Baler Fires

[MikeC]

You folks running hay balers be sure to have an extinguisher on board and instruct the operator what to do in case of a fire.

One of my neighbors ( I won't call his name but he is related to a regular on this board) was letting his wife finish baling a field of hay while he went to cut another pasture nearby.

Anyway, the baler caught on fire, she paniced big time, cracked the baler open and got off the tractor without kicking the bale out. She said it was too hot to drop the baler and burnt up a $90,000.00 JD tractor (2 years old) and a new 567 JD baler.

All they could do was stand there and watch them burn and the only part salvageable was the hay spear that was mounted on the tractor loader.

We'll see how well that JD insurance works now............

This is the 4th baler fire within 20 miles of me this year.

Be careful, and be prepared........................

 

[BrianL]

Ours started a small fire last weekend due to a bad bearing. My father had the good sense to kick the bale out before it caught fire. By the time I arrived with a fire extinguisher he had the tractor unhooked from the baler. We both decided there will be an extinguisher in the cab of the tractor at all times from now on. A friend of his lost a tractor a few weeks ago to a bird nest under the hood.

 

[VZCR]

Ours started a small fire last weekend due to a bad bearing. My father had the good sense to kick the bale out before it caught fire. By the time I arrived with a fire extinguisher he had the tractor unhooked from the baler. We both decided there will be an extinguisher in the cab of the tractor at all times from now on. A friend of his lost a tractor a few weeks ago to a bird nest under the hood.

Did he get the fire put out, or did the baler burn up?

 

[HAY MAKER]

Thanks for the reminder Mike,you can bet good ole john deere will be givin em a check for the depreciated value,one of the reasons I traded all my john deere equipment for New Holland..............good luck
PS I hope everyone keeps a fire extinguisher handy,I have one in the tractor and one mounted to the side of my balers.

 

[BrianL]

Ours started a small fire last weekend due to a bad bearing. My father had the good sense to kick the bale out before it caught fire. By the time I arrived with a fire extinguisher he had the tractor unhooked from the baler. We both decided there will be an extinguisher in the cab of the tractor at all times from now on. A friend of his lost a tractor a few weeks ago to a bird nest under the hood.

Did he get the fire put out, or did the baler burn up?

He got it out thankfully, but it was a close call. Too close. Our baler is bad about accumulating excess hay above the pickup teeth, if that had been there it would have went up. We were lucky.

 

[AngusLimoX]

Thanks for the reminder Mike. First year on the farm I noticed smoke ( I thought maybe dust at first ) coming out of the baler.

Got off the tractor with baler rolling and noticed a fire under the back of the baler. Got back there and stomped that sucker out very quickly. Then looked back up the field and saw half a dozen spots burning ( hot chaff out of the baler ).

Luckily got my baler and haybine outta there. Lost over 50 round bales, but consider myself lucky.

ALX

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

We respond to several baler fires every year as well as hay fires ,not uncommon. Another tip,never park a baler with a bale left inside. Been on a few fires in balers started that way too.

 

[MikeC]

The neighbor's baler fire may get interesting.

Just saw him and the dealer told him unless he had an exinguisher on the baler AND on the tractor, the insurance may refuse payment.

Has to be a dry chemical on the tractor and a minimum of a 2.5 gallon water attached to the baler.

We'll see.

 

[63DH8]

I would highly recommend not getting the first extinguisher you see. If it's too small, it'll run out before the fire is out. Get the largest one you can handle. Powder fire extinguishers are great for grease or oil fires, but don't smother straw or grass as quick water or foam. I shouldn't say "smother" as water lowers the combustion tempitures until the fire goes out. Foam will smother fire.

My suggestion would be to place a water tank, like a 25 or 50 gallon sprayer on the bailer with a 12 volt pump. Because you would be fighting the fire as it begins, you won't need as much water as you would fighting a full blown fire.

 

[kb5iod]

My suggestion would be to place a water tank, like a 25 or 50 gallon sprayer on the bailer with a 12 volt pump. Because you would be fighting the fire as it begins, you won't need as much water as you would fighting a full blown fire.

One thing that might be a problem with this is the tractor will be needed to provide the 12 volts. Its a tough call to decide whether to fight the fire or start unhooking the tractor to get it out of the way. I almost lost a tractor a few years ago trying to save the baler. Once the fire hit the loose hay riding around the belts it was over. By the time I started unhooking flames were shooting in the air. It gets pretty hot between the baler and tractor. Finally got the PTO to come off, pulled the pin and drove out from under the whole mess. Remember that hoses and tires will start bursting so at some point it is best to back away and wait on the VFD.

 

[dun]

Remember that hoses and tires will start bursting so at some point it is best to back away and wait on the VFD.

The battery will esplode also. Chunks from the neighbors whe nthe battery blew landed over 200 yds away.

dun

 

[hurleyjd]

I think if you dumped the bale, closed the tailgate and kept the baler moving it might shake out the burning hay. This would keep the belts moving and keep them from getting hot enough to burn. I burned one baler, I did not keep it moving, I drove as fast as possible to a water hose with the tail gate up. The baler belts were then on fire. I caught another on fire three years later, hot bearing, I dumped the bale and moved away from the bale with the baler, lifted the gate and found what little hay left that was burning, I had gloves on so I just raked it out. Another story with a tragic ending. An older gentlemen in our community had a new Vermeer and a new John Deere. Caught the baler on fire. He drove across the hay medow with it on fire, he was trying to get to some green grass to keep from burning the meadow. The hay built up in front as he was going.The fire ruptured the fuel tank under the cab that was full of diesel. Needless to say the man died in the accident.

 

[Earl Thigpen]

Been there, done that. I lost a floor chain bearing and caught the bale and baler on fire. Managed to kick the bale out and put the fire out on the baler. Someone was watching over me on the bale because the fire came to rest on the bottom of the bale so it put itself out. The hay field was a little more intense but I did get it put out.

I now carry a pretty large container of water with me. Like American Express, don't leave home without it.

Sorry about the loss of the tractor and baler.

 

[AngusLimoX]

What's the cause of most of these fires? Bearings going out that create intense heat or mainly hay that's too wet? I got me a new round baler and I moisture test the hay prior to baling but would like to be heads up on anything else that could cause a fire.

Mine was a bearing AB.

 

[ironpeddler]

Fires can happen but the fire will spread slower if you use only a dry lube chain lube. The oil residue on the chain and baler works as an accelerant. Get rid of the oil residue and you can put the fire out with dirt and or water. Get the bale out of the baler first!!! and then get the tractor away from the baler and bale.

We went to pushing chain lube in 1993 and the total loss fires have disappeared among our customers using chain lube.

 

[ironpeddler]

I understand that some of the Dry Lubes are waxy. Does that present any problems?

I can not speak for all chain lube MFG's but we sell the Vermeer Chain Lube. It has graphite in it and goes on as a foam and it drys quickly.

 

[fdwyer]

We lost one last year overnight. Must have been a bearing that started a smoldering fire.

Pretty disappointing thing to see in the morning. Baler was a right off and lost a tire, seat, lights and all the hoses. Could have been worse, but didn't seem like it could at the time.

Frank

 

[I luv herfrds]

No baler fires this year, but our cousin lost his a couple of years ago. Baled up a belt and got it going. He was able to unhook his tractor (Just bought it) but not before it started melting the lights warping the window and the fenders were a funny shape.
A friend had his catch fire last year and since he was close to the local highway he parked in the north bound lane unhooked the tractor and waited for the VFD to show up. Burned up some of the road. You can still see the burn patch on the road.

Had a Farm Medic course years ago. We ended up at a local dealership looking at all of the tractors to see if we could figure out how to shut all those jerry rigged tractors. We had one guy ask us why we didn't just cut the hydraulic hoses. After the looks of disbelief he was told because it will burn you because it is hot.

 

[Bez+]

Next "fire" season will be coming soon - combines.

Bez+

 

[I luv herfrds]

Their already here.
A cigerette (sp) butt started a pretty good one west of us.
The US Air Force started one then wouldn't let the landowners fight it. Lot of pi**ed people and some crop loss.

No combines have started on fire yet, but the harvest is not over.