Continuing the anti-propane propaganda is pathetic. RVs haven’t been blowing up for the past 70 years of its use. The number one cause of fires in RVs is electrical!!!! Including batteries offgassing hydrogen which is very flammable and explosive!!!! Do you do any research or do you only regurgitate the garbage that is fed to you!?
The Buddy heater is perfectly safe if used as the mfr's instructions say to. It is made for indoor use, but large tanks go outside the rig, leaktest all connections, and keep a distance to flammables plus provide some ventilation. Then they are fine. This lady had a big tank with hose *in* her motorhome, and it's almost certain SHE caused the fire.
I feel bad for the lady who lost everything but I have to agree with what Robnord1 said down below. I have a Little buddy and never had a problem. I even had a hose that plugged into my "extend a stay in the basement. It is amazing how many people I see posting on different forums who have no idea how to use the their RV heating systems. Have a great Christmas.
Propane is just like electricity, use it properly and it is perfectly safe. Misuse it and/or attempt to perform modifications/installations/repairs without proper education and/or certifications and you can be seriously injured or worse. If you are not qualified to perform modifications/installations/repairs in either technology (and I suspect a large number of RV’ers are not based on social media posts I read) then hire a professional to do it. Many people are injured or worse because they don’t know, what they don’t know. I spent a lifetime as an industrial electrician, automation engineering tech, and industrial combustion technician. People fool themselves into the illusion of knowledge because a guy online told them which fittings to use, or what size wire is safe, but lack required knowledge in the fundamentals of the trade. Folks who work in these trades know exactly what I mean.
, propane is much safer than electrical. Considering most RV fires are electrical including batteries that off gas hydrogen which is flammable and explosive. RVs with propane were not blowing up like this in the past.
Thank you Izzy and MJ for this news. I feel bad for that lady in Oregon! I hope they find her kitten. 2 propane stories that’s sad and crazy. One burned up an Rv one can fall off an Rv and it’s recalled. I’m glad they are fixing the issue. Thank you again Izzy and MJ.
Glad the lady with the RV fire survived, but hope her missing kitty is found safe and sound. It seems every year about this time, as the heating season gets going, we hear tragic stories like this. Very sad.
I used ZEP products in my black tank. They have a citrus cleaner that works very well to clean and liquify your waste. In cases where my sensors read full with an empty tank i flush the tank after putting a gallon of ZEP industrial acidic toilet cleaner. Fill the tank with water and allow to soak overnite. Always works cost is relatively cheap and you can buy these chemicals at home Depot or Lowe's
I am an eletronics engineer who worked, trained, and maintaned for an electric/gas utility. In addition, I own and operate a sailboat, remote cabin and a class B RV all of which have propane systems. Correctly installed and maintained, these systems are safe and reliable and the concept of them not being safe is promoted by fearmongalers seeking returns. Please note all the systems I am refering to exhaust the spent combustion products outside of the living space (space heaters, refigerators, hot water heaters) or have vent hoods or other mechanisms for exhaust gases. In my opinion, a Mr Buddy heater should never be used in any living space. I know the boxes say the heaters are safe to use inside but that is only with adequate ventalation. These units also produce the equivalent of an open flame and yes they will self extinguish if tipped but thats not to say it can't cause a fire if operated to close to combustibles.
A friend of ours lives on a large boat and has been using the little buddy heaters for years now. He has used them so much that he has had to replace the fire bricks.
Thanks for all the information! Sad story for sure! We are trying to replace all propane from the RV and switch to electric! Thanks for sharing and safe travels!
I may be a cynic, but I think with dual alternators and lithium batteries, you can rip out the explosive propane (insurers take note!) AND you'll be able to use all the bridges and tunnels without propane restrictions. Especially if you install an Esper or Webasto, or even Chinese clone, that can sip fuel from your main fuel tank.
@@freedomontheloose Good luck going electric. You'll need 50 Amp electrical shore power and about $10,000 - $15,000 in batteries and inverter/charger plus large generator to be all electric when unplugged. This is why mfrs don't make all electric RVs. Expensive and impractical.
I only use an electric space heater in my class B when not using the truma vario heat which uses propane. I feel safer sleeping with a ceramic electric heater vs. any gas heater in a small space.
I've used one for years but not with a full size tank, only the small bottles. Sniffing with your nose is not the approved way to find a leak. Use soapy water or a sniffer, as you mentioned. Didn't sound like a defect. We aren't always plugged in, so can't always use an electric heater.
Ive only had two issues with the buddy heater. One being that i had it on high the knobs internals got stuck and wouldnt turn off. Second time it was so cold the buddy turned off in use because it thought it was out of propane but as the day warmed up propane smell came from the buddy bevause the valve was still open. Its a great heater. I just dont turn it on high, leave it unattended, or go to sleep with it on.
question "i through the buddy out with the tank" Why would a propane tank be inside with the buddy? I have what looks like the same buddy that I use in my garage, but I keep the tank outside. Glad that the woman is okay.
Our mobile home park has had 2 go up in flames this year. One was A failure to light on the first try cooking thanksgiving turkey. The other was tossing block of frozen shrimp in a broiler. So think people
My best advice: don’t cook in your RV if you can help it. It makes your RV greasy. Cook outside providing there isn’t a dangerous electrical storm going on outside.
Just bought a Top Tes PT520A Natural Gas Detector, Gas Leak Detector with 17-Inch Gooseneck, Locating The Source of Propane, Natural Gas, and Combustible Gas Leak for Home and RV on Amazon. I am not comfortable around propane … it scares me. Better safe than sorry.
So sad. Propane is heavy. It sinks. Likely as not, if you're standing, you won't smell it soon enough. So I imagine every lower cavity in the home filled up with propane which luckily slowly ignited as she tossed the tank and heater out. Poor lady and kitties. Praying the younger one comes back.
You should do some research on electric heaters. It doesn’t matter whether they are ceramic or whatever it’s the high current that they draw and loose connections that creates heat and starts fires.
I use my ceramic heater only on low so it's only using 750watts. You also have to power manager your 120v outlets. Most people don't realize that most of the RV 120 volt outlets are all on one circuit. Using your ceramic heater on high (1500watts) you are almost at the max amps on your 15amp power outlet.
Thank you both for all the information you share. Sending prayers up for the lady in Oregon. Does she have a GiveSendGo account or some place to donate? Strong work, you two! Great video, as always.
Little buddy heaters are made and intended for use indoors, so that is not a problem. However, they are designed to use 1 lb propane bottles indoors. You are never supposed to use a Buddy Heater indoors with a hose connected to an external propane tank. That is a recipe for disaster, as she unfortunately found out.
My EXACT comment , but with one twist...you CAN use indoors with an approved hose, but the tank must be outside. That, you are incorrect about. I have 26 years as a master RV tech, work all the time with LP gas, and quite often use a Big Buddy heater in one of our own RVs. Safest heater on the market, *IF* one follows mfr's instructions. Leak test connections. Use only approved hoses and always keep big 20lb tanks outside. This unfortunate lady burned her own motor home down.
Mr. Buddy has an approved gas line to use the Heater inside and the 20 lb tank outside. (which by the way is why the tanks for appliances are kept outside as well) The heater is very well made. with safety features built in. They are designed to use 20 lb. tanks.
I think you should consider changing the title. It implies the heater caused the fire, and that's very very unlikely. User error is the most likely cause...like using indoors with a large tank attached inside the coach, which is NOT safe or allowed according to the operator's manual.
Also, consider not running electric space heaters on RV circuits. 15 amp circuits isn't made for continuously running a electric space heater. Some RV techs can create a dedicated property run circuit with the proper required Amps. Electrical fires happen, so be careful out there
Until we hear from a fire marshall or buddy manufacturer press releasewe we can onky speculate. The heater should have been in a place away from flamable materials, preferable tile or sheet metal enclosure, the element should not have had any opportunity to heat the hose. You can upgradw to braided hose or wrap your hose in foil tape or similar. Smoke detectors go up high and propane and CO detectors get mounted lower, so combination ones arent great. I have had regulators freeze up on me fornwhatever reason and yes they do vent pressurized propane to atmosphere, very dangerous. I prefer to put a regulator on at the tank or exterior the house despite buddys built in one. Atleast it would be less pressure venting if defective. Everyone should know by now that you must use a filter after the conversion hose (from 20lb. Or 5 gallon tank). The hose bleeds and clogs the heater and causes large flames, what that leads to may not be good. Propane also expands with heat so when you bring in an overfull tank and it warms up it can vent in your living room, ok the flip side removing pressure too fast from the tank causes it to freeze and you can benefit by warming the tank to get more out of it, smaller tanks can freeze and even prevent you from accessing your propane, this may also play a role in compromising regulator. Also i believe that blow out valve on the regulator is supposed to face down.
Wow !! Sounds like she did everything right and it still caught fire. So sad about her cats and loosing her home, especially this time of year. Hope someone gets something out of this. If it weren’t for our heat, I’d take our tank off, so I could carry more #stuff !!!
Even if the little buddy is safe to use we will never use one. Just the idea of it freaks me out before hearing this report. We never haul with our propane on either.
I have reviewed portable propane heaters & we have a Co detector in our class A. I am still afraid to use one and we use an electric space heater. If it gets below 40, I leave it on low.
The original Delonghi and copycat oil filled electric radiators are bigger than small ceramic ones, but the electric heat is sealed inside a metal radiator, the same way that electric hot waters are made. It heats the oil, which has a lot of thermal mass, so the radiator provides SAFE reliable heat. Even if you drape sheets over it, there is no flame source, no heat rods, nothing to catch fire.
I don’t use the gas heater that my RV came with. Every time I do, the CO2 alarm goes off within a couple minutes , every time. So, I just don’t use it.
I recently had to replace a bad hose from the tank to the regulator. I was meticulous in my checking for leaks. I am very paranoid about using propane for heat, though I realize that if everything is done correctly, it is safe to use. Still, I have a small ceramic space heater, and still won't run it all night. It's plugged into the GPCI outlet, which is right by the door. My thoughts are, should it catch fire while in use, I should be able to get the door open and toss it out, before anything else catches. It's also within reach of one of my fire extinguishers, just in case. But this is one of the reasons I winter over back home in Texas. It usually only gets cold cold for at most two weeks in January. This summer though, I will be replacing my through the wall mounted window AC unit (very small trailer) with a roof mounted AC/heat strip combo.
How big is the motor home. When I use my Buddy in the garage I am 1: always present when it is operating. 2. very aware of its proximity to combustibles. I'm not sure if I would use mine in my smaller travel trailer, (25 foot Keystone) because there is really no place it could be placed safely (IMHO as a 20 year firefighter) in proximity of combustibles.
Unfortunately, we boondock often and the only type of heat is propane. We don't have solar that can run electric space heaters. We use a buddy heater on cold nights. Sorry to disappoint. If we use our furnace, our batteries go dead before morning. Can't win! Safe travels!❤
The Buddy heater is perfectly safe if used as the mfr's instructions say to. It is made for indoor use, *but* large tanks go outside the rig, leaktest all connections, and keep a distance to flammables plus provide some ventilation. Then they are fine.
And do you know WHY they got returned Diana? I have a pretty good idea since working on LP burning appliances is my business; User error. That's right. Folks don't follow the instructions and do not use the proper hose/filter combination, or treat them rough and break the fragile elements. Every one of my customers (26 yrs in business) with a malfunctioning Buddy heater has in some way caused it to malfunction. Not one time have I seen a factory defect other than shipping damage.
@ not all were operator error, some the people didn’t like , leaked and manufacture defects. We would try them after refunds and found out exactly what was wrong
40 year RVer and 26 year RV tech. All electric huh? My condolences...unless you plan on having a shore power hookup 100% of your time. LP is king for heating and cooking and likely always will be.
@@Robnord1 8 years of full-timing and it’s never been an issue. We don’t boondock a lot but when we do our solar panels, AGM batteries (both we added in our first year of ownership), diesel burner and a couple of hours daily of generator do the trick. No regrets!
@@Love2basket Thank you for the reply and report as to how it works for you...and I'm glad it does well for you. Here in western WA, it gets cold enough and the sun shines so little, all electric rigs just won't work unless plugged in or the generator is running. We also have frequent power outages, so propane is our friend.
Very wise preventative maintenance. 👍🏻 These alarms should have a “replace by” date on the unit (some on the face; others in the back). The RV Safe combo CO & propane gas alarms do indeed list ‘end of life’ as “after 5 years of operation” - and, once reached, they also should indicate end-of-life or other failure via visual & audible means (no green LED, double red LED flash each minute + audible chirp each minute, for RV Safe combo units). It’s wise to err on the early side, as not too many of these alarms tend to be optimally maintained.
i have a forest river camping trailer 2018 i guess the gas safety system & 12 volt system & 120 volt out or low it shut off gas really & if bottle out or low it will stop like at 530 am in the morning i have a spare propane bottle i have a spare in the back of the truck really! ok the 120 out lets have one safety it ground safe thing it would not reset it blew i had to find a alarm or light outlet safety outlet it reset in the lowes building only in its line really i run solar and gas generator a lot in the summer
I don't care how "safe" manufacturers claim a "flame producing heater" is in the interior of an RV, I will NEVER use one. "Flame producing heaters" where the flame is IN the interior of the RV (or any living space for that matter) is a recipe for disaster. Three problem I see: Leaks, Carbon Monoxide and flammable material coming into contact the the flame.
Carry on. They are perfectly safe IF operated like it says in the owner's manual. The lady in the story was using a large tank with the hose *inside* the RV, which is a big no no !
Her Fault because you do not connect to a large tank Inside** to use a Little Buddy. The directions are plan and simple that come with the Little Buddy. ** The large tanks should have been outside of the RV.
I wonder if she replaced the regulator bcoz I have a little buddy that I also hooked up to my propane, but I replaced the regulator specifically for propane use. I'm sure a lot of people want to kno so it doesn't happen again. Stay safe God to all.
All of the Buddy heaters are made to only utilize either one pound cylinders or the appropriate Mr. Heater brand hose/regulator combination. All Buddy heaters run on propane. If you are using any hose or regulator not made for the heater I urge you to pitch it and get the proper one.
🔥🔥🔥 Get 24% Off Any Item Including Matt's RV Reviews Liquified Black Tank Treatment Here: Use discount code "endlessrving"
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@@EndlessRVing the mw's a camped
Continuing the anti-propane propaganda is pathetic.
RVs haven’t been blowing up for the past 70 years of its use.
The number one cause of fires in RVs is electrical!!!!
Including batteries offgassing hydrogen which is very flammable and explosive!!!!
Do you do any research or do you only regurgitate the garbage that is fed to you!?
The Buddy heater is perfectly safe if used as the mfr's instructions say to. It is made for indoor use, but large tanks go outside the rig, leaktest all connections, and keep a distance to flammables plus provide some ventilation. Then they are fine. This lady had a big tank with hose *in* her motorhome, and it's almost certain SHE caused the fire.
I feel bad for the lady who lost everything but I have to agree with what Robnord1 said down below.
I have a Little buddy and never had a problem. I even had a hose that plugged into my "extend a stay in the basement.
It is amazing how many people I see posting on different forums who have no idea how to use the their RV heating systems.
Have a great Christmas.
Safe travels and Merry Christmas.
Propane is just like electricity, use it properly and it is perfectly safe. Misuse it and/or attempt to perform modifications/installations/repairs without proper education and/or certifications and you can be seriously injured or worse. If you are not qualified to perform modifications/installations/repairs in either technology (and I suspect a large number of RV’ers are not based on social media posts I read) then hire a professional to do it. Many people are injured or worse because they don’t know, what they don’t know. I spent a lifetime as an industrial electrician, automation engineering tech, and industrial combustion technician. People fool themselves into the illusion of knowledge because a guy online told them which fittings to use, or what size wire is safe, but lack required knowledge in the fundamentals of the trade. Folks who work in these trades know exactly what I mean.
, propane is much safer than electrical.
Considering most RV fires are electrical including batteries that off gas hydrogen which is flammable and explosive.
RVs with propane were not blowing up like this in the past.
Thank you Izzy and MJ for this news. I feel bad for that lady in Oregon! I hope they find her kitten. 2 propane stories that’s sad and crazy. One burned up an Rv one can fall off an Rv and it’s recalled. I’m glad they are fixing the issue. Thank you again Izzy and MJ.
Glad the lady with the RV fire survived, but hope her missing kitty is found safe and sound. It seems every year about this time, as the heating season gets going, we hear tragic stories like this. Very sad.
Yes. Praying for her and her cat. 🙏
I used ZEP products in my black tank. They have a citrus cleaner that works very well to clean and liquify your waste. In cases where my sensors read full with an empty tank i flush the tank after putting a gallon of ZEP industrial acidic toilet cleaner. Fill the tank with water and allow to soak overnite. Always works cost is relatively cheap and you can buy these chemicals at home Depot or Lowe's
I am an eletronics engineer who worked, trained, and maintaned for an electric/gas utility. In addition, I own and operate a sailboat, remote cabin and a class B RV all of which have propane systems. Correctly installed and maintained, these systems are safe and reliable and the concept of them not being safe is promoted by fearmongalers seeking returns. Please note all the systems I am refering to exhaust the spent combustion products outside of the living space (space heaters, refigerators, hot water heaters) or have vent hoods or other mechanisms for exhaust gases.
In my opinion, a Mr Buddy heater should never be used in any living space. I know the boxes say the heaters are safe to use inside but that is only with adequate ventalation. These units also produce the equivalent of an open flame and yes they will self extinguish if tipped but thats not to say it can't cause a fire if operated to close to combustibles.
I've used the Little Buddy but only with the 1 lb. canisters. It's mid expensive but I feel safer.
A friend of ours lives on a large boat and has been using the little buddy heaters for years now. He has used them so much that he has had to replace the fire bricks.
Spraying soapy water is a great tip. Thank you!
You’re very welcome!
Thanks for all the information! Sad story for sure! We are trying to replace all propane from the RV and switch to electric! Thanks for sharing and safe travels!
I may be a cynic, but I think with dual alternators and lithium batteries, you can rip out the explosive propane (insurers take note!) AND you'll be able to use all the bridges and tunnels without propane restrictions.
Especially if you install an Esper or Webasto, or even Chinese clone, that can sip fuel from your main fuel tank.
@@lyfandeth Thanks! That is the plan!
@@freedomontheloose Good luck going electric. You'll need 50 Amp electrical shore power and about $10,000 - $15,000 in batteries and inverter/charger plus large generator to be all electric when unplugged. This is why mfrs don't make all electric RVs. Expensive and impractical.
@@Robnord1 Maybe a little less than that, but can be done. We are on the way in doing this. Thanks for the input.
I have used a Mr Buddy heater for over 15 years with the filter attached to the heater itself works fantastic
She is lucky that she made through that. That looked really bad.
Yes thank God. 🙏
I only use an electric space heater in my class B when not using the truma vario heat which uses propane. I feel safer sleeping with a ceramic electric heater vs. any gas heater in a small space.
I use a Lasko tower ceramic heater. I only use it on the low setting (750watts).
Something I have heard about liquified is that it lubricates the valves. If so that is a good selling point.
I've used one for years but not with a full size tank, only the small bottles. Sniffing with your nose is not the approved way to find a leak. Use soapy water or a sniffer, as you mentioned. Didn't sound like a defect. We aren't always plugged in, so can't always use an electric heater.
Ive only had two issues with the buddy heater. One being that i had it on high the knobs internals got stuck and wouldnt turn off. Second time it was so cold the buddy turned off in use because it thought it was out of propane but as the day warmed up propane smell came from the buddy bevause the valve was still open. Its a great heater. I just dont turn it on high, leave it unattended, or go to sleep with it on.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Safe travels.
We use an electric space heater.
question "i through the buddy out with the tank" Why would a propane tank be inside with the buddy? I have what looks like the same buddy that I use in my garage, but I keep the tank outside. Glad that the woman is okay.
We're fighting condensation in the line due to temperature extremes .
Nothing like working on the regulator after a fill.
Our mobile home park has had 2 go up in flames this year. One was A failure to light on the first try cooking thanksgiving turkey. The other was tossing block of frozen shrimp in a broiler. So think people
My best advice: don’t cook in your RV if you can help it. It makes your RV greasy. Cook outside providing there isn’t a dangerous electrical storm going on outside.
Just bought a Top Tes PT520A Natural Gas Detector, Gas Leak Detector with 17-Inch Gooseneck, Locating The Source of Propane, Natural Gas, and Combustible Gas Leak for Home and RV on Amazon. I am not comfortable around propane … it scares me. Better safe than sorry.
I use that stuff it's really great and no odor after use.
So sad. Propane is heavy. It sinks. Likely as not, if you're standing, you won't smell it soon enough. So I imagine every lower cavity in the home filled up with propane which luckily slowly ignited as she tossed the tank and heater out. Poor lady and kitties. Praying the younger one comes back.
🙏
You should do some research on electric heaters. It doesn’t matter whether they are ceramic or whatever it’s the high current that they draw and loose connections that creates heat and starts fires.
I use my ceramic heater only on low so it's only using 750watts. You also have to power manager your 120v outlets. Most people don't realize that most of the RV 120 volt outlets are all on one circuit. Using your ceramic heater on high (1500watts) you are almost at the max amps on your 15amp power outlet.
Thank you both for all the information you share. Sending prayers up for the lady in Oregon. Does she have a GiveSendGo account or some place to donate? Strong work, you two! Great video, as always.
There is something in the article we linked in the description.
@ Thank you!
Little buddy heaters are made and intended for use indoors, so that is not a problem. However, they are designed to use 1 lb propane bottles indoors. You are never supposed to use a Buddy Heater indoors with a hose connected to an external propane tank. That is a recipe for disaster, as she unfortunately found out.
My EXACT comment , but with one twist...you CAN use indoors with an approved hose, but the tank must be outside. That, you are incorrect about. I have 26 years as a master RV tech, work all the time with LP gas, and quite often use a Big Buddy heater in one of our own RVs. Safest heater on the market, *IF* one follows mfr's instructions. Leak test connections. Use only approved hoses and always keep big 20lb tanks outside. This unfortunate lady burned her own motor home down.
Mr. Buddy has an approved gas line to use the Heater inside and the 20 lb tank outside. (which by the way is why the tanks for appliances are kept outside as well) The heater is very well made. with safety features built in. They are designed to use 20 lb. tanks.
I think you should consider changing the title. It implies the heater caused the fire, and that's very very unlikely. User error is the most likely cause...like using indoors with a large tank attached inside the coach, which is NOT safe or allowed according to the operator's manual.
We use little buddy outside of the motorhome in a bug hut style tent during the winter to heat the tent never would I I put it inside my coach. Thomyt
No propane. In the past we used electric heaters.
Also, consider not running electric space heaters on RV circuits. 15 amp circuits isn't made for continuously running a electric space heater. Some RV techs can create a dedicated property run circuit with the proper required Amps. Electrical fires happen, so be careful out there
User error in any heater can cause fire.
There are hundreds of fires from electric space heaters.
No LP in our Revel even though lots of Revel owners put it in their rigs. I'm broke from lithium batteries which aren't foolproof for sure.
I RNJUYED THE INFO AND THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN COMFORTABLE WITH PROPANE.
Until we hear from a fire marshall or buddy manufacturer press releasewe we can onky speculate. The heater should have been in a place away from flamable materials, preferable tile or sheet metal enclosure, the element should not have had any opportunity to heat the hose. You can upgradw to braided hose or wrap your hose in foil tape or similar. Smoke detectors go up high and propane and CO detectors get mounted lower, so combination ones arent great. I have had regulators freeze up on me fornwhatever reason and yes they do vent pressurized propane to atmosphere, very dangerous. I prefer to put a regulator on at the tank or exterior the house despite buddys built in one. Atleast it would be less pressure venting if defective. Everyone should know by now that you must use a filter after the conversion hose (from 20lb. Or 5 gallon tank). The hose bleeds and clogs the heater and causes large flames, what that leads to may not be good. Propane also expands with heat so when you bring in an overfull tank and it warms up it can vent in your living room, ok the flip side removing pressure too fast from the tank causes it to freeze and you can benefit by warming the tank to get more out of it, smaller tanks can freeze and even prevent you from accessing your propane, this may also play a role in compromising regulator. Also i believe that blow out valve on the regulator is supposed to face down.
A handheld leak detector costs $30 at a hardware store. Pretty cheap insurance.
Regarding the “Liquified”, Let’s change that to orange or lavender scented in the future! 😮😉 😂
Flavored is more fun to say! 🤣
Wow !! Sounds like she did everything right and it still caught fire. So sad about her cats and loosing her home, especially this time of year. Hope someone gets something out of this. If it weren’t for our heat, I’d take our tank off, so I could carry more #stuff !!!
Such a sad story. Praying her other cat was found. 🙏
Even if the little buddy is safe to use we will never use one. Just the idea of it freaks me out before hearing this report. We never haul with our propane on either.
Stay safe.
I have reviewed portable propane heaters & we have a Co detector in our class A. I am still afraid to use one and we use an electric space heater. If it gets below 40, I leave it on low.
The original Delonghi and copycat oil filled electric radiators are bigger than small ceramic ones, but the electric heat is sealed inside a metal radiator, the same way that electric hot waters are made. It heats the oil, which has a lot of thermal mass, so the radiator provides SAFE reliable heat. Even if you drape sheets over it, there is no flame source, no heat rods, nothing to catch fire.
I don’t use the gas heater that my RV came with. Every time I do, the CO2 alarm goes off within a couple minutes , every time. So, I just don’t use it.
Replace your CO2 detector.
@
The factory literally mounted it right over the heater.
I recently had to replace a bad hose from the tank to the regulator. I was meticulous in my checking for leaks. I am very paranoid about using propane for heat, though I realize that if everything is done correctly, it is safe to use. Still, I have a small ceramic space heater, and still won't run it all night. It's plugged into the GPCI outlet, which is right by the door. My thoughts are, should it catch fire while in use, I should be able to get the door open and toss it out, before anything else catches. It's also within reach of one of my fire extinguishers, just in case. But this is one of the reasons I winter over back home in Texas. It usually only gets cold cold for at most two weeks in January.
This summer though, I will be replacing my through the wall mounted window AC unit (very small trailer) with a roof mounted AC/heat strip combo.
It was to close to something an r leak 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢 I've had my big buddy heater for 5 years no problem I use a 30 gallon tank😊
How big is the motor home. When I use my Buddy in the garage I am 1: always present when it is operating. 2. very aware of its proximity to combustibles. I'm not sure if I would use mine in my smaller travel trailer, (25 foot Keystone) because there is really no place it could be placed safely (IMHO as a 20 year firefighter) in proximity of combustibles.
Unfortunately, we boondock often and the only type of heat is propane. We don't have solar that can run electric space heaters. We use a buddy heater on cold nights. Sorry to disappoint. If we use our furnace, our batteries go dead before morning. Can't win! Safe travels!❤
Small Generator?
Can't use all night@Studiovette
The Buddy heater is perfectly safe if used as the mfr's instructions say to. It is made for indoor use, *but* large tanks go outside the rig, leaktest all connections, and keep a distance to flammables plus provide some ventilation. Then they are fine.
Years ago I worked for Cabelas and those buddy heaters got returned almost daily. I wouldn’t own one .
That’s interesting, good to know.
And do you know WHY they got returned Diana? I have a pretty good idea since working on LP burning appliances is my business; User error. That's right. Folks don't follow the instructions and do not use the proper hose/filter combination, or treat them rough and break the fragile elements. Every one of my customers (26 yrs in business) with a malfunctioning Buddy heater has in some way caused it to malfunction. Not one time have I seen a factory defect other than shipping damage.
@ not all were operator error, some the people didn’t like , leaked and manufacture defects. We would try them after refunds and found out exactly what was wrong
We are thankful to not have propane in our Newmar Dutch Star!
Yes definitely a lot safer.
40 year RVer and 26 year RV tech. All electric huh? My condolences...unless you plan on having a shore power hookup 100% of your time. LP is king for heating and cooking and likely always will be.
@@Robnord1 8 years of full-timing and it’s never been an issue. We don’t boondock a lot but when we do our solar panels, AGM batteries (both we added in our first year of ownership), diesel burner and a couple of hours daily of generator do the trick. No regrets!
@@Love2basket Thank you for the reply and report as to how it works for you...and I'm glad it does well for you. Here in western WA, it gets cold enough and the sun shines so little, all electric rigs just won't work unless plugged in or the generator is running. We also have frequent power outages, so propane is our friend.
You mentioned a propane sniffer. Do you have a link where I can buy one that you recommend?
amzn.to/3Dp6YuO
I just replace my propane detector, I think they are supposed to be changed every five years.
I bought a new 2020 micro mini winnebago the propane detector was expired when it was installed at the factory
Very wise preventative maintenance. 👍🏻
These alarms should have a “replace by” date on the unit (some on the face; others in the back).
The RV Safe combo CO & propane gas alarms do indeed list ‘end of life’ as “after 5 years of operation” - and, once reached, they also should indicate end-of-life or other failure via visual & audible means (no green LED, double red LED flash each minute + audible chirp each minute, for RV Safe combo units).
It’s wise to err on the early side, as not too many of these alarms tend to be optimally maintained.
i have a forest river camping trailer 2018 i guess the gas safety system & 12 volt system & 120 volt out or low it shut off gas really & if bottle out or low it will stop like at 530 am in the morning i have a spare propane bottle i have a spare in the back of the truck really! ok the 120 out lets have one safety it ground safe thing it would not reset it blew i had to find a alarm or light outlet safety outlet it reset in the lowes building only in its line really i run solar and gas generator a lot in the summer
Take the propane and put it in a bed or back car strap or other wise alternative salutations and the buddy 1 issue just titen the screw
😺😺 we're her family
I don't care how "safe" manufacturers claim a "flame producing heater" is in the interior of an RV, I will NEVER use one. "Flame producing heaters" where the flame is IN the interior of the RV (or any living space for that matter) is a recipe for disaster. Three problem I see: Leaks, Carbon Monoxide and flammable material coming into contact the the flame.
Sounds like propane had leaked into the RV before she lit it. That’s so sad!
Very sad.
Rv's a mo vlogs house's visited
Wth I have a little buddy heater
Carry on. They are perfectly safe IF operated like it says in the owner's manual. The lady in the story was using a large tank with the hose *inside* the RV, which is a big no no !
Her Fault because you do not connect to a large tank Inside** to use a Little Buddy. The directions are plan and simple that come with the Little Buddy.
** The large tanks should have been outside of the RV.
Unfortunately she learned a hard lesson
Little Buddy wasn’t such a good buddy. I hope this lady was able to get some Red Cross assistance and she finds her cat.
I wonder if she replaced the regulator bcoz I have a little buddy that I also hooked up to my propane, but I replaced the regulator specifically for propane use. I'm sure a lot of people want to kno so it doesn't happen again. Stay safe God to all.
All of the Buddy heaters are made to only utilize either one pound cylinders or the appropriate Mr. Heater brand hose/regulator combination. All Buddy heaters run on propane. If you are using any hose or regulator not made for the heater I urge you to pitch it and get the proper one.