Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Mr. Heater "Buddy Heater" hooked to Propane line in coach. (Read 1628 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Mr. Heater "Buddy Heater" hooked to Propane line in coach.

Reply #20 –
I have replaced my CO, fire/smoke and LP detectors.  Thanks Michelle for reminding us of that important fact. 

Re: Mr. Heater "Buddy Heater" hooked to Propane line in coach.

Reply #21 –
Quote from: Home2fromHastings –
......................This works quite well.  I will try to get some pictures in the morning and post specifics. ...................................

Roger
Roger, my dash is apart and I can take pictures in the morning, if it will save you the effort.
I am only going to install a switch to be able to shut the darned thing off "at will".  Did you install it somehow to automatically prevent the fan from running whenever you are on AquaHot?

After all of these years of owners exclaiming about "how quiet the Aqua Hot is", I was dismayed to find that the constantly cycling dash fan (at least on the 2002) has louder dB and is more annoying than the 1998 single propane furnace design.

Let me know about the picture.  My dash is still in pieces at the moment.  I figured it out based on Jim McNeece's description and then just finding (sound and touch) the cycling "permission" relay.

Neal

Re: Mr. Heater "Buddy Heater" hooked to Propane line in coach.

Reply #22 –
Roger and Falconguy, I have the panel removed right now to install a switch to reset my tank sensors so I can easily post a pic tomorrow of the switch I put on our front Aquahot blower.  It made a day and night difference in the noise level and more even heat as Roger said.

It's a little trouble to find the relay but well worth the effort.

Re: Aqua Hot Front Blower Control, Blower Speed Controls

Reply #23 –
As I recall the relay was on the driver's side of the blower box towards the rear corner. The relay is one of these black cubes.  I think there are four terminals in a square pattern and one off to the side.  The one off to the side is the one you want as I recall.  It is kind of why I wanted to open it up to see. Put a switch in the line leading to the odd terminal.  Add wire as required to get a switch where you want it. I put mine on the bottom curve of the lower dash panel above the go pedal.  It is the round switch.  The square switch is a defrost control work around for something else that went aouth.

Find the relay and confirm which wire does what.

This switch will interupt the AH telling the front blower to come on.  On or off this switch will have no impact on the operation of the front blower in heat or AC when the ignition is on.  If the ignition is on the AH cannot tell the front blower to turn on.

It will do what Neal wants, turn the front blower off when AH is on.

I am also experimenting with speed controllers on the other two AH heat exchanger fans in the LR.  A single loop feeds all three heat exchangers.  A single pump moves heated coolant through the loop. If the front blowe is off and the other two are running at a slower speed they will be quieter and extract heat slower from the loop and in order to add the same amount of heat into the room will run longer.

We have in-floor heat in our home and the rate of heat transfer is regulated by flow rate through the loops.  Temperature is measured at the beginning and end of the loop.  Flow rates too fast mean less heat transfer, to slow and the return water is much cooler.  Running the AH fans slower and turning off the front fan reduces the rate of heat transfer.

Controlling one fan is easy.  To do both the wiring from the speed controller  needs to get routed into the AH location.  Way easier said than done in our 36'.

I do all of this stuff and have a hard time remembering to take pictures.

Roger

Re: Mr. Heater "Buddy Heater" hooked to Propane line in coach.

Reply #24 –
As a follow up. The "Big Buddy" has the proper connections to directly connect to the low pressure piping in an RV. It has a quick connect that bypasses the onboard regulator.

The smaller portable buddy (which I use around the house) does not have a bypass for the onboard regulator. It's designed to only be connected directly to a propane tank. I'm sure it could be rigged up to work on the low pressure header, but it really isn't worth the effort.

The down fall of these buddy heaters is they do not have a thermostat built in. However, an empire heater can be had with thermostat in radiant or convective (blue flame): Empire Heating Systems: Vent-Free Radiant and Blue Flame Heaters

Re: Mr. Heater "Buddy Heater" hooked to Propane line in coach.

Reply #25 –
We have one of the Harbor Freight unvented heaters installed for a back up. 49 state legal. They have a thermostat as well as a low O2 cutoff. You have to really believe the moon is made of cheese to think the low oxy cutoff will really work. Ours generated high CO until I repositioned the burner. CO at high altitude and a possible heart condition can be fatal if the low oxy level does not kill you during the night. Going outside for fresh air won't do much good either as it takes many hours to get the CO out of your blood. Just keep a window cracked when using it and don't forget.

The radiant variety are less attractive as they may overheat anything in front of them.

Pierce

Re: Mr. Heater "Buddy Heater" hooked to Propane line in coach.

Reply #26 –
I have the medium sized Buddy heater which can use a disposable propane cylinder or can run from a barbecue bottle with a hose adapter. I've used it both ways. It can be used to heat up an engine to get it to start in very cold weather, which was what I intended it for initially. I used it a few times inside my coach to see if the fumes would kill me and so far I have no drain bramage  :P

Re: Mr. Heater "Buddy Heater" hooked to Propane line in coach.

Reply #27 –
Got a small Buddy Heater and operates on small propane cylinder.  Puts out lots of heat but have not used for a long length of time.  These appear to be good heaters.  Got mine from Academy on E Bay.  DAN

Re: Mr. Heater "Buddy Heater" hooked to Propane line in coach.

Reply #28 –
This is just what the doctor ordered! If it been a snake it bit me!!! WOW What a great idea, there goes the sofa and all that crap under it . In comes a nice love seat that reclines . Just need to keep a window cracked And get the love seat in  ;)