heaters for your portable/otter

[remington 300]

i was just wondering what most of you use for heating your portables, i just purchased a otter ice cabin and am used to using a sunflower heater, but after setting up the house, in the garage, for the first time, it,(the sunflower) seems to take up alot of room inside, would a big buddy heater be more suited for this type of house as far as space goes? utilizeing the hose to keep the 20lber out side?

thanks in advance,

mike

[mn_bowhunter]

I use a mr. heater cooker in my lodge with the hose to a tank outside. A big buddy would probably be better with less risk of canvas burning with wind.

[wbliceman]

i use a portable buddy.. works great no problems warming the house up quickly

[jwmiller33]

i have a mr heater and never have had problems staying warm in my portable, but my portable is the type that has the floor in it.. when you are up off the ice, you stay A LOT warmer then portables where your feet and everything are on the ice. some guys swear that you need a big buddy heater, but i have never had problems staying warm in mine. to each his own

[Zoob]

I use the smaller Buddy heater (one-tank version) and the Clam Expedition (floorless) -- and I haven't had to put it up over low yet. [Although I wish I had a floor -- the heat creates ice-sheets inside].

I would recommend getting the 5 foot hose-adapter so you can connect it to a 20lb tank, though. They do go through the 1-lb tanks fairly quick (3-6 hrs depending on setting) -- at $2 to $5 a pop for the 1-lb, it's a whole lot cheaper to put a 20-lb tank connected to it, and you don't end up having to deal with disposing a ton of little 1-lb tanks.

[JSK76]

I had a Mr. Heater cooker and sold it after getting a big buddy and now I wish I never did that because of the weight. Big buddy 18#, heater cooker 3.5# and if you need to cook, now you have the weight of the extra cooker. It all adds up when you have to pull your portable by hand.

[harvey lee]

I run a Mr Heater on a 5# tank. I can go two full days plus on one 5#er. Thats in a insulated CC portable.

[jwhjr]

I have both a sunflower and a Big Buddy available for use in my Otter Lodge. I haven't used the sunflower in 2 years now because I like the fact that I don't have to worry about the BB touching the canvas and burning up the side of it. I run an 11# tank and the quick connect hose with regulator. I haven't had any of the issues others have had with the BB not working.

[MikeH55343]

I use the one-tank Buddy Heater. I have my Otter set up so I can set the heater in the tub against the back and between the two seats. Only when the temps are in the -10 or lower range have we used two heaters.

Check out the treads on adding an insulation layer to improve the heat retention and reduced condensation. Also, a couple of outdoor 3x4 mats from the big M store for your floor.

[spk]

I use a Mr Heater cooker in my old pop up with floor but it would get so dang hot on the lowest setting it would blast me out even in the coldest temps (below zero). Was wondering if it would be safe to close down the main tank valve just enough so it would keep a steady but lower glow on the heating grid?? I always keep both door zippers open slightly to keep some fresh air moving (and to let out some heat).

spk

[boatfixer]

Big Buddy. I just got a roll of Relectix to put in the roof as well.

[hamms-scooter]

I had a Mr. Heater cooker and sold it after getting a big buddy and now I wish I never did that because of the weight. Big buddy 18#, heater cooker 3.5# and if you need to cook, now you have the weight of the extra cooker. It all adds up when you have to pull your portable by hand.

I would never part ways with my Heater cooker! Reliable and light! Oh and did i mention the best heater on the market period!!!

[TravP]

Originally Posted By: JSK76

I had a Mr. Heater cooker and sold it after getting a big buddy and now I wish I never did that because of the weight. Big buddy 18#, heater cooker 3.5# and if you need to cook, now you have the weight of the extra cooker. It all adds up when you have to pull your portable by hand.

I would never part ways with my Heater cooker! Reliable and light! Oh and did i mention the best heater on the market period!!!

Ya, until the cooker shoots a flameball at you. I had this happen to me last year about 2 seconds after fliping my scout open. If that would have happened with my scout shut, the results would have been pretty bad. 2 days later I bought a buddy heater for it.

[&JAG]

I like the cooker/heater with a 5' hose on a 11lb. tank outside. The reasons are if it's -20 I can still stay super warm, reliable and I can cook stuff on it/make hot cocoa with my tea kettle etc. My friend has a buddy heater it works for him but, if it's going to be COLD he always tells me to bring mine. I have more space in my portable and am always warmer

[TravP]

If your worried about space you can use the buddy heaters while they sit in your tub, without burning everything up. Thats where I put mine when I still had my scout.

[jwhjr]

I see that a few people have the Buddy heater in the tub. Isn't that a bit too warm to have it right behind you like that? I haven't ever tried it, but I know even when I have it set up in the front corner it's plenty warm.

[hamms-scooter]

I use my buddy heater also in my scout.htr/ckr is to much in there! Never had a problem with my htr/ckr in my guide at all. I know some of the guys on here have had them forever without any issues! Whatever doesn't kill you or singe your facial hair off makes you stronger! jk

[spk]

I have a Mr Heater cooker also and have been mostly happy with it. Never had an issue with it flaring up or anything. Have had it for a few years. Then a friend of mine was having trouble with his buddy heater going out constantly and I sort of talked him into getting a cooker like mine. He did and I was with him the first time he tried it out.... It flared up upon lighting it like a blow torch... It kept popping and flaring up for a minute or so. Never saw anything like it before.. It was like a flame thrower.. I then felt sort of bad that i recommended it to him.. We finally figured out a way to light it where it didn't flare up as much. I think afterwards he brought it back and returned it.. Looks like there's a bad burn accident and a lawsuit just waiting to happen to Mr Heater.... Are these units not meant to be run off a remote 20 # tank now?

[LMITOUT]

I use a Mr. Heater/Cooker in my Otter and it works fine on a 20# or 11# tank. No flare-ups to mention.

[My_Key]

I have a heater/cooker and a portable buddy heater I use with a hose and 20lb tank. I currently have a Clam 5600 and I rarely use my portable buddy. On warmer days it works just fine, but the high setting on the single tank Buddy is the low setting on the heater/cooker(8,000 BTU's). And it always seems to be colder than 20 degrees.

[Northlander]

I use a Mr heater on top of a 11# tank in a milk crate. I have now had 4 big buddy's and for 1 reason or another they never last.

[Big-Al]

I must be one of the lucky ones with the buddy heaters. I have two of the smaller ones. The only problem I have ever had with them is the usual susceptibility to blowing out from wind. They are five years old or so. I use one on a tank (no filter, I know I should) and when really cold I use the other in the tub. They have lots of miles in the tub behind the wheeler. Also use them in the deer stand.

[hamms-scooter]

Have any of you guys seen or even used the small sized sunflower heater before? They are like a 5 or 6" sunflower. A guy had one on the lake the other day and i dont know the make of it. cool little size tank topper!

[Sutty]

I have seen the small sunflower ones. I have seen them at the rainforest web site as well as fleet farm. Not sure of the price.

I bought a Big Buddy last night at fleet farm for 99 bucks. Tell me again which is the right hose that stays flexible?? I was a little dis concerned at paying 40 % of the cost of the heater for a hose and filter....

[hamms-scooter]

The black 5' or 12' hose will work.The 5' works for me. I use a 5lb tank and heater/cooker mr.heater or a small buddy heater.