people have problems when using the 5 foot hose when connecting a 20 pound tank to their Mr. Heater/cooker. Has any one else had problems? Should I go to the 12 foot hose?

[Sandmannd]

I have the 12 foot and have had no problems. I would go longer cause you can always use the extra length. If it's not needed, you still have it. Can't make a 5 foot longer.

[Whitefishnetter]

When the longer hose is first hooked up we have had problems with being too impaitent about waiting for the air to purge out of the line. The heater would take three times as long to light as usual when direct coupled to a tank, this is only made more sluggy when the tank is at 20 below.

[Esox_Magnum]

I have been running the same 12' hose for close to 20 years, no problems here. Like stated nice to have if you need it and a 5' won't give you much lee way in heater placement if the tanks outside.

[walleyewild]

I actually melted a 5' hose and almost burned up my otter.

Go with the 12' it'll give you more then enough length for your bulk tank.

WW

[Ed Carlson]

Ya know, it sure would be nice if Mr. Heater made a after market upgrade kit for the Quick Coupler...as in used on the Big Buddy heater system. Than a guy could convert his heater/cookers to use the same handy system.

Snap-on-snap-off...sure would be handy.

[Steve Eddicus]

I think they have quick disconnect systems out there. I think i saw them on a HSOforum.

[OldBear]

I have an 8' & 12'. Usually use the 8' on a 5lb tank. 5' is cutting it pretty close.

[RiverFish]

Thanks guys for the advice. I think I will go with the 12' hose.

Cost a little more, but it sounds like it will be safer and easier to use.

Thanks again.

[Phred52]

Check with your local Menards. They handle Mr. Heater connections/etc at a reasonable price. Phred52

[berfish]

Has anyone noticed that the newer Mr. Heater cookers are not as powerful as they used to be? I had one from around 1999 and it worked great. I lost it when I moved from house to house in college. I bought a new one two years ago and right from the start it has been quieter and less warm. I used to be able to go out and not worry about getting cold in my fish house. Now I have to take my friend's old Paulin brand cooker with....that thing is twice as warm and twice as loud. That is how my older Mr. Heater cooker was. Did Mr. Heater change something? I have another friend who has a brand new cooker and his is just like mine. Colder. It seems like even on high it just isn't flowing as high as they used to. I cleaned my LP jets last night and it still isnt any better. I would just pick up a new one but I don't want to if it is going to be the same as the one I have now. I tried the 20lb. tank w\the hose and 1lbs.er's. No difference. What is your experience?

Oh yeah....I forgot to mention I sent the same post to Mr. Heater's Technical Support Team on their HSOforum. I will post the reply I get to that when I get it.

[slipperybob]

The Mr. Heater has a smaller heat screen. That might have something to do with it. I remember the Paulin stuff gets super hot, hot enough to have the back heat shield glow red. The Mr. Heater are cooler so the back heat shield doesn't glow red.

[Rope]

Beerfish,I think you see less power because of the new style fittings on the propane tank itself.I saw it first on a weed burner.I know my cook stove in my duck blind does not get a hot either.Where I live, if you tell the guy filling the bottle you are using it for a weed burner you can get an old style refilled.

[berfish]

Thanks for the quick responses guys.

Rope...That is one thing I never thought of....but the issue occurs with the 1lbs. tanks too. I think Mr. Heater switched a part or flow rate or oxygen mixture so it doesn't burn as hot or something. It is cold in my Yukon when it gets really cold and windy. The holes will freeze up even with everything banked. I might just have to insulate it.

[musky999]

I have a bigbuddy heater with the 12' hose hooked to a 20lp tank. I have the one pounder hooked up to the other side and the filter hooked into the hose. The problem I am haveing is the heater will not run very long, maybe 30 secs. to a min.. I saw on this post is that maybe there is air in the line that needs to be purred out. Could that be my problem?

Thanks, Craig

[JimBuck]

Craig,

Are you making sure to purge all of your air out before starting her up? I've heard of people having issues with igniting if it hasn't been run in a while or for the first time. Make sure all the air is out of the house before going to start lighting it. Hope that helps.

Cheers,

-Buck

[musky999]

Thanks Buck, what would you think is the best way to purge those things. Craig

[Jim Almquist]

I called Customer Service about that problem and how long it took to get the pilot going and what I was told to try was to hook the hose to your tank and turn the gas on and at the other end of the hose use something small to open the valve ( press in ) until you smell propane and now you hook it up to your buddy it will light right away and have no more problems. It worked for me. Just needed to purge the air out of the hose. Please don't do this with any open flames close by.

[musky999]

Good idea Jim, I'll try that, thanks

[slipperybob]

Once a buddy had his hose in contact with the cooker base/frame and after a few hours it got hot enough to start melting the hose. The cooker died out and we were thinking that the banking ice froze over it. After we checked the hose we discovered the melt and then started to smell heavy propane. Had to call it quits and get another hose from the gas station. Now we know, always make sure hose is clearly not in contact with any metal part of the cooker

[berfish]

SLipperybob-Had something similar happen to me and a couple buddies. One guy got cold in the corner of our 8x8 so he turned the cooker towards himself...not realizing the hose was touching the rim of the heater face. About 30 seconds later a 4ft flamethrower was coming up from the hose! The smarter buddy reached over and shut the tank down while the rest of us ran out so fast I don't even remember it. That sent us home pretty fast.

[slipperybob]

I wonder if using the material from an old oven mitt and wrapping that around the hose to create some insulation would help...just a thought.