Bi Mart has them on sale for $69.97 Though March 8. This is best price I have seen anywhere for them.
H-T
bump
You are funny Greg! :biggrin: You "bumped" a post from just a few hours ago.
HT,
Is that the Lil Buddy? or the Big Buddy?
wedocq it is the Buddy , Not the Big Buddy and not the small round Little Buddy.
http://www.mrheater.com/sporting/portable-buddy-heater.html
These usually run about $100
H-T
That model fits really nicely in the Arima sized space.
the "Little Buddy" is $69 at ACE. (+10% off starting tomorrow at my ACE.)
I normally use a big buddy because that's what I got for free.
But the darned thing gets TOO HOT even when turned down and only using 1 bottle.
Been thinking about one of these smaller buddy heaters for a couple of years now.
Croaker the little buddy is the small round one that mounts on top of the bottle, with OUT all the safety features of the Buddy.
H-T
That's ok! We just neuter the safety features on the Buddy's because the wave action turns the heater off if you leave it stock!
Quote from: markshoreline on February 26, 2015, 10:17:52 PM
That's ok! We just neuter the safety features on the Buddy's because the wave action turns the heater off if you leave it stock!
Yeah mark....I haven't figured out how to do that yet. I keep restarting mine.
I think I found the switch on the bottom of the unit but disassembling the thing to get at it is what I can't seem to get.
They are real buggers to figure out where the screws and tabs are to disassemble them! But once open you just redo the wiring so the switch isn't in the circuit.
Availability: Out of stock
$81.99
LIttle Buddy info
http://www.mrheater.com/sporting/little-buddy-heater.html
Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Propane Heaters are the Most Popular Portable Heaters in America.
State Restriction:
MA
Country Restriction:
CANADA
Quote from: markshoreline on February 26, 2015, 10:43:48 PM
They are real buggers to figure out where the screws and tabs are to disassemble them! But once open you just redo the wiring so the switch isn't in the circuit.
yeah, I want to do this. it would be awesome if there was a way to just increase the latitude of the switch. I.e. have it still shut off but only if tipped all the way over. It is ridiculously sensitive. Though if I were the manufacturer, I'd do the same!
There's probably a U.L. tip test it must pass before being approved.
The only difference I can see between the Buddy and the Little Buddy is BTUs (besides size). The Buddy has a high/low switch for 4000 BTUs or 9000 BTUs. The Little Buddy is 3800 BTUs. The Buddy will heat 200 sq ft and the Little Buddy 100 sq ft. Both have tip-over safety shut-off and low oxygen shut-off.
Dan
You guys that have the Buddy Heaters, how do you have them set up in your boats?
I have the Buddy (not Big or Little) for my 17 chaser. I put mounting screws on the hatches that go up to the cuddy. I put the screws at a height that holds the heater about an eighth of an inch off the deck. That way I am positive that the heater stays locked onto the screws. The only down side is you have to move the heater to access the cuddy.
Alan
I bolted my Little Buddy to a piece of 16 x 16 x 1/2 plastic sheet. On the bottom of the plastic sheet, I attached 4 self sticking soft plastic bumpers. This makes a very stable base for the heater. With the Sprinter, I set it forward of and between the seats but it can be moved to wherever there is a flat surface. I'm thinking that if the water is rough enough to tip this set up over, I won't be out there.
dw...How well does that heat your cockpit?
I've only used it once so far and the temp was in the 30's. It took a little time to get things warmed up and I didn't take my coat off but the First Mate loved it. When her hands got cold she could warm them right up.
dw
I have almost the same setup, except it is mounted on a piece of plywood. I place it in the well of the cuddy, just in front of (aft) of the porta potty. With the curtains down, it'll heat up pretty fast, and almost chase you out of the cabin area.
That itty bitty thing will heat that good huh?
Maybe I should consider buying one of those and use the big buddy for other things... :shrug9:
Yup....if you have the drop curtains down, it'll heat it up pretty quickly.
Well not the hi-jack the thread... well I guess I really am.... :wink: I don't care specifically about warming the cabin as I hardly run with rear cover on. I just want too keep a couple of windows from constantly fogging over most mornings. Has anyone used the electric plug in defrosters available at harbor freight to keep the windows clear on the smaller sr/sc's?
Any feedback on how they work besides the battery drain?
Looks like a lot of you guys have them mounted to hard surface, mines on plywood.
Quote from: Zarn on March 02, 2015, 11:28:43 AM
Well not the hi-jack the thread... well I guess I really am.... :wink: I don't care specifically about warming the cabin as I hardly run with rear cover on. I just want too keep a couple of windows from constantly fogging over most mornings. Has anyone used the electric plug in defrosters available at harbor freight to keep the windows clear on the smaller sr/sc's?
Any feedback on how they work besides the battery drain?
I haven't...but I have thought about it.
Quote from: Tom Mac on March 02, 2015, 05:50:46 PM
Looks like a lot of you guys have them mounted to hard surface, mines on plywood.
I mounted mine to the back of the cabin door using the screw mount slots on the back of the unit. Very secure and there's nothing to keep me from using the cabin.
I hang mine from two screws in the cuddy door. The only way I could keep it burning was to take apart and bypass the tilt switch.
Takes the serious cold off even without a back drop curtain. Seldom used because wind often blows it out. Calm cold day, it is convenient.
StreamFixer
Soon as I can find a steal on a Wabasto I'm installing one and ditching the Buddy.
Here you go!
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/bpo/4907603291.html
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/boa/4899405424.html
and not a Webasto but a Planar brand,
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/bod/4866799260.html
I did the same with my 2.5gal propane tank to keep it from bouncing around (strapping it to a piece of plywood). Now it's too old and they won't fill it up for me anymore. I used to use a propane camp stove I'd cook on and that thing would cook me out with the back curtains on. I'm pretty sure that Big Buddy heater I just picked up at the lead pour will work just fine as long as I don't put the curtains on.
Many of the box stores, Home Depot and the like, have propane 'swap' facilities. You drop off your empty tank and pick up a new tank full of propane for basically the cost of the propane. All automatic, no one inspects what is being dropped off.
Only the 5 gallon units though. The bigger ones need to be re-certified.
StreamFixer
Heading to Westport today stopping at Bi Mart in Aberdeen to get a Little Buddy. PM if you need me to grab another....
At the lead pour there was a discussion about refilling the quart size containers that work in the Buddies. Apparently you can refill the small containers from the larger 5 gallon tanks...
Quote from: Zarn on March 02, 2015, 11:28:43 AM
Well not the hi-jack the thread... well I guess I really am.... :wink: I don't care specifically about warming the cabin as I hardly run with rear cover on. I just want too keep a couple of windows from constantly fogging over most mornings. Has anyone used the electric plug in defrosters available at harbor freight to keep the windows clear on the smaller sr/sc's?
Any feedback on how they work besides the battery drain?
I use a cheep 12 volt clip on fan..clipped to my window supports facing the driver side above the heater. Works great..
Refilling 1 qt propane bottles
Yes, there is an adapter to connect the little bottles to the big tanks (5 & 75. gallon), BUT (always a but isn't there???) you have to be a bit crafty to get a real 'refill'
Back Story: Propane is a gas at atmospheric pressure and normal temperatures. We transport and store it under pressure as a liquid (I forget the expansion rate, but it is a bunch). In order to get a full bottle refill you must somehow get liquid into the smaller bottle.
You do this, initially, by inverting the big tank before opening the valve (after tightly connecting the bottle of course). That will allow a small amount of liquid into the bottle before the liquid vaporizes and the pressures are equalized. You might get a couple of ounces of liquid into the bottle but not much more.
The way you 'fill' the bottle is to leave it on the inverted tank (valve open) for a period of time (couple of days) to allow the gas to bubble out and liquid to drain into the bottle. The hole is very small (as you can see when looking at the bottle) and it takes some time. I usually find a solid combination of blocks, etc. to be able to tilt the big tank so I get more than a half bottle of liquid. You want to be careful to not fill the bottle more than 90% full. Doing so will force liquid through your torch, burner, whatever making things very scary if you are near it, lit or not. The liquid is expanding outside of the bottle through your appliance.... VERY DANGEROUS...
When you are satisfied the bottle is as full as you want it, shut off the main valve and unscrew the bottle. You will have a pfft of gas when you do this.
Remember propane is heavier than air, therefore it will accumulate in low places. It burns really fast (compared to natural gas) and you will not outrun it if it is following an accumulation up a low area to a leaking source. If you see a propane flash coming at your, Curl up, close your eyes and hold your breath. You might be a little singed and not need a haircut for a while maybe a little 'sunburned', but otherwise you should be fine. BUT (there's that but again) The best way to survive a propane flash fire is to not let yourself get into such a situation in the first place... :doh:
StreamFixer
I guess if you buy the small bottles in the 3 packs they're not so expensive after all! :jester:
Quote from: StreamFixer on March 08, 2015, 08:09:52 AM
If you see a propane flash coming at your, Curl up, close your eyes and hold your breath. You might be a little singed and not need a haircut for a while maybe a little 'sunburned', but otherwise you should be fine.
StreamFixer
You make it sound like the most ordinary thing to have a "propane flash coming at you".
Seldom happens. However, if you mess around and allow sufficient propane to accumulated in the bottom of your boat or in your shop, to reach ignitable concentrations, it is probably not something you need to worry about. You are not likely to be around long enough to worry about that, or much of anything else for that matter ... :whistle:
The take away lesson here is, if you can smell it, get the hell out of there for a while (at least 30 minutes) and let it all dissipate... Then, don't do what you did just before you smelled it, again when you go back... :doh:
"Hey, hold my beer and watch this" is not an appropriate sentiment when dealing with propane... :biggrin:
StreamFixer