Another Big Buddy Question

[Eastwind]

I have finally had enough of my Big Buddy heater shutting down when I try to run it on high when it is really cold out. Imagine wanting to turn my heater up higher as it gets colder. Without my getting in to the marvel of engineering that Mr. Heater has sold many of us, I have a question. I have finally broken down and purchased a 5 ft. propane hose and filter so that I have a larger reservoir of propane and will be less likely to have my heater shutting down if I turn it to high when it is really cold out. I'm thinking that when I do hook up one of my two propane fittings to the heater I should leave the 1 lb. bottle off of the other side. What does everyone else do. As it is likely to be a one way valve it shouldn't matter but it sure would be a bad thing if the 1 lb bottle ruptured due to the pressure of a ten pound tank being added on to the other side. Opinions?

[TOLLEFRY]

I know some guys connect a 20lb tank direct to the disposables to fill them, and they don't rupture. I don't think you'll have a problem. I would just leave the second tank disconnected.

[Sandmannd]

I've heard of a few people with problems going to high on these. I don't have one, but I would disconnect the propane bottle on the other side.

[Freewheeler]

Eastwind, I don't think you are in any danger of rupturing the one pounder as It has more pressure in it than your bigger L.P. tank. The pressure coming out of your big tank[with regulator]is regulated before it gets to your heater. Did you buy the propane tank hose with the Quick coupler on it? If so where in the world do you plan on putting this filter? In my dealings with with the Big Buddy people I was led to believe that just having a regulator on the hose[between tank&heater] eliminated the need for additional filtering. So I use mine quick coupled upto the heater with regulator at the bulk tank. Haven't had any problems this way, but was advised to turn off the heater at the tank, and let it burn itself out of fuel then shutting off the heater last. I do keep a full 1# in the storage compartment for a just in case, but have never had to use it yet. So one pounders are left disconnected on mine. I hope I'm not the one doing it wrong. Am I?

[wally20]

I have used my buddy heater with a 5' hose on a 20lb tank for 3 years and have never had any problems. When its this cold out, you need to keep your LP tank as full as possible, you lose pressure when its cold, so the emptier the tank, the less pressure and the more problems you have. You also don't need to keep a bottle on the other side, I don't use the filter either. Good luck!

[blueroof]

I've previously used the hose and filter hooked to the 1lb connection. I had problems with it going out once in awhile. I bought the regulated line with the quick connect last year and have not had an issue since.

The regulated line also seems safer. If your hose comes loose, you have far less gas in the line to flash up than a non-regulated line. Those filters also hold quite a bit of gas in them and add an additional fitting that might come loose.

LB

[castmaster]

I've heard its a bit easier to get the heater started using the 1lb bottle, then switching over to the big tank after the heater is going.

[Fish&Fowl]

 Originally Posted By: castmaster

I've heard its a bit easier to get the heater started using the 1lb bottle, then switching over to the big tank after the heater is going.

That seems a little ridiculous to go through so much work to get a heater started. We had -45 windchills this morning and my dad screwed with his big buddy for over 20 minutes trying to get it to light and stay lit. This is also his second one and it's basically brand new.

[Eastwind]

Since I purchased this heater I have become more and more annoyed with Mr. Heater as a company. This "Big Buddy" heater was put out on the market with so many issues that I have experienced and have been hearing about on this forum that it is ridiculous. I am not likely to ever buy another product made by Mr. Heater. I just hope some other company comes up with a good portable heater design by the time I need a new one.

[rockman]

Yea, I wish that Coleman would bring back the Focus 5 heater.I have a couple of the Buddy heaters, but I still use my Focus 5, and probably will until it burns up into a pile of dust and rust.It is of the most bullet proof heaters I have ever owned.

[Dakota Iceman]

Spend the money and get the hose with the regulator built in and you wont have any more problems. I used mine last night at -19 without the wind and it worked like a champ and has every since i got the regulated hose w/out the filter.

[Flip37]

I got the quick coupler hose and its been great. Put the heater on high and had no troubles except it got too warm and I had to turn it down. Had used the 1 lb bottles when first got it but when the bottles went empty was a bear to get it to relight on new bottles.

[Jeremy airjer W]

You can have the hose with the one pound fitting (high pressure hose) with or without a one pounder on the other side. You can run the hose with the quick connect fitting (regulated "low pressure" R.V. hose) with or without a one pounder on the other side. Basically any combination you can reasonably think of will be fine.

I have been using the low pressure hose and really like it so far. I also have witnesses that have seen my big buddy operate in the open with a breeze without turning off today!!

More hose information can be found in this thread

Big Buddy Hose Clarification

[slipperybob]

 Originally Posted By: wally20

I have used my buddy heater with a 5' hose on a 20lb tank for 3 years and have never had any problems. When its this cold out, you need to keep your LP tank as full as possible, you lose pressure when its cold, so the emptier the tank, the less pressure and the more problems you have. You also don't need to keep a bottle on the other side, I don't use the filter either. Good luck!

It's not just the pressure that gets you gas. When it's really cold there's less air space for LP vaporization in a full tank. It's the propane vapor that you need. Vaporization draws some heat and that's why the propane tank typically frosts over.