Little Buddy Heaters

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Little Buddy Heaters

Postby schenier » Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:18 pm

Hello,

We're in the middle of our build and I realize now that a heater without shore power is just not feasible. That being said, has anyone used a little buddy heater in their TD? I was thinking of mounting a CO2 detector as well, but well frankly, I'm scared of killing us all in our sleep. We are planning to use the TD to go skiing. There will be 3 of us in there. How warm do you stay with just bodies and good sleeping bags?
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Re: Little Buddy Heaters

Postby MtnDon » Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:23 pm

A sleeping adult human produces about 250 BTU/hour. That's equal to about 73 watts of electrical heating per hour. At rest but awake about 400 BTU/hour.

I really don't like non vented fuel consuming heaters and the smaller the space the more I dislike them. Too much potential danger for my liking.
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Re: Little Buddy Heaters

Postby aggie79 » Mon Jan 25, 2016 11:34 pm

I use one to take the chill off a cold garage but I don't use it once I'm out in the garage.
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Re: Little Buddy Heaters

Postby KennethW » Tue Jan 26, 2016 7:18 am

schenier wrote:Hello,

We're in the middle of our build and I realize now that a heater without shore power is just not feasible. That being said, has anyone used a little buddy heater in their TD? I was thinking of mounting a CO2 detector as well, but well frankly, I'm scared of killing us all in our sleep. We are planning to use the TD to go skiing. There will be 3 of us in there. How warm do you stay with just bodies and good sleeping bags?


Never ever use a unvented heater in a TD!!! Some boys in MN just DIED using a unvented heater in a fish house.
I can up with a propane radiant tube and a propane radiant dog dish heater that is fully vented.
viewtopic.php?f=54&t=64825&hilit=+radiant&p=1151833#p1151810
The tube does not have the reflector behind it in the picture.
I try to make it easy to build. The dog dish heater does work better in that it drafts better.138445116155116153116475
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Re: Little Buddy Heaters

Postby Shadow Catcher » Tue Jan 26, 2016 8:15 am

Any combustion source inside a teardrop strikes me as just a really bad idea!

There are a number of potential solutions most not inexpensive.
I have an Espar diesel heater as does one other member 7819378194

Since we have a water heater I have installed a bypass through an automotive heater core using a solar hot water pump and computer case fan. My idea but a couple of folks beat me to trying it out.
128626128716128782

An external boiler could also be used with this set up using what ever heat source, real caution would need to be exercised in keeping it from getting too hot or a boiler explosion (you do not want a sealed system).
This could be the least expensive and if you want to pursue this idea I have been thinking about how to do it safely and we can discuss it.
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Re: Little Buddy Heaters

Postby schenier » Tue Jan 26, 2016 8:50 am

MtnDon wrote:A sleeping adult human produces about 250 BTU/hour. That's equal to about 73 watts of electrical heating per hour. At rest but awake about 400 BTU/hour.

I really don't like non vented fuel consuming heaters and the smaller the space the more I dislike them. Too much potential danger for my liking.


I agree.
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Re: Little Buddy Heaters

Postby schenier » Tue Jan 26, 2016 9:07 am

Both very cool ideas Shadow Catcher and Kenneth, I'll spend some time looking into that. I love that it is designed specifically for the dog. I don't think I could sleep, even after turning off a non vented heat source. Like you all said, just too much potential. I may still get one for the galley because making my coffee in the snow will make me cranky. The heater is designed for tents and was recommended by an ice climbing friend, but it still makes me super uneasy.

The insulation we are using is R9, which seems low compared to a house obviously, but it's quite through.

One of our favorite ski spots gives free campsites (with electric) during the winter. I'm thinking the best course of action is to try it out there, bringing a small ceramic heater as a back up, but see if it's comfortable enough without it. Most places are not so generous. My main concern is the 5 year old, I think us two grown people would be fine.
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Re: Little Buddy Heaters

Postby KennethW » Tue Jan 26, 2016 10:54 am

I am thinking that a buddy heater could be used with the dog dish style heater with the buddy outside on a shelve, pointed into the dog dish with wind screen around it. Not the most efficient but safe!!
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Re: Little Buddy Heaters

Postby lkinney » Tue Jan 26, 2016 2:53 pm

We have used our Little Buddy in our tent when the temp hit 5 degrees F. We only use it for a few minutes before we go to sleep and after we wake up. Five minutes max.
We make sure the tent is properly vented and have tested the oxygen sensor regularly to make sure it is working.

We have purchased a small 12v ceramic heater to use in the TD, but will use it as above- sparingly.
Pile on the covers (we use two 0 degree sleeping bags zipped together and a fleece sleep sack in the tent) and you will be fine.
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Re: Little Buddy Heaters

Postby rowerwet » Wed Jan 27, 2016 7:19 am

You could do what many do with no shore power, http://www.roadtrucker.com/12-volt-heat ... warmer.htm those who have them say they get a weekend out of their battery
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Re: Little Buddy Heaters

Postby rowerwet » Wed Jan 27, 2016 2:11 pm

slowcowboy wrote:I do this rowret all summer long its works its cheap..........but when you talking snow and temps in the teens it doest put enough heat out.......that's the problem...........most of them like I got are only 300 watts they beat a dash heator from wally world but they are still to small for winter time..............they are summer time heaters.............and I got my tear wired in to my suvs battery so I can run it about half a hour than shut my suv off and go to bed. but then its just another 30 mins off that and your like down to 11 something or 50 percent on a deep cyle.............these 12 volt trucker heators I am not kidding and honest are battery hogs...........that's why I only leave them on a half a hour with out the suv running....................they are designed for a semi with huge batterys and more than one..............and no trucker is going to shut a semi off at a truck stop in the winter time...........so got a huge 24 volt high oupute altenater in that semi behind these heators...................again they work great for teardrops...........and no you cant run mine all night long in my teardrop..........ujust 30 mins when I shut my suvs engine off..............they are good for temps down to only 28 or 25..........22 is the most I have tested mine and it is in a overly insulated teardrop to..........like 2 inch foam insulation............

slow

It isn't a heater it is a bunk mat, heats you from underneath
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Re: Little Buddy Heaters

Postby canned o minimum » Sun Jan 31, 2016 8:50 am

You'll have THREE GUYS in a teardrop ??? How big izzit ! I have a 4x8 and sleep alone and it's PLENTY comfy. A good sleepin bag is EVERTHANG ! The problem is..gettin OUTTA the teardrop !
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