Mr Heater Buddy is sputtering

[Jason]

and I'm flippin cold



I'm pretty sure this needs a cleaning but I've no idea how to safely go about it, anyone?

Symptoms, noisey like when your tank is going empty and even on high the heat output now seems less than the LOW setting used to be.

Cold smoking sucks!

[taltos]

Depending on the temperature at your location, you could be seeing one of the negatives with propane, it hates to flow at lower temperatures. Not sure how low but I know that I have had problems with it in the northeast.

I doubt it's the cold. I've had 10 & 20 lb tanks sitting on the ice outside my fish house when it's as cold as -20 with no problems.

I use the same heater in the off the bottle-cooker configuration. This one here: http://www.buy.com/prod/mr-heater-mh...203529894.html

Only I use an 8 foot hose to the heater to a 20lb tank rather than a small disposable bottle. In 20 years of use there's been roughly zero issues with it. But if I had to make a first guess as to what's up with yours, I'd think a plugged orifice or a problem in the regulator.

http://www.propaneproducts.com/paulin-parts.html

[jjirons69]

Take it off the tank and disassemble as best you can, careful not to lose any parts. Make sure all the orifices are clean and reassemble. They're not that complicated and it should come back around. All else fails, call the manufacturer.

[tedrodgerscpa]

Spiders do love to spin cobwebs in the tubes of those things.

My guess is that some compressed air would do nicely to blow things out.

That, and I think new ones run $30ish...

I'm assuming you've been to the troubleshooting section of their website, but if not, here's a link.

http://www.mrheater.com/troubleshooting.asp?id=24

Good luck, and let us know what you found...

Ted

[shilala]

Like Ted said, spiders fill up the venturi tube with spider webs.
You can blow it out with compressed air. Like Jamie said, it's easy to take apart.
I have the same thing and I believe the oricfice is behind the venturi tube, so it's unlikely it's plugged at all, but there could still be stuff laying on it.
I keep mine in it's box over the summer so it doesn't get hogged up. I'm using it right now. It's the only thing standing between me and sofaman freezing to death while we try to smoke our cigars.

[Jason]

haha, just read your Oliva review and noticed one in there

I stopped by the office earlier and blew it out with air everywhere possible, if that doesn't work I'll tear into it tomorrow.

Thanks to one and all

[BlackDog]

It may want a filter. Sometimes oil gets in the propane tank, and clogs up the tube. You can buy a filter from most hardware stores for about $10.