Heating a small cabin. Any experience with the small Ryobi generators?

[jamesfromseattle]

Have a very small 8x15 cabin with minimal electric needs. Made do with no electric so far but I’d like to be able to run a low wattage heater, charge phone and tool batteries, etc. For heat, we just need to take the edge off. Kids aren’t quite old enough to just tell them to toughen up. Currently have a wood stove that takes up too much space and is tough to turn down enough.

Was looking at this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-900-Starting-Watt-Propane-Powered-Inverter-Generator-RYi911LP/302703564

This one has enough juice to do what I need, so I was wondering if anyone had a review?

I know the Buddy Heaters are popular for this type of thing, but burning propane inside makes me nervous, especially when the kids are with me. The cabin doesn’t draft evenly so I’d be more comfortable with the generator outside.

[j_h_nimrod]

That is too small for all but the mini electric heaters. Even the small cube ceramic heaters are usually in the 700-1000 watt range for any meaningful heat. I would go with the little buddy heater and get a small CO2 detector, way more efficient and effective than trying to set up a small generator to run a small electric heater. I’ve run the little propane heaters a lot and know others that have as well with no issues.

[Mudman]

Too small.  Predator 3500I.  I just bought one and it is amazing for $700.  Super quiet, elect start, power to run AC or small heaters! Has the DC connections.   Fuel efficient.  100lb sucks.

[jamesfromseattle]

I understand that the Buddy heaters burn the propane more efficiently, but it seems like those benefits must be offset somewhat but the need for ventilation and therefore more heat for the incoming cold air.


I would probably use a radiant oil heater like this:  https://www.amazon.com/COSTWAY-Radiator-Portable-Electric-Thermostat/dp/B076J929TG/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I did an experiment with one of these heaters plugged into an outlet in my shed, which is about the same size but a little smaller than the cabin.  On the low setting it is just about the perfect temperature as long as it isn't too cold out.  I am thinking of this as a three season solution, so I don't plan on doing it when it's cold.  In the winter, I think I'd just have to set up the woodstove.  I don't have a watt meter, but I am guessing it is drawing about about half the max wattage?  I know the equation may not be linear, but I am ballparking it around 350ish watts. 

At 25% draw, that generator is supposed to last 60 hours on a 20 gallon tank.  So let's double that to 50% draw, which should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 hours.  That would be three nights for a $20 tank refill.  Or somewhere around seven bucks a night.  That number doesn't offend me.  I'm not at the cabin very much (maybe 20 nights a year) so even my assumptions are off and it costs double, I'm ok with that.

I have an admittedly unreasonable phobia of those indoor propane heaters, especially with the kids along.  I have never heard of anything going wrong and I know tons of people use them, but I just don't trust the CO2 detectors that much.  Even though I'm 99.99% sure it'd be fine, the marginally increased cost would be worth it for the peace of mind of that last .01% for me.

[Stein]

I would go propane for sure, maybe something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Dyna-Glo-BFSS30LPT-2P-Liquid-Propane-Thermostatic/dp/B075G6QQKP/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=direct+vent+propane+heater&qid=1558387532&s=gateway&sr=8-6

There are a ton of propane indoor heaters purpose built if you don't like the buddy heaters.  Propane isn't all that dangerous, we were testing for leaks once and put the CO2 detector in the vent line and it didn't even go off.  That was with a professional, calibrated meter.  Just think of all the propane and natural gas stoves and ovens, no vent and never an issue.

Making heat with electricity is tough remotely as you need a ton of it to do any good.

[Whitpirate]

 

[Alchase]

I use a Little Buddy in my 12X14 West Wind tent. I only have to use it when it is below freezing or at night to take the edge off. I can go 10 days on one 5 gallon propane tank.

[baker5150]

Look into direct vent propane wall heaters.

Cheap, small, safe, and will cook you all night without a genny running.

[Alchase]

Look into direct vent propane wall heaters.

Cheap, small, safe, and will cook you all night without a genny running.

 

If I had the cabin, this is what I would do as well.

[300rum]

I would use a buddy heater just to "flip on" when you go to bed and just before you get up.  For the cell phone, try one of the solar chargers unless.

If you buy a generator, I would go with a honda 2k, they are pretty cheap used right now with the 2200's that came out. 

[jamesfromseattle]

Thanks everyone, appreciate the input.  Going to do some research on the vented propane heaters.  I was going to add another room in the next year or two, so I am thinking an exterior propane setup with a big tank may be in order.

I think I am also probably being unreasonable about the kids sleeping.  We've got a 1 year old with an approximately 6 month old cousin hanging out up there.  At home their rooms are always 70+ degrees at night so I'm a little gunshy about allowing the temp to dip at night in the cabin.  I should probably get over that.  There are a lot of babies in the world without climate controlled rooms who survive to adulthood.

[Stein]

That’s why sleeping bags were invented.  That said, keeping the family happy has its benefits. 

If you have bulk propane, that opens the door to other stuff like stoves and propane refrigerators down the line.  You could also run a genny without having to haul gas.


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[j_h_nimrod]

As an FYI, a wood stove will often back vent CO2 as much as any other heater. If there is a low, cool fire and the stack reverses draft in cool weather it can vent CO2 back into the room with little to no smoke smell. Our wood stove in the basement does it a couple times a year, setting the detector off with very high readings.  We have a detector in each room and the basement, which is the only one to ever have gone off.