Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

What is a safe brand of portable space heater to leave running in a trailer when cats are in it and no humans are present? Or when the human is asleep?

Other than an electric ceramic heater with a safety shut off if tipped, I can't think of anything portable.

There is no unvented gas heater that is safe to use in a teardrop. I made a propane radiant tube heater for mine. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=58648&start=45#p1062402 It is not portable but is simple and low cost. There is vented heaters that require mounting and venting that you could buy But to me they are a little pricy for using a couple times a year(I am frugal).

the exhaust pipe

the burner

the radiant tube without the reflector.

Mr Heater Buddy 4,000-9,000-BTU Indoor-Safe Portable Radiant Heater



I have the large version, the "Big Buddy" for emergency and backup heat - complete overkill for a trailer although you can run it all the way down to the same 4K BTU

I know the Big Buddy can be adapted to a grill/RV tank in addition to its native bottles. Not sure about the regular Buddy.

It's my understanding you can't drop down to the Little Buddy because that one is NOT indoor safe.

If you read the warning tag on the buddy heater I thing you will find ( provide ventilation ) I would never trust the safeties on a un-venter heater when sleeping.Most safety's is a thermocouple a little bit from the flame. when their is a low oxygen the flame will not heat the therocouple and it will shut off ,one hopes!! You may be sleeping forever. Ask any DNR officer about un-venter heaters in fish houses. Not good!! Plus a unvented heater puts lots of water in the air.
Just my opinion. Be safe.

khigh wrote:Mr Heater Buddy 4,000-9,000-BTU Indoor-Safe Portable Radiant Heater



I have the large version, the "Big Buddy" for emergency and backup heat - complete overkill for a trailer although you can run it all the way down to the same 4K BTU

I know the Big Buddy can be adapted to a grill/RV tank in addition to its native bottles. Not sure about the regular Buddy.

It's my understanding you can't drop down to the Little Buddy because that one is NOT indoor safe.

When I was researching heaters for my 4x8 trailer, I looked at the same model you show, but the warning on the backside scared me off I got this photo straight from their website, when I just now tried to pull up the manual Went the other direction, to electric. I ended up getting a Lasko My Heat, which only draws 200 watts, and can heat up my 4x8 in a hurry. I've also used it inside my HHR Panel, when I spend the night at work (when ice storms prevent my 120 mile round-trip). Keeps me warm down to 8 degrees (lowest temp seen).

A smoke and C0 detector is a good insurance policy. Whatever you decide upon, best not to go to sleep with it on. Heat the place, then shut it all off. Sleep.

If you do the heat then shut off method always have a CO detector. You wouldn't want to go to sleep in a small room filled with CO and no oxygen.

If you heat the trailer well before leaving, the cats can probably keep themselves warm. Maybe one of those covered beds they can crawl into.

working on it wrote:When I was researching heaters for my 4x8 trailer, I looked at the same model you show, but the warning on the backside scared me off

f232000 backside warning.jpg

I got this photo straight from their website, when I just now tried to pull up the manual

Capture.JPG

Went the other direction, to electric. I ended up getting a Lasko My Heat, which only draws 200 watts, and can heat up my 4x8 in a hurry. I've also used it inside my HHR Panel, when I spend the night at work (when ice storms prevent my 120 mile round-trip). Keeps me warm down to 8 degrees (lowest temp seen).

From the Mr Buddy instruction manual, emphasis mine:

General Information:
• This heater is safe for indoor use in small recreational
enclosures having means for providing combustion air
and ventilation, such as enclosed porches, cabins, fishing
huts, trailers, tent trailers, tents, truck caps and vans.
It may be used for emergency indoor heating when
connected to a disposable 1-lb. propane cylinder and
for indoor use in commercial enclosures, having means
for providing combustion air and ventilation, such as
construction trailers or temporary work enclosures

http://www.campingworld.com/includes/pr ... manual.pdf

I recommend anyone considering using a gas fired space heater in an enclosed space do your own research and take the added precaution of installing a CO detector. Having said that, the 4k/9k Mr Buddy requires 4 square inches of combustion air opening to provide adequate combustion and makeup air.

Maybe because I was born and raised in a house heated by nothing but natural gas fired space heaters I'm not afraid of them. I do recognize the need for a fresh air supply. In a drafty old house that isn't a big concern. In a mostly air-tight tiny trailer it is a huge concern. But a window, or two, cracked open and respect for clearances and I've slept just fine in my trailer or my deer blind... or my parents' old drafty house.

Begin Flames in 5, 4, 3, 2

It's a subject I know a thing or two about, but yes, people die of C0, usually, in their sleep. Shut off possible sources of C0 before lights out. Leaving on a 110v electric heater isn't the most brilliant idea either.

We have one of the cube ceramic heaters and found out that it can not be set low enough so I replaced it with a West Marine heater, more adjustable and works well.
I set us up with an Espar diesel heater which we have yet to use, combustion gases are outside the trailer and only hot air enters the tear.

We use a cube ceramic heater. Avoid the type with three or four fixed settings and get the model with the variable thermostat.

We use electric blankets we have a A/C and a D/C one and we like it cool anyway and in vegas about 30min before we get ready to go in for the night we can turn on the buddy heater and turn it off when we get in trailer and with the blankets it will stay warm tell we fall asleep and when I get up I turn it on so the trailer is warm for the wife. But never sleep with it on all night if you are thinking of doing that open a vent

Since this is for parked at your home and weight or size doesn't matter, you should look at the electric radiant oil heaters.

They give off good heat and are thermostatically controlled. The nice thing is that their surface doesn't get hot enough to burn anything. So if brushed against or even if tipped over they won't ignite anything. They come in different sizes and shapes from baseboard style to upright radiant heater style.

Here is one at Walmart. It is just one example.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Delonghi-Comf ... r/12534593