Big Buddy Heater troubleshoot

[Kurtr]

I left mine run on low over night that weekend it was -60 out with windchill durning the ice fishing tournament. Never missed a beat showed up to a warm shack. It ran on high all day and we fished in the hub in a hoodie. The 20 pound tank was outside the whole time.

 

[guywhofishes]

I left mine run on low over night that weekend it was -60 out with windchill durning the ice fishing tournament. Never missed a beat showed up to a warm shack. It ran on high all day and we fished in the hub in a hoodie. The 20 pound tank was outside the whole time.

Hose straight through or is there a regulator or filter between tank and buddy?

 

[Davy Crockett]

I left mine run on low over night that weekend it was -60 out with windchill durning the ice fishing tournament. Never missed a beat showed up to a warm shack. It ran on high all day and we fished in the hub in a hoodie. The 20 pound tank was outside the whole time.

I was thinking of you out in the elements. that's when I was working on big fussy , every time it quit I was glad that I could quick run in the house and warm up .

 

[lunkerslayer]

I was talking propane tanks to be more specific.

I've occasionally smelled "that smell" (mercaptan) and it's a clue as to why it's frowned upon to bring them into an enclosed space.

Yeah I notice that but it never occurred to me since my basement is uninsulated and is only 50 degrees. I keep the heat low in my house at 65 in the winter if I could I would keep it that temp all year round.

 

[guywhofishes]

Yeah I notice that but it never occurred to me since my basement is uninsulated and is only 50 degrees. I keep the heat low in my house at 65 in the winter if I could I would keep it that temp all year round.

I'm talking about the risk of an explosion should there ever be an issue of a release of the propane.

Boom.

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/balkan-township-cabin-explosion/

 

[Kurtr]

Hose straight through or is there a regulator or filter between tank and buddy?

There is the little silver thing screwed into the heater. The guy at scheels told me to get it I think it’s a regulator.

 

[Kurtr]

I was thinking of you out in the elements. that's when I was working on big fussy , every time it quit I was glad that I could quick run in the house and warm up .

If the heat would have quit I would have walked back to my pick up 200 yards away and went home real fast haha.

 

[NDSportsman]

Shouldn't need a hose regulator for a buddy heater, they are built into them.

 

[guywhofishes]

There is the little silver thing screwed into the heater. The guy at scheels told me to get it I think it’s a regulator.

Might be in-line filter.

 

[Kurtr]

Might be in-line filter.

Ya that’s it

 

[Tommyboy]

Might be in-line filter.

guywhobuddies knows.

I had a big buddy for 10 years before I had to replace it. Same experience as juan and kurt r. It had a few bad bounces out of the house across the lakes and one of the ceramic plates broke. It still worked albeit not as well. Looked at replacing the ceramics but it was just as easy to buy a new one. New one has worked excellent. If you are running it on a hose and a 20# you MUST use a filter. I have been refilling 1# tanks and using those. Much easier than running around with the 20#.

 

[risingsun]

Might be in-line filter.

I use those as well. They say over time the rubber from the hose can break down and mess up the heater

 

[risingsun]

guywhobuddies knows.

I had a big buddy for 10 years before I had to replace it. Same experience as juan and kurt r. It had a few bad bounces out of the house across the lakes and one of the ceramic plates broke. It still worked albeit not as well. Looked at replacing the ceramics but it was just as easy to buy a new one. New one has worked excellent. If you are running it on a hose and a 20# you MUST use a filter. I have been refilling 1# tanks and using those. Much easier than running around with the 20#.

I seem to have issues with the lbers leaking. About 33% of the time. Do you do anything special to the seal? Some leak and had never been refilled. No corrosion, dirt, water and etc...

 

[Bfishn]

Yep I just use a new filter every year, and have never had issues with two different buddy's. As stated above, its actually impurities from the rubber hose that will clog up your buddy not the propane itself.

 

[johnr]

Might be in-line filter.

I have this on mine, and it has been on it since I purchased it 7-9 years ago, do they need to be replaced? Maybe that is why my heater had to be cleaned up on that pilot light deal?

I use this heater to ice fish only, and in these later years that has been about 4-6 times a year. Shouldn't be fouling up a filter with that minimal usage.

 

[Tommyboy]

I seem to have issues with the lbers leaking. About 33% of the time. Do you do anything special to the seal? Some leak and had never been refilled. No corrosion, dirt, water and etc...

I haven't had that problem. I have had 1 leak/spray as I was trying to screw it onto the already lit big buddy. Big mistake. Big fire plume in my face and the flip over got thrown over and I chucked the heater outside. Never switch tanks while lit.

 

[Allen Gamble]

That's hilarious @Tommyboy, but only because it "reads" like you didn't get to severely injured...

 

[risingsun]

I haven't had that problem. I have had 1 leak/spray as I was trying to screw it onto the already lit big buddy. Big mistake. Big fire plume in my face and the flip over got thrown over and I chucked the heater outside. Never switch tanks while lit.

That is a big Oopsie. I had to throw a big buddy out also from my flip over. A seal blew out inside the top of the unit. It was about 3 or 4 years old. Called Mr Heater about it. They asked me a few questions. They sent me out a new heater, hose and filter. Had it in 2 days. They paid to ship the old one back to investigate what happened. Then sent me an email with the results. Very happy with the customer service

 

[benjamins]

guywhobuddies knows.

I had a big buddy for 10 years before I had to replace it. Same experience as juan and kurt r. It had a few bad bounces out of the house across the lakes and one of the ceramic plates broke. It still worked albeit not as well. Looked at replacing the ceramics but it was just as easy to buy a new one. New one has worked excellent. If you are running it on a hose and a 20# you MUST use a filter. I have been refilling 1# tanks and using those. Much easier than running around with the 20#.

I use a hose made by Mr heater that's specifically for the buddy heaters. They say it is manufactured cleaner to eliminate the need for a filter. Haven't had an issue.

 

[guywhofishes]

I use a hose made by Mr heater that's specifically for the buddy heaters. They say it is manufactured cleaner to eliminate the need for a filter. Haven't had an issue.

same