Not impressed with Mr Heater (Set off CO detector)

[belfert]

This should take care of your problem

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/for/1526049219.html

One of those would kill me faster.  They are designed for construction sites that have a lot of air flow to take care of the CO and other gases.

[cody]

I'm sorry I had to take a break, when I found out the door was frozen shut I blew a half cup of coffee all over my screen, I'm trying to picture this, the heater is too small to do the job but yet it attacked and melted all the snow off the roof that then ran down and froze the door shut, so now I'm picturing this bus sitting in the middle of the tundra, glowing with the red heat of warmth, water running in small rivelets down the previously frozen landscape and no sign of snow or permafrost anywhere close to the bus, as a matter of fact there is a newly sprouted palm tree easing up alongside the warm exterior of the lower reaches of the bus as Al Gore stands off to the side talking into his microphone about the evils of global warming in minnisota, meanwhile off in the distance Belfert is slowing plodding up the path with a hair dryer and another packet of batteries for his CO detector.  Libby just looked over my shoulder and told me I'm a sick individual lol.

[gus]

I have the small "Buddy" ones and neither has ever set off my co detector.

My bus is not very air tight so that may be the reason!!

If the heaters are melting the snow they are probably set too high. All you want is enough heat to keep the water system from freezing when you aren't in the bus.

I agree with DrD that your co detector battery is probably bad, same thing happened to mine and a new batt fixed it.

[John316]

Cody,

Now, when are you going to replace my laptop? I just lost two swallows of Dr. Pepper over that one. . That was waaaaayyyy too funny. I though that the heater freezing the door was rich .

God bless,

John

[belfert]

It doesn't take much heat to melt snow and ice.  It doesn't help that my door is all screwed up and leaks all kinds of air when driving.  When I was in the bus early yesterday afternoon with the heater on it wasn't that warm.  Certainly not 72 degrees like most houses.

The door was also frozen shut last night when the heater was running so the heater must not be helping the door all that much.  I was able to eventually get the door open last night, but this morning I couldn't get it open.

[Van]

 I think maybe you guys left out a part? I recall these things needing a fan to circulate the air. Maybe try a small fan, The one we just bought has a battery operated fan (4 D-cells) and helps some what, FWIW I haven't tried it in the bus yet. good luck

[cody]

Van, your right and I've mentioned it in several posts about heating, the nature of the beast is that the warmer air will hang near the ceiling and the cooler air will be at floor level, I keep a fan on the dash running aimed at the ceiling, that keeps it stirred up and moving so it doesn't layer.

[wal1809]

Pardon my ignorance and if I am wrong then just let me know.  Are you all speaking of a butane portable heater inside the bus?  Is this not dangerous?

[cody]

We're speaking about a heater called the Mr Buddy heater, it runs off 2 small bottles of LP gas and is rated for indoor use, unlike many of the others that haven't got the indoor rating, it is relatively safe when used as they suggest.  As always a good working detector is recommended, but the problem with the heater setting off the detector when first fired up isn't because the heater is putting out deadly fumes as much as it is burning off residue thats sprayed onto it to keep it in good shape while sitting in a warehouse.  The key to any heater is the indoor rating, many of the portable heaters don't carry the indoor rating and are responcilbe for deaths every year, the big buddy heater is only responcible for melting snow and freezing the door shut on buses lol (sorry belfert, I couldn't resist lol).

[wal1809]

I also have trouble keeping the heat.  I have three roof AC units with a heating element.  When we were in Ponca City OK the temps dropped to 15 degrees at night and we could not get the inside temp above 55 degrees.  Burrrrr.  So I too need to get something going so far as going north and heat.  I though about one of those tall oil radiaters that heats the oil and circulates it.  Using propane scares the tar out of me.  I would rather be cold on a temporary basis than cold in eternity.

[Len Silva]

I also have trouble keeping the heat.  I have three roof AC units with a heating element.  When we were in Ponca City OK the temps dropped to 15 degrees at night and we could not get the inside temp above 55 degrees.  Burrrrr.  So I too need to get something going so far as going north and heat.  I though about one of those tall oil radiaters that heats the oil and circulates it.  Using propane scares the tar out of me.  I would rather be cold on a temporary basis than cold in eternity.

A portable plug in electric heater is 5200 BTU (MOL).  It doesn't matter whether it is an oil filled, ceramic cube, infrared, or whatever. Some of the quarts heaters are rated at 5600 BTU, not enough of a difference to notice.

This $20.00 heater http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=43295-87513-NH600&lpage=none will produce the same heat as a $400.00 "electric fireplace".

The advantage of the oil filled is a steadier temperature as it retains a little heat as it cycles.  The infrared type may feel warmer as they warm people and things rather than the air.

[Dreamscape]

We have one cube heater, bought from Sams and one electric wall heater. We haven't been cold yet, and it's been down in the teens here. If it gets any colder than that we're moving farther south! 

Paul

[gus]

I have two of the smaller Mr Buddy heaters which only use one LP 1lb bottle.

Unfortunately one bottle is only good for about four hours at Low so I hooked up a hose from a 20 lb bottle which lasts a long time. I haven't used more than a 20 lb bottle and a half but then I don't use it a lot.

These heaters are absolutely safe indoors and are rated as such. They also will shut off if the O2 level gets too low. This is a nice safety feature but prevents their use at high altitudes, I forget the limit but have used them at 3,000' +.

[buswarrior]

Heat strips in a roof air are no good for heating a coach.

They will take the chill out of a summer's evening, and that's it.

Circulating the air around inside that cold exposed box on the roof, I wonder if they are just self defeating?

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[gus]

I agree about heat strips, they take gobs of amps for little heat and a lot of cold air.

I removed one of mine when I had the cover off and will remove the other one at the first chance.