Big Buddy with 20 lb propane tank indoors?
Posted by nippleflick1@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 66 comments
Some say it's not safe but others said they have a used 20 lb indoors for years! What say you? A pre planned power outage next week for possibly 2 days for. For that what would the difference 5 or ten lb tank? Besides run time. The 1 lb tank run out to fast,
in neighborhood.
-Thizza-@reddit
I got a fridge, heater and stove all on a butane tank in my living room. Keep the combustion chambers clean by regularly cleaning them. My CO meter measures 0 ppm every time.
Then_Manufacturer93@reddit
A co detector will always stay at 0.0 until it reaches 30ppm then it will show a number and of course then it beeps and chrips. But a mo detector always shows 0 till it hits that threshold. A meter like a firefighter uses will actually show you the ppm even when it's safe. If there is fire, there is carbon monoxide present.
-Thizza-@reddit
Good stuff, I did not know that. I've since replaced my fridge and stovetop to electric and plan on building a masonry stove to replace my gas heater before next winter. I've had zero problems with gas bottles indoors since my last comment two years ago.
TheSensiblePrepper@reddit
I have used a Big Buddy with 20lb tanks inside many times. No issues. Of course I have a CO alarm with me just in case. I use the Big Buddy with a 5lb tank for my ground blind during hunting.
drank_myself_sober@reddit
Do you crack a window or something to offset the CO? Is it in a large space like a living room?
I’ve got a big buddy and haven’t tried it indoors yet.
Curious if there is anything special you need to do?
chakalakasp@reddit
Btw the difference between 20 pound tank and 1 pound tank CO is zero. It’s the same propane being combusted at the same rate.
The reason indoor 20 pound tank is discouraged is becuase a tank or tank valve failure will dump 20 pounds of propane gas into an area instead of 1. The latter is not good, the former will probably suffocate you before you realize what is happening.
languid-lemur@reddit
It comes down to how long it will be in use. Longer time = more CO. CO detector is mandatory as well as not using it in a small room with the door closed. If used in a room open to the rest of the house it would take a long time to build up CO levels. And probably much longer than you'd want to run the heater. We cycle ours intermittently, house is well insulated.
coldgarden01@reddit
Burning propane DOES NOT create carbon monoxide when it burns fully and cleanly. It only creates carbon dioxide and water. That's how propane heaters can create a lot of condensation on the walls of small enclosed spaces. The ONLY way burning propane can create carbon monoxide is if there is not enough oxygen in the air for it to combust fully. All buddy heaters have a low oxygen sensor and will shut off long before the oxygen in the room drops to a level where carbon monoxide would be created. I'm astounded that folks don't know this. Propane is one of the cleanest burning energy sources around. I would worry more about the carbon monoxide being created by indoor kerosene or diesel heaters.
Sunset1hiker@reddit
Get a Co2 meter. Co2 alarms do not trigger until the co2 levels have been in the unhealthy dangerous levels for an extended time. When a Co2 alarm goes off its time leave area, not start looking for problems.
https://www.amazon.com/Cheffort-Handheld-Professional-Grade-0-1000PPM-Industrial/dp/B091DRT5DN/ref=mp_s_a_1_33
https://www.co2meter.com/blogs/news/carbon-monoxide-levels-chart
SubliminalVibe7@reddit
I use it indoors in a Airstream from 1985 you're safe bro
TheSensiblePrepper@reddit
Yes, opening a window just a bit will usually solve the problem. Again a CO alarm is really going to be needed and at least getting some airflow from time to time.
Less_Subtle_Approach@reddit
The risk in bringing a 20lb tank indoors isn’t from CO potential, it’s from catastrophic failure of the tank, either due to a bad seal or directly exposing the fuel line to a flame. Liquid propane is far denser than it is as a gas, and a fast leak on a 20lb tank will displace all the air in a small space too quickly to react.
Modern seals are pretty good, so you may go a lifetime of periodic emergency use no problem, but if you get unlucky everyone will be making judgmental noises at your funeral. They make 1lb tanks designed for refill now, and it’s more expensive to buy a half dozen of them, but as a onetime cost it’s not so bad.
Oops_I_Cracked@reddit
This is a year old but you are the one who convinced me it would be a bad idea and I should get some of the refillable 1 lb tanks.
GypsyDoVe325@reddit
How? Local propane dealer stated they cannot be refilled...
IndividualCold3577@reddit
You can get a refill adapter from amazon and fill the 1 lb bottles from the 20 lb tanks
naps1saps@reddit
Do not recommend. I somehow fit 1.25lb in my 3 disposable 1lb tanks and noticed they had a little bulge. I weighed them so I must have done something wrong. Just don't. The refillable ones are a lot better. Attach fill done. No scale involved.
Less_Subtle_Approach@reddit
Search for Flame King refillable propane tanks. You can refill yourself from a 20lb.
SubliminalVibe7@reddit
You will have better luck with fuel keg if it's both of those 1 lb tanks and you can overfill them because they're twice as thick as the average 1 lb tank if not more enjoy the little details my little redditors
GypsyDoVe325@reddit
Thanks
inaun3@reddit
Ummm...are you aware of the thousands of houses that have huge propane tanks with the propane piped into their houses? Kind of like natural gas, but for folks who don't get LP service. Is catastrophic failure possible? Sure. But how many times have you heard of it actually happening? Even those 20 lb tanks are designed with a lot of safety features. As long as you aren't stupid enough to leave the thing unattended and go to bed -- or stick the tank right next to the heater -- even if something were to happen you could quickly deal with the problem.
Trauma_Hound@reddit
The propane that comes into your house has a regulator on it, just like it does into my RV. A leak before the regulator is much worse than after. Regulator take the high pressure gas and turns it into low pressure gas.
atl777@reddit
Same. Thank you for the post.
doomsday_windbag@reddit
I know this is comment is over three months old, but when searching for information on the subject, I hope you’ll be happy to know that your comment was the one that made me definitively resolve to not use a 20lb propane heater indoors.
Ashii_T@reddit
Same, the thought of being mocked at my funeral is more painful than being incinerated.
Forty_-_Two@reddit
Same. I thought a blast or fire from a faulty tank was the primary danger. Never ever thought of rapid oxygen displacement death.
inaun3@reddit
Huge myth, unless the room is tiny. Just do the math if you don't believe me.
nullisinverba1@reddit
Same
nutsbonkers@reddit
Same.
CoweringCowboy@reddit
Unvented combustion is not safe. People die every year from unvented combustion. I would resort to unvented combustion during a serious emergency only.
coldgarden01@reddit
Burning propane DOES NOT create carbon monoxide when it burns fully and cleanly. It only creates carbon dioxide and water. That's how propane heaters can create a lot of condensation on the walls of small enclosed spaces. The ONLY way burning propane can create carbon monoxide is if there is not enough oxygen in the air for it to combust fully. All buddy heaters have a low oxygen sensor and will shut off long before the oxygen in the room drops to a level where carbon monoxide would be created. I'm astounded that folks don't know this. Propane is one of the cleanest burning energy sources around. I would worry more about the carbon monoxide being created by indoor kerosene or diesel heaters.
H60mechanic@reddit
The Mr. Heater brand hose is designed for that setup. A typical hose will release liquid from the plastics while under pressure and will clog the internal workings of the heater. The Mr. Heater brand won’t do this.
GypsyDoVe325@reddit
I read it was only the 10ft hose by Mr buddy. Are you saying all Mr. Buddy heater hoses avoid this clog issue? Can't find the 10ft locally but they have other sizes.
coldgarden01@reddit
No, the only hose that can be used without a fuel filter is the 10 foot Buddy Series Propane Hose Assembly, part number F273704. And only the hose by this name and part number made by Mr. Heater. On the Mr. Heater website they are $40, but I was able to purchase 2 on Amazon for $27 a piece. When shopping on Amazon or Ebay for this hose there are a lot of knockoffs that have that part number in the title or description and claim to be for the buddy heater. Amazon is slap full of fake reviews and false advertisements. That is a Mr. Heater part number and only hoses made by that company should use that part number. Those knock off hoses will clog your heater guaranteed. If you want to use a hose where you don't need to replace a fuel filter every year or 2 make sure you get that part number and it's made by Mr. Heater. On a Amazon review for a buddy heater fuel filter a guy used it for a year, and then compared the weight of the used filter to a new one. The filter had collected 7 grams of oil. So there is a lot of oil that gets forced out of those hoses.
Vandrhin@reddit
The package for the Mr. Heater brand 12ft hose at Home Depot (purchased January 2024) still encourages the use of a filter and the Mr. Heater website does as well. The website cites exactly what you just mentioned with the oily liquid buildup as the reason. There are multiple sizes of the hose listed on their website and they state that the shorter hose doesn't need the filter but the longer hose does.
McNooge87@reddit
Thank you much!
inaun3@reddit
Search for this on the internet, and as you have probably found all of the no-brains say "Never, ever. SO dangerous" Blah, blah, blah. The society we live in I suppose, people so full of fear -- not to mention all the frivolous lawsuits. But let's be real -- as long as you are using the right heater (designed for indoor like Big Buddy is), allowing sufficient ventilation (as stated in instructions), aren't using worn-out junk (hoses, old rusty tank, etc), and are monitoring -- yes it can be safe!
All the blah-blah-blah about propane leaking and blowing up the house. Well, I suppose if your nose doesn't work that is possible. Just like it's possible natural gas could leak and blow up the house. That's why they put smell in both propane and natural gas! Not to mention, if you do a bit of research you will find it takes a lot of vaporized gas to blow up a house. Not like the movies.
CO2 is a real thing, even thought the Big Buddy is designed to prevent CO2 buildup. So yes a detector would be very smart.
As with so many things, if we engage our brains and use common sense we'll be fine. But with the "not my fault" society of today, the only advice you will get is "No, no, no!!!" instead of real information about the real risks -- and how to mitigate those risks.
Hopeful-Cook-3829@reddit
Spot on. My central heat/ac went out years ago. Auxiliary heat finally crapped out on it last year which barely put out heat anyway. Last week went to local propane place. Got quote if 1800. For two non vented fireplace propane units, 250 gal tank full, and set up for whole thing. I asked all kinds of questions, said reading online I’m gonna die they all say lol. She’s in an old farmhouse, propane heater every room, plastic on windows, no windows open to vent, set up over 30 years no issues. Made me realize most online are just ignorant and parrot what they hear rather then learn facts. I’ll eventually go with that setup once I start remodeling. Daughter stayed in bnb here. Small old house either no set up for central unit. Had one of those blue flames central in house. That with ceiling fan made that house toasty warm. What made me look into propane heat.
smsff2@reddit
I used 20 lb for years. The appliance required 1 lb tank. I have got a connector cable. It did not work out the box. I put a wood shaving into the cable’s valve. It works great for many years now.
I would not recommend refilling 1 lb bottles from 20 lb tank. It’s nearly impossible to do safely. There is a tradeoff between how full the bottle is and how safe your procedure is. There is no good middle ground here. Use a direct connection between 20 lb tank and 1 lb compatible appliance instead.
Capable_Cow5509@reddit
I'm really confused about what the wood shaving did?
smsff2@reddit
Apparently, manufacturers want to sell the same product twice. So, the connector, that goes on top of 1 lb bottle, comes in 2 different sizes. The difference is the length of the pin. Sometimes the pin is too short to open the valve. I will try to find pictures later.
Grendle1972@reddit
Used it in an RV for a winter and in a house during a power outage. It's no different than a kerosene heater. If you crack a window, it will allow for fresh air exchange and reduce your CO. If you are in a residence that isn't completely airtight, you will be fine. Also, those who are saying "I wouldn't do it" don't understand how a large floor plan home allows air exchange on its own. I use vent free blue flame heaters in my home, and basically it holds humidity in from the burner instead of being vented outside. My CO detector has never chirped once in 13 years.
The difference in 20lbs tanks vs 1lbs (5 or 10 lbs tanks) is two fold. First is burn time. You will get 18lbs of propane in a 20lbs tank as safety regulations only allow them to be filled up to 80%. This allows you to operate safely for about 108 hours. This is utilizing one 20lbs tank on one she. Using a Y connector and two houses, you can double feed the Big Buddy heater, putting out maximum heat output for 54 hours.
The second reason for using large tanks is cost. A refill or exchange for a 20lbs tank is still cheaper than for 6-1lbs tanks. You save money.
Storage. It's not as easy to misplace a 20lbs tank vs those 1 lbs tanks. And you can use the 20lbs tanks with a propane cap stove and lantern with a distribution tree and hoses. I used one for my camp kitchen, light is right there by the stove for cooking. Added benefit, mosquitos will be attracted to the CO as they are attracted to CO2 and can't tell the difference. It pulls them in they suffocate and die. Win-win for you in the summer. They are attracted to the lantern more than your breath, and set up a little ways from camp, you get the light and the midwife are pulled away.
-zero-below-@reddit
As an example of indoor air exchange, my child’s room with the doors and windows closed, goes from 600ppm co2 to 2400ppm co2 overnight just from a preschooler’s breathing. 1800ppm is considered unsafe for office exposure and such.
So yeah, a home does breathe a bit, but not a lot unless there’s something to move air around.
Anything doing combustion will increase the oxygen consumption.
Grendle1972@reddit
CO2 is not the same as CO. Carbon Monoxide is 75ppm causes headache, disorientation, etc. 150-200ppm is considered lethal (causing unconsciousness and death). You would have to seal that room completely (plastic over the windows, the hvac vent, and the door) to get dangerous levels up. And , seeing how cold air displaces warm air, the 1-2 inch crack under your door allows fresh air to mix with the warm air and displacing it.
CO2 at a level of 5000ppm for 8 hours and 30,000ppm for 10 minutes is considered hazardous with 40,000ppm is considered immediately dangerous for life as at that point it has completely displaced the O2 in the air (reduced the oxygen covenant down from the 21% room air that living life needs for cellular restoration.
Pretty sure things haven't changed that much since I was a HAZMAT Tech.
-zero-below-@reddit
So is your premise that co will move out of a room while co2 gets trapped in? Because otherwise, a buildup of co2 would be a proxy for the ability of co to flow out of the room.
Grendle1972@reddit
My premise is that both will be moved out of the room with airflow. With multiple people in a small room, wearing clothes and using blankets and / or sleeping bags, they are going to stay warm. Having candles, a kerosene lamp, or If using a Buddy Heater, or any vent free combustible appliance (including wood stoves, fireplace, gas logs, catalytic heaters, kerosene, blue flame or infared heaters) there will be CO and CO2 produced, but it is STILL going to be displaced by fresh air and the risk is mitigated to a lower probability. Having a battery-powered CO detector and knowing that there is a low O2 shut off on the devices means you are more likely to freeze to death, not using them than due to CO poisoning from using them. But you do you. And having used the vent free blue flame heaters for over 10 years in my residence (and in other residences ) over the years and the Big Buddy heater in an RV, I think I can personally attest to my experiences with them. Real world usage, not what I read on the internet, not what I heard, or my Buddy told me.
inaun3@reddit
Ah, finally -- the voice of reason and education! I'm all for calling out risk and avoiding risk. But I get so tired of the fear-based risk assessments instead of math and science based risk assessments. Especially since it makes finding solid information so difficult.
BrobdingnagLilliput@reddit
Off topic - preppers who don't have basic science education aren't prepped.
drank_myself_sober@reddit
Obviously you don’t have experience with the new CO V2 update. Flows slower, less lethal, more flavor. /s
RonJohnJr@reddit
18 is 90% of 20.
80% of 20 is 16.
guarduty@reddit
I leave the 20lb. tank outside with a 10' hose thru a slightly lifted window...I put rolled up bags along the opening leaving 1" gaps for airflow (gets really windy here , was necessary to squeeze the breeze). The heater sits on a small glass and metal table in front of the window. I've had no issues with air quality.
shywicklow@reddit
I was thinking of threading the hose thru the pet door
HummingbirdBattlefly@reddit
People seem to be talking mostly about the risk from carbon monoxide, but I think with the 20 lb tanke you really also need to be careful checking for leaks in the connections. Soapy water can help with that, or a hand held battery powered gas detector (sold on Amazon). I think as long as you don't have any leaks, and you make sure to disconnect when it's off etc, it should be fine. For the CO risk, I have a few battery powered CO alarms, these ones are good:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Y6V5CI/
I use Energizer Lithium AA, and they last almost forever.
Sunset1hiker@reddit
Buy a Co2 meter not alarm. A meter will allow detection at unhealthy levels, long before an alarm will trigger.
wacka20@reddit
Down in Mexico in the winter time, we have indoor propane heaters attached to a 20lb tank.
Been like that for as long as I can remember an we haven't died yet
rachiewolf@reddit
I had a tank that was filled in the cold. when it got up to room temp the damn thing just started spraying propane. Lucky I was able to chunk it outside before anything worse happened. Never again. My brother however still keeps the tanks inside.
Loganthered@reddit
The big buddy and indoor wall mounted ventless heaters are literally the same thing. I don't know how one can be safe and the other is not.
BrobdingnagLilliput@reddit
"It's unsafe" and "Somebody tried it and didn't get hurt" can be both be true. For example, riding a motorcycle down the highway at 130mph while weaving around every car isn't safe, but I know people who've done so for years and haven't been hurt.
Ignore anecdotes. Understand and mitigate risk.
InitialJumper@reddit
These heaters are advertised as indoor safe. I also keep a carbon monoxide detector next to it just in case. Also, I only bust it out if the power goes out in the winter.
So the risk is low enough for me to rarely use.
RlCKJAMESBlTCH@reddit
You are an idiot if you are using that indoors 😂
broadsidebytheship@reddit
How are you as a prepper not aware that their indoor safe ? Like that’s literally what their made for and advertised as
Chestlookeratter@reddit
Those are made for indoor. You're fine
civildefense@reddit
Make sure you put the buddy filter in there if you are using a big tank.
hmac705@reddit
Its safish. Be better if you could keep the tank outside and run a line to the heater indoors. Also make sure your CO detector has got fresh batteries. If im not mistaken there approved for indoor use everywhere but California and Canada.
tianavitoli@reddit
non issue.
my property manger threw a fit over my empty propane canister downstairs in the garage, said I had to move it somewhere else or keep it in my apartment
so I waited and put it in the trunk of my car, in the garage. out of sight out of mind
freshapocalypse@reddit
I wouldn’t risk it myself….
RonJohnJr@reddit
How tightly sealed is your house? One with cracks here and there is going to have noticeably less CO2 build-up.
I'd run it (with blue flames) just enough to keep the house tolerable while wearing sweats and warm slippers; that also minimizes CO production, and CO2 buildup.
20 lb tanks are still pretty small and portable.