I’ve attached a couple of photos. I use a tomato paste can that is only 2 1/8″ in diameter.

Grouseman

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Thinking Outside The Box

OK so I was reading an issue of Backwoodsman magazine about how to make a pop can stove and use alcohol (fondue fuel) for the source of heat. Then I looked at a couple of YouTube videos. My little flip shack is so small I need to keep opening it up so I don’t roast, the odd time the “Little Buddy” heater does work. So next year when I go out on the ice I will take the smallest tin can I can find, pour just a touch of fondue fuel in it, and see if it will put out enough heat. At least I know it will work unlike the unreliable “Little Buddy”. Has anyone else any experience with this sort of simple approach??

OK so here’s the latest report on my Little Buddy Heater (Model MH4B). As already mentioned, I originally bought one unit which crapped out, and was sent a replacement unit by Mr. Heater. So I ended up with two units, the second of which crapped out last week. Well desperate time call for desperate measures and I fully took apart the replacement unit to see how it is supposed to work.

The temperature sensor is in fact a thermocouple (not a capillary tube) which generates a milli-voltage signal that depends on the temperature. The higher the temperature, the greater the milli-volts. This signal is sent to a solenoid valve in the end of the main control valve. When there are enough milli-volts the solenoid valve will stay open allowing propane to flow to the main burner. I tried to get the milli-volt reading on my volt ohm metre but it was too coarse a reading. I’m guessing maybe 15 milli-volts. Personally I don’t see how the thermocouple would fail as it is protected by a metal sheath which isolates it from the oxidizing or reducing effects of the pilot flame. I believe the solenoid valves are the culprits. Having said that there is a slight possibility of the “tip over switch” failing open. This is easy enough to check with your volt ohm metre.

So I dissembled (read destroyed) the main control valve on the second unit but at least now I know how it is supposed to work. I swapped the solenoid valve between the replacement unit and the original one. Low and behold now the original one is working even when I leave it out in the cold.

I gutted the main control valve on the remaining unit and it is now operated on full manual control with no safe guards on it. I don’t recommend this to anyone, as with out the built in safeguards your safety is at risk.

Soooo!!! Tomorrow I plan to go ice fishing!!!

Take care, Grouseman

Here is some follow up on my Little Buddy heater

I bought the Mr. Heater Little Buddy heater about 3 years ago. I have a Frabill one man flip shack so the 3800 btu/hr was more than enough heat. Also I needed the small size of the Little Buddy as my flip shack is very limited in space. Shortly after I bought it the thing it stopped working when it got below freezing. I contacted the manufacturer and followed their instructions with regards to cleaning the pilot orifice. Still it would not work at below freezing temperatures. The manufacturer kindly sent me a brand new replacement unit.

Well that unit worked well for about 2 years. Now it is the exact same darn problem. The pilot light ignites just fine. Then when you take your finger off of the red start button it extinguishes itself. Instruction say to hold the red start button for 30 to 60 second. I have tried holding the red start button in for 5 minutes (nice pilot flame) and the lousy thing still won’t work!! And yes I have cleaned the pilot light orifice.

As far as I can tell the flame sensor is some kind of thermocouple which puts out a milli-voltage when heated. This in turn pulls in a weak magnet in the main control valve. I know it would remove the safety feature, but if I could bypass the lousy thing I would.

I would love to get it going as this is prime ice fishing time. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

My advice to folks looking for a reliable heater is to not bother with the Mr. Heater Little Buddy. In my opinion it is a piece of crap.

Grouseman

Hi Dave. What baffles me on the Little Buddy is that the insulated wire coming off the thermocouple is so very small and it ends in a single spade type connector. I would have expected it to end in two spade connectors. Then I thought it might be grounded to the burner for the second wire. I wouldn’t have thought the millivoltage would be enough to hold the valve open?

Thanks for your thoughts, Grouseman

Hi Abster. Thanks for the reply and comments. I took the heater all apart and removed and reinstalled the push on thermocouple connection to the tip over switch. Then I tightened the nut where the thermocouple signal enters the regulator. Now miraculously it works fine even after overnight in the freezer. I can’t figure out if fine line from the thermocouple is a capillary tube or wire? Oh well it works now. I still think it is way to temperamental but it really heats up my ice fishing flip shack.

Thanks for the help, Grouseman

Do you know how to test the existing thermocouple??

Thanks, Grouseman

Dear Folks. These little Buddy heaters seem plagued with problems. I bought one about two years ago. When the temperature got really cold for ice fishing the pilot would work but not the main flame. It worked fine when at room temperature in my workshop. I contacted their tech folks in Cleveland and was told to clean the orifice even though it was brand new which I did. Then they told me to put it in the freezer and then try it, but the same old problem existed (pilot but no main flame). The tech folks say they are tested to -30 deg F and my freezer was only at 5 deg F. I suggested they put a minimum operating temp on their packaging and they immediately sent me a brand new one that works fine. I have the old one and have decided to play around with it as I have nothing to lose. Has anyone done any detailed work on these other than simple cleaning? These units are actually made in China and I suspect many of them are faulty right out of the box. You shouldn’t need to be a mechanic to get a brand new unit to work.

I look forward to your comments, Grouseman