Big Buddy Heater Junk!!

[jltimm]

I recently used my Big Buddy heater on 2 seperate outings,and today the pilot light would go out ,then the unit would shut off!It did this about 10 times and it was REALLY ANNOYING!I have a 5ft hose from a 20lb tank and had it on high the whole time.Maybe I'll have to go back to the heater cooker,something I can trust!!Also I noticed the heat from this unit didn't have as much as the sunflower type heater?I used it in my Eskimo QF 3,and it wasn't as warm as when I've used the suflower heater!I had the house banked good to with no drafts coming in.

[Hibbing]

Bought mine a few months ago. Told my wife it was for emergencies (power outage etc.) Right before x-mas, the power in town was out for almost 12 hours and the heater worker great! 2 weeks ago on LOW, it kept going out every few minutes!

I have left 2 voicemail messages with the company and they have not responded. I hope this is not indicative of how they are going to handle the recall!

[Moose-Hunter]

Hi Frank....

We've had temps in the single digits, but not in the minus range. At least not when I've been out. This weekend mom Nature will provide me that -0 temp range, with wind. I'll try to run all the "popular" combinations and see what happens. Can you think of any others?

1: (2) 1# tanks

2: 11# tank, 5' buddy heater hose

3: 20# tank, 5' buddy heater hose

4: 11# tank, 12' quick connect hose w/ reg

5: 20# tank, 12' quick connect hose w/ reg

[Dano2]

could be the thermocoupler adjusted too far away. Take a look at this link.

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=466446&page=2&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

Mine goes out every so often too, especially when its on high with the fan on.

I thought of doing the adjustment, but now that they will probably want them all returned, I'll wait for that, and also leave a note in the box to fix it so it quits going out all the time.

Oh, and I guess they really dont recomend this adjustment either, hmmmm, so what the heck is a guy supposed to do.

[Moose-Hunter]

Hi Dano2...

By trying to adjust the thermocouple on the Buddie heaters you are also altering one of the safety devices built into the unit. By bringing the thermocouple closer to the pilot, you are basically "over-riding" the low oxygen shut off. And from what I hear this modification also raises the CO emissions considerably.

Although it may be a "quick fix", in my opinion this mod makes the Buddy heaters unsafe. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

[Surface Tension]

Dan, If your tanks are stored outside this weekend will be a good test. Speaking from experience bring a back heater just in case.

[Moose-Hunter]

Both bulk tanks are outside as we speak. I usually store them in my garage (heated) but for testing, I want them as cold as Mom Nature can provide. I'll be picking up a couple 1lber's sometime today and "treat" them as I would on any ice outing.

For back up, a small buddy heater and a heater cooker. sounds like it may get a bit nippy on saturday...

[neverstopfishing!!]

i just returned mine they gave me my money back at fleet farm. i didnt have the box or anything and they took it back,they said they just pulled them from the shelves the little ones and the big ones.

[jltimm]

That's great news cause I bought mine from Fleet also and was wondering if they would take it back without a box and such!Looks like a trip to Fleet for me soon!

[iffwalleyes]

Just have your receipt if you go to fleet. I tried returning mine that I paid 130 for. They said they could only return it for the lowest sale price they had sold them for. Which was 90 back one week in Dec. Wished I'd have known about that sale. It was so mad when I left I kept it and will take things up with MR Heater.

[Ed Carlson]

You had your receipt and they still tried that on you at Fleet?

Man...that is so BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGUS!

Sounds like Fleet is practicing GM's double your money back...in reverse.

I would have had a whole herd of cows on the spot!!

Print off the recall notice and take it in to them at Fleet. Then if they try that again say give me my full cash back or sign this recall saying I can use it safely. If it blows up Fleet Farm is liable for it then.

See what they say then Eh.

[jltimm]

Thanks for telling me about the receipt.I do have mine,and I think I paid 119.00 on sale.Then there's the hose for around $15,then the 6 volt plug in for around $20,the batteries...What a piece of %$^&!

[Ryan Berger]

If you are going to buy a new heater, look at the Hot Spot by Reddy Heater, I love mine. Got it at Menards with hose and all for under a hundred, and it really cooks

[klbowe]

Boy I would question that the Big Buddy was ever on sale for 90 dollars, make them show you the add.

I think they are using some kind of formula to come up with that number. These heaters were brand new this year and I have not ever seen the "BIG Buddy" on sale anywhere.

Has anyone seen them on sale for 90 dollars ?

[neverstopfishing!!]

i bought mine for 119 and thats what i got back. i got a sunflower there on sale right now for 34 it puts out a lot more heat and alot cheaper i had it in my hand before and then i saw the buddy heater what a mistake that was.

[berfish]

Gander Mountain in Bemidji had them for around $90 but it could have been $95. Anyway it got recalled because of the valve on one of the sides is too sensitive or something and it doesn't get a good connection so it shuts off all the time. A couple of my friends have them and they have had different types of luck. One had it work fine untill it shut off once after a week of use then it always shut off. The other had problems with one side so he hooked the hose up to the other side and has had no problems. Please fix them this year because they are a nice heater if they work.

bf

[iffwalleyes]

I'm sorry. No I didn't have my receipt. I asked them about the recall and I said you don't have any on the shelf so whats the deal. She called sporting goods and they told her that Mr Heater had just told them to take them off the shelf. So she told me that and I said well what am I suppose to do with this then. More or less her response was to take the 90 or forget it. I told her I would just take it up with Mr. Heater since she didn't what to do anything about it. I asked about the 90 as well and for one week sometime in Dec the had them on sale for that. I think it was a load of you what to. I have to feel bad for the person on shift doing customer service at Mr Heater when I call.

[Stradic]

FYI, same problems with the Little Buddies this year also. I saw earlier in this post that they were recalled also. Mine leaks gas whenever I try to put a new tank on.

[Chev_trucks501]

Hey IFF,

The bad experience you had at that store is not unusual. However what you should do reguardless of whether you take it up with Mr. Heater is to pick up a customer service evaluation and fill it out. Direct it to Gary Ruege, he is the District Manager of the Minnesota Stores. He will take care of it and usually you get a gift card out of it. Make sure you express you dis-satisfaction with the service you received.

Good Luck

Chev

[Surface Tension]

Stradic, I hadn't heard of a recall on the Little Buddies.

When you screw the tank down they always leak a little propane till you get it screwed in and seated.

[Guest]

There is NO recall on the small Buddy Heaters. They are fine and have had very few problems with them this year. I hope they get the issue fixed with the Big Buddy's, they are a nice heater when they work.

[Hibbing]

I brought my Mr. Buddy back to L and M Supply this weekend. Only paid $96.00 for it and they gave me my money back - no problem! (I had my receipt).

[GrouseHunt'R]

Does anyone have an extenstion hose for the quick fitting to a 5-20# tank with the Hand wheel for ease of connecting without a wrench?

I am trying to find a hose to use with mine and I don't see what I am looking for. Seems Mr. Heater only offers the disposable connector to the hand wheel.

If any one found one of these let me know where I might find one, other wise I may see if a local propane shop can make me one.

[Surface Tension]

Northern Tool had the 271803 part. Its a 12' hose, regulator and quick connect.

[Dano2]

finally decided to bring mine back after yesterday out fishing -10 degrees and it kept going out, lucky I had the sunflower with. got my money back at scheels and the manager claims he has talked to them 4 times and has never heard of a recall or problems mentioned, then said that theres nothing but rumors on these kinds of sites. I guess he'll find out soon enough, but atleast I got my money back. Should have told him that he should be happy about this site, because when someone mentions something good, thats usually who gets my business, or fleet, but now I'm thinking I will start driving a little further to fleet to get my goodies, after his snob attitude. I would purchase the heater again though, if they fix the bugs, but figured after all this is taken care of, the season will probably be over, so I'll wait til next year.

[iffwalleyes]

Well Dano I know what you mean about the place you mention not much has changed on that front I have been treated the same by them maybe even the same guy. I have found that I really like the Sportsmans Warehouse that has opened in Fargo so since you are from Moorhead I would take a spin over there and see what they have. I not sure how these stores can keep claiming they don't know. But I did receive a email from Mr. Heater today that said they would be getting recall forms out on their web page with in the next week. They said that we can send the heater in and they will fix the problem with them. I sure hope that they get fixed because they are a nice heater if working proper.