Mr. Buddy Heaters at Lowes

[chip]

Whilst wandering Lowes last night I came across their stock of Mr. Buddy heaters on sale for 50% off--I bought the version (up to 18K btu) for $67.50.  The 9K version was $37.50.

Get 'em while they're hot.  NO pun intended...

[dademt]

Whilst wandering Lowes last night I came across their stock of Mr. Buddy heaters on sale for 50% off--I bought the version (up to 18K btu) for $67.50. The 9K version was $37.50.
 
Get 'em while they're hot. NO pun intended...

Which lowes were you at?  I work in del and could easily stop by one of the local ones to me.  Online they are still full price.

[tlhdoc]

Chip any chance you could pick one up for me?  I will check out our local Lowe's today, but they never seem to have them on clearance.

[dademt]

Chip any chance you could pick one up for me? I will check out our local Lowe's today, but they never seem to have them on clearance.

Tracy, I am going to start calling around since it does say online that it is half off ( when you put in zip code 19720 for del. ).  Which one were you looking at so I can call to find out if they have stock.

[chip]

It was the North Dover store.

Which model are you looking for?  I bought what looked like the last of the larger models (other than the display)...and there were two of the smaller ones there at the time.

I'll be glad to ride over and see what's left.

[tlhdoc]

Chip if you can pick one up, I would take either one.  The big one would be nice but the small one works in my PU and to heat a room at home.  Let me know if you can get one and I will send you a check.

[scottykrug]

Checked several Lowes by my house and found them all sold out.  Just stumbled into a lowes near my doctor and found the mother load.  After wearing out the speed dial calling all my hunting/camping/fishing buddies, I cleaned them out.  Cashier gave me a funny look as I carted out the door.  They also had those little one time hand heaters for 45 cents.

[SpeakEasy]

Checked several Lowes by my house and found them all sold out.  Just stumbled into a lowes near my doctor and found the mother load.  After wearing out the speed dial calling all my hunting/camping/fishing buddies, I cleaned them out.  Cashier gave me a funny look as I carted out the door.  They also had those little one time hand heaters for 45 cents.

Yeah, they're sold out around here too.



-Speak

[scottykrug]

saw that there was a recall on the larger Big buddy due to leaky valves.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml05/05145.html

Also saw that they only heat the inside of my house here in Colorado.  Apparently, according to the website: "Please note: The Portable Buddy is Certified for Outdoor Use Only In Canada".  Must be the climate. :theking:

[wavery]

saw that there was a recall on the larger Big buddy due to leaky valves.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml05/05145.html

Also saw that they only heat the inside of my house here in Colorado.  Apparently, according to the website: "Please note: The Portable Buddy is Certified for Outdoor Use Only In Canada".  Must be the climate. :theking:

The fact is, Mr Buddy uses a flame to produce heat. In order to have a flame oxygen is part of the fuel that is burned. The by-product of burning oxygen and propane is carbon monoxide.  

Mr Buddy may be safe inside of a PU camper but I wouldn't use one in a sealed camper or room in a house unless I had a Carbon monoxide detector. But then....that's just me. I know that a lot of people do it.

Just don't kid yourself into thinking that Mr Buddy doesn't give off carbon monoxide gas.

[scottykrug]

Outdoor Use Only In Canada

I just chuckle about the thought of not being able to use it outside here in the US.  Gotta watch out for the Mr Buddy police (a subsidiary of the mattress police).  

Seriously, I was thinking that (regarding the CO) when reading the instructions.  Funny how it is touted to be usable in the home, but if you read the fine print, it says to have windows open.  Will experiment with it this weekend out in the garage (open door) with a digital CO detector.

[wavery]

Outdoor Use Only In Canada

I just chuckle about the thought of not being able to use it outside here in the US.  Gotta watch out for the Mr Buddy police (a subsidiary of the mattress police).  

Seriously, I was thinking that (regarding the CO) when reading the instructions.  Funny how it is touted to be usable in the home, but if you read the fine print, it says to have windows open.  Will experiment with it this weekend out in the garage (open door) with a digital CO detector.

I've checked mine with a CO detector in my PU (with everything :p  closed). The levels are quite low. I would just be concerned about burning up all of the oxygen in a closed room or hard sided camper. If you have a window open, you should be fine.

[SkipP]

The fact is, Mr Buddy uses a flame to produce heat. In order to have a flame oxygen is part of the fuel that is burned. The by-product of burning oxygen and propane is carbon monoxide.
 
Mr Buddy may be safe inside of a PU camper but I wouldn't use one in a sealed camper or room in a house unless I had a Carbon monoxide detector. But then....that's just me. I know that a lot of people do it.
 
Just don't kid yourself into thinking that Mr Buddy doesn't give off carbon monoxide gas.

Very true. Used correctly though, the CO emissions are not an issue. The biggie is making sure these heaters work correctly! Efficiency is the key. Carbon Monoxide production is the result of incomplete combustion...if the fuel/air mixture gets out of whack, CO is the result. Maintaining a 21% (or so) oxygen content (fresh air) will cause almost all of the fuel to be consumed (combustion in never 100%). Completely sealing a room...or where the combustion process exceeds the air supply...is where people get into trouble. A room with a fire that has no fresh air entering it will consume the oxygen content from the normal 21% down to a point where the combustion is no longer efficient and CO will result. It's possible but not likely that such an imbalance could occur in a pop-up camper. A few years ago, some guys at a race in Rockingham, NC died in a tent because they were using a charcoal grill inside the tent for heat. Tents leak air but the charcoal used the fresh air faster than it entered the tent. The unburned fuel resulted in CO production that had fatal results.
 
As long as fresh air is available, these heaters will do a great job. If you're going to use one, let some of the heat escape by making sure that there is fresh air entering the room.

[dademt]

SkipP, I agree with you completely and seeing how they do have a low oxygen shutoff system ( which from what I read is sensitive enough to make them shut off in high elevations ) plus using a co detector in your camper, they are very safe.  My parents have burned propane through a ventless fireplace in the house for years with a co detector right by it without it going off even once.  In fairness I only plan on using mine as an emergency backup.

[scottykrug]

As leaky as our pups are, would opening the overhead vent slightly be enough to remove the residual CO?