Alternative to big buddy

I have a big buddy for my wheelhouse that works ok, but it randomly shuts down on overnights at the worst times. Has happened hunting and fishing in mild to crazy cold temps. I run two separate co2 sensors that never go off.

I do not want to cut walls and install anything permanent in the house since it is used for different purposes all year. Best case would be something that has a thermostat and would turn off and on as keeping a decent “not cold not inferno” temp has been a challenge.

There must be something better. I have two 20lb tanks on a rack outside. 12v is always available. 120 sometimes.

My buddy had same problem with his in their wheelhouse, once they started cracking a window by the unit it works perfect. The oxygen sensor is quite sensitive from what we gathered.

tindall wrote:

I have a big buddy for my wheelhouse that works ok, but it randomly shuts down on overnights at the worst times. Has happened hunting and fishing in mild to crazy cold temps. I run two separate co2 sensors that never go off.

nhamm wrote:

My buddy had same problem with his in their wheelhouse, once they started cracking a window by the unit it works perfect. The oxygen sensor is quite sensitive from what we gathered.

The Buddy heater, as stated, has a low oxygen sensor NOT a carbon monoxide sensor. These two items are NOT the same thing.

You say you are running two carbon dioxide sensors, I assume you meant to write carbon monoxide? Just because the carbon monoxide level is OK, doesn’t mean that the oxygen level inside the shack is OK.

Sounds like the heater is OK and working as intended, you need more fresh air in the shack. If in doubt, buy an oxygen meter and check the air next time the Buddy heater cuts off.

Just install a vented furnace with a thermostat.

Yep its not a good sign at all if your big buddy is shutting off like that at night. It shouldn’t shut off unless its struggling for oxygen and that’s not something to mess with. I’d install some sort of vented furnace like was said before.

Assuming he did, but checked the propane levels?

(Captain Obvious probably).

Huntindave wrote:

I assume you meant to write carbon monoxide?

Sounds like the heater is OK and working as intended, you need more fresh air in the shack. If in doubt, buy an oxygen meter and check the air next time the Buddy heater cuts off.

Yes CO detectors.

What is in the shack then if it’s not CO and I’m lacking fresh air? Is it trying to kill me or just angering my heater?

There are two small permanent vents and I tinker with two slightly cracked windows. If I’m awake and opening the door once in a while it works fine so oxygen sensor makes sense. Haven’t had enough nights to dial in the proper window openings – sometimes it runs fine, sometimes not.

The oxygen sensor is there to insure that the heater has enough oxygen to burn efficiently. With the lack of enough oxygen the heater will produce more Co which will kill you. It is added on most non vented heaters as a safety feature so you are not overcome by gas. I always check that the low oxygen sensor is working properly before the start of fishing season. And always verify your Co detector is working every trip out.

Doesnt the big buddy pump alot of moisture into your wheel house? Cracking windows and opening doors in the middle of the night seems more inconvenient than mounting a wall heater that you could remove in the offseason.

How about a small generator and an electric space heater?

-J.

tindall wrote:

What is in the shack then if it’s not CO and I’m lacking fresh air? Is it trying to kill me or just angering my heater?

Air is made up of many components, with oxygen being only one of them. Oxygen makes up about 21% of the “air” and nitrogen is 78% of the “air” we breath. The 1% remaining volume is carbon dioxide, neon, methane, helium, hydrogen and others.

The lack of oxygen will both, anger your heater, as well as kill you. As an example; There is nothing “poisonous” with carbon dioxide, it is normally less than 1% of the air we breath. However, if we venture into a closed space (think steel tank, old refrigerator,railroad tanker car or in this case ice fishing shack) that is say 78% nitrogen (normal), 11% carbon dioxide (not normal) and 11% oxygen (too low), we will pass out almost immediately and die in minutes.

It is not the nitrogen nor the carbon dioxide which kills us. It is simply the lack of oxygen. That is what the low oxygen sensor on the Buddy Heater is trying to prevent. It is trying to prevent the oxygen level in the air from getting too low to support life.

Thanks everyone! Good to know what is trying to kill me.

At this point I don’t spend enough nights in it to justify installing a ventless, and I am still skeptical of where I could place it without it getting in the way or not distributing heat where I want it. Safety wise, I can get plenty of air in if needed and the moisture isn’t too bad – might just need to run it higher than low. Maybe when the boys are old enough to be more interested I will go ventless.

I have run a space heater and that would probably be enough (maybe need to warm everything up with the buddy first). Spray foam and foamed floor make the whole thing pretty well insulated. Easier to invested in an extended run gas cap then a whole new heating system. I might try the presto heat dish from costco too at 1000w. I don’t like it very warm at night but I have trouble with holes freezing up even with sleeves and fans right above them.