Alternative Heat Source for Power Outages! Mr. Heater Buddy

Mr. Heater makes a number of different propane heaters that can be used indoors for an alternative Heat Source for power outages. We're going to take a look at setting it up, hooking up a 20lb tank, and doing safety checks for carbon monoxide and propane issues. I bought this from Sportsman's Guide and you get a $20 $100 or more purchase using SOOTCH.

EXOTAC 20% Discount Code: Sootch20

Be a Team Sootch Minuteman:

Thanks For Watching, Liking & Subscribing! ~ Sootch00

Music is from Epidemic Sounds Royalty Free Music through the Fullscreen Network. Used with permission.

[RBG-trce]

This saved my buns one Christmas in Colorado when my furnace quit working in my travel trailer. Instead of soapy water I found that a gas sniffer works better, they're under twenty bucks and more accurate finding leaks.

[AdrepKeith]

One thing I would mention that I learned from my propane supplier last year. Those propane exchange tanks you can purchase at big box stores etc. The tanks are not actually 20# of propane, they're actually 15# by law. For a long time these big box stores didn't tell you that and now there's supposed to be a tag on it telling the buyer so.

[scotthayward]

Hi guys, I have had this in my emergency kit for years. I purchased another for my garage and on the low setting a 30 pound tank lasts for 7 days . I highly recommend buying the adapter for the fan, it makes a major difference in larger areas . Thanks sootch

[johnmusa]

Just bought 2, because 2 is 1 and 1 is none. Also got 2 adapters for the 20lbs tanks. We live in WI and without power we lose heat. Only a matter of time before it happens for a day or more at a time!

Thanks for the review Sootch!

[Ranger-vqnh]

Add a heat fan on top. $20-$30. Great add on

[TheTwistedStone]

The reason you press and hold is because the pilot ignitor needs time to warm up the thermocouple enough for it to stay lit. It's the safety cut out that shuts off the gas if it can't detect heat.

[clarklindquist]

If you pull that grate down, you can put a pan on it and boil some water, or warm up a meal also

[chriscollins]

I've had this heater for about 6 or 7 years now. I bought the 12 ft hose for the 20 lb tank. I had to heat my house in 2016 when our furnace went out. I put the tank under the deck ran the hose to the window. I heated the downstairs for about 2 hours open the door to the upstairs did that three times got my 2000 square foot house to 70° for 2 days on 2 20 lb tanks. I now use this in my insulated garage and one tank lasts an entire week on the coldest days

[jtpenman]

Every family should have one and a case of Coleman propane tanks

[davidsamuel]

I've heated my 2 story 2000ish square feet house to a comfortable high 60s at the far end of the house. Great emergency heat source actually used it Christmas eve.

[zieglla]

My aunt lives in Asheville & just got her power back after the storm. Going to get one of these for her.

[ktanner]

The regulator in the heater is good for up to a 100lber. Please please please make sure you keep bulk cylinders upright. You do not want liquid propane to enter the heater

[WVgrl]

I have one that I have used in the house and last year I used it in our garage to watch our daughter's three large dogs. It was cold outside but they stayed warm.

[JudithMongtomery]

I have been using my Big Buddy heater in mobile home for 10 years with a 5 gallon tank. Works great!

[clarklindquist]

I've used these for decades camping, I used one of its smaller brothers in the van three winters. About 24 inches of ventilation is recommended. So Crack both front windows, one inch.
3 foot clearance is required too.
I never use it when sleeping, but it warms things up nicely. I have it mounted in my side door, and ventet to the outside, like a small fireplace. It does consume oxygen, and produces water vapor, just be ware of that too.
I use a carbonmanoxide detector and a propane leak detector.
And I keep a couple fire extinguishers close by too

[Vinnyman]

Great video - Adding a thermal operated fan, typically used on wood stoves, greatly improves the circulation of heat as well.

[guyin]

We used our Big Buddy recently when it was 5 degrees and TVA was doing rolling blackouts. It worked great. We used it quite a bit for several days on a 40 lb cylinder and never ran out. It performed very well.

[barbarac]

I use the heater to heat my 25ft travel trailer... low or medium works great. On frosty mornings... high. Always crack a window ... needs plenty oxygen for complete and safe combustion.

[mm]

Just a FYI years ago I had to use the Big Buddy to heat a shed. I bought two hoses and used two 20 pound cylinders. That heater ran for days on two cylinders.

[cervus-venator]

I have the buddy heater in my bedroom of my hunting cabin and it's tapped into my main 120 gallon propane tank line. It keeps the bed room nice and warm when needed and has worked without fail for years. I am going to get one for the house to keep handy during winter power outages. I may get the Big Buddy for the house.