Can you use a Big Buddy Heater For Sleeping?

I have a 7×14 camper with a heating problem. I currently use a wood stove to heat this camper which is not very well insulated. It works great but the problem is its very small so when you go to sleep you wake up freezing. I have a sunflower heater but i dont want to sleep with that on. Can i use a big buddy heater for sleeping? I mean is it safe? I have a CO2 detector in the shack and plenty of windows i could crack and i know those units have an auto shutoff feature on them. I just dont want to have to buy a vented heater as they start out at 400$ minimum

I would not, but you have to make your own choice. Read the manual and I would bet it says not for sleeping rooms or something to that effect.

Yes, you can. I use mine in my house in the bedroom because I have heating issues in my house. I would crack a window in your house though because of the heat it does provide. I leave mine on low. It was made to be used indoors as well as outdoors. You might be able to get by with the little buddy heater for it also provides great heat.

I have used mine in a 10×10 canvas tent several times. I also have a battery operated Co detecter which has never alerted. Make sure you provide fresh air low and exhaust venting high. Also if at anytime you feel lightheaded, nausious, or any kind of headach, get to fresh air. I would test my setup for several hours while awake before sleeping. But as a disclaimer, call the manufacturer and see what they say.

Why do they call CO the silent killer?

I use mine from time to time in well ventalated areas. They are designed to be used indoors. They have an automatic CO, low oxygen and tip over shut off. There is no more risk than sleeping in a ice shack over night or some gas furnace houses. However, The manual does say “do not use while sleeping.”

The same reason they call high blood pressure a “silent Killer”. That is why they invented blood pressure cuffs and Co detecters.

I’m going to have to weigh in on this one. I would highly deter using a non ventilated heater in an enclosed enviornment and trust it will shut down as oxygen levels are depleted. This is rolling the dice on a cheap sensor IMHO. Just for the record we put a big buddy heater in my dad’s enclosed trailer at deer camp. We just use if for our clothes and a changing area at camp. we vented the top of the Aluma trailer and had the heater on low. Woke up to a near fire as it melted down completely. The entire trailer was filled with toxic melted plastic fumes. Obviously a flaw in the unit and shouldn’t have happened……..Right? What I’m saying is I hope we all value our lives beyond rolling the dice with non-ventilated heater NOT designed for indoor use.

Directly from the side of the Big Buddy heater box;

**DO NOT SLEEP WHILE HEATER IS RUNNING

**PROVIDE PROPER VENTILATION WHEN OPERATING HEATER.

I’d advise to take heed to these warnings. I love the heaters and run them in our portables, but wouldn’d personally roll the dice with my life. Carbon Monoxide kills Ice anglers every year it seems.

The oxygen depletion is simply designed into the pilot light. If the O2 gets low, the pilot dies down and does not satisfy the thermopile. How many people messed with the pilot to make it stronger, because of the blow out issues, if you did, the O2 depletion is gone..

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I’m going to have to weigh in on this one. I would highly deter using a non ventilated heater in an enclosed enviornment and trust it will shut down as oxygen levels are depleted. This is rolling the dice on a cheap sensor IMHO. Just for the record we put a big buddy heater in my dad’s enclosed trailer at deer camp. We just use if for our clothes and a changing area at camp. we vented the top of the Aluma trailer and had the heater on low. Woke up to a near fire as it melted down completely. The entire trailer was filled with toxic melted plastic fumes. Obviously a flaw in the unit and shouldn’t have happened……..Right? What I’m saying is I hope we all value our lives beyond rolling the dice with non-ventilated heater NOT designed for indoor use.

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and a vented heater blew up an ice house a couple weeks ago….. things happen. Buddy heater is an indoor/outdoor unit. Id just buy a battery powered CO detector, and make sure theres nothing near the heater that can melt. Did you say the heater melted? or something near it? Glad you guys got out ok!

Your life. First off make sure you have the facts of the house that blew up though. My understanding is the pilot went out, yet the unit continued to leak propane. One of the guys woke up and tried to re-light and in effect set off a bomb inside a propane filled house. Seperate heating issue obviously.

As for my personal experience the HEATER melted down completely. On an aluminum floor with NOTHING around it. FORTUNATELY. We may very well have died should we have been sleeping in it as MY GUESS would be there was a defect that definately did NOT kick off the unit. What the question was is “CAN I SLEEP” with a Big buddy heater. I would be quite careful in saying YES on this one. On the box per BIG BUDDY instructions, the manufacturers of the unit clearly say NO.

I would suggest to follow these instructions.

CO fills up a room from the bottom up. You need venting both on the low side and the high side. Spend the money and get a vented heater. Couple years ago at the Great Midwest horse fair 3 people didn’t wake up when they used a similar heater in their horse trailer. It had a big vent in the ceiling but nothing low. Fatal mistake.

Correction Chris.

“Your life, you buddies and possible your families life”

Your choice.

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Correction Chris.

“Your life, you buddies and possible your families life”

Your choice.

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Be safe guys…PLEASE!! Your mothers, wifes, girlfriends, buddies……will thank you.

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CO fills up a room from the bottom up. You need venting both on the low side and the high side. Spend the money and get a vented heater. Couple years ago at the Great Midwest horse fair 3 people didn’t wake up when they used a similar heater in their horse trailer. It had a big vent in the ceiling but nothing low. Fatal mistake.

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actually Kevin, that is incorrect. CO density compared to air is something like 0.9 to 1.0, so it is slightly lighter than air. The heaviest concentration would be near the ceiling.

yeah can somebody confirm that about where CO2 sits in relation to air? I have heard it sinks and i have heard its near the ceiling. Would be important to know for sure

Carbon Monoxide is always lighter than air down to 32 degrees. Plus it come out of the appliance hot which would put it at the ceiling first. Warmest air in the room is at the ceiling therefore it would linger there the longest. What is often forgotten is that if CO is dumping into the building even greater amounts of CO2(Carbon Dioxide) are being emitted. Carbon Dioxide is 40% heavier than air and ends up on the floor rapidly. This could actually prevent CO from getting to an alarm if it is plugged in at a low wall outlet.

I stand corrected. Not having a low side vented properly would prevent the air from entering and leaving properly. The moral of the story is still clear.

I would not trust it. Have any one of you actually tested the O2 shut off or just taking the words off the box that it works?

I tried a test running one in a small suit case style house in my driveway with no open vents open. Ran a propane lantren and buddy heater. They lantren choked out and shut off before the buddy heater. Tried this with 2 different buddy heaters and the lantren snuffed out first. Granted a lantren needs alot more oxygen to run but if something shuts down from low oxygen before a low oxygen sensor I would not trust it…

I don’t have my big buddy box anymore, but just purchased a little buddy. It as indoor safe, but not for sleeping. In my application I never alter the unit from original, it has both a tip over switch and a low oxygen sensor which I also augment with a battery powered carbon monoxide detector that I place at face level in my well ventilated (low vent in and high venting out). Yes there is a chance we risk death in everything we do. Some people will die in the shower after slipping and falling. Even driving to your favorite lake can be fatal when through no fault of your own a semi blows that stop sign and kills you. Then there is the danger of falling though the ice. There are no guarantees in life, but a smart person will incorperate the tools and judgement nessasary to hopefully not meet his demise.

PS did everyone here have their home funace checked before heating season as recommended, also don’t forget those smoke detectors and Co detectors on every level of the house and outside of everyones bedroom.

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but a smart person will incorperate the tools and judgement nessasary to hopefully not meet his demise.

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Hope to see you all around for your 50,000th post!

Mine will not be a life lived long, but it will be a life well lived.

Ask my cardiologist and my financial planner

I’ve spent most of my money on wild women, gambling, and drinking… the rest I wasted.

Again. The outside of the box says WARNING DO NOT SLEEP WITH HEATER RUNNING. Use only in WELL ventilated areas. Seems to be plain and simple directions from the manufacturer of an unventilated heater that produces carbon monoxide. Do as you like, but suggesting in a mass media outlet others should disregard a safety precautions from the manufacturer seems dicey.

So it looks like the score is tied 4 to 4 with one undecided. Which team will win. I tend to side with castle rock clown Of coarse if you use it in a non ventalated area or it touches something and starts a fire your dead.

I assure you there are many winners whom follow threads and just went….”WOW I never thought about that and it’s NOT intended to be used in this fashion” If it saved one persons life…..He’s the winner along with his family. Don’t mess around with Carbon Monoxide.

To clear the air, what I posted was predominantly what I myself experienced…maybe I’m the luckiest guy in the world. My advice is to never bet your own life on another mans luck. Follow the instructions both on the box and in the owners manual. I’m out.

Have ever woke up at 3 a.m. having to puke and sh$t all at the same time ? Only to find out you can’t stand or walk because you are so weak. I HAVE ! Luckily I was able to roll down to the front door, get it open and suck in some fresh air
so I could get the wife and kids out. A burner was plugged on our natural gas furnace that filled the house with CO. We were lucky, but I’ll never forget that and to this day I can still that gas.
DON’T SLEEP WITH ANY NON-VENTED GAS APPLIANCE> !!!!!!!!
Regardless of what the box says.
WKW

The Dr. said that when you are in the condition I was you have 15 minutes left in your life. THANK GOD that the man upstairs woke me up ! He must have a plan for me.
WKW

What the question was is “CAN I SLEEP” with a Big Buddy heater.

The answer might just be “Eternally”!