Cheap Mr. Heater Hose with Regulator and Quick Disconnect for Big Buddy

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $51.80
Sale Price: $38.72
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I was confused about the hose options so I contacted Mr. Heater to get the scoop. I have not actually used the hose myself (so the 4 star was arbitrary...seems like this is the way to go, tho'), but I wanted to share what the company said. (Please note that the product manuals for the Mr Buddy heaters are available on their website at the specific product link). My initial question and the company response follow, including the contact info for the company rep that sent me the information:

Initial question to Mr. Heater:

amazon.com advertizes that the plasticizer-free green hose(f273704) can be used with both the portable buddy and big buddy, but I don't see it listed in the big buddy manual. Is it compatible with both? Also, is the quick disconnect hose (F271803) compatible with both the big buddy and the portable buddy? Does this hose require use of a fuelfilter? If no, why not? Is it made of materials that will not degrade like the f273704 hose?

Response from Mr. Heater:

When you connect any of our Buddy model heaters to a remote propane tank, that tank can have over 120 PSI of pressure inside it.

This high pressure in the rubber hose connected to the heater can squeeze a plasticizer or an oil out of the rubber in the hose and once it gets into the heater it is trapped and will plug up the tubes and cause the heater to be an unreliable unit.

We came up with a fuel filter to prevent this oily substance from getting into the heater when using a high pressure hose.

The hose manufacturers came up with a hose that doesn't have the plasticizers in it so NO filter is needed (our part number for this plasticizer hose is F273704).

BUT the draw back with this hose is with no plasticizers in the rubber it causes the hose to be very stiff especially in cold weather. So you don't need the filter but you have to work with a hose that doesn't like to straighten out or is more difficult to work with because of this stiffness.

As far as the hose with the quick coupler, this is only available to be used on the Big Buddy MH18B heaters. The Big Buddy has two built in regulators but also has a male quick coupler built-in that by-passes these two regulators so if you have a regulated propane supply like in an RV or your house, you can use our hose to connect to this low pressure source (all low pressure is less than 1/2 PSI of pressure).

We also have a hose for the Big Buddy that has the quick coupler connection to the heater and a regulator at the connection to the propane tank, like on a barbeque grill.

Because the regulator is mounted directly to the propane tank it reduces the very high 110 PSI of pressure from the tank to the low 1/2 PSI pressure. Because this pressure is so low it will not be able to squeeze out the oily plasticizers from the rubber in the hose and does not need a fuel filter.

Bradford Austin

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This hose costs more than the one without the regulator. However, it has several advantages that have been confirmed by Mr. Heater (I called them):

1) The regulator keeps the pressure coming from the tank into the hose at a very low level, which is safer.

2) You do NOT need to purchase a fuel filter with this hose. The regulator prevents oils from leaving the propane tank and entering your heater where it could do damage. Although you pay more for this hose up front, you don't have to buy fuel filters periodically, which are required with the other hose that doesn't have the regulator.

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I chose this quick disconnect hose instead of the hose that connects to the heater's regulator because this hose is equipped with a regulator at the bulk tank end thus reducing the hose pressure to a much safer 1/2 lb. psi. This hose also has a built in filter in the regulator eliminating the purchase of an additional filter.

Preventing 5 stars is the cramped quick connection in the Mr. Heater which points straight down. It would be nice if the quick disconnect also had a swivel outward like the heater's two regulators.

Also you must hold the pilot button for about 90 seconds to allow the gas to travel the length of the 12' hose to reach the heater.

Otherwise I'm pleased wih the product because it allows connection to a large supply of propane which you will need when operating Mr. Heater on high. Also the cost of propane when purchased in 20 lbs. is much cheaper than the 1 lb bottles.

***Ooops, my bad! Correct, this product does not have a filter as a filter is not required with this product. The regulator does its job by lowering pressure, thus making a filter unnecessary.***

Honest reviews on Mr. Heater Hose with Regulator and Quick Disconnect for Big Buddy

This is the best option for your Mr. Heater Big Buddy, and I'll tell you why, and I'll give you a useful tip.

USEFUL TIP:

When you first connect this, and try to fire up your heater, You will be surprised at how long it takes to light your heater. Because it is 12', and because the gas is regulated to a very low pressure at the tank side of the hose, IT TAKES A FULL 90 SECONDS FOR THE PROPANE TO FILL THE HOSE AND REACH THE PILOT LIGHT. I have tried it seasonally four times now. It is not 70 seconds. Not 80. It is 90. Every. Time. I suggest you connect, open the propane tank, twist your knob and hold it down (prime) for 80 sec before you even try to light it with a new hose. Don't be tricked by a very faint smell of propane, it will take 90 seconds. Have I driven the point hard enough? But only need to do this priming once a season; I can swap out propane tanks and will not need to repeat the 90s priming.

PROS OF THIS HOSE:

it has a pressure regulator on the hose at the tank side, which is why it costs more, but the regulator offers a consistent 1/2psi of pressure to your heater.

the low pressure is safer in case of propane leakage in the system (hose, heater, element). You are less likely to have leaks with lower pressure.

the low pressure means that your hose will not leech the rubber oils that ruin so many people's Big Buddy. You don't need a filter at the heater side because there is no leeching.

powers the heater on full for a long, long time.

has a great, easy to hookup fast connector for the heater. Face your heater, open the tank compartment on your left, and look for the 4" shiny connector dropping down from the top behind the in-built regulator hookup for the small 1lb tank. That's where you connect.

using this, you spare your internal connectors and regulators for when you go mobile. Eventually, regulators get used, gummy, or go bad. If you use this hose, your internal regulators last longer.

when you shut off the propane from the tank, the heater dies out very quickly. I understand that with the high-pressure hose, it takes a while for the propane in the hose to burn off.

CONS:

costs more than high-pressure hose. Seems like a lot of cash for a hose.

the regulator may eventually gum up. Mine has. I used it every workday in my home office for 14 months (that's a lot), and now found my heater was cutting out when on the highest setting. So I bought a new hose like this, and instantly my heater is working 100% again. But instead of gumming up my internal regulators (and ruining the whole heater) I wore out the cheaper hose.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Mr. Heater Hose with Regulator and Quick Disconnect for Big Buddy

The connection works great, it was a little confusing at first because I thought you connected it to the same area as the small tanks, but on closer inspection I found the "quick connect" fitting inside and behind the other connection, after that it was a snap.