Portable Heat for Dry Camping

Michael Hickey mac26s@yahoo.com 06/28/2011

When I'm dry camping, awake and present, I use a Mr Heater Portable Buddy (Model

No: MH9BX). It uses no electricity from my solar powered 230 Amp battery pack.

http://rvservices.koa.com/rvinformation/rvmaintenance/rv-converters-and-amp-draw.asp

says the house furnace draws 10-12 amps, which is too much for my system to sustain.

Mr. Heater easily heats the bathroom and the 'house' of our 200 sq. ft. R-Vision, Trail

Sport 25S. To focus the heat in the living area, I do close the curtain to the bed area.

When sleeping, I use the house furnace (55F). I follow Mr. Heater's safety notice.

When the daytime highs fall below 50F, I move to a warmer location, South or to a

lower elevation. Ditto, when the night time lows get into the teens.

I soon found that the little 1 lb propane bottles lasted 2-3 days, were expensive and

generated lots of waste. A 5-20 lb refillable propane tank can be used but must be

outside, Mr. Heater must be inside. Mr. Heater needs high pressure. The TT propane

piping is regulated to a low pressure. Time for a solution.

How to hook up to a larger propane tank? I bought a Mr Heater 12' Hose, Model No:

F273702 and a Manchester 5 lb propane tank, part no. 10054.3. I ran the Mr. Heater

hose through the exterior shower box and mounted the small 5 lb tank on the TT 4”

square rear bumper below the shower box. I routed the hose to the bathroom.

I added 2 screws in the bathroom to hang Mr. Heater during shower time. During travel,

the tank end of the hose is stored in the shower box and the box is locked.

Mr. Heater moves as the hose allows. During reading and movie time, he heats the living

area. During travel time, he gets tucked safely away in the bathroom. When not needed

he just fits, height wise, in the outside storage compartment which is under the bed.

What to do when the 5lb tank runs dry? Hook it to a 1 lb bottle, outside. I purchased the

the Rankam Metal Products, 20-1 lb Adapter (GR4039-014943-ADPR) at Sam's Club

or eBay, Mr. Heater F276172 1-Pound Disposable Propane Tank Refill Adapter, and

Mac Coupler Propane Bottle Caps, MacCaps. These adapters allow me to fill a 1 lb

bottle and switch my propane source to that bottle when the 5 lb tank goes empty.

Mr. Heater, Portable Buddy Mr. Heater 12' Propane Hose Assembly

Manchester 5 lb propane tank Exterior RV shower box

Rankam Metal Products, 20lb to 1lb adapter Mr. Heater 1lb bottle refill adapter

Mac Coupler Propane Bottle Cap, MacCaps 20lb to 1lb adapter on 1lb bottle