Advice from year round campers?!

He mentions the Mr. Buddy has a CO detector built in. Adding a 2nd one isn’t a bad idea though. I have yet to get one of these. But thank you for confirming my fears on the Little Buddy.

I saw another YouTube video of a guy testing the Buddy Heater in his camper. He tested how long the green canisters last. And he also refilled them from a large tank. His findings are that refilling from a larger tank doesn’t last as long as a brand new green canister. Perhaps there isn’t as much pressure to completely fill the green canister this way.

Apparently there’s a middle ground between the green canister and the big white tanks you use on your grill in the back yard. I’ve seen people with smaller white tanks, but I have no idea where they buy them.

 

I have considered going with a smaller refillable tank. They have a nice sized one in a 5 lb. size that wouldn't take up too much room.
Add some hoses and fittings and I could connect it to my Buddy heater, propane stove, and small barbecue.

My concern with that approach is whether it is safe to have the refillable bottle in the back with me.
I may still go that direction, but for now I am going with the 1 lb bottles. And refilling them (only partially, since I don't want to mess with the relief valves).

 

The Buddy heaters have low oxygen sensors, not CO detectors. I didn't watch the video, but he's a fool if he's running it at night without a CO detector. As noted, they are cheap insurance.

I don't use mine in my truck, too big, but I used it in my Westy (VW camper) a lot. I have an 11# propane tank and a supply line for it; put the tank outside, run the propane heater as needed. Sportsman's Warehouse is where I got my tank but any propane place should be able to get you a tank in various sizes.

 

Yeah, I think he only uses it to heat up the tent before going to sleep, and again in the morning before crawling out of the sleeping bag. ALWAYS VENTILATE. CO detector is a small price for life saving insurance, that's for sure. Seems that one of these would be overkill for sleeping on a bed platform under a cap. I'm sure it would heat things up pretty quickly though, then can be turned off. I'm awaiting a hard shell roof top tent which would be a bit roomier.

 

Yeah I can't really see the Buddy heater in the back unless you have some sort of camper like the Habitat or Flippac, there's really not enough room. I used mine in my VW a good bit and it was fine for that as I had room to actually move around. For the back of the truck I have a Coleman catalytic that screws onto the top of a 1# cylinder. I've used it once or twice and you still have to be very careful with them. Unfortunately, too many stupid people managed to kill themselves with the catalytic heaters so Coleman dropped them.

There are a couple of interesting products I've found on-line that I'd like to give a shot. This one goes on top of a cartridge stove like a Jetboil: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-H...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

This one is a small parabolic that goes on the cylinder: https://www.ebay.com/itm/SunnGas-He...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

Shipping cost on that second one is stupid high though and I haven't found one for sale in the US (probably because stupid people would kill themselves).

 

I use my Buddy Heater in my FWC pop up. I don't use it all night because it heats up the small space very well. Too well in fact. So it goes on at night before bed and in the morning. Very useful.

In regards to aluminum shells/toppers the following thread shows one of the best examples I've seen of how to do it. Personally I'd have a lower sleeping platform (more headroom) and a bedrug (dust prevention).
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tradesman-truck-tops-commercial-style-topper-shell.504188/

 

Did you ever consider an alcohol heater. They use these in boat cabins.
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/origo--heat-pal-5100-alcohol-heater--171306