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tcmatt
Member
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# Posted: 11 Sep 2012 10:31pm - Edited by: tcmatt
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I just built a 12x16 cabin with a loft. (see "my 12x16" under member projects). I'm wondering if anyone as a similar sized cabin and uses one of these.
There are two models and I'm interested in the bigger 18,000BTU model. They seem to get great reviews.
eventually, i'll put in a woodstove, but not for another year or two. I'll be insulating it this weekend.
thanks,
matt
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TomChum
Member
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# Posted: 11 Sep 2012 10:47pm
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I have a 12X16 cabin, but it's logs. I think a stick-built, insulated cabin would heat up faster.
I bought a little buddy 9000BTU, but it wasn't enough, so then had to buy a big buddy 18000BTU. You can run the big buddy at 9000 too.
My log cabin takes almost 2 days to warm up. In the winter I use all 3 (2 buddys plus woodstove) for the first day.
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bobbotron
Member
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2012 09:12am
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I'd suggest against it, if it's not vented to the outdoors. Propane heating indoors without a vent is a quite controversial subject, I think it's way safer to get a venting model.
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GomerPile
Member
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2012 09:15am
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I own the small 3600 BTU unit and the 18,000 BTU model and they are great. Compared to forced hot air they warm the place slowly much like a wood stove.
Don't forget to buy the 1lb tank filler adapter for your gas grill tank so you can reuse your 1lb tanks. I can usually get them 50% full without trying too hard. You can do better if the tanks are cold.
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wakeslayer
Member
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2012 09:43am
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I have one also. While they work great for small places, I don't think it is going to get you comfortable in No MI in the dead of winter.
I use mine to heat up my mech building where my water heater and solar stuff is in the winter. It is an 8x8 insulated shed. I use the regular Buddy to heat my outhouse in the morning.
A few years ago, my wife and I spent a night at our old place which was a 10x16 shed that was insulated. it was about 30* out overnight, I would guess it was 60* inside by morning. Comfy if you are fully dressed and under the covers. Two tanks won't last overnight on the high setting. You can get an adapter hose to use on a grill sized tank.
I don't think using them inside is too risky. Crack a windown if you are worried about it.
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Rifraf
Member
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2012 10:12am
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I bought an electric through the wall 12000btu cool, 10500btu heat frigidaire unit. Works very well. I had it installed last january before all my insulation was in and it kept me warm.
The only thing I have to do in my cabin is run a box fan under by dining table to push air into the back bedroom. Otherwise it doesnt circulate well enough to cool/heat back there.
my cabin is 12x32 , 28ft of that is interior space downstairs.. all 32ft lofted interior.
The good thing about the through the wall idea is that I can always take the unit out and mortar a wall plate and insert a wood stove if I ever want to, using the opening to frame a flu exit. So far I dont see any need for that though unless I decide to go totally off grid.
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groingo
Member
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:14pm - Edited by: groingo
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Save your money and put it towards a good efficient wood stove or buy a wood stove to get you by until the right one comes along.
Problem with propane is they eat a LOT of propane and that can get expensive quick.
Also, I would build the loft so it could be isolated from the living area, makes heating and cooling an unused space much easier and don't forget to insulate under your floor.
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Doo-drew
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2012 03:59pm
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I have the same heater. I stayed in my non-insulated sled trailer last year. 27ft long inside. It was 28 out with 1+ ft if snow inn the roof and I had the trailer to 65 on high. On med and low the temp dropped fast. I'm also off the ground by 2 ft. In an insulated cabin like you have I think you'd be ok. Get a CO detector and crack a window.... Their fine to use. Last weekend I stayed in it, it was 42 out and on low it kept the inside at 60.
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cabingal3
Member
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# Posted: 13 Sep 2012 08:02am
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we have one and we love it so .it keeps our little cabin more than cozy.u will love it.
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tcmatt
Member
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# Posted: 13 Sep 2012 03:42pm
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cabingal,
how big is your cabin and how cold does it get there?
thx
matt
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cabingal3
Member
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# Posted: 13 Sep 2012 04:57pm
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Hi matt-we have a little cabin-its 150 sq.feet and growning.its the little place before the big house.
It gets cold enough to have the dog sled races...its up by crater lake in oregon.
i cant remember the coldest i have ever seen it there yet.in the minus.
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trollbridge
Member
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# Posted: 13 Sep 2012 05:04pm
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tcmatt...we too have the Big Buddy that we used for a year before getting our wood stove installed. Our little cabin is also 12x16 without an insulated floor, but it sits down on the ground. We are in northern Wisconsin and it gets cold. We did install a 20 pound propane tank outside the cabin and had a carbon monoxide detector too. We also used a small fan (12v) to blow the heat around. It got the job done and worked like it was suppose to-once it was up to temp we pretty much could maintain with just the one burner. We always shut it down if we were not right by the cabin and oh yeah, we had a fire extinguisher as well. There were some cold nights but we were warm inside. There are a few downfalls though. They add a lot of moisture to the air...you will have condensation on your windows and my throat always seemed to get a little bit irritated-kinda a cough-nothing serious but I did notice it. A slight odor too. I would say the biggest downfall was that if we arrived on a Friday night even though the air temp inside would rise to comfortable levels before bed the mattresses and bedding was always still cold. I either wore lots of layers or brought the hairdryer to pre warm the bed using the generator. Kinda silly but it worked. Hope this info helps with your decision. Best of luck!
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tcmatt
Member
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# Posted: 13 Sep 2012 08:46pm
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trollbridge,
where is n WI are you?
matt
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trollbridge
Member
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# Posted: 13 Sep 2012 09:13pm
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About 11 miles straight south of Lake Superior just west of the little burg of Hawthorne.
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