Diesel heaters.

[mtmuley]

So for you guys that use them, I have a 12 x 20 tent. Has a woodstove. I am going to research but how much heat can I expect from one of the Chinese heaters? Enough? mtmuley

 

[Gellar]

So for you guys that use them, I have a 12 x 20 tent. Has a woodstove. I am going to research but how much heat can I expect from one of the Chinese heaters? Enough? mtmuley

I don’t have a good comparison because I use mine in an insulated 10x10 ice tent in temps -5-15above but in those conditions my tent is probably 50ish degrees.

 

[rjthehunter]

So for you guys that use them, I have a 12 x 20 tent. Has a woodstove. I am going to research but how much heat can I expect from one of the Chinese heaters? Enough? mtmuley

Also interested. Easier to throw in a 5 gallon tank of diesel than deal with wood! I know some guys that use them ice fishing and love them.

 

[mtmuley]

Also interested. Easier to throw in a 5 gallon tank of diesel than deal with wood! I know some guys that use them ice fishing and love them.

It would be more of a back up and keeping things comfortable with the wood stove. Looking at Buddy heaters also. Only when awake. And another heater that the name escapes me now. Nuway maybe? mtmuley

 

[Walkathon]

@Hunting Wife had info on the Nu Wave heater.

 

[rjthehunter]

It would be more of a back up and keeping things comfortable with the wood stove. Looking at Buddy heaters also. Only when awake. And another heater that the name escapes me now. Nuway maybe? mtmuley

Nu Wave heaters. That thread was the first I heard of them. I like my buddy heater, but it wasn't working at 8k feet last fall...

 

[Hunting Wife]

Have only ice fished with a diesel heater, and I personally thought it was a pain. Was finicky, leaked in the truck, didn’t want to start at times. Idk. Plus I just hate having to deal with batteries, especially in the cold.

Have used a buddy’s Nu-Way camping and ice fishing. Simple. Not messy. Dry heat. He uses his elk hunting. Can get two weeks on a 30 lb tank as the sole heat source if used judiciously. This is in a Kodiak Canvas tent.

I personally think the heat output was higher with the Nu-Way than the diesel heater, but could have been the conditions. It kept things toasty, while the diesel kept it bearable. This is comparing ice fishing outings in a pop-up hub style shelter. Maybe that’s due to efficiency…the diesel heater exhaust was really hot- like melt the shelter hot. You vent a lot of heat to the outside. At least with the propane stove you get some of that as radiant heat through the stove pipe and damper.

If you are just looking at a backup, it probably doesn’t matter as much and maybe the diesel makes sense. I prefer the propane personally.

I’m no heating expert by any stretch. Just my impressions from an handful of outings with each. When I bought my own last fall, I went with the Nu-Way.

 

[pabearhunter]

I use a big buddy heater in my 12x24 cabin in northern Pa. never had a problem keeping warm. Plus there is no smell of diesel fuel.

 

[rjthehunter]

A buddy heater would be ideal, but I'm a little gunshy when I had 1 brand new heater not work, along with 1 that's I've used for 8 years prior to this with no issues. I also have used it plenty since with no issues.

I wouldn't fear dying in your tent at night using a buddy heater. They're listed as safe for indoor use, have a low oxygen shutoff, and you can throw a carbon monoxide detector in the tent to remove all worry.

 

[mplane72]

If just looking to supplement wood heat I can't see a diesel heater being better than a buddy or propane. Maybe only advantage would possibly be less condensation.

I have seen a couple of the cheap diesel set ups in vans and even know one guy who did one in his boat blind. Besides the heater and fuel you need a battery to power fan and the heater needs to have exhaust run out of the tent. More chit to mess with then a simple buddy heater and your choice of bottles or a hose and bulk tank.