Coleman Burner/Heater Mod

[BaitBucket]

I have had one of those single coleman burners that screws onto the top of a 1lb propane tank for a few years now.
I use is to cook on and as a makeshift heater when needed. I was never a big fan of the open flame. And with my daughter wanting to get out with me more and more a "safer" heater was needed.

This is what I came up with.
This little burner is fully adjustable all the way up to 10,000BTU

Here is the burner as it comes out of the box.


I drilled small holes on 4 of the lips on the corners.


Took an 8in stove pip cap i had and drilled a bunch of 1/4in holes in it. The one in the middle is 1/2in to light from.


Screwed it into the holes on the lip of the burner.


It still gets hot enough to burn you, but there is no open flame to worry about as much.

What do you guys think? Do the grates on the buddy/little buddy heaters get hot enough to burn you if you brush against them?

[rgfixit]

It will heat you up for sure, but there's a couple of important things missing. CO2 shutoff and tip over shut off.

Better be extra careful.

RG

[BaitBucket]

I believe the O2 sensor in these is kind of a gimmick.

Co2 weighs more than Oxygen. So as your using the oxygen in your shelter, its filling from the ground up with CO2. Once he CO2 levels reach the height of the flame on your heater it would go out, as oxygen is needed to sustain the flame. So unless your heater is over your head im not sure you have much to worry about.

The auto shut off is nice. My main concern, with mine being around a child is if the front grates on the buddy/little buddy get hot enough to burn/melt clothng?

[BaitBucket]

Anyone with a little buddy able to tell me if the front grate gets hot enough to burn you or melt clothing if you brush against it?

[Wegashanty]

It melted my 4lb ice line...I wouldn't touch it.

[hi_tail]

It will heat you up for sure, but there's a couple of important things missing. CO2 shutoff and tip over shut off.

Better be extra careful.

RG

The tip-over shut off on my Little Buddy has saved my shanty a few times when the wind gods decided they didn't like my shanty.
A hot grate can melt a shanty wall, but I don't want to think of what an open flame can do to a nylon shanty wall.
Just my 2 cents.

[thndrvlly]

I like the idea of the flame out when tipped, safety is so import in a shelter, ive tripped/kicked  my lil buddy quite  a few times

[wirehairman]

Anyone with a little buddy able to tell me if the front grate gets hot enough to burn you or melt clothing if you brush against it?

The grate on my big buddy gets hot but doesn't melt clothing just from brushing up against it.

[rgfixit]

Well, I guess if you stick your fingers in a fan you'll get hurt. So, with a little common sense, it should work. I'd build a bigger base for it though, looks top heavy.

RG

[BaitBucket]

Its very stable, only way its going over is of its knocked over.

I tested what would happen if it got knocked over (i just tipped it sideways holding the base), and sure enough the flame goes out. However it does still continue to leave propane. Which im not fond of.  If i can find a good deal on a little buddy heater ill pick one up.

Anyone use a little buddy to heat a 2 man or 3 man pop up. Like the Quickfish 2 or Quickfish 3? Can the little buddy keep up and keep it warm?

[3300]

i like that you want to help your daughter not get hurt and improvised some thing. she can still get hurt tho like touching a hot iron?

how about installing a removable grate that comes off for cooking?
how is the burn off on it? does it give head aches or smell at all.

the mr heaters use ceramics to burn off the fuel and are much better at burn off than colman products i have and much safer. i use the round version w/one pound holding it up and after market stand w/flip out feet and works fine and only wish it had a fan option built-in. one of my ice fishing buddies was using colman products like the pro cat and sports cat heaters and would get hurt from them with head aches and asthma problems and coughing and choking. now he just bought the mr heater suit case looking version w/one tank on right side and low/high settings. said it will cook him out on low in his one man flip. no more flare ups or head aches

there are tons of people right here on this site that use mr heater to cook with. i am too busy fishing to cook while fishing, but i guess tip up fishing would be different and you would have lots of cooking time

[BaitBucket]

There doesnt appear to be any smell/fumes. Its the same kind of stove pipe people use in their homes for wood stoves.

Even on its lowest setting this thing tosses some heat. And still gets hot enough to burn you. Im not super worried about her touching it. But kids do dumb things.
Im more worried about her brushing against it and melting her coat or pants.

If a little buddy puts pout enough heat at 3800BTU to heat a 2-3man pop up ill be looking to get one of those. Anyone use a little buddy to heat a pop up?

[3300]

i have that one (round head unit) and i think it would not be enough heat at night on windy days at all. maybe day time, no/little wind
on windy night times, its hard to keep it warm here in michigan lately. when it gets warmer, then it will be ok. but then again, any heat feels great when your chilled to the bones
Heats up to 100 sq. ft.
http://www.mrheater.com/product.aspx?catid=41&id=338

should look into the one with high/low. i think it hits 9000 btu
Heats up to 200 sq. ft.
http://www.mrheater.com/product.aspx?catid=41&id=24

[blizzardfisher]

I have the big buddy with the fan option and I can tell you from experience i have never melted   any clothes on the grates .never usually have to take it off low cause it will cook you out of your large two man and one time when I went up north with my buddy and his two man nanook we had it hanging from giant carabiners from the front bar kept us plenty warm -50 temps and we cooked on top of the grate with premade venison Philly cheesesteaks. stayed out all night got pretty tanked up and about 2:30 a.m. The heater kept shutting off. we couldn't figure out what it was it would work fine when we zipped open the hut. then it hit us we needed to keep the vents open and the door unzipped just a little because we were running out of freaking oxygen!!! the auto shut off feature definitely saved our dumb as#@* from getting oxygen depleted and possibly dying! tough lesson learned good thing no one got hurt couple headaches that's all. I guess you should always be careful drinking and fishing in tight small enclosed spaces! obviously you should always use caution

[ice dawg]

I heated my quickfish 4 with the Little Buddy Heater on a breezy day. Later in the day as the dun goes down it isn't enough heat.

[matzilla]

There doesnt appear to be any smell/fumes. Its the same kind of stove pipe people use in their homes for wood stoves.

Even on its lowest setting this thing tosses some heat. And still gets hot enough to burn you. Im not super worried about her touching it. But kids do dumb things.
Im more worried about her brushing against it and melting her coat or pants.

If a little buddy puts pout enough heat at 3800BTU to heat a 2-3man pop up ill be looking to get one of those. Anyone use a little buddy to heat a pop up?

that cap over the buner is going to increase your CO output quite a bit....be careful using this setup for heat

The little buddy heater keeps my Frabill Scout VERY warm - I'm sure it would work fine in a 2 man as long as you're keeping the canvas closed for a while.

[LarryClutch]

I can't tell by the picture but if that top plate is galvanized it will put off toxic fumes when a flame hits it.  Might not be enough to hurt you but I would switch it out with stainless if it is galvanized..

[ASATMillerbluegill]

I have melted a little hole in my pants w my lil buddy heater, so they will melt. The tops get very hot; I don't know where my pants touched on the heater, but I noticed it happened while out. I use mine in my insulated otter lodge, and it will keep it comfy for 0 degree days w wind. I take my coat off while fishing in my otter. Ive heated it quite nicely in my quickish f6 shelter when days are in the teens, but a big buddy heater in each shelter would prob get it warmer to suit my gf. Girls hate the cold, so make it as warm as u can.

[BaitBucket]

I found a little buddy for $50 new so i picked i up.

[rgfixit]

You and your little girl will be happy, warm and safe with it.

Good Dad!!!!

RG

[rtibbs48]

If anyone is interested in a buddy heater, check with Lowe's and Home Depot. They clearance all there heaters in Feb. To get ready for spring resets.They do not carry them over. Good luck. Roy

[Scottyd243]

It's a good mod but you really need a shut off, I have a buddy heater and the bars do get hot but not like that thing would, don't forget to shut it off like an hour before you are planning on getting off of the ice