Diesel heaters.
- Thread starter mtmuley
- Start date
Gellar
Well-known member
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
Well-known member
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
Well-known member
@Hunting Wife had info on the Nu Wave heater.
rjthehunter
Well-known member
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
Well-known member
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.
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
Well-known member
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
Well-known member
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.
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.
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.
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.
In my experience if I so much look at anything diesel I will be smelling diesel everywhere for the next 24 hours. The exhaust also seems to stick. Personally a good time in the outdoors would be spoiled for me if I was constantly smelling diesel fuel or diesel exhaust.
The nuway won’t keep a tent warm.
I have the second biggest one in my insulated camper and will be swapping it out for a diesel heater since it doesn’t do the job.
DoubleAron
Member
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- Aug 2, 2023
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I have used one for several years. It was a bit finicky and you would smell the exhaust some. I got an Hcalory toolbox 2 and it is much better. I used it this winter a lot. Once it warms up you very rarely get a whiff of the exhaust and it is more efficient than my old one. I personally much prefer it to a buddy heater. I even got a splitter and kept 2 tents warm several times. I like it.
Boarmaster
Well-known member
I looked into it but read that they make a ticking noise. That would either put me to sleep or drive me crazy. So I scrapped the idea. Always looking for a source of heat for my off grid 12x16 cabin that isn't propane, wood or electric (generator run). So far electric with my generator has proven to be best for my situation. The noise and needing an additional fuel source(diesel) has me disinterested. At least for now.
I have a cheap diesel heater in my Converted trailer. (14x7 high-top v-nose toybox style conversion, double walled, polystyrene in the ceiling and a 3/4” exercise matt floor - so, insulated, to some degree). I paid…I can’t remember, maybe $99 for the heater.
I also have a little-buddy propane for comparisons.
It was 7 degrees outside…with the diesel heater running it was 58 degrees inside with the heater running on its lowest setting.
The little buddy works…but also generates a huge amount of condensation (water). That was super annoying. Everything was just wet…warm the next morning but damp. Which sucked walking out in the AM and getting that clammy feeling within the first 100 yards.
The diesel generates wonderful dry heat…but it isn’t perfect. Yes, there is a ticking noise - it’s not loud…but it is audible and annoying. I wore earplugs sleeping and it never bothered me.
The diesel also smells outside. Depending on the wind direction, it can smell in the wrong direction too. Run your exhaust tubes appropriately.
The diesel also needs an appropriate 12v power source to power the ignition/glowplug. It’s not much power mind you. I have 2x 200 amp 6 volt batteries…(which can only be run down to 50% or the batteries get questionable). So, that’s 100 amps of useable power…which I calculated is a solid 5 days of LED lighting and Heater and ceiling fan without recharging (I have 200 watts of solar on the roof to charge everything…it hasn’t been a problem…but I could see it happening if there was a massive snow in.)
The Little Buddy is convenient…but requires proper ventilation (diesel vents outside…no ventilation needed) and the propane is not as efficient as the diesel.
I went 3 days and burned maybe 3/4 of a tank of diesel (*1.5g). Granted…the diesel only ran early in the morning and late evening/through the night. On low. So, call it 10 hours a day of burn. Add a 5g Jerry can of diesel and I’m good for a season.
The diesel would be absolutely perfect if not for two things: 1 - the pinging (earplugs work) and 2 - the smell outside (I suppose a smokestack could work in this case).
Diesel is also hugely more efficient.
Diesel gets the win.
I also have a little-buddy propane for comparisons.
It was 7 degrees outside…with the diesel heater running it was 58 degrees inside with the heater running on its lowest setting.
The little buddy works…but also generates a huge amount of condensation (water). That was super annoying. Everything was just wet…warm the next morning but damp. Which sucked walking out in the AM and getting that clammy feeling within the first 100 yards.
The diesel generates wonderful dry heat…but it isn’t perfect. Yes, there is a ticking noise - it’s not loud…but it is audible and annoying. I wore earplugs sleeping and it never bothered me.
The diesel also smells outside. Depending on the wind direction, it can smell in the wrong direction too. Run your exhaust tubes appropriately.
The diesel also needs an appropriate 12v power source to power the ignition/glowplug. It’s not much power mind you. I have 2x 200 amp 6 volt batteries…(which can only be run down to 50% or the batteries get questionable). So, that’s 100 amps of useable power…which I calculated is a solid 5 days of LED lighting and Heater and ceiling fan without recharging (I have 200 watts of solar on the roof to charge everything…it hasn’t been a problem…but I could see it happening if there was a massive snow in.)
The Little Buddy is convenient…but requires proper ventilation (diesel vents outside…no ventilation needed) and the propane is not as efficient as the diesel.
I went 3 days and burned maybe 3/4 of a tank of diesel (*1.5g). Granted…the diesel only ran early in the morning and late evening/through the night. On low. So, call it 10 hours a day of burn. Add a 5g Jerry can of diesel and I’m good for a season.
The diesel would be absolutely perfect if not for two things: 1 - the pinging (earplugs work) and 2 - the smell outside (I suppose a smokestack could work in this case).
Diesel is also hugely more efficient.
Diesel gets the win.
