BIG BUDDY HEATERS DANGER ! STOP USING THEM !

[klbowe]

would ask that a moderator keep this notice posted at the top to make sure everyone reads it.

Below you will find a copy of the "STOP USE" notice I was sent from Mr Heater. The recall will ONLY apply to the BIG buddy heater.

From: Mike Hiltabidel <[email protected]>

Subject: Big Buddy Heater

Big Buddy / Tough Buddy Product stop use notification

Mr. Heater is asking you to temporarily stop using your MH18B Big

Buddy/Tough Buddy heater.

We have recently discovered a possible safety issue with the MH18B

heaters. The company has filed a report with the Consumer Products

Safety Commission (CPSC), and is working with the Commission on a

possible recall. Any recall will be in cooperation with the Commission

and can not be done by the company unilaterally.

If I can get some information from you, you will be notified as soon as

the CPSC has given us final direction. In the mean time, again, please

stop using your product. Please provide the following information:

Name

Address

Phone number

Email address

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. I don't want the product. How do I get my money back?

A. At this time, we have to wait for direction from the CPSC on how

to handle repairs and returns of the product.

Q. How long am I going to have to wait?

A. We expect to have a final direction from the CPSC by Feb.1.

Q. What happens if I don't stop using my heater?

A. This is a safety issue and we've been asked to notify you of the

stop use. Beyond that we can't comment further until we get final

direction from the CPSC.

Michael Hiltabidel

Enerco/Mr. Heater Technical Service

4560 West 160th Street

Cleveland, Ohio 44135

Ph: 800-251-0001

F: 800-321-0552

Post Extras:

[andy j]

We (Gander) just got a new shipment in today and they are getting sent back for recall. It has something to do with safety, they must be leaking.

[dkhntr]

So my portable buddy is fine. I went to thier HSOforum, but saw nothing.

[Northlander]

From what I have read the regular Buddy Heaters are fine.

[andy j]

Yes the regular Buddys are fine.

[ZapBranigan]

Now this is the kind of information that goes up and beyond my expectations for a web site such as this. If this product has a recall I don't know how other than this I would have ever found out about it. Please if anyone hears more on this and more specifically information on who to contact and get the unit fixed or replaced be sure to share this with us all.

[fish'ngurl]

???? ????does that mean the good-ol' sunflowers are OK?

that's what I have.

thanks for the reply....

[Northlander]

Good old reliabe sunflowers like Mr.Heaters are ok. Fishingirl

[klbowe]

Sunflowers are ok and the single burner Buddy heaters are ok. This POST Only applies to the Big Buddy Heater.

The US Consumer Protection Agency needs to review Mr Heaters request for a recall before the product is RECALLED.

For safetys sake Mr Heater is recommending that you not use the Big Buddy Heater until the US Consumer Protection Agency review is complete.

If you own a Big Buddy heater fill out the form above and cut and paste the form into a email and address it to the contact in the form.

[Dakota Iceman]

I would like to know what is the problem?? The above says nothing about what the safety issue is.

[klbowe]

Mr Heaters official statement (to me as a owner) is listed above.

The emails I have exchanged with Mr. Heater have not said EXACTLY what the saftey issue is.

Earlier this week I sent a email to Mr Heater and asked if posts I have read about the heater being recalled are true.

This morning I received the following reply from Mr Heater.

------------------------------------------------------------

As of Friday afternoon, this is an accurate statement. We are currently waiting for the CPSC to evaluate the issue and give us direction on our course of action. We expect to have ananswer to procedure and the solution to any problem by Feb. 1.

----------------------------------------------------------

I like using my Big Buddy Heater but I will keep it on the shelf until Mr. Heater and the CPSC come up with a resolution.

[huskiesplayer15]

Here you go guys, I work at sportsmens so I was able to find out. When using both 1 pound tanks on high the line freezes up and starts venting the propane.

[Lost]

Thanks! I'll be sure to pass the word on to others.

[tomfromblaine]

Bummer,I just got mine all squared away with the quick-disconnect and 20#er, worked flawlessly all day and evening on mille lacs

[moundman]

hello gang,

here is the response I just got from Mr. Heater when I emailed them with problems:

"Thanks for your email regarding the Big Buddy! We are currently

investigating a possible issue with a small number of control valves on

the heater. We have reported this issue to the Consumer Products Safety

Commission and they will advise us of what direction we need to take (we

expect to have an answer within 2-3 weeks). In the meantime we are

requesting that you stop using the heater. Your name is being added to

our data base and as soon as we are given direction, we will contact

you. Most likely we will ask you to send us the heater, we will then

update it and return to you, all at our expense. Sorry for the

inconvenience and we continue to appreciate your support of our products

and company."

Hopefully they get it figured out!

[Fishn'Lady]

After reading the two other threads regarding the Big Buddy heater in the equipment forum we decided to return ours back to Northern Tool. We had not even fired it up, but after hearing all the problems we said that we didn't want to deal with it. The people at Northern didn't seem to know of any issues. They asked me if there was anything wrong with it, I told them I'm not sure, not that I know of, haven't even fired it up. Thanks to this forum for all the info.

[fisherdog19]

I used mine for the first time this weekend ant URL and had nothing but trouble with it. The pilot light kept going out and I had to re-lite it so I got fed up and switched to my sunflower. Anyone else have this problem.

Fisherdog

[Fishn'Lady]

A lot of people have had that problem. If you check out the Equipment forum there are two threads there that talk about all the trouble. I would suggest taking it back, unless you want to try and fix it.

[klbowe]

Here's your sign.

(sorry could't resist)

[Jeremy airjer W]

As long as the issue is just with using the 1lb. tanks, I think I'll use mine until the ice is gone and then send it in for repairs. I've had absolutely no troubles with mine whatsoever! I've also been using an 11lb. and a 20lb. tank.

Its just to bad that there are so many reported problems. If you get one that works they really are a nice unit!

[Stradic]

My Little Buddy I bought this year leaks. And FYI, don't anybody try and fix one yourself as was suggested earlier in this post. Not only dangerous but also voids the warranty. Just play it safe and return it.

[erikwells]

I have a mr. heater/Cooker. This fall I was using it in the garage with a 1lb tank and it would throw falmes 3-5 feet in the air for a few seconds and then it would regulate. This happened off and on until it ran out of propane. I thought maybe it was just a bad bottle but I put a new one on and the same thing happened. I ended up buying a new one last week being I did't want to be in my 4x6 portable with 3-5 foot flames. Anyone else ever have this happen?

[Guest]

Yes, once when they filled my 20lb'er too full. Had to bleed off the excess gas with the hose off for about a minute. Some newbie must have been working the filling station that day, kinda wondered since the tank felt heavier than normal!!

I was inside my protable when it happened...not cool seeing flames shoot out 5 feet when youre in a 4-8 fishouse!!! There was so much liquid gas in the heater already that it would not go out just by turning it off!

Luckily I have a quick disconnect on the heater. Undid it and threw the thing outside still on fire! Not cool at all!!

[Dano2]

up

[Shawnny B]

I thought the OPD "over fill protection device" Prevented them from being overfilled...Where did you fill yours up at Tom, or do you not have the OPD? I also noticed that if you turned the Propane tank upside down it does that, also if the tank gets VERY cold it happened

Shawnny B,