Mr Buddy Heater Permanent Install?

[adamis]

Recently was headed out for another trip to Pismo Beach to play with the toys in the Dunes. Sadly the 99 7.3L Super Duty elected to choke on the lift pump from junk in the fuel tank so we only made it to Paso Robles (limped along the highway at 10mph for 20 miles to get to a shop).

At any rate, shop couldn't help us and we stayed the night in their lot. It being cold during our trip, I had decided to bring a Mr. Buddy Heater because the furnace in the camper sucks juice from the battery on cold nights. I setup the heater on the stove top with a propane bottle, cracked a window and a roof vent. Amazing how well it worked! Temps dropped into the 30s overnight and camper stayed in the 70s the whole time with no juice from the battery and hardly any propane used. Clearly this is the most efficient way to stay warm in off-grid situations.

It worked so well I am considering doing a permanent install by taking the heater apart and making my own mounting bracket and heat shield that is a lot narrower and mounting on the backsplash of the stove. I would route a gas line up from the stove to complete the setup.

I know there are a couple of others that use the Buddy Heater. Has any of you taken it apart and done a more permanent install? Please share pics if you did!

As far as the Pismo Trip and the 7.3L... sadly we had to cancel our trip and scramble to get toys and trailer back home. Truck and camper will be towed up on Monday and dropped off at mechanic whom will eliminate screens in the tank and put a new fuel pump work inline fuel filter in place.

[mkirsch]

If I'm not mistaken both my Buddy Heaters have keyhole slots on the back for hanging them on the wall. I would not be stripping them down for "permanent" installation. They look designed for "permanent" installation as-is. I'd just run a couple of screws into the wall, and hang it.

[Kayteg1]

Grit dog wrote:
Interested in how you know the tank screen is plugged.

It is not the screen, but those small filters get clog with shellacs.
Had it on both of my 7.3l and barely visible to naked eye, the stuff clogs the fuel flow.
Was able to fix it on the side of the road though.
As for using Buddy Heater inside, I see no mention about CO and CO2 sensors? Do you have death wish?

[Reisender]

We bought a lil buddy heater strictly for home backup heat in case of a natural gas failure in the house. (It gets cold here). We ran a few tests and are totally impressed with it. It won’t keep the house warm but will keep us from freezing.

[bigfootford]

jaycocreek wrote:
The Wave 3 is a good heater but lacks in cold temps imho..I have a buddy/big buddy and a wave 8 at this time..I opted for a 'lil buddy heater over a wave 3 when I bought this TC simply because the wave 3 didn't keep my previous Lance 8.6 warm at all in snowmobile weather.

I have been using the wave 8 in my 9.6 Lance and it does a great job except I think the pad went out on it again..I changed to the little buddy heater early this morning and all is well..I have had three wave heaters that the pads needed replaced..That is the only beef I have with them..I think they are superior to the buddy heaters for RV use but the Buddy heaters work..

Jayco

Interesting that your pads failed. We keep our wave covered when not operational and is inside the cabinet. We have used our wave a LOT over the <>14 years we have had it.

Our BF stays warm in the 20's on high but we set it on low at bed time.

Wow a wave 8 produces some heat!!!!

Well at least you are warm using the buddy.

Jim

[Grit_dog]

jaycocreek wrote:
The Wave 3 is a good heater but lacks in cold temps imho..I have a buddy/big buddy and a wave 8 at this time..I opted for a 'lil buddy heater over a wave 3 when I bought this TC simply because the wave 3 didn't keep my previous Lance 8.6 warm at all in snowmobile weather.

I have been using the wave 8 in my 9.6 Lance and it does a great job except I think the pad went out on it again..I changed to the little buddy heater early this morning and all is well..I have had three wave heaters that the pads needed replaced..That is the only beef I have with them..I think they are superior to the buddy heaters for RV use but the Buddy heaters work..

Jayco

Do you think the Wave heaters are poor quality or is there another reason they keep going out? Doesn't seem normal.
Never had one, but have had a Buddy heater that literally bounces around in my snomachine trailer and is now 20 years old. Even the little fan still works and I can't even remember when I changed the batteries last.

[jaycocreek]

The Wave 3 is a good heater but lacks in cold temps imho..I have a buddy/big buddy and a wave 8 at this time..I opted for a 'lil buddy heater over a wave 3 when I bought this TC simply because the wave 3 didn't keep my previous Lance 8.6 warm at all in snowmobile weather.

I have been using the wave 8 in my 9.6 Lance and it does a great job except I think the pad went out on it again..I changed to the little buddy heater early this morning and all is well..I have had three wave heaters that the pads needed replaced..That is the only beef I have with them..I think they are superior to the buddy heaters for RV use but the Buddy heaters work..

Jayco

[adamis]

Thanks all. Didn't even realize there was a Wave 3 on the market. I will take a look and head that direction!

[Grit_dog]

Interested in how you know the tank screen is plugged.

[bigfootford]

I would install a Wave 3....

Here is mine done 11 years ago. It still works perfect! Used it on our cross country Thanksgiving trip to Fla..

Bigfootford's Wave3 installation.

Jim

[Grit_dog]

Sounds like a bad idea. Both form and function.
Too much moisture induced into the enclosure (camper) with regular or prolonged use, and in general, just doesn’t seem like a good idea to gut out the business end and mount it near combustibles.
I recalled you putting a lot of time/effort/$ into your battery system due to your reluctance to use the on board genny, no?
Yet you won’t use your furnace?

[cewillis]

And another option that is designed for permanent install - The Vented Cat .

[TenOC]

The only problem I have had with the Big Buddy heater is there is NO thermostat. It is either too hot or too cold.

[Geewizard]

I plumbed in a flexible propane hose from my cooktop for my Camco Olympic Wave 3. The hose has a shutoff valve and quick connect so I can disconnect the Wave 3 and store it when not in use. The Wave 3 gives me very adequate heat.

I looked at Mr Buddy heaters but the Wave 3 was much better for me.

[Tom_M1]

You will need to remove the regulator from the Buddy. I connected mine with a hose and teed off the line feeding my cooktop.