Can anyone out there suggest a way to run a propane hose from an outside 20lb propane tank into a Scamp 13 to run Mr Heater Big Buddy ?
Sun, 12/19/2021 - 10:32
#1
Winter heating while Boondocking
I wouldn't use a Mr Heater Big Buddy in a small, fairly air-tight space like a Scamp because it is not a direct vent heater/furnace. I am paranoid about carbon monoxide poisoning because I have known people who have gotten sick and died from heaters like that in houses and fish houses. I also believe in using carbon monoxide/propane detectors in trailers with direct vent furnaces, let alone non-direct vent. Yes, there are places to run hoses from propane tanks.
I can certainly understand everyone's concern about running a Buddy Heater in an enclosed space. I have been spending at least two weeks a year if not more camping in winter conditions in Northern WI for the past 15 years. I run the Buddy Heater that is rated for indoor use from a hose and 40 lb propane tank that is set outside my tent. I do use a carbon monoxide detector and make sure to ventilate. I have never had the alarm go off or even register CO levels. I'm just wondering if there's an opening somewhere on the Scamp 13 to run a hose inside as a backup to my furnace while boondocking.
The Big Buddy heaters are good if used safely. However, the byproduct of using LPG is WATER! Really produce aa lot of unwanted moisture...
Home: WV - 2014 Scamp Layout 6
Obviously the House battery is the limiting factor. And yet it is likely the best for Carbon monoxide and moisture concerns. We have run a couple days on a new Group 29 size, full charged to start. For short trips we rely on that. I do not have any real experience with Ventless heat sources. .Beyond the huge amount of moisture released in my neighbors garage with it closed up.
2019 Scamp 13 standard
I'm looking for a heating option for the occasional cold nights while camping during shoulder season...not for deep winter camping, but just something for safe use in fall and late winter, since the Scamp heater takes so much propane and is too loud to run all night. Are the Buddy heaters reliable and safe? Is there a particular one that would be good use in a 13' ? What are some other heater options out there?
I'm also wondering about using a small electric ceramic type heater if I camp with hookups. Are these heaters safe? And do I need to use good ventilation with this type of heater as well? And last, what is considered proper, good and SAFE ventilation, at a minimum? The window above the stove? One or both side windows? I also have a CO2 detector. Thanks!!
Patrice Mott
I'm no help for boondocking options, but I really like the little 700W oil-filled electric radiators for when you have shore power. They don't get as hot on the outside, which reduces burn issues and fire hazard. But they have huge surface area, so they put off a good amount of heat. We use one in our Scamp 19 and it keeps things very comfortable without a furnace or having to use the heat-strip.
I also highly recommend 120V mattress pad heaters for cold nights on shore power. A warm bed is far more important than a warm trailer, most nights.
Shifting from actual advice to rambling: None of our trailers have ever had an operational furnace. But from what I've heard they don't sound like a great solution. The Airstram Basecamp uses Truma Combi™ Eco Plus Heating System, that appears to be a boiler system for both hot water and heat. (https://truma.net/heating-systems/truma-combi-eco-plus) Probably too expensive for me, but the idea is very attractive.
It shouldn't be too hard to do something similar on a home-brew basis. It would still need a 12v pump and 12v fan in a tractor or truck add-on heater box, but you could likely do better than the furnace howler. And you don't add another huge appliance. I haven't worked out the details, and likely won't think seriously about it until I'm renovating my next trailer. And that may be a few years.
Thanks for your reply Keith!
Patrice Mott
I don't have heat in my 13', but I LOVE my little Honeywell ceramic heater. It does double duty heating my home office in the winter too. It heats up the Scamp nicely in really cold weather (down to the 30s one night!). I run it on the floor, which is where you really feel the cold. The rat fur insulates the walls and ceiling nicely. I have an assortment of rugs to put down when it is cold. I unplug it when I am not in the trailer too--I don't trust campground electrical systems to not have power surges, etc. I've never had a problem but I have heard it can happen.
Rhonda Riebow
Thanks for this. I will check out the Honeywell fo times when hooking up...
Patrice Mott
I use a small portable electric heater when hooked up to electricity. It does not take much to heat a Scamp, especially a 13-footer. You should make sure that the heater has a shut off switch in case it tips over. I think almost all do now days. I figure that I have already paid for the electricity so I might as well save the propane for cooking or boondocking. The electric heater is not going to use air from within the trailer for combustion like a non-direct vent heater (e.g., Mr. Buddy) and there is no chance that it is going to release CO or propane into the trailer like a non-direct vent or direct vent heater could. And, it will not produce water vapor like a non-direct vent heater does. I do not use the electric heater when I am not in the trailer just because I am cautious with all electrical/mechanical things. Most types of electric heaters would be fine and they don't need to be big (e.g., size of loaf of bread is good). Although Scamps are quite tight, you probably don't need to crack a window or at least not much for electric heat.
I don't find our Scamp Direct Vent furnace that noisy but I often am tired from driving, hiking, etc. that it doesn't keep me awake (try ear plugs!). I also don't think the Scamp furnace uses a lot of propane but I haven't measured it. Some people in this forum may have good figures on how many days you can run a furnace continuously. If you do not have a guage on your propane tank, you probably will find one useful. They are inexpensive and can be purchased at hardware stores, Home Depot, Lowes, etc. near the grills. Good camping!
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