Mr. Heater Problems

Sounds more like the big tank and/or hose could be the problem. Do you have anything else you can hook them up to (lantern, stove, etc)? Is the big tank full? Can you borrow a buddies or try another tank?

ive had this problem before too its like the line is vapor locked. i unhook the hose from the heater and then turn the tank on quick and off and then hook up seems to do to the trick for me

to much pressure you need a regulator so you can adjust the pressure

I never seemed to have this trouble until they went to OPD tanks. Now it seems that if you open up the valve on the tank too quickly the problem you described is what happens. When you do get a tank that works well don't do the tank-swap thing just go get that one filled as necessary. The good ones that'll let you use up all the fuel in the tank and have OPD are darned hard to find.

Will Cenex (or anywhere else) refill the Blue Rhino tanks or do you have to swap them?

From another site.

You have two hookup options with your Big Buddy heater.

You can use the low pressure hose with the quick disconnect and tie it directly into you RVs LP system AFTER the main regulator (you just "tee" into the main line somewhere). This is what I did with mine. The hose is coiled up in a cabinet near where I use the heater.

You can use the low pressure hose with quick disconnect that has a regulator on the end (available from Mr Heater) and hook it to a seperate 20# tank (that is outside, of course).

DO NOT USE A HIGH PRESSURE HOSE to hook up your heater inside! High pressure propane indoors is DANGEROUS (and illegal). A burst high pressure hose will fill your RV up with propane almost instantly giving you no time to escape, low pressure gives you plenty of advanced warning (smell and LP detector). I don't care how many people say they "do it all the time" with their Portable Buddy heaters, it is STILL a ticking time bomb. The ONLY high pressue propane that should ever be used indoor is the small 1# bottles DIRECTLY hooked to the device.

I was testing my Big Buddy once in my living room with a high pressure hose when I first bought it. The seal on one of the connectors blew (small leak, not like a burst hose). The connector caught on fire (which I was fortunate enough to be able to blow out) and it continued to spew out gas for a FULL FIVE MINUTES after I shut off the valve on the tank. DON'T USE HIGH PRESSURE PROPANE INDOORS!

Also, I can say this enough times even if you DON'T use a portable propane heater. CO alarm, CO alarm, CO alarm!!! I have TWO of them in my rig. THAT is what will save you life if ANY propane device (fridge, stove, water heater, furnace, etc) malfunctions.

Hook up your Big Buddy heater using one of the two methods I described above. Always FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS about proper ventilation, and you will get many years of SAFE use out of it.

DonC. I think you missed the part that it was a Mr. Heater Cooker. I'm just sayin' is all. On your topic, I bought a Mr. Heater Buddy, (single,) and used it for one season and it pooped the bed. What to do 'bout dat? It's still up in the rafters in the garage. Won't spark, doesn't sound like it's even getting gas. Sure liked it when it worked though. I've fallen back on Mr. Heater Cookers. I've got 3 or 4 of them in various stages of scavenged parts, to make 2 working ones. Never had a problem with the hose on any tank, swapped nor refilled. I use a 20 lb tank usually.

had problems with mine staying lit last year i took it apart and theres a little valve thing insid the igniter botten it has a spring on it and is suposed to shut the heater of if it gets cold so it doesnt give u carbon poisning take of the thermo copler from the area the tank goes in and take the little ruber stoper of the sprng thing it will over ride the thermo copler put youre heeter should work just remember the heater will not shut the propane of because that peace is gone u have to turn it of with the knob

Stevepike; The answer is yes. I just had one filled there last week At the Minot Cenex. It was a Blue Rhino.

Steve,

I also had my Blue Rhino tank filled at Cenex in Mandan.

If you use a 20 pound bottle you must use an in line filter or it won't stay lit. You don't need the filter if you use a small bottle, for some reason.
Filters are available in any sporting goods store and just screw them in the line somewhere. Takes 17.58 seconds to install.

bobkat, is the .58 seconds for reaction time? I hear reaction time goes up exponentially with age.

I've had the Mr Heater cooker for 3 years now. Got a 20lb tank with 6 ft Mr heater hose. Unless there's a filter in the hose, I don't believe I have a filter and it has worked without problems forever.

It is most likely a vapor lock from the OPD tanks. Try lighting the heater without turning the tank on. Then turn the tank on slowly and then try lighting the heater.

You have a built in regulator in your heater so that shouldn't be the problem since the 1# bottles work fine. I have never used an in line filter either.

I have a new type tank on my grill,real good luck for the first 1/4 tank then nothing,re filled tank and talked to a few people who sugested just turn on about 1/3 turn,I have been doing that and it seems to work.

my mr heater is about 4 years old so it just might of seen its better days but mine seems to have the same problem the button you push to get it started works but when the heater gets red and i let the button go it dosent keep giving propane so i have to use my boot lace to tie on there to keep the button in so it keeps running

huntinboozinfishin, your thermo coupler is either bent to far away from the flame or plain bad. The bypass valve only needs to be used to start them.
The problem being asked about earlier is one common with OCD tanks. Seems that some connections do not fully depress against the valve to allow the gas to pass through. Buddy of mine had this issue a couple years back. We solved his problem by changing the O-ring on the end of the connection. New ones sometimes are not set into the groove well and stop the nipple pushing the internal valve open on the OCD tanks!

Hardwaterman, Just got a re-fill of my 5# tank that I use for icefishing. Hooked to the Mr.Heater/cooker and when I pushed the by-pass button nothing comes out. It worked fine yesterday until my tank ran out. Any suggestions would be deeply appreciated. Lou

Had the same problem two weeks ago with the big buddy heater I bought. Worked fine with the 1 lb tanks but when i hooked it to the 20 lb and turned both burners on it slowly died out. I borrowed a friends hose and hooked it to my same 20lb tank i had been trying and it worked fine. Think theirs a problem with the hoses not the heaters.

As per my previous post and after reading some of the others, I tried connecting my heater to a 1# tank and it worked. So I presume I have a hose issue. It's been really cold and I'm thinking it might have some liquid  propane that got in to it. As my tank was running down I held it upside down above the heater. It helped keep the heater going but it may have screwed up the hose.  I brought the hose inside to let it warm up. Any thoughts?    Lou