Little Buddy Heater Use inside Tent

[cobra]

Has anyone used a Little Buddy heater (propane fueled) inside a tent while they were sleeping. They have a low oxygen shutoff and say they are OK to use with ventilation in a confined environment like a cabin or tent. Would you use with a battery powered carbon monoxide detector?

Has anyone slept next to a small generator at 60db and got any sleep. Could you run the generator at night with an electric heater plugged in to it?

[chukarchaser]

I have used mine overnight inside a tent trailer numerous times. However, I really like your idea of also using a carbon monoxide detector just to be on the safe side.

CC

[fishgetter]

I have used my little buddy for 14 days in a tent on high and I'm still kickin, I do not think a tent is near air tight so you do not have to worry too much.

[duckboy]

I used one for a few seasons in my pickup truck canopy.. Fire it up after the sun goes down and run it til it is time for bed, then in the morning fire it up for 5 minutes before you get out of the bag to put your boots on..

One year while out hunting in e oregon, the temp got to 10* inside the canopy, that little heater made a huge difference (just watch your sleeping bag around it and crack the vent window an inch or so on the side..

[luv_2_fish]

I bought one and tested in the garage, but not use it in the tent yet. It would be a good idea to use a carbonmonoxide meter together with the built in low oxygen sensor. For whatrever reasons, sensor can break down and not working properly, so a back up sensor is a must...Your life and others' life are very precious.

[ehunter]

We use ours just to warm the tent for bed time and get up time. That and a lantern get it pretty toasty. I am paranoid so I don't leave it on. If I am going to kcik it I want to do it in the woods not the tent

[BlacktailBowhunter]

I have used a small Coleman inside of a ground blind for 8 hours or more. We did have a small window open to see our decoy, and shoot turkeys.

[Dave Smith]

I did it last late archery season in my truck canopy and never woke up dead- he he. I called the company and asked alot of questions first as I am a big chicken. It burns unbelievably efficient. I just opened a window about twice as far as they recommended and slept like baby. A cot is not a bad idea because the difference in temp between the floor of my canopy and roof was amazing.
Dave

[Jedcraft]

You can asphixiate yourself in a small tent with a lantern or heater so like most said - just warm it up before bed then again for 5 or 10 minutes before getting up. Leave the door zipper or window cracked down low for air. Careful not to melt your bag or tent.

[nakoa]

i have used them alot no problem

[DAB]

I have used a MR. Heater in a tent all night BUTT I unzip the door at the bottom about 3 inchs and unzip a couple of windows so there is about 1 Sq. foot of ventilation at each end of the tent. It doesn't keep it real toasty but it does keep the dampness out and I don't freeze my tousch off when I have to get up in the middle of the night.
adequet Ventilation is the name of the game..
DAB

[dla]

Yes I use my Mr.Buddy in my tent at night. It is safe. Just make sure you don't get it too close to something that will melt. I run mine off a 20lb tank with an inline filter. Very nice to have when the temps are below freezing.

[3stix]

we used ours all summer at the lake in the tent.ran all night,but we made sure to have ventilation in the tent[open window,crack the door].nice thing too is that if you accidently kick it,it will shut off.

[Maddie'sDaddy]

My youngest Brother recently found his best friend Dead in the tent next to his due to carbon monoxide poisoning, had a few beers and left his lantern running in the tent next to himself and when my brother went to wake him up to go scout the next morning( as they were getting ready for archery season)
he found him in Dead from the Carbon monoxide .


So Please be carefull out there guys!!!!!!!!!! Its not worth your life to test this theory.



MD

[Tilla]

The tent material will stop breathing if it is raining and the pores get blocked. Woke up one morning with labored breathing with the old dome style Catalytic style heater.

[dla]

Originally Posted by Maddie'sDaddy

My youngest Brother recently found his best friend Dead in the tent next to his due to carbon monoxide poisoning, had a few beers and left his lantern running in the tent next to himself and when my brother went to wake him up to go scout the next morning( as they were getting ready for archery season)
he found him in Dead from the Carbon monoxide .


So Please be carefull out there guys!!!!!!!!!! Its not worth your life to test this theory.



MD

It's not a theory. It is safe.

[Maddie'sDaddy]

Originally Posted by dla

It's not a theory. It is safe.

Im not challenging this particular models safety, just informing that not all those lanterns are safe even with ventelation in the tent.






MD

[cobra]

Thanks for all of the imput. The best info always comes from those who have had first hand experience. I think carbon monoxide is heavier than air so I plan to sleep on a cot, ventilate, and have a carbon monixide sensor inside ust to be safe. Maybe I am a letter paranoid but I have woke up from a head ache at high altitude in a small tent before due to lack of oxygen.

[shinook65]

One of my good friends found his Dad dead in their camper, in Yellowstone when he was 11 years old. This would have been 30+ years ago, so I know it was an old style of heater. Anything that consumes oxygen, in an enclosed space, is dangerous, unless it has an automatic shut-off system..
Like mentioned above, I'd want a backup system. I don't know that I'd want to sleep with one on. But If I'm going to be awake, i.e. in a blind or warming up a tent in morning, no problem.

[OutdoorBum]

Originally Posted by duckboy

I used one for a few seasons in my pickup truck canopy.. Fire it up after the sun goes down and run it til it is time for bed, then in the morning fire it up for 5 minutes before you get out of the bag to put your boots on..

One year while out hunting in e oregon, the temp got to 10* inside the canopy, that little heater made a huge difference (just watch your sleeping bag around it and crack the vent window an inch or so on the side..

Thats how I do it exactly! Reading your post was like revisiting last hunting season. Regardless, I run it sporadically and always have ventilation. Lets play devil's advocate...what if the low oxygen mechanism fails. Is it worth your life??

[Don Becker]

We use my Little Buddy heater in my small hunting trailer all the time. The trailer is too old to be airtight but, we still leave a couple of windows open for cross ventillation to be safe. 'Works great and we sleep great. Don

[R Jackson]

Originally Posted by cobra

Thanks for all of the imput. The best info always comes from those who have had first hand experience. I think carbon monoxide is heavier than air so I plan to sleep on a cot, ventilate, and have a carbon monixide sensor inside ust to be safe. Maybe I am a letter paranoid but I have woke up from a head ache at high altitude in a small tent before due to lack of oxygen.

Carbon monoxide is lighter than air!

[death roe]

just did 9 nights with mine in utah me and my girl are still kicking i have a 10 X 10 wall tent

[Chrome Bumper]

Molecular weight:
Air 75% nitrogen at 28 grams/mole, 21% O2 at 32 grams per mole
Carbon Monoxide, 24 grams per mole.
The densities are pretty close, CO is slightly lighter.

Everyone uses them inside, just wear your boots to bed so we can reassure one another at your funeral that you died with your boots on.

I wouldn't bet my life on the low oxygen shutoff in a twenty dollar heater, or that the burner is working perfectly.

[Two Fister]

Originally Posted by Chrome Bumper

I wouldn't bet my life on the low oxygen shutoff in a twenty dollar heater, or that the burner is working perfectly.

Exactly. A friend had a brand new Mr. Buddy that he used in his old trailer with a bad heating system when we were hunting in some cold weather a few years back. He was sleeping in the "crows nest" in the trailer and he was getting cold so he shut the window we had left open for ventilation while the Mr. Buddy was set on "cook". We all woke up the following morning disoriented with the worst migrane like headaches and deep lung coughs that any of us had ever experienced. Classic symptoms of CO poisoning. It took at least two days to feel like myself again. I think we came dangerously close to being a statistic.

I heat my tent or trailer up, climb into my nice warm sleeping bag, and then I shut everything down. When it's time to get up I crank the heater up while still in my nice warm bag, wait a few minutes and emerge into a warm space. There's no reason to sleep on top of your sleeping bad in your boxers when hunting in cold weather. At least no reason worth dying for.

TF

[cobra]

CO may be heavier than air or about the same and would likely mix:

Air is 1/4 oxygen O2, (weight 16) and mainly nitrogen N2 (weight 14).

CO is weight 12+8 = 20, so heavier than "air"
Methane (natural gas) is CH4 = 12 + 4(1) = 16, so mixes with air fairly
well, hard to say.

Neither, for the most part.
Carbon monoxide has nearly the same density as air.
You'll notice that the manufacturer's instructions that come with the
detector don't say high or low either.

The density of a gas is proportional to the weight of a single molecule of
that gas.

So you figure relative buoyancy for yourself if you start learning a few
atomic weights:
H=1, He=4, C=12, N=14, O=16.

Add them up for the molecular weights of pure gasses:
H2 = (1+1) = 2, very light
He = (4) = 4, very light
N2 = (14+14 ) = 28, about neutral
O2 = (16+16) = 32, slightly heavy
CO2= (12+16+16)= 44, heavy
CO = (12+16) = 28, about neutral
CH4= (12+4*1) = 18, light (majority part of natural gas)
H2O= (2*1+16) = 18, light (steam)
C2H6=(2*12+6*1)= 30, about neutral (minority part of natural gas)
C3H8=(8 + 3*12)= 42, heavy (propane)
C4H10=(10+4*12)= 58, (butane)
C5H12=(12+5*12)= 70, pentane, lightest part of gasoline

For mixed gasses just take a proportionate average:
Air is 80% N2 + 20% O2 .
air = 0.8(28) + 0.2(32) = 29 (exactly neutral, by definition)

So pure carbon monoxide is actually about 3% lighter than air.
But usually it is made in modest concentrations, mixed in with the normal
combustion products: CO2, H2O.
Which are always mixed with the 80% Nitrogen that never participates in
burning.
Then that mixes with room air, making an even smaller concentration...

[Rank Amateur]

Buy a heavier sleeping bag!

[cobra]

But I like to sleep unencumbered

[Rank Amateur]

Originally Posted by cobra

But I like to sleep unencumbered

Don't wear your boxers!

[Grantspastor]

The reason that Carbon Monoxide is so dangerous is that Hemoglobin has ten times the affinity for CO as it does for O2. There can be plenty of Oxygen present, and you can still die if carbon monoxide is present, because the blood absorbs it so well. A CO monitor could be a great investment

[StrikeFighter]

It's hard to get a good nights sleep if you go to bed wandering if you will ever wake up....You would be constantly waking up to see if there was dirt in your face. Stay safe.

[DogZilla15]

Strikefighter:

Agree with you 100%. I never could. Had the roof vent open, window open and the door leaked plenty but I still worried.

When it's 15 degrees outside and trying to be the same temperature inside a heater can feel real good. When the dog wants into your sleeping bag, ya gotta do something....I let it in.......

I found something that really helps to keep warm without having your sleeping bag over your head and then end up sweating. A hat! I got this here cute little thang dat is just da trik. Made out of polar fleece or something like that and covers my bald spot and ears if I pull it down. Very comfortable and what's more important, it works.

[dla]

Originally Posted by Chrome Bumper

I wouldn't bet my life on the low oxygen shutoff in a twenty dollar heater, or that the burner is working perfectly.

I wouldn't bet my life on those other drivers and that $3 seat belt and $10 airbag to all work perfectly.

[OutdoorBum]

Originally Posted by dla

I wouldn't bet my life on those other drivers and that $3 seat belt and $10 airbag to all work perfectly.

You can't mitigate every risk, especially with the required frequency of driving. Sleeping in an enclosed space with a heater isn't frequent, and typically not required. Nice attempt at the analogy though...

[RoscoeP]

We run two of the double burners in our 16x20 wall tent. Keeps it toasty if we don't want to mess with the wood stove. We always turn everything off when it's sack time, and crank em up in the morning and crawl back in the sack until it's warm. I would not risk running anything like that when everyone is asleep. Not worth it IMHO

[scottishsetter]

Boxers or no boxers Methane(natural gas) 16 mixes fairly well; EXCEPT for the 1% dissolved solids that get to the nose. eeeeugh!
That's one more reason to hunt alone.

[Quaka Wacka]

We always run the smoke detector/CO monitor combo. In our shack, we do have to deal with the smoke detector going off every now and then, put peace of mind seems to help me sleep better.

[quackersnacker]

Turn it off before I crawl in the bag and turn it on before I crawl out. Seems to be the answer for me. I also wear a hooded sweatshirt, don't remember when I started doing that, but it seems unnatural without it now.

[lentz]

Buy 2 new bags that are good to -15 degrees, zip them together and that should be good for the night. That should give you plenty of room and with that comfort rating there should be no problamo with the cold. Just run the crazy thing before you go to bed and then in the morning to warm things up a bit.

[lentz]

This should really solve the carbon monoxide poisioning issues. Just leave it running and sleep with your head outside the tent door. Just don't let the zipper strangle you. Just use your head.

[3dvapor]

they work well unless at high elevations in which case the o2 sensor keeps shutting them down. that was about 8500 to 9500 ft.

[Adjhunt]

We are thinking about getting one, but heard a rumor that sometimes they do not work at high elevations... Anyone heard anything about that?
We hunt at 6500 feet.....

[Joe]

Originally Posted by Adjhunt

We are thinking about getting one, but heard a rumor that sometimes they do not work at high elevations... Anyone heard anything about that?
We hunt at 6500 feet.....

We used ours at a higher elevation (can't be too specific ) than that this weekend and it worked fine. I don't leave it on while we sleep but we used it for quite a while in the evenings as it was COLD outside.

The only complaint I have is if the humidity is high they cause a lot of condensation inside the tent. drip....drip....drip.... Might buy a stove.

[Roperguy]

Originally Posted by Adjhunt

We are thinking about getting one, but heard a rumor that sometimes they do not work at high elevations... Anyone heard anything about that?
We hunt at 6500 feet.....

go ahead and get one and if it doesn't work at that elevation, you can give it to me

Maury

[BrianMaguire]

Originally Posted by ehunter

We use ours just to warm the tent for bed time and get up time. That and a lantern get it pretty toasty. I am paranoid so I don't leave it on. If I am going to kcik it I want to do it in the woods not the tent

Man you are getting old, right now my lantern does a good enough job.

[GraphiteZen]

If a tent can't breath due to moister or material an oxygen sensor won't do a thing for you. Once it shuts the heater down you will continue to consume oxygen and put carbon monoxide back into the air with no fresh air getting in. The cycle will still continue, just at a slower rate.

Even if you have a ventilated tent, to subject yourself to an environment that would trigger a low oxygen sensor is playing too happily with the reaper.

I would much rather not be a pansy and just be cold for 10 mins in the morning along with getting a better bag.

[Adjhunt]

Originally Posted by Joe

We used ours at a higher elevation (can't be too specific ) than that this weekend and it worked fine. I don't leave it on while we sleep but we used it for quite a while in the evenings as it was COLD outside.

The only complaint I have is if the humidity is high they cause a lot of condensation inside the tent. drip....drip....drip.... Might buy a stove.

Alright, good to know

Originally Posted by Roperguy

go ahead and get one and if it doesn't work at that elevation, you can give it to me

Maury

What I heard was that at some high elevations (must be really high), they will fry themselves and not work at all after that... that was my only worry.

Thanks guys.

[GraphiteZen]

Oh and one more thing:

If you took two guys and made one do continual exercises where he had to hold his breath for as long as he could all night long (similar to sleeping in a low oxygen environment) and let the other sleep normally like it was his home bedroom, I can assure the the second guy would be MUCH more energetic and aware the following morning.