Monday, December 10, 2018

mr heater blows ass


MR HEATER BLOWS ASS
I’ve mentioned this before, but I recently read an article recommending Mr. Heater brands and then noticed Canadian Prepper had a video out that seemed to also endorse them ( I was just browsing, so I didn’t watch the thing ), and I have to say that Mr. Heater blows ass.  It deep throats mule member.  It is a vile piece of crap.  As an emergency stove, it just might be the next best thing to sliced white bread.  As a heater you use regularly, day to day, it is not only worthless, it is a rip-off.
*
Now, call me old fashion, but I kind of expect emergency, LIFE SAVING gear to actually work.  I expect a wee bit more than a disposable one time use.  Okay, fine, you wear a space blanket once.  You don’t expect it to not tear on the second or third time.  But a hundred dollar heater?  To me there seems to be an implicit agreement you will get your monies worth.  A Mylar blanket costs seventy cents ( buying in bulk ), so a one time use is a good deal.  Especially since it is supposed to save your life.
*
And if an item is designed and built with an engineered shelf life, do you want to bet your life on it?  It is SUPPOSED to last 500 hours, say, but what if you end up needing it a smidge more?  Or, it fails a smidge before its due date?  You are playing with fire, as well as burning your money in it.  Long suffering minions might recall my jihad against Wal-Mart with their piece of crap camping stove. I’m going to tell the story again, so tough noogies.  While I’m currently SLIGHTLY forgiving of Wally right now due to their below cost commodities, that only buys them so much good will.
*
My first Wally camping stove ( sheet metal, fold up, uses propane ) was their brand name ( Ozark Trail? ) for about $20, and it lasted an impressive five years.  That was using it every day for coffee and cooking and heating bathing water.  When that finally failed, hey, no big deal.  I got my monies worth.  I went back to Wally and got the exact same unit for near $30.  Okay, fine, times are tough after the ’08 near collapse.  I get it, inflation.
*
That one lasted NOT five years but only five months.  There is really only one thing to fail on those, the pressure regulator.  I figured it was merely a lemon.  Nope. The next one also only lasted five months.  To say I was displeased would be an understatement.  Livid comes closer.  Those whoring pig humpers!  Those greedy twats!  Asswhores! I tried K-Marts unit but it only lasted about 8 months.  Just like their clothing.  Always about 50% more life than Wally’s products ( this was near ten years ago.  Since then, K-Mart stopped producing Less Worse and went to Just As Bad ).
*
Thankfully, Sportsman’s Guide offers a cast iron rather than sheet metal camping stove that uses the new type of propane hose/connection that has the pressure regulator on the hose so that the appliance doesn’t need one ( beware only having one of these hoses.  Even if made to last a lifetime-and I don’t know if they are-you NEVER just have one of something ).  And, even with shipping, it is the same price near abouts as the crap Wally one.  How does this tie in with Mr. Heater? Planned obsolescent products. Mr. Heater USED to have good quality.  No longer.
*
Mr. Heater used to last for years.  Now, the same unit at a higher price does NOT last through one winter.  And I’m not talking about running the thing all day long.  I’m talking about a single tank of propane a month, and the last two Mr. Heaters I had couldn’t survive the entire single winter.  I had a VERY strict budget.  X miles a month on the truck ( when I had one ).  Four hours a day on the heater ( 120 hours use was one 5 gallon tank of propane at the low 4k BTU setting ). 
*
I did this from 2008 to 2012, living up in the RV.  Another propane tank made the percolated coffee.  That warmed us up in the morning.  Okay, not really.  Even bundled up it was usually always cold unless the sun was full ( we froze the first winter ).  The second winter I had added insulation to the interior walls and solar gain was quite impressive.  Like 50 degrees ( in American, not commie metric ) even if in the teens outside.  But hot liquid only made the bundles of wool comfortable.  It was still primitive living.
*
The sun went down at 4pm, and the heater was budgeted to run from then to 8pm.  That was it.  Money was for the ex-wife, not staying alive in the winter.  This schedule was adhered to religiously ( making me few friends, especially with the then wife ).  What I am telling you is that there was a strict continuity across different Mr. Heater units.  The older ones lasted several winters.  The newer ones?  You couldn’t expect too much more than 500 hours of use from one.  And yes, that was WITH a fuel filter attached.
*
If a propane stove lasts 1,000 hours and costs $100, that is ten cents an hour cost for the heater.  Propane was about the same cost.  Twenty cents an hour is NOT unreasonable ( again, this was the 4k BTU setting.  Only good for a small room, really ).  If the stove lost quality and now you spent twenty-five cents an hour, no big deal, right?  After all, it costs about the same to run one of those efficient oil filled radiator electric heaters.  And Mr. Heater works off grid. Perfect for emergencies, you grin in satisfaction as you believe you have bested me.
*
Wrong!  Because here is the thing.  Mr. Heater went out of their way to screw over their customers ten years ago.  Quality reduction reduced the stoves use at least by a half.  As the price increased.  I honestly can’t remember how many hours an old Mr. Heater lasted for, but I don’t think 2k hours was an unreasonable guess as a minimum.  You lost 75% of its life and saw a 25% price increase.  I get that this is just inflation.  But here is the thing.  When are they going to make it even worse?
*
They did it at LEAST one time.  They just got done operating three years under increased banker interest rates.  They should be hurting right about now.  If they haven’t further reduced quality already, don’t you think they will very soon?  After all, sales must be down.  As unemployment increases and wages stagnate, fewer people are prepping, ice fishing, camping or otherwise buying Mr. Heater’s.  Do you really want to gamble on them not humping you, again?  THAT is why you don’t buy one of their products.  Not because I’m a vengeful consumer.  Not because you want to boycott them.
*
Because they betrayed the customers trust and WILL, I guarantee you a jelly filled donut, do it again.  If their little monkey molesting bean counters come back with research that the average buyer only uses Mr. Heater ten hours a year, they might reduce quality from a 500 hour to a mere 100 hour unit.  IF they haven’t already done so.  My bet is that they have, and use some of their increased profits sending sample units to all the prepper consumer reporter dudes, who unknowingly are deceived.  After all, how many hours do they REALLY test them?
*
Once a company is untrustworthy, you don’t keep buying from them, even with lowered expectations.  Why would you?  If they screwed you after one economic contraction, they will again.  It is one thing to occasionally get a dud, like I do from Amazon or Sportsman’s Guide.  That is excusable, especially working with hateful Ornamentals who wish all Capitalist Running Dogs to die.  The companies do such a great job, you can excuse a small amount of mischief.  But when you offer ONE product?  And you screw that one up?  No one should do business with you.
( .Y. )
( today's related link here )
*
note: KU books.  Kunstler's "Geography To Nowhere" here .  "The Daily Impact" blog authors novel here .  
*
note: RdJ, super deluxe ultra generous donation.  Many thanks! Happy Festivus to me.
*
note: books free for today.  Looks like it was inspired by the movie Crazies here .  First of The Ruins series here .  
*
Please support Bison by buying through the Amazon ad graphics at the top of the page ( or from www.bisonbulk.blogspot.com ). Or PayPal www.paypal.me/jimd303 

*** Unless you are in extreme poverty, spend a buck a month here, by the above donation methods ( I get 4% of the Amazon sale, so you need to buy $25 worth for me to get my $1 ) or mail me some cash/check/money order or buy a book ( web site for free books, Amazon to pay just as a donation vehicle ).
*** My e-mail is: jimd303@reagan.com  My address is: James M Dakin, 181 W Bullion Rd #12, Elko NV 89801-4184 ***E-Mail me if you want your name added to the weekly e-newsletter subscriber list.
*** Pay your author-no one works for free.  I’m nice enough to publish for barely above Mere Book Money, so do your part.*** junk land under a grand *  Lord Bison* my bio & biblio*   my web site is www.bisonprepper.com *** Wal-Mart wheat***Amazon Author Page
* By the by, all my writing is copyrighted. For the obtuse out there




29 comments:

  1. Yes Jim. The cause is from "globalism" and a disconnected and distanced "management and owner class". The globalism and cost concious manufacturing has been stretched to maximizes profits at expense of quality. The owners (whether mom and pop, or corporate brand label holders) as well as the college retard managerials are well distanced from the consumers and end users. Angry Jim the customer will not be able to ever call and "speak to somebody in charge". Company call centers are contracted out to another company and answered by a rube part time script reader in another distant location. Their jobs are half order takers for profit, half of the time fielding complaints and mollifying disgruntled customers. (It is why call center jobs turn over, high pressure boiler room environment) Letter writing works as well as to your congresspersons. E-mails are digested by an A.I. entity and suppressed or 86 filed. Most consumer products companies build in failure expectation rates and an ability to withstand customer loyalty loss that can be made back by new sales or expanded marketing exposure. (business math) A more expensive product route must then be taken. Infrared catalytic propane heaters used by full time, off grid, rv dwelling folks. They have to invest up for better products knowing how dependant they are on a critical component. Sucks to be a consumer, as we are just cannon fodder for business as well as for our governments.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Damn, that is three articles full of wisdom on my best days writing. Bravo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanxs, I completed high school education last century obtaining reasonable literacy. Not hard if one avoids the dope pipe and stupidity sauce.

      Delete
    2. High School taught me what idiots everyone is that teaches you. The Army doubled down. I taught myself. Given how easily distracted I am, this might be obvious :)

      Delete
  3. I follow you can the screw me once rule.

    I used to be a fan boi of a fruit tech company. Pineapple phones and computers yeah they were pricey but they worked. Then one phone update my phone instantly began to run slow, so slow as to be frustrating. In the end the company owned up to intentionally slowing down older phones couching it with the excuse of battery life preservation.

    I ditched that brand wholesale because of their underhanded behavior. Yes other companies do the same. Whatya do? No company produces quality products anymore & they're all compiling huge data bases on you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd return to a minimalist lifestyle and consume almost nothing, if it weren't for that pesky apocalypse. The consumer culture is dead but we keep reanimating the zombie by pulling the strings.

      Delete
    2. Yeah guys, double edged blade. Modern products have short life expectancies, through manufacture short cuts or corporate cost per unit shaving. The necessity of certain "critical" or necessary needs products require us going back to that junk product river for a drink, even though the failure Lions lurk about. Difficult to avoid.

      Delete
  4. re:
    Catalytic heater

    Since about 2002, we use Olympic brand 'Wave 3' model catalyst heaters. We acquired three at various yard sales, and rarely need more than one burning on the LOW setting to maintain a very comfortable 65-72 degrees irregardless of outside chill.

    We open three windows on three walls for:
    a) oxygen, and
    b) humidity dispelling.

    A five-gallon / twenty-pound tank lasts about a week. We rotate among our nine tanks.

    Buy new tanks and heaters? Not in our budget.
    However, our CO and smoke alarms are new every couple years, with the older detectors as functioning-redundancy in case a new version misses a sniff.

    Criminy. I just glanced around, and counted four detectors in one room! I think we're covered.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Twice the price, but if they still remain quality it will be much cheaper over its life. Here is one through my link:
      https://amzn.to/2Uyctwb
      ( one recent review puts the operation at 2k hours to date )

      Delete
    2. Keep them covered to avoid dust getting on them in off use, off season. Degrades it or some negative effect reported from allied personnel u-tube tutorials.

      Delete
    3. Mine were covered whenever not in use. I didn't realize I needed to other than I worried about dust fires.

      Delete
  5. Slightly off topic, but does anyone in the high desert burn wood or sagebrush or whatever to keep warm? I live in a thousand acre woods (only 2 of which I own), so I would never keep warm with propane. I just use it for delicate cooking tasks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The overwhelming method if not on natural gas seems to be pellets. Far removed second is propane. Way in last place is wood ( 60 minute drive minimum to go cut ). Cords are $250+

      Delete
    2. Jim, you didn't completely answer the question. What about sagebrush? On most junk land I've seen there appeared to be plenty of sagebrush, etc. that could be burned in smaller living spaces … like a tiny house or camper, et. al.

      Delete
    3. I don't know of anyone who burns sage, if I'm reading your question correctly. I plan on it, but only because I'm underground and won't need much. If you burn it for regular heating 24/7 you will very shortly be walking miles to get more.

      Delete
  6. I have a Coleman catalytic propane heater that screws onto the 1 lb bottle. Will heat my 12"x24' office to 70 degrees for 24 hrs on low. Used it 12 years ago before my electric was hooked up.

    3 years ago I installed a ProCom 8k btu wall mounted propane heater and it's connected to the big tank. I installed the heater and the fittings to the outside and the propane company ran the line to the tank and installed the regulator. The heater cost $125 and the connections were another $50 and the propane company charged me $150 to install the regulator and run the new line. It has no electric and uses a piezo grill igniter. Has a built in thermostat and after I get it set up I never touch it again all winter. Remember, radiant heat heats things, not the air, so when the heater cycles off the things continue to radiate store heat back into the space, which equates to a more comfortable environment - not hot or cold spots. Highly recommend. Think I'm going to put that Coleman heater in my vehicle with a couple bottles in case I break down in the winter. Baby it's cold outside! Leave a window cracked for ventilation!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought I'd heard grumbling about Coleman products, but I could be remembering wrong. But, yeah, the car sounds like a good home for it. Actually, I think I have one also. I never used it, but loaned it to the ex's daughter when those dickheads mooched off us for five months. I know it works, if they didn't break it. It was always a back-up, and I've transitioned away from the old hoses and appliances. Hell, I might transition to keroscene if I ever move back out. Pondering on that one, due to tank thefts.

      Delete
    2. Keep in mind my Coleman is now about 15 years old.
      Remember the JIM LAW:
      "All things, now, will continue to get worse."

      That same heater today may cost twice as much and last half as long, or worse.

      Delete
    3. Chain/lock the tank to something that can't move.

      Delete
    4. If I'm living out there the thefts will stop, but I'm still going Full Retard Paranoia anyway. Portable solar panels, no tanks outside.

      Delete
  7. Sounds like we have the same 4000/8000 BTU Mr Heater. I must have got lucky and bought mine at the right time (circa 2013) before the quality took a leap, or just got lucky period, because mine has been trouble free. Though admittedly, even though it sees regular winter time use, it’s not running constantly in winter, and I use one of those electric, oil filled radiant heaters at night when I sleep.

    Good to know though. I think the next time, I might try out one of those infrared ceiling mounted heaters, though they are kind of expensive. The vented wall heaters that GS mentioned also work great, so if I didn’t get the wall mount, I’d probably go with one of those.

    https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-000-BTU-Propane-Radiant/dp/B00006L7UY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1544542786&sr=8-5&keywords=propane+heater+wall+mount

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My crap Mr. Heaters were bought PRIOR to 2012 when we moved from the RV to the B-POD. I'd say 2009 was the transition to crap.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for the tip on those style of heaters. I may get one for my garage. Maybe not that model, have to study them for a bit.

      Here in my office I keep a window cracked at the bottom to have some fresh airflow. As the outside temp varies so does the size of the crack.

      Because radiant heat is a different type of heat than the forced air type most people are familiar with you won't perceive any heated air flow. If you hold your hand close to it you will, but 10 feet away you won't. It takes a few days for the walls and furniture to absorb the heat and start radiating it back into the room. My mutt lays right on the concrete floor in the dead of winter and enjoys it. Feels a little cool to my hand but not cold at all.

      My heater is mounted on the 12' wall in my 12' x 24' office. It is mounted about 5' above the floor, and the drywalled wall is covered with old metal signs to reflect the heat back into the room. There is a 42" dia ceiling hugger style ceiling fan that is on all the time and in the winter the blades are reversed to pull the air up and it then spreads out across the ceiling and falls down everywhere. I hate dank air, so airflow is good.

      I also have a 16" Lasko pedestal fan sitting in front of the radiant heater pulling heat in from the rear and broadcasting it out into the larger room. Once this stuff is set up in the fall I never have to touch any of it again until, well last year I ran it til early May when I turned it off, and it stays about 70-72 all the time. I like this system. I wish our house was heated similarly, rather than the propane fired forced air furnace thats in there now. My wife is always complaining about cold areas in the house and puts space heaters there then complains about the elec bill.....

      Delete
    3. I don't know what it is about women and the cold. They have an extra layer of fat under their skin, dammit! Of course, if I make it that long, in ten years I'll always be Old Person Cold. But for now, I must mock.

      Delete
  8. re:
    Heat storage, winter

    Around 1990 or so, the Sacramento utility company Pacific Gas And Electric built a demonstration home in Sacramento.

    Although it was above-ground and wood, it had six-inch walls and concrete floors.

    The fireplace was a World War The Second military Navy mine scooped out hollow with a matching door. To fuel the burn chamber, outside air sources through a dedicated duct.

    Concrete furniture and art boulders add mass for winter sun to soak during daylight, then slowly radiant at night.

    The concrete floor was tinted dark red to increase its solar absorption.

    I visited the home several tours. I was fascinated by the sense of quiet.

    About that era, a concrete subdivision was built in Los Molinas just north of Chico California. Again, touring their model homes, I marveled at the sense of quiet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even a crappy woodstove, a dedicated air intake makes a huge difference.

      Delete
  9. Jim, I love reading your blog, and hardly bother with Survival Blog anymore. This is my first time commenting on here.

    Anyway, I've been a plumber nearly 20 years. In that span, I have seen a steady decline in quality of faucets, fixtures and pipe fittings. The quality decline seems to have accelerated more rapidly in the last three or four years. Threaded parts don't screw together smoothly anymore.

    I've been so frustrated trying to install some poorly manufactured and designed products lately that I vow to call the companies and chew them out, but I don't have time for that.

    Not that my complaining would do any good. A decade ago, I wrote letters to executives of two major companies, and received not only a timely response, but free product. When I tried the same thing recently after my dog nearly choked on a crap product, I received not even a courtesy reply ... nothing but crickets chirping, as they say. The first commenter is right: execs are well-insulated from irate consumers. We've been sold out. Offshoring 'merican jobs and manufacturing capability was the end result of greed, plain and simple.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoy. As CEO of the globes leading Malthusian Survival Publication, I'll always be here to answer my customers personally :) Kunstler just wrote a piece today on crappy Microsoft products and phone trees. One of his better ones, and it ties in to this. I don't worry about off-shoring as much as I wonder if we'll ever get any of it back. My guess is, no. Thanks for commenting-I appreciate ya.

      Delete

COMMENTS HAVE BEEN CLOSED