It's practical and convenient to own a Mr. Heater Portable Buddy, especially when you love the outdoors. Going on camping or ice fishing trips during a cold season will be less troublesome if you have a portable heater with you.
To use the heater, you need to light it. But how do you do that? We've researched the answers for you.
Below are the steps to properly light a Mr. Heater Portable Buddy:
- Light the pilot burner.
- Turn and position the knob and leave it.
- Adjust the heat output.
Continue reading as we elaborate on each of the steps we have mentioned above. We'll also discuss if it's safe to light a propane heater with a lighter, along with a few frequently asked questions related to the topic.
Steps in Lighting A Mr. Heater Portable Buddy
Before operating the unit, make sure that you follow all the safety instructions and warnings that are written in the manual. During the operation, the heater and the attached cylinder must always be in an upright position.
Make sure that the control knob is in the off position before starting the procedure.
You need to set the unit first before lighting it up. Swivel the regulator outward on the right side for easy tank installation. While installing the tank, make sure that the unit is away from any flame or other ignition source.
When installing the 1 lb. tank on the regulator, ensure that the tank treads are properly aligned with the heater treads.
Always check for leaks by spraying soapy water at the treaded connection under the dome plastic coat. Also take note that when you use a propane tank larger than one lb. for your buddy heater, it needs to be kept outdoors.
Don't forget to also check the area where your buddy heater is located and make sure that it is away from any combustible objects.
The top, front, and side of the buddy heater should have a clearance of at least 30 inches, 24 inches, and 6 inches, respectively.
Once you're done doing all the needed safety tips, you're good to start with the steps to light your buddy heater.
Step 1. Light the pilot burner
For you to light the pilot burner, you need to press and turn the control knob counterclockwise to the pilot position and push it down for 30-60 seconds.
While leaving the knob in the pilot position, release it and push it back down for ignition. Repeat the steps until the pilot burner lights.
After the pilot burner is lit, hold the knob down for an additional 30-60 seconds. Next, release the knob and confirm if the pilot burner's light stays on. The control knob should return to its fully extended position.
Step 2. Turn and position the knob and leave it
Now, turn the control knob to its high position. Leave the knob in this position until the burner tile turns bright orange.
Step 3. Adjust the heat output
Finally, adjust the heat output by turning the control knob to your desired temperature.
Watch this video below for a visual guide on how to do the lighting steps:
How do you hook up a buddy heater to a propane tank?
Before you start hooking up a buddy heater to a propane tank, you should first prepare a heater hose and a fuel filter. Heater hose is available in 5 feet, 10 feet, and 12 feet length sizes.
For a 5 feet heater hose, you should use the F273701 and the F273699 fuel filter. For a 10 feet heater hose, you'll only need to use the F273704 since a fuel filter is not required for this hose.
And lastly, for a 12 feet heater hose, you'll need to use the F273702 or F298802 and the fuel filter F273699.
Click here to see this fuel filter on Amazon.
Click here to see this heater hose on Amazon.
As for the propane tank, you can use up to 40 lbs. of propane tank for your buddy heater.
To safely hook up a buddy heater to a propane tank, follow these steps as demonstrated in the video below:
- The first thing that you need to do is to put the fuel filter by fastening it on the regulator at the right side of the portable heater. Once it is attached fully, tighten it using your hands.
- Next, attach the heater hose to the fuel filter. Don't forget to remove the little plastic cap that is used to cover the pin of the filter. Start screwing the heater hose into the pin of the filter and don't forget to tighten the valve fully to avoid leaking.
- Before attaching the other end of the heater hose to the propane tank, make sure that the tank is turned off. Now, screw the hose into your tank in a counterclockwise direction. Slide the handwheel into the body of the brass fitting, then screw up again the fitting until it is fully tightened.
- Turn the propane tank open. Apply soapy water with lots of bubbles into the hose connected to the fuel filter and propane tank to check for any gas leakage.
How long does Propane last in Mr. Heater buddy?
A 1 lb. propane cylinder can operate the buddy heater for 1.5–6 hours. On the other hand, two 1 lb. propane cylinders can heat up to 3–12 hours, and two 20 lbs. cylinders can last 50–220 hours.
The operating time of the propane would greatly depend on the usage.
Why does my Portable Buddy Heater keep shutting off?
When your portable buddy heater keeps shutting off, this only means that there is something wrong with the flame.
The portable heater, through its safety functions, tends to shut off once it senses that there is a defect or problem with the unit and the sensor.
How do you troubleshoot the propane heater?
To troubleshoot your propane heater, you might as well do the following:
- Check it. If you think that the sensor may be the problem, you may try wiping the sensor device with sandpaper and make sure that when the unit is lit, it is 2/3 covered by the flame.
- Cleaning the pilot tube is also one way of troubleshooting your propane heater. Gently poke a needle inside the tube to clean it. Make sure the unit is turned off while you do the cleaning.
- Another possible problem is a draft in the propane heater pilot. You need to get rid of the source of the draft to fix the unit.
- Over time, the thermocouple would tend to wear out and may cause problems. Replacing the thermocouple is another way of fixing the unit. While replacing the thermocouple, always make sure that you turn off the propane gas.
- When the blower switches on, you should be able to see a spark in the burner chamber. Without any spark, there would seem to have some issues with your unit's electronic spark mechanism.
- Lastly, if your unit doesn't light, check if the gas cylinder or propane tank isn't empty.
Why is my buddy heater whistling?
The reason why your buddy heater makes a whistling noise is because of its gas flow. And this isn't a cause for concern since it's a normal function of the heater.
How do you fix a buddy heater that won't light?
One of the possible reasons why your buddy heater won't work is because it is gunked up. So you need to clean your buddy heater for it to light up again.
The first thing that you need to do as shown in the video below is to remove the guard screen off the front of your portable burner. Next, clean the pilot orifice using cotton buds and rubbing alcohol.
Now, you may try to light your portable heater again.
How do I turn off my buddy heater?
To shut off your buddy heater, slightly push down the control knob and turn it clockwise to the off position.
In Closing
If you're planning to use a Mr. Heater Portable Buddy for your outdoor or even indoor activities, lighting it up is quite simple and easy.
All you need to do is to light the pilot burner first. Next, once the pilot burner is lit, you should turn the control knob to its high position until the burner tile turns bright orange.
Finally, you get to choose the amount of heat your portable heater should produce by turning the control knob to your desired temperature.
If you want to learn more about heaters, check out these informative posts before you leave: