Carbon Monoxide Test using a Propane Heater in a Tent - 16 Hour Test. (Mr. Heater)
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
- Is it safe to use a propane heater inside of a tent? (Mr. Heater Portable Buddy) Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning?
In a previous video, I showed you how I stay warm in a car camping tent. Many of you asked or have stated that this may not be safe, as carbon monoxide poisoning. As I’ve used this system many times and have had no symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, I want to reassure you that it is safe through this test.
How to stay warm in the winter while car camping in a tent; • Winter Car Tent Campin...
I hope this provides some clarity and reassurance.
Always remember to exercise all safety precautions and follow the instructions provided on the heater.
Stay safe and take care!
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Some items are available through Amazon affiliates;
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-Heater Hose Assembly ( to propane tank): amzn.to/2FcoRyh
-Carbon Monoxide Detector: amzn.to/2Fc9jKU
#mrheater #winter #camping #kingdom6 #tent #campcooking #propane #heaters #carbon #monoxide
As a disclaimer, I cant stress enough how important it is to make sure you have good ventilation where you use this.
And for those who are wondering if height placement of the detector matters, in this specific testing, it does not. solutions.borderstates.com/does-the-height-of-carbon-monoxide-alarms-matter/
.
But with that said, please exercise proper safety precautions and ventilate! Be safe and take care!
firespinnr hmmm. I may have to do a test video , but gotta see how I can safely do it, since I’m sure it’s guaranteed that there will be oxygen depletion, and the environment may not be safe. Stay tuned!
That was my immediate concern at the get go. Maybe should have mentioned this at the beginning of the video. I looked up myself before seeing your comment.
See this: ua-cam.com/video/vbWAv7FPPKQ/v-deo.html
Edward Shin bs co is lighter and in a confind space you are totally right but if venting and co is coming past you , since it's lighter than air you could get high levels and only time can get rid of it in your body .
As if
I grew up in the 70's and my parents took us camping all the time. We used gas/kerosene heaters in the tents all the time and we never experienced any problems. And yes we also drank out of garden hoses, climbed trees, built forts, played in mud and caught frogs all day. Almost 40 years later and I'm still here.
wingmanalive cheers to that! 🤙
Wow! I was reading your comment and it brought back alot of memories and made me realize how old I'm getting! On our family camping trips, we did the same things. Even used Coleman grill in tent for a source of heat, now I use a propane heater in deer hunting stand with no problems, still alive today.
Sounds like fun
It's been well documented in like everywhere propane is safe,,,this was a waste of time good for Hits to make money on YT,,,I'm 59 grew up in around the redwoods camping everywhere LoL 😜
wingmanalive You forgot to mention running with scissors too!
The unit heats up fast and is super quiet. It looks fancy ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxl8Od2BvnGbn1ffwqsuFXW0QnmcZgMiVY and can be kept in the living room. It gets hot within a split second of turning on the unit. The build quality is exceptionally good and is safe to be around kids and pets. This one is super quiet and can be kept on while in office meetings, my wife loved it. It shows the temperature right on the unit which is very useful and adding a rotating feature helps to heat up the surrounding, so other people will not fight with you for heat. It is right as described in the description..!! Definitely recommend!!
I'm probably jinxing it, but my Heater Buddy has been a rock. Years of use without a hitch.
Great product.
Ours too! Love it!
Thank you tons for this video. We are taking our three year old camping in 30 degree weather for the first time this weekend and we bought the buddy heater but were freaked out due to the poisoning concerns. Super happy now!
Invest in good sleeping bags rather than a propane heater.. or if you absolutely need heat in a tent. Get a hot tent and wood burning stove.. propane in a tent can be dangerous, most of the time it’s not, but the problem is you can get poisoning fast and it’s too late, I’d never have one of these with my kid in a tent.
@@brianconlogue1302 that was two years ago and I have learned a lot since then. We did end up using the buddy heater but were freaked out the entire night. We did eventually buy expensive sleeping bags and have had zero issues during the winter.
Needed to chime in on this one. A lot of this is about engineering as well. Propane is a go to portable gas source for stoves and heaters because it’s extremely efficient. The ideal burn meaning no gases. The issue arises when the ideal burn goes away. Maybe it doesn’t burn correctly or the pilot light goes out.
You want good products when powered by propane. Cross ventilation to be safe. Also most Carbon Monoxide detectors will not tell you real time levels. They usually only go off or display a level after a certain trigger. So let’s say you have 2 ppm or 10 ppm unless you have a calibrated tool in a $300-$500 price range you probably will never realize their are small unharmful normal traces. But bringing the detector with you is a good idea as it’ll sound when it’s harmful. The problem is tight spaces. By the time a detector goes off in a small space like that. It may be too late or your already suffering from poisoning.
As long as you have a clean burn. Meaning the flames steady and it’s heating an element 100%. You shouldn’t have an issue. Also when ventilating it would be important to position the heater in such a way that any gust a draw of air won’t interfere with the heater itself causing and improper burn.
It’s all about the burn. Propane’s pretty safe as long as it burns efficiently and your using the right heater for the job. It’s when it doesn’t is when it becomes dangerous real fast.
The heater buddy is designed to be used indoors. But like you said use every precaution! I use the same set up in my camper been doing it for years and I am still alive. Great video!!
I use the bigger Mr Heater as my primary winter living room heat. Works amazing, and my alarm has never gone off. I test it to make sure it's even working. Tried and true heater, works best with the hose and big tank, but always keep the little cans around for spares. A 15 pound tank lasts me about 2 weeks on medium heat.
Yeah I've used that same heater for about 7 years and camp at the very least 10 times a year. We always bring it just in case and I'd say we used it about half the time depending on the season. Tents are not air tight at all so I never worried about the carbon monoxide. What I do worry about and take extreme caution with is making there are no leaks in the hose connection. Making sure you have a safe space between the heater and tent walls, ceiling, bedding and for sure account for anything that can get moved around in someones sleep like pillows and blankets.
It's amazing how some will resist warmth in a tent...thanks for sharing how nice it can be. I love truck camping in the winter, especially when I can warm up a bit with my heater. I'm heading to Yosemite in Jan and Feb and will have my heater with me.
That's awsome your lady is up for winter camping!! Mine is always cold😂❄️😂❄️
An excellent test my friend! The steak looked amazing too! Thanks!
Pinetree Line Outdoors the steak was excellent. Thanks Big Doug!
K
Well done test and medium rare steak, could not ask for more. I have used my mr. Buddy Heater in my cabin and in my home. I have never had a problem with my carbon monoxide detector going off. But still what you did is a very valuable bit of information. Thank you and love the vegetable mix you made.
I'm heating with the big buddy heater and it does set off the carbon monoxide detector. If you use the heater on low a lot deposits will build up on the ceramic screen. Once there is too much accumulation the burn becomes less efficient and carbon monoxide is released into the room. I blew out my buddy heater with an air compressor and it stopped triggering the detector
@@MaritimeUnprepared Thank you for that information and it does make sense, that running it on a low you could end up with a buildup. I've noticed that on my heater if I haven't had it on for a few days you'll see dust accumulate. I still haven't had anything set off my carbon monoxide detector yet but I will take your advice and keep that surface clean.
@@MichiganHiker I had to move into a travel trailer in Atlantic Canada in February and by chance I had a big buddy heater so I've been using it steady. It's only now begun to set off the carbon monoxide detector, because it's not burning as cleanly. One thing I've learned the hard way is that they produce a lot of moisture. My trailer already had water damage and the buddy hasn't been helping things😅
Great video. Been doing this for years in my tent and camper. I have also found old milk crates are perfect for putting your propane tanks in. Gives them a solid base and makes it harder to tip them over in transportation and at the campsite.
The Freedom Wild s
And where did you purchase the milk crate exactly?
@@raybois think I got mine at home depot but you'd be surprised how many places sell them. A quick Google search will give you plenty of options.
@@thefreedomwild ✔Thanks..
Update. I just got my Big Buddy heater in today. It's great. I am glad you done this product review. Thanks again for your time and help with this question. 👍✌️😎
Kelly Diggs awesome! Glad you enjoy it. It’s really a great piece of gear for those cold days and nights. 👍
I had an experience once with one of the wall mounted ventless heaters in my cabin once , I went to sleep and woke up about 3 Am and had to crawl on the floor to get to my door to breathe ,I'm not sure the cause ,but I switched immediatly to a wood burning stove , but again it was a wooden cabin so I could'nt really compare to a tent. Just be aware and I would say keep that CO detector. Happy Thanksgiving ,and thanks for the video.
Great video. Confirms my way of thinking. Their is so much air leakage in a tent and that heater burns very efficiently. It would have been interesting to see a CO monitor up higher in the tent but the outcome would have been the same I'm sure.
I don't need a heater.. I have a big ol' fat wife.. man she can produce some heat.. plus benefits of summer with her is I have plenty of shade...
the good guy now that’s what I call a partner that enriches your life!
Edward Shin yes my friend. Until she cuts one..
the good guy dude, I know exactly what you mean. It’s a true test for us, especially when dinner includes baked beans 😂
the good guy LOL! I got a BMW (Big Mexican Woman)
hahahahaha
I have use mine in a pop up camper for years,no issues. this past year, my hose went bad and the line was leaking propane. It started burning at the fitting where it screws onto the heater. It wasnt burning very long an never melted the heater. Replace your hose if it is over 8 years old. I had to replace the o- ring on the tip one time. If your hose starts showing any checkering, its bad, replace it. They are made of rubber and do get old. My heater has worked great. Oh, instead of clicking and clicking, push down on the knob until all the air is purged, you will smell propane when the air is bled out of the line. It takes a while. Let the propane bleed off for a bit, then click and light your pilot light. Start your heater on low, then go to high. mine is a three brick and will roast you out of a tent that size. lol. I use ours on three till everything is warm, then turn down to Two bricks.
My uncles came with one of these heaters. It's mounted inside. But it's literally the same thing. When you turn it on the ventilation fan comes on too! Hardly even noticeable
more like always fully inspect your gear before each use/trip
RC Hobbyist Extreme - mine is a 3 brick and will roast you out of a tent that size. 😆
Make positively sure the hose is no where near the front. I had a loop in mine which directed it towards the front and the element softened it to the point it developed a pinhole which happened to jet onto the element. Needless to say I almost died that night.
I will open the tank valve then crack the fitting at the heater to get the propane to the heater. It takes a long time with a long hose to bleed it by holding the knob down.
Thanks for doing this video, I have a big buddy heater and I recall they burn so clean, 99.9% and can be used indoors.
If you had to use it in your house would it be OK to bring in the propane tank?
A little ventilation at both ends of the tent is all you need. I’ve been using these since they came out. Good heaters.
Great video and thank you for giving the disclaimer at the end. Although it's true that COMPLETE combustion of propane CAN'T produce CO maybe an older heater or faulty heater could produce CO if it isn't completely burning the fuel. Either way ventilation is important as both complete and incomplete combustion will produce H2O and CO2 and will consume all O2 in an enclosed space. Although even a completely zipped up tent isn't really sealed otherwise just breathing in it overnight would use up all your O2!
Cesar Lopez I agree man, ventilation is very important no matter which heater is used. It may not be completely necessary with this specific heater, but it is a great safety precaution to take regardless. Thanks for your input, Cesar, it’s much appreciated! 👊
That was a great video. Honestly the first one i've seen with someone intelligently testing the carbon monoxide levels. And the steak looked money.
Jason Hanna Thanks Jason! Hope this helps settle some debates in the internet regarding this heater. Always good hearing from you man
I have 2 of those same heaters. They work like a charm and never had a problem. Theyre designed for indoor/outdoor use
I love this thing. During a bad black mold poisoning I slept in a tent out on my porch and this thing saved me and kept me toasty warm
I have been using one for my primary heat since it has gottwn cold this year. 3 months? First had it whike living in my camper and now have it in a small 10x10 room. And I'm still alive and kicking. Good heaters!
The proof is in the pudding... You 2 are still alive and well... This will end all of the comments you probably get from using the heater in your tent. Thanks for sharing
RedWhite&Blue 78 thanks man. Hope this helps those folks who are interested but was on the fence about these heaters. Cheers my man🍻
RedWhite&Blue 78 here at trade school we used "flue gas analyzers" while working on furnaces. One cold day we kept the doors closed but monitored carbon monoxide with the analyzers. With 4 furnaces running venting flue gas into the room and the burners properly "tuned", carbon monoxide levels were only 3ppm after an hour.
No it won't......I doesn't matter how this is explained there are going to be those who will spend more time typing their comment than they do checking their facts. I have used Mr. Buddy heaters for years on my boats and in my RV's with no problem at all.
Bob Sullivan sad but true
I lived off grid for many years, mainly in the desert. I would NOT own a Mr BUDDY heater if the company furnished them to me at no cost ! Several friends also experienced the same difficulties with the same heaters. WAY TOO MANY mechanical failures !
Came for the Mr Buddy talk and left hungry for steak...! Dam that looked good..!
Red meat is the Devil's food
I have a Buddy heater, and when it gets to negative 40 and 50 wind chills, I run mine in my house...very safe unit!!!
I’ve used one of these for years with no ill effect.. Plenty of ventilation is the key.. And that Mr heater puts out some serious heat, I might add! Good video, now I gotta go grill a steak 😂
What do you mean by plenty of ventilation? Is a cracked window plenty of ventilation?
Good to see. I did a similar test on this heater and got the same results (reading of 0). However, any incomplete combustion of propane will create carbon monoxide, so a heater without a quality heating element (like the ceramic here) or a low oxygen shutoff could be very dangerous. Of course you need to vent any small area to allow adequate oxygen. You would not want to try this with a propane camping cook stove.
I researched this subject a while back. Mr. Heater devices have an O2 sensor that prevents incomplete combustion, and therefore reduces the risk of CO as product of combustion. Also, I have a SmartSensor AS8700A CO meter. It works well. It has a max mode that holds the max CO detected by the sensor, which is often more useful than an occasional glance at the meter.
oxygen sensor is not very relevant because you can still be getting carbon monoxide poisoning from that heater while you have oxygen present. This is especially the case with this heater since carbon monoxide is lighter than oxygen and it will build up where you are breathing all the while the heater on the ground is getting plenty of oxygen and will continue to put out a deadly situation of carbon monoxide poisoning. I nearly died from using this heater.
@@zorbbful The O2 sensor detects incomplete combustion which is the condition under which CO is generated. Same as a car's emission system. Essentially it is used to tune the fuel air ratio so that combustion is running lean. In that situation there should be oxygen present in the exhaust gasses. If it is running rich (incomplete combustion) then the O2 sensor will show no oxygen and that means there is a CO risk.
@@jptrainor if the mr buddy heater is supposed to shut off when carbon monoxide is produced then why did I almost die and other people and their families die from using it. My area was tested for draft and it was shown to be plenty drafty. There is another gentleman that has a video that shows it producing carbon monoxide. So you want to still say it won't produce carbon monoxide yet all of these things have really happened and our true in relation to it producing carbon monoxide. You do realize the O2 sensor just detects the flame distance from a piezo it doesn't actually detect oxygen.
@@zorbbful Relax, I did some research and that what I discovered about it. I have an CO meter for situations where lives are at risk if a device malfunctions. All combustion devices can malfunction. That's why we have CO meters in our homes.
@@zorbbful CO is not a product of propane combustion (perhaps incomplete combustion, which would be evident) - Propane undergoes combustion reactions in a similar fashion to other alkanes. In the presence of excess oxygen, propane burns to form water and carbon dioxide. C3H8 + 5 O2 → 3 CO2 + 4 H2O + heat.
the problem is inadequate ventilation and oxygen depletion - when the oxygen is consumed the people fall to sleep and don't wake up
I almost see no need to comment because there are so many. I grew in alaska in a small village very far from any city in the arctic. We use wall tents at least 4 times a year for up to 2 weeks at a time all while heating with Coleman stoves, kerosene heaters, propane coleman stoves. Always have. We hunt alot of subsistence. Never ever had any issues. Nor have I ever heard of any of the other villagers.
I've been using one of these in my US Army GP small 10 man artic tent for years. Just a little ventilation is all we do with the top tent vents. Keeps us super toasty.
There is a filter specifically made for using propane with a Buddy Heater. It prevents impurities from eventually ruining the heater. I got mind at ACE Hardware and it states that specific use right on the package.
Don Hendershot You got your mind at Ace Hardware?
@@danielholtxxl4936 They sell those there too?!
Gary Tolbert Yup. You can get a brand new mind at Ace Hardware. It’ll cost you an arm and a leg though! Lol!
@@danielholtxxl4936 WOW! Too expensive for me. I'll try to fix the one I have.
We got MR Heater and love it! Thanks for testing. We will now use for longer times thanks to your video!
Thanks! I have this exact same heater and had to use it in the house after a 15 hour power failure. Now I’m more confident
James Rossi right on. As long as you have sufficient ventilation , you’re all set 👍
Thanks for the video and test Edward. I've been using a Mr. Heater Portable Buddy in my tents for cold weather car camping for over 20 yrs. now at least. Have one of the 1st models when they came out, mine doesn't have the automatic shutoff for carbon monoxide like the new ones. I've experienced no dain bramage yet! LOL I did exactly like you did and left some ventilation on top of the tent by unzipping the top of the door(s) a little bit. Good Idea bringing the large LP tank (if you have room for it) I have only used the 1Lb. disposable tanks, but had to get up in the middle of the night to switch out tanks when it was really cold.
Like the old saying by Nessmuk "We don't go out into the woods to rough it. We go out to smooth it, we get it rough enough in town".
Interesting point: I bought a small co detector for my car. It plugs into the lighter and also charges my phone. In a month it has gone off twice. Each time there was a breeze blowing exhaust back towards the car. So I think these are very sensitive. They can plug into the outlet of a battery pack. It may be more sensitive than the home units. It was important for me to get this because I sometimes sleep in my car and may run the engine if I get cold. Also I have developed chronic headaches and it may have been from non lethal co poisoning from my car.
interesting comment..i sleep in my cal as well. Your detector seams preatty sensitive. Id like one. Do you have the compagny please :D
As an HVAC professional, the CO detector you used is accumulative. It does not give real time calculation. It won’t go off until you have approximately 70 ppm consistently. So the detector not going off doesn’t necessarily prove it’s not present. An actual CO meter may have proved your point better. Great vid though, and sound enough test for the purposes.
Jason Barta so which detectors should I purchase and where should I put them? I want to be warm but being alive is more important lol. Thank you
Prepperjon there are detectors that will detect at 5 ppm. They can be a bit more expensive but they detect at minimal levels. I found one here:
www.trutechtools.com/DEFENDERLL6070?gdffi=82d4608f40bc44b8876f395eb04c4801&gdfms=656AF2BB919149528AE050ECB402AA53&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpvzZBRCbARIsACe8vyKsPda0_BiMZ3zTxwAE6tqb6Z7ZIzQrW8cOaM8o00JLPbJm7pLtdqIaAhpCEALw_wcB
Prepperjon I would also suggest placing the CO meter at, or a little higher than the highth of your head while sleeping. This way you can confirm safe levels of CO where it will mtter most.
My comment exactly as a retired Firefighter Hazmat certified tech. That only sounds if it reaches a certain present for a certain present time , also co2 does not come out very fast u get it in your blood and hope you survive long enough to get it down. My 2 cents , on that box it says do not SLEEP WITH IT ON!!!
@@prepperjonpnw6482 well ours at the fire department cost over 8000,oo you could ask for a demonstration most department will be glad.
All I can say is I lived in a 105 square ft. canned ham camper for 5 years using a Lil Buddy and a Big Buddy and I am writing this today! I love those heaters!!!
I usually just use mine to warm up for a minute when getting ready for bed and then again for waking up. Maybe turn on if need a potty break or someone is cold. It’s amazing just using it that way how nice it can be. I’d would never depend on it solely for warmth. It’s a luxury for sure. I have a four season tent . Less ventilation but I usually open the back door which is covered by vestibule. Happy camping. Thanks for video and test
Good test. Your tent is so well ventilated that there shouldn't have been an issue. My question is with the manufacturer will the low oxygen shut off kill the heater before the space is dangerously high in CO. I've used this set up in a Kodiak Canvas tent and did very well with it but anyone using this method has to be super aware of ventilation. Propane heaters produce plenty of CO. Thank you for sharing.
When you light a Buddy Heater you need to hold down the pilot button for a couple of seconds after otherwise it doesn't light. That's because it needs the propane to come out of the pilot so that it has enough time to light it with the Piezo igniter
oscar garage I finally figured that part out later. Now I won’t look as impatient. Thanks!
We have a Kodiak canvas cabin style tent. Thanks for the video, we are going to be going to Humboldt Redwoods State Park next year. I plan on bringing our Mr buddy heater as well. No sense being cold when it’s perfectly safe as long as your responsible and ventilate your tent before going to sleep. Great job.
Rusty Bosley exactly. Ventilation is key indeed. Kodiak canvas tents are awesome! I had one a few years back and loved it. It held in the heat really well too (from the heater). The only reason I returned it is because I didn’t have a place to set it up to dry during the rainy season. I’m also excited for your trip to the redwoods. That is an awesome area👍
Edward Shin Thanm you for your reply. Yes, we are very excited about our trip as well. We have a large 30x40 shop to set the canvas tent up in to allow it to dry during the rainy season but, we also have a 38 foot RV so we use that as well when we’re going to be camping in the winter months. Tent camping in California because we want to be more in touch with nature and because our RV is too long for the State Park RV spots. Take care and keep up the great videos.
Thanks! I really appreciate your willingness to test this and show how to test it for ourselves.
Ive used the same heater in tents while i sleep for many years. ventilation is the key.. family of 5, still alive! good video.
Ty Bassett thanks! Glad to hear a big family enjoying the outdoors together 👍
I used Foresics brand carbon monoxide sensor in my canopy just a couple of weeks ago during hunting season. The same Buddy heater model, some ventilation and after about 5 minutes running, CO level started to rise rapidly. My point is if you do want to awake next morning make sure the sensor you are relying on is operational and good ventilation is a must!
? The carbon monoxide level rose rapidly? That's not good
Thanks for sharing. The real concern you should have would be what the Oxygen levels are. We did a similar test in the back of an enclosed rescue vehicle and used a 4 gas meter to see how much CO we got. Now we didn’t have any venting going on so your set up probably won’t mirror ours, but we found no CO but we did see a significant drop in atmospheric O2 in the enclosure. To the point that it would be considered a non inhabitable environment. All that being said I don’t see any problem with the propane heater use in the tent other then the possibility of a fire.
The heater he’s using has a low oxygen shut off. Granted I don’t know how sensitive it is. 2 years late on this reply lol
I mean he survived the night with it on, I assume the oxygen level wasn't 0
@@DABOYDJEM1when propane burns the pressure changes. Tents are impossible to be airtight and even microscopic holes allow enough oxygen to get sucked into the tent that this would NEVER be an issue. These buddy heaters shouldn't generate much if any carbon monoxide until 02 levels are low, lower than would be safe for you anyway. It's practically impossible to kill yourself with one of these unless you leave it burning in an airtight car on high
well we knew this,but still fun to watch someone prove them wrong, and if you are cold bring more friends, body heat is the best heat
Brook Zerihun we use body heat in a dual sleeping bag. Sure beats sleeping with a Nalgene bottle filled with warm water inside a single sleeping bag 👌
I use the bigger one, big buddy, all the time in the tent. Never ever a problem. So warm and cozy! I swear by their products!!!
I've used mine in a small rv, and am now using it in a van. Aside from the condensation issues, it works very well. No carbon monoxide issues, what so ever.
How much do you ventilate the van? I plan on living out of my van this winter and am considering using this.
That was pretty cool. I would be interested to see what readings, if any, what take place by not leaving any ventilation openings. This looks like a awesome product. Thanks for doing the video.
Kevin Murphy I actually thought about doing this, but wasn’t sure how safe that test would be. But with that said, I may actually try it with a 4 season tent and close all vent openings. Thanks for watching and your input!
I’ve been looking at getting one of these for a while definitely want one now xx thanks
Thank you for taking the time to do this👍
Really appreciate you taking the time to make this.
hey thanks for doing this, I sell these heaters and I need to know that they're not, y'know, gonna poison anyone.
As long as you have enough oxygen, you'll be fine. I did the same test in my trailer with all the windows closed, and the alarm did go off in the middle of the night. If I crack one window open, then it's fine.
A few pointers,
1. You should of used more than one brand of CO detector. Most detectors measure over time then activate the alarm.
2. OSHA allows 50 ppm over an 8 hour period in the workplace
3. Propane burned completely and properly will emit less CO then a cigarette
4. CO and air are nearly the same density so one will not rise much more than the other. CO=.0967 Air=1.0
5. A ToxiRae device would have given you instant accurate readings
Good information for those seeking to stay warm while hiking or camping!
Gerard Ellis brilliant. Thanks for the additional info! 👍
I don't open any windows in my tent when I use that and I have had zero problems. I have no mesh, its just all canvas (Kodiak Canvas 12x9) but it is a pretty big tent. I have seen probably a hundred other people that do the same, no one is having issues with carbon monoxide. Its just not a problem with that heater. :)
LoudandDave cheers to that!
Hi thank you for doing this test the way you did. I just bought the buddy heater from Walmart yesterday and am using it in my 24ft toy hauler trailer of couse with a couple windows cracked open for ventilation. Wow this little buddy heater works so great 87.00 WELL WORTH IT
I have an old neighbor who lost their daughter due to burning a gas stove in a tent. Not all gas burning devices are as good as the Mr. Buddy type of heaters. Interesting video. The cross ventilation is good.
The big danger is when something happens to the heater and it burns inefficiently, this could produce a lot more CO.
Ty Brady very true
OMG! that food looks SO good!
You'll be safe with most any catalytic type heater such as the Mr. Buddy Heater. What is VERY important to remember is that while they do no produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide they DO REQUIRE oxygen. This means that you must have an open vent in whatever enclosed space you are using it, otherwise the heater will use whatever available oxygen is in the space you and it are in. If you fall asleep while using it and there is no vent you will NOT be waking up because you have suffocated from lack of O2. Good video, just wanted to emphasize the point.
imperialjade5356 good point for sure . That’s why proper ventilation is so important. Thanks for the info!
Most if not all of the Buddy branded heaters have a low oxygen shutoff sensor. So if it eats up too much oxygen in the tent, it will shut off.
Obviously you shouldn't put your life in the hands of a cheap sensor, and you should vent your tent/room properly.
This is not a catalytic heater.
Wow.. how cool is this.. going to camp tomorrow night and this is the same tent I own.
This is probably the best evidentiary video regarding these little propane heaters that I've seen. Not a lot of data but what's there is pretty solid.
I've been using a similar Mr Heater for years. In a 16 foot Scamp and in the back of my pick-up. In the Scamp I have a carbon monoxide detector that appears to be identical to yours. Mounted on a wall at my head level (about 2.5 feet off the floor) and the results were the same - no carbon monoxide detected. I'm careful to vent adequately and perhaps overdo it. Having adequate ventilation is not a problem because even on low my heater produces more than enough heat.
The only "problem" I've had with the heater is that in Yellowstone NP it kept shutting off unless I had the windows quite widelyy open. It has an automatic low oxygen shut-off feature and it kept shutting off. The elevation was about 8500 ft plus.
It would have been an even better/more informative video if you had supplied the dimensions you were heating, the outside temperatures and the inside temperatures. A lot more work too!
Raven Feather thanks for the feedback. I am actually thinking of making a “sequel” video with all of the suggestions stated in the comments. No one has mentioned the dimensions until now, but I think it is a valid request. Cheers!
@@KrokemOutdoors Something else that would be interesting is knowing the sensitivity of the monitoring device. And I recently heard a UA-camr comment that CO concentrations in the human body are accumulative over time. In any case the way I use it (the heater) poses little risk because I probably ventilate much more than is really necessary. Partly because I'm careful and like fresh air but also because my Scamp is only about 400 cubic feet and the little heater even on low pushing out about 4000 BTU's which is PLENTY of heat. So ventilation is part of making the space comfortable as well as safe.
Last Fall I got stuck in a snow storm in Wyoming and spent a couple of nights in the back of my truck. In a remote location. Temps were probably the low teens and the wind blowing like a banshee. A whiteout blizzard. My truck is set up with a cot and I often use it but that night I was forced to use it because it was snowing so hard I could not find the wall tent I had set up earlier in the day. Which was OK since I was actually better off in the truck because of the high winds.
I used the Buddy Heater in the evening, snuggled into my -30 bag and other blankets when sleeping, and then cranked it up again in the morning. I was very comfortable temperature-wise but all of my food froze as well as my water. The frozen water frightened me a bit because without a cup of coffee in the morning, I mean, why even wake up!? Fortunately the water was frozen only a couple of inches on the outside of the container and I bashed it around enough to get water for coffee - and survived.
People spend a lot of time worrying about these little heaters and with good reason. CO can kill. But so can hypothermia. When we're playing around outdoors we're exposing ourselves to more risks than most of us even think about. We have to be cautious with everything we do and the Buddy Heaters are no exception. They're simply another tool we need to use wisely.
Thanks again for the video. Good stuff.
Be cautious using the buddy type heaters. The intermals and tubing are made of aluminum. You need to be careful that you don't drop or even knock over the heater if there is a hose or tank attached. This is because the aluminum tube or the aluminum connectors can crack. My heater was running and just flamed up with no warning, the side of the heater was on fire. I cut the propane and threw it flaming out of the rv. There are at least 2 UTube vids that also suffered from random flame up. Mine had a aluminum connector failure at the part that allows you to swing out the connector for the propane tank.
These heaters make a lot of heat but you have to treat them gently or you will damage them.
yesss!!! you included camp cooking!!! :D
semmiboi yeah! This was from your suggestion two months back and I took it seriously. More to come whenever I can 😉👍
Old vid I know, but in case you didn't know, a milk crate is the perfect size to hold a full size propane tank and keep it from tipping over
Good tip, thank you!
Thx for the test now i feel safe and purchase one of this Buddy Heaters 🇩🇪💪
I can’t speak for other heaters but the Mr Heater heaters are awesome and extremely safe. I have the smaller Little Buddy heater and I’ve used it in my house, tent, hunting blind and I trust it with my life. It’s a great product
This is really good info. Been thinking of getting one of these heaters. Thanks so much.
MidTnOutdoors you bet! They are definitely worth the investment
MidTnOutdoors i have a big buddy , it works very good.
I am hopping to get one soon for next winner.
Worked at Cabelas for 2 years so figured I'd offer some consumer advice. Little buddy has trouble getting pilot to light (and stay lit), big buddy is a gas hog. Don't buy the little buddy for a duck blind because it won't stay lit -- heard this one quite a lot. I personally own a little buddy and can confirm the pilot kind of sucks. Quick tip: with the gas disconnected heat the pilot tube up with a cigarette lighter to warm it, remove lighter, connect gas, and then ignite the pilot. It seems the main issue lies with the thermal output required from a small coleman tank to maintain a steady flame, but once the pilot is warm it will begin to self sustain.
Little buddy is perfect, and probably intentionally designed, for camping and will conserve gas much better than the big buddy on high setting. The efficiencies drop on both heaters when operated on lower settings so always try to use the high setting when possible, otherwise you'll eat up (actually, waste) a coleman tank and probably see those carbon monoxide emissions change as well. Best course of action: run it on high for 1-2 hours before getting in the tent and turn it off right before sleeping. That way you save your investment and sleep easy knowing you won't gas yourself in the night.
These were the routine comments from customers and vendor reps made regarding these buddy heaters.
These particular heaters are catalytic reactive heaters as opposed to combustion heaters. If you do this while using a direct combustion propane heater your will most certainly die. Also, while these heaters are almost entirely safe they stink like shit, ESPECIALLY on lower settings and when brand new. You might not die but your tent is gonna smell like skunk asshole. Just remember, tents are a private domicile. You'll need that to explain to the cops when they come creeping up on your campsite looking for a methlab.
Buddy heaters actually come with built in oxygen sensors that will shut off if there isn’t enough.
That is correct. That feature is a pain in the rear when you are at 7 thousand feet and above. They will randomly shut of at high altitude.
Comforting thought. Many people have died in the Colorado Rockies using propane heaters. Maybe they have improved them.
Oxygen and carbon monoxide are two different things.
Adam Morton; The creation of carbon monoxide depletes (displaces) the oxygen level in an area. The sensor on a Buddy heater detects oxygen depletion.
Really? You are a special kind of stupid!
I have a 10'x15' nylon tent that I modified to use a small military style wood stove inside. Interesting thing I found is that nylon tents are fairly airtight even with the mesh roof. I figured the mesh roof with rain fly on would still provide enough ventilation but never got good heat out of the stove. It wasn't until I went outside the tent that the stove would heat up. From this I realized that I needed to crack a window to get more oxygen in so I opened one at the top. This helped but it wasn't until I cracked the bottom of the door that the stove started making good heat. The ideal situation would be to have a duct provide outside air directly to my stove. I doubt you will have any of the same concerns with your setup since it's so efficient but the principles are the same. As others have said CO is produced by incomplete combustion. It would be interesting to see what your heater would do if you completely closed up your tent and ran it for awhile.
I just bought one today. I’m glad to see this video. Thank you
Some detectors NEVER go off. Glad you have a good brand of CO detector. It makes a huge difference. There are some good videos comparing them. For anyone reading this, you don't want the cheap "no name brand" ones that are out there.
Carbon Monoxide is a concern... however the bigger risk factor is depleted oxygen. Make sure to properly ventilate the space and you should be fine. This type heater burns propane as fuel, but combustion also burns oxygen regardless of fuel type! I'd like to see the same type test for oxygen depletion in a ventilated and unventilated space!
scottcartertn I’d love to do a test like that, but this heater has a low oxygen sensor and will automatically shut off
@@KrokemOutdoors it would be interesting to see a video of that feature working as well.
scottcartertn. You raised a good point. I was using the same heater in similar situation (snow camping in a larger tent than in this video) and about 2-3 hours into the night the heater switch off by itself. I could not start the heater using match stick, the match stick would ignite and light but would fizzle out in a bout 3-5 seconds. After half a dozen of failed match sticks it finally occured to me it may have been low oxygen level so I opened more vent and problem solved. I also invested in a quality carbon monoxide detector and tested it twice in a small room with no carbon monoxide detected. Good to know the Buddy heaters come with built in oxygen sensors. My takeaway: for peace of mind always bring along carbon monoxide alarm and MOST IMPORTANTLY have plenty of ventilation. We used the Heater Buddy in a tent in snow condition and even in low setting it produces plenty of heat even with lots of ventilation.
@@KrokemOutdoors-IF it works properly. You can't trust a cheap sensor, especially if the unit is older and well-used. I'd never sleep with it on, and quite frankly you're foolish to do so. I've got a Big Buddy and I do love it, but I would never leave it unattended or running overnight. Ever.
One more thing, there was a comment that you should use a filter on the heater and that's absolutely correct. What ends up happening is the plasticizer in the hose will leach out in the form of an oily liquid. It will get inside the heater assembly. I had this happen and had to take my heater apart and clean each individual piece of tubing. It's well worth the cost of the filter.
Michigan Hiker ordered from Amazon as we speak. Thank you!
I can't believe this weather! My wife and I were up at the cabin (upper Michigan) on April 1, we got 14-inches of snow. I am about done. As far as the filter, it screws on to the heater then the hose is attached to that. It is more of a baffle than a filter, but it separates the oily crude from the propane so it will not pass through to the heater. It costs $11 on the Mr. Heater site, no idea how much on Amazon.
Funny. I've had the same tent, heater setup, and monoxide detector for three years now. I do the tent doors the same way too. I also live in the Couve.
Nice video!
Timothy Gaynor great minds think alike 👍
i have watched hunting programs where they use them in their blinds have not heard of any problems at all and i trust these guys nice video.
I've used one of these the last couple years. Makes the difference between being comfortable and having a miserable night.
You might had a nice a toasty warm tent but man your steak temp was perfect. I use a xl buddy in my tents with CM sencer never had a read out so im assuming its always been safe. Nice video take care
dacowboys01 thanks! I’ve used the heater more than I can count, and it’s been perfectly fine too
ODS heaters are designed to shut down if oxygen levels drop to a specified level, one of the leading causes of CO (carbon monoxide) production due to incomplete combustion. The "ODS" stands for Oxygen Depletion Sensor, for those not familiar with ventless heaters. The heater is over 99% efficient, and as long as it's operating correctly, should put off zero or close to zero CO. Annual cleaning by blowing compressed air around the thermocouple and pilot should keep it running great for years. The warning about "nuisance outages" at higher elevations have not been an issue for us, and we have two portable units for different uses, and a permanent wall mounted one as supplemental heat in our bathroom that features a large bay window in the 4x8 walk in shower. We also have an ODS water heater in the greenhouse. None have gone out due to low oxygen or CO, and we live at 8,800 feet, in the mountains. They're great heaters. If you're considering one, and are afraid of suffocation due to CO, just keep a CO detector with fresh batteries on hand.
When burning a heater like this, or really any flame-based heater, it's really not about carbon monoxide issues, it's about the unit consuming the oxygen in the enclosed space, which is why units like this have a low-oxygen sensor.
upupaepops
Low oxygen environment combustion produces carbon monoxide.
If using an open-flame combustion device, then yes, absolutely a danger of high levels of CO in an unventilated space. But with a catalytic heater, there is no open combustion flame, thus a drastically reduced level of CO production. But you still have oxygen consumption with a catalytic heater, which is why they incorporate the oxygen depletion sensors in them. Would CO levels still build up in an unventilated space with a catalytic heater? Perhaps overtime, but you'd be long dead from oxygen depletion before that ever happened.
Good to know, i use this same heater , works really good .
Yup, & they also have a bump sensor.
I did a review on one of these buddy heaters in a camper, with good ventilation they are safe. Even on low setting these units can crank out some heat.
I use mine in my skoolie all the time. I run the line thru a crack in the door, place a fan above the heater and that draws air from outside, then I crack the window above the bed open about an inch and have a cross draft of fresh air. Works like a charm. I also am very against keeping the tanks inside the bus. I know some people do it but im not going to. Even with a CO detector, I am very cautious!
Thank you for this because I have a few of these brand new for Emergency only
The "0" reading on the detector doesn't mean much.
The detector used is a standard UL-listed CO detector, which means:
- The minimum level it will alarm at is 30ppm for 1 month
- For a 16 hour period, the minimum level that it could alarm at is 70ppm
This model in particular isn't capable of displaying anything below 11ppm and doesn't look like it'll even do that unless you manually press a button.
I think those buddy heaters are really quite clean burning. You had the meter at ground level so you not breathing any in when you were a sleep, but carbon monoxide rises so I think in a single skin tent with no mesh ventilation I would think to hang the Detector from the ridge line.
For your own piece of mind put the detector near the exhaust pipe of your running car and see if it moves make sure your detector is working.
That steak looked awesome!
wizardorlegend thanks! The device was functioning (ran some preliminary tests per the manual), but I am curious to see what the levels in ppm the device will show. I’ll give it a shot and check it out on the truck. Thanks for the suggestion 👍
I used to rent a duplex with two Rinnai ventless propane heaters as our sole heat source. I insisted on having CO sensors all over the place, for obvious reasons (forcing my landlord to buy more than he wanted, I'm sure). We lived there for several years through many cold NH winters. We never left a window open. We never had a CO alarm.
You answered all my questions. Thanks for posting!
HOMEGUY 4X4 you bet. Thanks for watching!
I thought these heaters where the best thing every till one day we used it for camping. Even with proper ventilation we woke up after a 8 hr sleep with absolutely pounding headaches. I have since recreated our situation and tested it with a very accurate gas monitor (Industrial Scientific, Ventis MX4) that I borrowed from work which monitors H2s, CO, O2 and LEL. Within 10 minutes we had alarms with CO at 15 ppm and O2 at 19.6% and that's only after 10 min. I trust my life every day with our testing/monitoring equipment so I know they are extremely accurate. These heaters are dangerous and those detectors being for these UA-cam test don't work correctly. We have already sent our findings to Mr. Heater along with a video, we still haven't heard back.
Thank you for this video. Good information
Great video. I was wondering if there was any chance of running the test again with the detector at head height? Carbon Monoxide is slightly lighter than air and rises. Not sure if the detector on the floor will properly read actual levels until the entire tent is full of carbon monoxide all the way to the floor.
I wondered this while watching the video, so I Googled does carbon monoxide rise or fall, and the answer is neither. The molecules are so small that they can pass through drywall. With that in mid, it would seem that carbon monoxide would easily penetrate tent walls.
I'm a chemist. Gas molecules by definition don't interact with each other. Yes, if you open a CO2 tank, or drop dry ice on the floor, you'll see a cloud of it just hanging around. This is because in a high concentration, the "cloud" will follow it's density with respect to air. But in low concentrations, like CO being produced from combustion, it's going to go wherever it's pushed to. It won't rise/fall to sort itself out on any realistic timeframe, which is why O2, N2, and CO2 concentrations stay roughly the same at different altitudes. Exceptions are H2 and He because their density is extremely low comparatively.
plot twist.. all the carbon monoxide was out side of the tent.. they went out and died a couple minutes later.
Funny... send your script of this CO Camping Skit to Michaels at Saturday Night Live.
Just an FYI. Those detectors only read above 50ppm or if 25ppm is sustained over a two day period. Only a low-level detector will give live readings below 25ppm.
We have a Danchell canvas tent, which has a protective liner inside of the canvas. It is a short walled tent, that looks like a tee-pee. We had a Mr Heater hooked up during one of our camping events, and woke to it turned off during the night. It wouldn't turn back on. From talking to another camper who has the same set up, they informed us the shut off was because it has a in built detector on it and auto switched off during the night. If you have a nylon tent it is thin and aired, we proved it by putting up our insta tent at another camping event, and it ran as you showed. So my conclusion is depending on how well the tent's are vented, thickness of tent material that lucky we there is a built in detector on the Mr Buddy heater. It was a very uncomfortable feeling knowing there could have been a serious issue if there was a different set up.
Kit Page exactly! I am glad there is a low oxygen detector on this device. Adds another level of reassurance and peace of mind 👍
what was the temperature inside and outside the tent , and how long does a propane tank last you ? Thank you great video.
redauwg911 didn't bring a thermometer but it's usually between 15 to 25 degrees warmer inside. A quarter ta k lasted me 16 hours at full strength
I would love to see this same video done with a ground level temp gauge and a head height gauge that way we could see what your sleeping temp is versus outside temp, thanks
Rowdy Broomstick noted for an upcoming sequel video
I've used the Mr Buddy for about 3 years now...I have slept with it running all night with no issues.
Excellent video!! Did you measure the temperature inside and outside the tent? How much temperature difference did you get? Regards!!
I believe a mini tank, that plugs right into the Mr Heater lasts about 6 hrs on low and 3 on high. I’ve not had an issue, but I have been more concerned with this . Been doing more vehicle camping in my Burb, so I bought co detector just to put in the truck while I’m sleeping. So far so good. Another woman says she blasts her car heater for as long as she can stand it. My suggestion if you do that is to open up all your bedding. I will do this usually for an hour before I go to bed. It allows time time, not to just heat the cab, but to warm all the surfaces in the vehicle. I turn off the truck, go to bed, and some time around midnight or 0200, depending on how cold it is, I’ll fire up my Mr Heater. Thank you for video. Gives a bit more confidence in how or what I’m doing. 😁👍
I have one of these..went on a job where I had to take my travel trailer..the heater quit working..and used this heater for three weeks as only heat source..worked great..recommend it to all as back up heat source..hooked to 7 gal propane tank with hose ran out side of trailer to tank..never had a problem..