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Big Buddy Heater Junk!!


jltimm

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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.

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Thanks Tom! I guess that makes the decision easy - back to the store! Just hope I still have all the packaging...

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Where did you find that anyway? I thought I'd take a print-out of that along to the store incase they have any concerns about taking the unit back...

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Dan,

They issued it to us about 30 minutes ago. We've been trying to get the word out as best we can. It is possible that the store you bought it from has not heard about it yet since it is fairly new news. If they got em from us, have them call us and we'll fill em in.

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I wish I could take mine back,I bought it about 2 months ago at Fleet Farm in St. Cloud and I don't think they'll let me return it after 30 days! mad.gif

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

Tom, Thanks for the heads up.

I would imagine if you have a Big buddy either returning it or getting the new valves shouldn't be a problem now.

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I am sure if it is indeed a safety recall Fleet or any other retailer would honor the return.

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I hope so cause the heater is just taking up room in the shed,and my MR.Heater Cooker is working great, other than the little more noise and getting a little warm on the brighter days on the ice. grin.gifBetter to warm than to cold on the lake though!

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So glad I took mine back already. I have the little buddy and love it, but doesnt sound like I would have liked the big one. Just have to get used to the sunflower on colder days is all.

Thanks everyone for the fantastic info on this post!

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Thought the Big Buddy was a little excessive for my needs so I bought the littler buddy heater for my Fish Trap Yukon. Also, purchased a magnetic Coleman tent fan ($10) that I attached to the tent just above the heater. Circulates the heat around just enough. Perfect combination and can be folded up in the tent when not in use or just remove without damage to the tent.

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Well that it great because I just got the quick connect hose now and used it for the first time this weekend and the unit was complete junk as previously stated. I sure hope the refund my money. It wouldn't stay running and the minute you put it on high is started to sputter and puked out. Glad they have admitted a problem.

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Howdy Folks...

I hate to be the odd-man-out, but I gotta tell you... My BB works like a champ. I've been running it off an 11lb tank using a simple 5' hose (no filter) with the "disposable" fitting connected to one side of the BB... Heats my 8x8 perm up to trpical temps and my Otter Lodge to near tee-shirt weather... I still suffer the wind problem in the Lodge, but other than that... No complaints... YET...

I don't use the 1lb tanks and have yet to receive my quick connect hose/reg kit. So the jury is still out for those parts...

Due to the safety issues, I discontinued use of the BB and have switched back to my smaller buddy. Boy, I really miss the fan option of the BB...

Could it be I have the only fully operational BB in existence?

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

MH, have you used the BB and bulk tank in -0 temps?

Could be these heaters used valves from more then one manufacturer or certain lots were defective. I guess we'll know more in a few weeks.

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I have only used mine a couple times now, and only used the 1#'s so far, but mine has been working good. I had it in my permanent, and it kept it nice and warm, and this was last monday when it was VERY cold out.

The only time it started to spit and sputter out is when the tanks were going empty.

I got mine at Scheels in Moorhead, and they claim they had a whole pallet go back to their distributor about a month ago.

I got mine about 2 weeks ago, so dont know if its a fixed version or not.

Guy at scheels said he wasn't sure how I could tell , and that they get theirs from a distributor and haven't heard anything else.

I wonder if there is a way you can tell if you have one with the bad valve?

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Scheels in St. Cloud said all of their Big Buddies had been "recalled", but I didn't find out why. I don't think this was an actual recall, but the mfg pulled all units back. I assumed this was for the many problems people are having starting them and keeping them burning. Perhaps it was the valve issue instead.

Maybe people should return them and get an updated model later in the year (or next year). Many of us want the extra heat when the temps drop below zero.

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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!

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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

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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.

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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. shocked.gif

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

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

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

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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. wink.gif sounds like it may get a bit nippy on saturday...

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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. smirk.gif

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. wink.gif

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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 $20,the batteries...What a piece of %$^&! mad.gif

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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

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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 ?

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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.

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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

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