Buddy Heater-Altitude?
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: Z Barebow
13-Aug-17
I plan on using my Buddy Heater this fall. Camp will be anywhere between 7.5K and 9K.
Has it worked for others? (O2 sensor shutting heater down) My internet searches show issues with heater staying lit anywhere from 6K on up. Others have had no issues at 10K.
What is your experience?
Woodstove is not an option. No stovejack. Thanks in advance.
From: patdel
13-Aug-17
I've run one quite a bit at about 9000 and haven't had any problems.
From: Jaquomo
13-Aug-17
No problems at my base camp at 10K+.
From: midwest
13-Aug-17
No problems at those elevations for me.
From: huntabsarokee
13-Aug-17
9000 last year no problems on the 1 pounders.
From: 137buck
13-Aug-17
Mine is hit or miss at anything about 7500', I thought it was something wrong with it, so I contacted the company and they told me that the buddy heaters are not for use above 7000'.
From: jordanathome
13-Aug-17
Problem is mostly with lighting the damn thing at altitude.
From: Native Okie
13-Aug-17
Ive ran one at 11,800 before, was a little more difficult to get going but it dialed in fairly easy.
From: oldgoat
13-Aug-17
Take a long lighter and hold a flame on the flame sensor for thirty seconds or so while your holding the plunger down to light the pilot, once it gets warmed up it will keep the pilot light going, I've used mine at 10K quite a bit using bulk tank. And for info sake, if you are using a bulk tank, get on their website and buy their bulk tank filter or you will eventually ruin your heater and for me I ruined my first one when I needed it the worst!
From: WV Mountaineer
13-Aug-17
Good info oldgoat. They need a filter on them. Propane is dirty and the bigger tanks really gets pumped full of the grit everytime they are filled
From: Jaquomo
13-Aug-17
I refill the 1 lb bottles from a 20 lb tank and they work great. Been doing that for 25 years, for Mr Heater, lanterns, stoves, grills, and the Buddys since they came out.
The valves will eventually start to leak on the 1 lb bottles but I've gotten dozens of fills from most of them. Thanks to all those happy campers who dump their empties in campground dumpsters on Sunday afternoon for providing me with a constant supply of new bottles!
From: Amoebus
13-Aug-17
Z - what kind of tent? My heater worked but produced a lot of water vapor. In a canvas tent, it would coat the ceiling.
Also, make sure you vent properly.
From: donnybowhunter
13-Aug-17
i have not had any problems up to 10 thousand in elevation
From: oldgoat
13-Aug-17
I'm dumb enough to make a lot of mistakes and smart enough to learn from it!
From: Z Barebow
13-Aug-17
Amoebus- I have a Kodiak tent. I leave the roof vents open whenever I run it. I use a bulk tank w/hose. I leave the tank outside and run the hose through a door.
My plan will be to light it in the morning as I roll out of bed to take the chill out of the air as I dress. I will be on a cot with a good bag. I will be in camp for up to 20 days, so I want to stretch the use out over the duration. (Town is a long trip to refill)
I have used the heater in it before w/o condensation issues, but that was at 2500' on MD hunts.
Good pointer on pre-heating thermocouple. Never tried that.
From: oldgoat
13-Aug-17
I've used mine through probably a couple weeks running it on low all night because my old lady isn't much fun when she's cold and I had gas left over after season was up, except for the time I had a hose leaking where it was crimped into the bulk tank fitting.
From: midwest
13-Aug-17
I use my Buddy Heater just like Z plans to....light it before I get out of the sack in the morning and while I eat dinner before getting in the sack at night. I have zero condensation issues in my Kodiak canvas tent. I also use the long lighter if I'm having trouble getting it lit.
From: Old School
13-Aug-17
Boys and I used a buddy heater in our Kodiak canvas tent last year in Colorado at 9,500' without any issues.
--Mitch
From: cnelk
13-Aug-17
Ive used a Mr Heater MH15C for about 25yrs in my wall tents. You can heat or cook with it, just turn the stand. I run a hose out of the tent to a 20lb tank
I usually brew coffee just before sleep, then in the morning, I heat up the coffee and the tent when I wake up
Ive used this heater at 10,000ft and temps down to -20 during late season elk hunts
From: cnelk
13-Aug-17
Id post a pic, but the dreaded Error Message is awake again
From: huntabsarokee
14-Aug-17
I am not so sure about the need for a filter. Last year I ran on just the 1 pounders but this year I plan on using a 20 pound tank. I read many reviews where people said their heater died because the didn't use a filter. I went to the Buddy website and they sell a hose with a filter and another new hose that says you do not need a filter with it. The reason is the new hose is made of some material that shouldn't come apart thus causing issues with the heater. So those that had fails from not using a filter it may not be from dirty propane but the hose itself. Guess I will be the guinea pig since I opted for the new hose with no filter.
From: EmbryO-klahoma
14-Aug-17
My wife and I used ours on our HC Mule deer hunt last year. We were camped at treeline, 11,500 or so. It did take some priming initially to get the propane from the 20 lb bottle and through the 12 foot hose. Actually had to use a lighter to get it primed. After that, it lit every time with the built in igniter. We were camping in a Cabelas Alaskan guide dome tent. Vent some also or it will give you a headache.
From: scrapwood
14-Aug-17
I used mine yesterday morning at ~9,300ft to warm up my Koidak 10x10 while I ate a quick breakfast. Pilot lit on the first try and started right up. I never sleep with it running, only use it to take the chill off in the morning.
From: BOWNUT
14-Aug-17
No problem for me at 10,000ft. I only ran it be for bed and in the morning first thing. I have the Kodiak 10 x 14 and never close the vents.
From: Old School
14-Aug-17
We've got the Kodiak 10x14 as well and left the vents open. We just ran it before bed and then set the heater and propane outside the tent. Then in the morning we brought it back in and fired it up. Figure better safe than sorry, so we don't leave the heater or propane in the tent overnight.
--Mitch
From: olebuck
14-Aug-17
i'll be using my Mr. buddy along with my new Kodiak Flex bow 10x14 this season at about 8k....
hope it works well
