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So as part of getting the wife and kids on the ice an having a good time I think I may need to add a heater. I have the Clam big foot witch is 7.5' x 7.5' not huge but not exactly small either but with 4 it can get kind of cramped. So I was wondering what heater to look at. The smaller sunflower 1lb tank top heater or the next step up buddy heater.
So please let me learn form your experiences and mistakes.
Thank You
Majja
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I have that small sunflower, it heats my two man instantly, be in t-shirts quick, that little thing puts out some heat.
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I use a mister heater, mister cooker, never have had a problem with it.
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I have a FATFISH 4 and have a "Mister Heater Buddy". Most of the time I fish in a flannel shirt. If it is very windy outside I have tuned it up to high, must most of the time I operate it on medium. My tent is not one of the insulated type but stays very comfy.
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I posted this as a tent heater option last year and I'm going to try it next time out.
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I remember that, now I see that. I like that mod mmmm warm food on the ice.
Thanks all
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I have the Clam Bigfoot xl4000T. I have a Mr. Buddy heater that heats it up nicely. Me and my 3 young boys fit in it and like others have said, before long I'm down to a flannel shirt pretty quickly. I know others use a small fan to help push the heat down as it rises, but that's not something I've done yet.
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Mr. heater has worked well for me. We use a mini propane tank( White one, no green) and just put it outside. If the heater starts to act up you bring the tank inside to warm up a bit.
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I've used both in 3 man and 6 man tents.
The Mr Heater pumps out some serious heat in a real hurry. It worries me though. Too hot, to exposed, and too unstable. Kids in a small tent . . . someone will end up with burnt clothing, a serious burn on the hand, or tipping it over and melting the tent wall. It's not like the Buddy heaters don't have the same hot grill issue, but its definitely more stable, and a little less exposed. Burnt/melted snow pants is still a real possibility with cramped up kids. Harder to tip/turn and melt the tent wall (and shuts off it bumped).
Little buddy heater heats up a 3 man just fine. Takes longer than Mr Heater, but still gets it to a nice toasty temp. I've used it at night in 5 degrees, and it was helpful, but marginal in a 3 man at those low temps and no help from the sun. The wife still got cold. Plenty of heater for milder conditions.
Big buddy is where I've settled, and what I take every time I take the family out. Esp with the small fan that can blow the heat towards whomever is cold-blooded. Heats my 6 man to toasty temps, no problem.
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I have a Shappel 3 man and the Mr. Heater Portable Buddy does a great job heating it up.
Mark
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I got a refurbished Buddy last year and it's been great. My usual MO is to drill 2-4 holes on one side of the tent, but one always goes about a foot from one corner. The heater goes in that corner, usually in a footing made from the slush and chips from the hole so it doesn't move, pointing diagonally into the tent. The benefits are that no one gets close to it because of the hole, and the meltwater from the heater drains into the hole. I don't think I'd want to do it with a 10-12" hole, as the heater could get kicked down the hole maybe.
If you get a Buddy and want to use it with a 10 or 20 lb propane tank, it needs a hose. I would recommend getting the hose that doesn't need an external filter. The hose I got was the one that does need a separate filter and not only is it going to need replacing, it's also a pain to fit the hose to the filter.
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I can get what you are saying I only have a 6" and an 8" auger so that is not a problem. Is the back of the heater right against the tent?
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Oh no, it gets pretty hot back there, it needs a few inches clearance.
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Best ice shelter heater ever is the Coleman Focus 5/10. Tall/rectangular, super stable, ALWAYS lights!
Hard to find but worth every penny.
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Do you have any problems with grease dripping down on the pilot light...I was gonna do this but wondered if grease would be a problem.
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Ton of options out there...I switched to the big buddy couple years ago and never looked back. It uses two 1lb bottles at a time and with the big buddy bag two more are carried in the outside pockets so you always have 4 bottles and the heater in one package. I can run the big buddy for at least 6 hrs on 2 bottles...I also started refilling my own 1lb bottles using a 5lb tank cause paying $5 a shot gets expensive. Now I can fill fifteen 1lb bottles for under $20.
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Is there a limit on how many times you should reuse those 1 lb bottles? I've been thinking of switching, pulling all my stuff up a boat ramp requires at least half a dozen rest stops.
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Check out youtube man I don't believe they go bad unless the valve needs replacing. I bought the adapter from cabelas for $18. My advice is follow safety tips...I use the valve method instead of pre-cooling the bottles. I bought a digital scale from Harbor Freight $20 it works great. A store bought bottle weight approx 1.83lbs full. I weigh a used one first then fill it until I get close to the store bought weight. I regularly see my empty bottles weighing just under a pound which about right considering they are suppose to contain 1lb of propane. I have been saving my green bottles for a while but they are easy to find from folks who normally throw them in the trash. I am looking forward to saving quite a bit this ice season.
You probably already know this but I'll say it...propane bottle pressure expands relative to an increase in ambient temperature. Manufacturing standards usually leave 20% of the bottle capacity for expansion to prevent over pressures. This is why it's very important not to overfill these small bottles. During cold months you can get away with it but bad practice will lead to serious consequences during the summer. I'm only saying all this for anyone looking to refill their own...do your homework and you will happily enjoy saving some cash...sorry for rough read this is from my phone.
Dwayne
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I saw a refill kit at Sams club in Sandy yesterday, I do not remember the cost.
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I have a quick fish 6 with a big buddy heater. It will heat my tent up nicely. And for the really cold days it has the fan on it.
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