Tent Heaters

[steelphoto12]

anyone know of a "safe" heat, tent heater? i know there was a product called Zodi Tent Heater, but they no longer offer this product and even if they did they cost a kidney.

has anyone else come across any other one? basically one that i can leave on over night, propane powered, and most importantly no carbon monoxide coming in.

i may just have to build my own, but i wanted to put this out there before i started.

[Element 79]

Re: Tent Heaters

I don't like the idea of exhausting propane burning devices inside a tent but plenty of people use the catalytic units. They say they are safe from producing carbon monoxide but they also consume oxygen and produce carbon dioxide and water vapor and none of that is desirable inside a tent. I like to build my own gadgets too and have been tinkering with tent heaters. Have built one that runs on a propane stove outside the tent and loops steam to a heat exchanger inside the tent self powered by thermoelectric modules but it's not efficient enough for my liking and requires too much attention for me to call it reliable while sleeping. I bought the parts to build a unit similar to the Zodi but haven't started it yet. Building an efficient heat exchanger over the propane burner is the toughest part. The best and easiest heat that I've been using is just a good cold weather sleeping bag and a couple of the Hot Hands brand hand warmers in the sleeping bag. They work excellent. A 10 pack is just over $6 at Walmart

[Mike]

Re: Tent Heaters

There are plenty of these propane heaters available for campers. Little Buddy is one that folks talk about. Search this forum site and you will find discussion threads about tent heaters

I have never used tent heaters because I just snuggle into my sleeping bag and that is all the comfort I need

I did get a couple old Coleman Catalytic heaters to use when guests join us. I tested them with CO2 tester and they didn't seem to be putting out any Carbon monoxide

[gmann]

Re: Tent Heaters

I purchased the big buddy heater last September for some late fall camping in northern MN. Every day we woke up to temps in the low twenties and the tent was kept nice and warm. The heater has a couple nice safety features such as: low oxygen shut off and a tip over safety shutoff. However, the front of the heater is hot so if it were to tip over and land on its grill then you could have an issue of your tent melting or burning. Also, I would recommend using a twenty pound tank and not the small disposable ones as the heater tends to suck gas out of those pretty quick. Lastly, the biggest downside to using propane is that it creates a lot of condensation. Definitely some pros and cons to it but it is a decent investment.

[steelphoto12]

Re: Tent Heaters

hi Mike,

Thank you for the response. of course CO2/fire is my biggest concern. so what i have done is actually started building my own propane powered heater where the actual burner unit will be outside of the tent.

Also, i think any fuel you burn will give off CO2, granted depending on how much fuel is being burned and how clean its burning would vary the amount of CO2 that is being emitted. (correct me if i am wrong)

[Skwerly]

Re: Tent Heaters

Yeah, been hearing a lot about the buddy heater.

[MacGyver]

Re: Tent Heaters

anyone know of a "safe" heat, tent heater? i know there was a product called Zodi Tent Heater, but they no longer offer this product and even if they did they cost a kidney.

has anyone else come across any other one? basically one that i can leave on over night, propane powered, and most importantly no carbon monoxide coming in.

i may just have to build my own, but i wanted to put this out there before i started.

I really wanted one of those myself. I contacted Zodi about 2 years ago about that heater and they told me (back then) that they were reintroducing them in Spring. Obviously that didn't happen. From what I can tell from reading around the 'Net, they were pulled off the market due to some of the units melting.

I've been trying to MacGyver one myself, but every idea I come up with is just too expensive. Most of my ideas centered around large diameter iron pipe and custom propane burners, neither of which are cheap. It might also help if I were set up to work metal. Got most of a woodshop but very little to work metal. But, as it is, the Big Buddy works very well and, unlike the Zodi, doesn't FRIKKIN' MELT! :p

[tplife]

Re: Tent Heaters

The only "safe" tent heater I've ever seen that didn't emit CO is a 110V electric space heater that works like a toaster. It still has a burning hazard, but won't emit CO. It comes down to how long your extension cord can reach, eh? I certainly agree that the Buddy (or IMHO Wave) heaters are the best option if you have no electricity in your tent. Paired with a carbon monoxide detector you have a fairly "safe" setup.

[MacGyver]

Re: Tent Heaters

For what it's worth, here are the specs the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued from their tests on various propane heaters. Heater G is the Buddy heater by Mr. Heater. Heater H is the Tag-a-long heater by DynaGlow (A Mr Heater knockoff, available at Home Depot and probably elsewhere).
Both appear to come in well below the ANZI specified limit.
STILL WON'T GO WITHOUT A CO DETECTOR!
Heater Specs
The pdf file is on a slow server so it may take a while to load, but it'll eventually get there.

[tplife]

Re: Tent Heaters

Excellent link to the pdf MacG. I'd add that Key features of Wave series catalytic heaters include "Produces no harmful amounts of carbon monoxide and causes no battery drain". I'd guess that keeps their output range under the ANSI maximum limits for CO output.

[James.]

Re: Tent Heaters

Whars a CO detector cost? $10? Cheap insurance against a defective heater.

[MacGyver]

Re: Tent Heaters

I don't think any of the catalytics produce much CO, I think due to the fact that they don't use an open flame as the source of heat. The Buddy and Tag-a-long heaters do have a small pilot flame, about the size of a candle. I would guess that that's where a good bit of the small amount of emissions they put out comes from. And, even if they have a fan, I don't think they have to be used - at least not on any that I've looked at.

I looked at the wave heaters back when I had a popup. Despite the great specs, I ruled them out because they're 1) expensive as hell and 2) the forums tell me they're very prone to dying early due to dust. All catalytics should be covered when not in use, but the Wave heaters seem especially sensitive to dirt.

And, yeah, CO detectors are cheap. Seen 'em run from about $10 to 30+. I think mine was right in the middle somewhere.

[tplife]

Re: Tent Heaters

If you have deep pockets, the Wave series are the best in safe portables. The CO detectors out here are $30-$40, the cheaper ones run on AC and require an outlet, which to me is stupid because that typically puts them on the floor, the opposite of where you'd want them to measure atmospheric CO accumulation (higher up inside).


http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...y-heater/19332

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Tent Heaters

I use a mr buddy heater. I don't run it while sleeping just because the risk is to great. But it takes the chill off the morning or evening air. I have a co2 sensor as well. But when you factor in killing your family or catching a sleeping bag on fire, it just ain't worth it. Just my 2 cents.

[James.]

Re: Tent Heaters

If you have deep pockets, the Wave series are the best in safe portables. The CO detectors out here are $30-$40, the cheaper ones run on AC and require an outlet, which to me is stupid because that typically puts them on the floor, the opposite of where you'd want them to measure atmospheric CO accumulation (higher up inside).


http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...y-heater/19332

I used to think the opposite. That you would want them near the floor but I looked it up and CO is about the same weight at air. So it doesn't really matter weather it is high or low.