Indoor Propane Heater Laws & Safety

[bucketfan]

Hey All,

Just wrapping up a build on an enclosed trailer and the whole time have been looking at the Mr Heater Buddy Heater, googled it lots and found it is indoor safe, reasonable price - should heat it no problem!

Just went down to the local store up in Canada here and I find the box says OUTDOOR USE ONLY on it. Strange. I could swear online it says Indoor / Outdoor use.

Oh wait - it does say that online. Turns out they have 2 models (both identical - verified by emailing the MFG) and the only difference is 1 is OUTDOOR ONLY and sold in Canada and Massachusetts, and the other is INDOOR/OUTDOOR and sold everywhere else!

Anyone know the reasoning for this difference in standards ? Is Canada totally against indoor propane and should I just proceed with this decision..

I have an outdoor tank with a hose to run through the wall to the heater. 2 sliding windows that open and 1 roof vent. Should I be afraid of using this thing ? Sleeping with it on ?

It has Low Oxygen shut off and a tip over shutoff as well.

Thanks!


Links in case you want to see as well:

Canada l

Every where else..

 

[dcr]

I just picked one up recently. The smaller one with no fan. I haven't used it yet, but I have tipped it over a few times to test the shut off. That part works great. I picked up a carbon monoxide alarm to go with it. Figured better safe than sorry. I plan on using it in a large tent running off of a 20lb tank as you describe.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[Happy Joe]

Be aware that sleeping with any operating device that consumes oxygen is at best risky. The low oxygen shutoffs that I have experience with; seem to be just a "calibrated?" pilot light orifice and depends on the thermocouple to shut off the gas when the pilot flame gets too low.
Also be aware that some heaters with "low oxygen shutoffs" may not work well or at all at higher altitudes (7,000 - 9,000+ feet)... some friends have unvented portable heaters heaters that work at altitude (mine do) and others don't; one has to wonder, if it doesn't shut off due to the lower oxygen at higher altitudes will it shut off in time to keep you alive?

I have successfully survived using them, however; the best use of an unvented heater, IMO, is to warm the space before entering or leaving the sleeping bag, I do not recommend using one to heat a space while sleeping.
Enjoy!

 

[TwinStick]

I like to have redundant ways for heat when camping. I bought a Big Buddy heater. Tried it once. Never again. Hate the smell/odors & it made my eyes water. I say it is a BIG FAT FAIL for any type of indoor heat. Maybe in a deer blind or something, where there is PLENTY of fresh air, but not in a tent or camper.

I ended up going with a small electric milk house heater. We use it to save on propane, which is what the furnace runs on. It heats the entire camper (18') up with ease & quickly. We mostly camp at campgrounds where there is electric, but also have 2 Honda EU2000i generators we can use if we need to. Good blankets and a sleeping bag go a LONG ways to keeping warm.

 

[Weeds]

Our elk camp 3 to 5 tents has gone to propane with the Big Buddy. All use a CO detector to back up the one on the heater. Some run the heater all night, others before and after bed time.