Heating your ice tent

fisherwoman · #1 12-13-2009, 08:38 PM

So we have realized that we will need a heater for our ice tent. What are people using, what would you recommend? We have a 4 man tent and want to be warm enough to fish without gloves on

Looking at this model and vendor, any thoughts?
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...003000_325-3-0
Thanks! Happy fishing!
P.S.
They also have them here, and if I bought it instore, would have it for the weekend. http://www.princessauto.com/farm/hea...ank-top-heater

MagnumMan · #2 12-13-2009, 08:47 PM

Get the big buddy heater puts out 18000 btu's has built in fan and low oxogen sensor. Also you can get extension hose and put the tank outside the tent giving you more space...they are 159 at bass pro and beat the sunflower flare up in my mind...

fisherwoman · #3 12-13-2009, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagnumMan

Get the big buddy heater puts out 18000 btu's has built in fan and low oxogen sensor. Also you can get extension hose and put the tank outside the tent giving you more space...they are 159 at bass pro and beat the sunflower flare up in my mind...

Was out with a friend this weekend who had one of these. It wouldn't stay lit

bradvtown · #4 12-13-2009, 09:03 PM

I use the buddy heater but the one without the batteries and fan. Always having to turn it down in my four man tent cause it gets pretty nice and toasty. Downfall with the fan one is those batteris aren't cheap and can't see them working in the cold real well. Just picked up the hose so I can use a bottle instead of those disposable ones so we'll have to see how that works.

hunter tyson · #5 12-13-2009, 09:11 PM

a propane bottle seams to go empty in realy cold weather, you can pick it up and it will feal like there is nothing in there. whats hapining is it is freezing. you have to keep the bottle warm.

Geezle · #6 12-13-2009, 09:11 PM

Today we were out in a pretty big tent...5ish man I think and had just the single burner sunflower tank top kind of heater and it kept us plenty toasty, even when it was -35 out...definitely didn't need gloves in there

calgarygringo · #7 12-13-2009, 09:14 PM

Big buddy is the way to go. We have had one for a few seasons now and works great. You can use one heating element or 2 at a time. Keeps our shack shirt sleeve warm even in todays temps. You also have the ability to run it off a propane tank or use the disposables if you wish. Only time we ever had trouble we had our fish tv too close on top and it made the low oxy sensor shut it off. Once we figured that out no problems since.

Izumi · #8 12-13-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fisherwoman

Was out with a friend this weekend who had one of these. It wouldn't stay lit

Probably wasn't getting enough oxygen. It has a low oxygen shut off. The sunflower units don't have this.

jrmoyan · #9 12-13-2009, 09:23 PM

we had to sunflower style goin in the frabill 2 man yesterday and was barely warming up the tent so i think im going to buy the mr heater big buddy. does anyone know where to pick one up cheap around edmonton i heard princess auto?

calgarygringo · #10 12-13-2009, 09:25 PM

Princess auto sells them. Just go to their websire and check their current pricing.
http://www.princessauto.com/

fisherwoman · #11 12-13-2009, 10:52 PM

Thanks for all the info guys! Been poking around online and now we are leaning toward the Big Buddy 18,000BTU. Using those little propane cylinders might add up, but it beats lugging a 20 pounder around. The bf says there is a way to refill them at home from your 20lb if u feel like messing around with it. Also if you buy the a/c adapter you could use it in the camper (if the generator is running).
Hoping to pick one of a P. auto this week so we can have it for the weekend!
Thanks again guys!

Geezle · #12 12-14-2009, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fisherwoman

Thanks for all the info guys! Been poking around online and now we are leaning toward the Big Buddy 18,000BTU. Using those little propane cylinders might add up, but it beats lugging a 20 pounder around. The bf says there is a way to refill them at home from your 20lb if u feel like messing around with it. Also if you buy the a/c adapter you could use it in the camper (if the generator is running).
Hoping to pick one of a P. auto this week so we can have it for the weekend!
Thanks again guys!

I want to say that it's BPS or maybe Cabelas that has an adapter to let you refill those little 1lb tanks from a larger 20lb cylinder

nicemustang · #13 12-14-2009, 08:21 AM

I just picked up a sunflower at CT for $59.99. They work well and I like them.

Izumi · #14 12-14-2009, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geezle

I want to say that it's BPS or maybe Cabelas that has an adapter to let you refill those little 1lb tanks from a larger 20lb cylinder

I thought about this and learned the 1 lbs are brazed and not welded (ie dangerous to refill). Also, no one can seem to get a full 1lbs back in there. That means your gonna need a lot of them for a big buddy heater.

I got a 5lbs tank from Canadian tire, costs less than 5$ to fill lasts the whole day.

honker_clonker · #15 12-14-2009, 10:09 AM

One thing to watch out with a sunflower heater is THEY WILL MELT MONOFILAMENT!!! lost a good perch one day when the line got a little too close to the sun

nicemustang · #16 12-14-2009, 10:12 AM

LOL...i think every heater will melt your mono!

Geezle · #17 12-14-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Izumi

I thought about this and learned the 1 lbs are brazed and not welded (ie dangerous to refill). Also, no one can seem to get a full 1lbs back in there. That means your gonna need a lot of them for a big buddy heater.

I got a 5lbs tank from Canadian tire, costs less than 5$ to fill lasts the whole day.

Cool, I don't think I've even seen a 5lb bottle before. So you just take it to a gas station that has propane to get it filled then?

Izumi · #18 12-14-2009, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geezle

Cool, I don't think I've even seen a 5lb bottle before. So you just take it to a gas station that has propane to get it filled then?

I got it at Canadian Tire; the only kicker is its the same price as a 20lbs (40$). You will make the money back fast by not buying the 1 lbs bottles. The last time I filled it it came to under 4 bucks so that less than a single 1lbs bottle.

You can fill it anywhere bulk propane is sold. I have been told if you bulk propane with the buddy heater to get a filter (10$ at Princess auto).

So 50$ overhead (Tank + Filter). Well worth it IMO.

clarki · #19 12-14-2009, 01:07 PM

I have the 3,000 BTU black cat heater that takes a 1lb bottle. Is there an adapter or hose I can get so I can use a 5 lb tank?? the 1lb bottles are expensive and very wasteful since I wont even consider trying to refill one. thanks

M

Geezle · #20 12-14-2009, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Izumi

I got it at Canadian Tire; the only kicker is its the same price as a 20lbs (40$). You will make the money back fast by not buying the 1 lbs bottles. The last time I filled it it came to under 4 bucks so that less than a single 1lbs bottle.

You can fill it anywhere bulk propane is sold. I have been told if you bulk propane with the buddy heater to get a filter (10$ at Princess auto).

So 50$ overhead (Tank + Filter). Well worth it IMO.

Nice...that sounds like a happy medium you've found out

Going to have to keep that in mind for whenever I manage to get myself a tent and heater

Izumi · #21 12-14-2009, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clarki

I have the 3,000 BTU black cat heater that takes a 1lb bottle. Is there an adapter or hose I can get so I can use a 5 lb tank?? the 1lb bottles are expensive and very wasteful since I wont even consider trying to refill one. thanks

M

Your right your gonna need the adapter hose. The Coleman one at Crappy Tire is expensive, but they have another one in the BBQ isle that's cheaper. I got mine at Home Depot for 15.99.

So I guess the overhead is Tank 40, Filter 10, Hose 15. I think it's still worth it since I use it all year camping.

Geezle · #22 12-14-2009, 01:19 PM

There's a good chance you can find an adapter hose at Princess Auto.

Otherwise, like Izumi said, check the BBQ aisle at Home Depot or CT or maybe even Wal-Mart

fisherwoman · #23 12-14-2009, 01:49 PM

All great ideas. Time to go shopping I guess.

I will look for a 5lb, I have seen them at CT (used to work there) and then I will not be lugging around a 20lb or spending a tone on 1lbs, or blowing my self up trying to refill a 1lb.

clarki · #24 12-14-2009, 01:53 PM

yes, time to get out and pick up this stuff before I hit macgregor this weekend. thanks everyone for the hot tips.

M

mooseknuckle · #25 12-14-2009, 02:55 PM

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows...p%2BHeater.jsp

This is what we used yesterday and given the temps outside yesterday light sweater was plenty inside the tent.

slingshotz · #26 12-14-2009, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Izumi

I thought about this and learned the 1 lbs are brazed and not welded (ie dangerous to refill). Also, no one can seem to get a full 1lbs back in there.

They are not reading the instructions right. Freeze the 1lb tank in the freezer (or outside at these temps

) and have the big 20lb at room temperature. I get almost exactly 1lb all the time and you can't really overfill it as there's a safety pressure release value builtin. As long as you are not trying to refill a 1lb with a commerical tank it's fine. I hated the thought of chucking out all the 1lb bottles, plus it's really convenient to haul a few 1lb bottles than one big 20lb. Takes 1 min per bottle to refill and so far I've done about 15 bottles and still have all my fingers! One of the best investments so far and hundreds of people have used it without any issues that I can find.

HILLYBILLYBARRY · #27 12-14-2009, 07:51 PM

whats wrong with a good old wood stove a small one but warm and heat is what you want it will do that job that my motto but then agian i dont know about useing it in them newer tents type you ppl have

fluxcore · #28 12-14-2009, 07:59 PM

Has anyone used the 3,800 BTU little buddy heater at prince auto for $89.99 its got the low oxy shutdown as well. Thats what ill be picking up

pecker · #29 12-14-2009, 08:11 PM

whats happened to the posts of the methyl hydrate , toilet paper in the tobacco can thing.

Kevin C. · #30 12-14-2009, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fluxcore

Has anyone used the 3,800 BTU little buddy heater at prince auto for $89.99 its got the low oxy shutdown as well. Thats what ill be picking up

Was just talking to my buddy who is picking up heaters for us at BPS and he thought that one may be likely to fall over if a guy was a little excited and kicked it. So I ended up going with the next one up puts out a little more heat too.
Just my 2 cents.