Machinery and fire extinguishers Close call

Hi Guys
I Would just like to remind everybody to make sure you are carrying a/ big enough capacity fire extinguisher on your equipment and it works if you need it.!.
I'm sitting here writing this at 1am, after a very lucky escape from near loosing a section of straw and un harvested crop that belongs to another guy, And our tractor and round baler .I Was out from 8 to midnight would of been later, trying to finish baling straw for our barns on the guys land with no sun heat on.

I dumped a bale out, got half the next one. As I'm turning to watch the pick up again I notice a fire on top of a roller at the front.
20 seconds is all it took to start, it was getting bigger quick to. I Threw the brakes on dumped the pto out and managed to get the fire out before it got to big. Lucky for me I had the big fire extinguisher and it worked.

I will admit this is the first time I have had an extinguisher with me baling as it was the other guys land and a just incase poo happens kinda deal. Yes I know it was stupid not having one on our own land baling to.
we kinda had the it happens to someone else attitude with equipment fires. The extinguisher I had with me was the farms only machine one from our combine. it was a pure fluke I had grabbed it the first day of baling this year.

so the moral of the story is it happened to us, the guys land and crops safe, which would of been a major problem. the balers got some very small fire damage that i can tell now, and have to find the cause. It was all cleaned off and greased today, I also think that helped as under the guards was pretty clean to, so only the bale could burn.
after the fire was out it was still smoking a little but I managed to drive it home and hose it down before ejecting the bale, I have heard of a smoldering bale being ejected and flaring up burning the baler or field when the air hits it.
Well thats my story it ended fairly well, so please take the advice and get extinguishers, if you dont have them and if you do make sure they will work. We got to go buy a few more for our machines now they are cheap compared to equipment and replacement hassle!.
Regards Robert

Lucky, round baler is the only machine I worry about catching fire. Haven't needed extiguisher yet, but carry anyways.

Thanks, I got them everywhere, every tractor, lawn mower, many just inside the barn doors, in the house... Be aware, the powder will compack up solid... take them down every year or so and turnupside down and whack the stuffing out of them.

Reminds me of the time I had a motorcycle in the shop. Was having trouble starting it. Had starting fluid out and it backfired and caught the air cleaner on fire. I could blow on it and keep the flames down. Fire extinguisher was hanging on the wall only 15 feet ? from me. I didn't dare want to leave and go after it figured it would burst into flames. I keep blowing on it and it finally went out before I passed out ! LOL.

Costco stocks the large extinguishers, as well as a 2-pack of the smaller ones. Sam's (at least here) only stocks the small extinguishers.

I only had to use one once, that was to put out an alternator fire on a Chevy Impala on the side of the road. The metal on the alternator was burning pretty hot; took about 3 long blasts from the extinguisher to put out the fire. Oh, the guy never even said "Thank You". We were the only ones that stopped.

I think you will find out you have a bearing that is out on that top roller. They will get hot and start fires. I whole heartedly agree that you need fire extinguishers on all major pieces of equipment.

Something that may help you next time. We check all the roller bearings DAILY after we bale a few bales with an inferred thermometer. You can spot a bearing going bad DAYS before it actually goes out. It will run warmer than the other bearings. We mark a warm bearing and check it again later. If it is still warm then it is replaced ASAP.

There is a baler fire just about every fall around here with guys baling bedding. 10 years ago or so a local fellow took the last bale off the field in the baler. He dropped it next to where he stacked his bales which also was right next to his silage bags. The bale burst into flames when he dumped it out. There was a pretty good wind blowing right towards the stack of bales and the silage bags. HE lost ALLL the bales and burnt one plastic bag off of one corn silage bale. The fore department kept his barns from burning. He still had a BIG mess.

Another fellow had his catch on fire and drove to the house where he had a hose to put it out with. HE just about burnt his house down as a garden hose is not enough against a raging fire. He lost the baler and all the siding on one side of his house.

I have a 2.5 gallon pressurized water extinguisher on the round baler. Never put a baler fire out with it, but did put out a fire caused by a lightening strike. You'd be surprised how much fire 2.5 gallons of water with a little dish soap in it will put out.

thanks for the reminder.
I have them everywhere, but a few new ones wouldn't hurt...and the old ones need a pounding.
hate fire...had a small one recently, outside working on junk on hardpacked ground.
engine coughed back and lit up gas/solvents on the ground.
Very bright sunlight, I actually couldn't see it...but I could feel it.
Grabbed the extinguisher from the wall inside the shop door, sun went behind a cloud so I could see the fire. not that big yet, 3-4' circle, so I threw a blanket over it and it smothered it.
still gets your heart beating fast........

I was starting the old grain truck couple years ago, typical pour gas in the carb and crank it over because its been parked for several months.....

Puddle of gas caught on the engine block when it backfired, nice little flame looking at me through the crack under the open hood.

Hum. In my brand new machine shed, I know the engine has some oil grime on it, flame seems to be a little bigger than it was 15 seconds ago, I think I better think of something........

I had just put a little fire extinguisher on the shed wall a couple months ago. Fairly calmly ran to get that, come back, squirt the even little bit bigger flames, and all was well. Needed to buy a new 1/4 inch rubber hose for the truck.

Being prepared, a person has to keep thinking. I don't think I woulda been prepared a few months earlier, and not sure I'm always prepared today for the many things that can go wrong, but that day I was and hopefully I keep trying to stay one step ahead.....

Paul

I have started three fires while mowing in the past 18 years. It sure gives you a good heart check. I carry a large stainless steel water extinguisher now. I did have to use a power extinguisher on my JD 5020 years ago when a short started a fire under the steering wheel metal. I about burned our house down playing with matches when I was old enough to know better. I got it out before much happened. today is a good time to check my extinguishers. Like someone else said I also hate fires. Stan

My first fulltime job was as a VW Porsche mechanic.As a result I keep an extinguisher in each vehicle and a few more around the house and shop.
I have used some to put out other peoples car fires. While some owners are appreciative, others are not. Their insurance companies are usually happy to buy you new extinguishers as you saved them a lot of money.

I keep fire extinguisher(s) around the farm too. A fire doubles in size every 30-60 seconds!

The extinguisher on the combine sits loose inside a small auger tube- easy to grab on the run. Not inside the cab. Loader tractor has a similar mount. Our insurance has a discount for extinguishers in the house, shop, and on tractors.

Before retiring I managed a fire extinguisher business for 35 years in a rural area I can say most farmers around here do keep extinguishers on equipment, shop and home. I've seen a few combines burn for lack of carrying one or two though. Rule of thumb carry a large one if you have room. Better to get the fire out and have agent left than almost get the fire out and extinguisher empty. Buy good rechargeable ones also money well spent.

I was on a field trip with my 86 Ford bus. It was winter and I needed to pick them up in 10 minutes. I walked back to check the bus and when I got back up front I reached down and hit the ignition. It started but hesitated so I took my foot and pumped the pedal. It died and then I couldn't get it to start right. It would only idle. All of the sudden it dawned on me - it had belched fuel and the air cleaner was on fire. I grabbed the extinguisher and opened the hood. I took off the wingnut and lid and the element burst into flames. I grabbed it and threw it out into the parking lot and counted my fingers. That air cleaner was shooting flames five feet into the air before I doused it. Needless to say, I drove the rest of the route with nothing in the air cleaner box.

One of the passengers mentioned something about smelling BBQ when I pick them up. I kind of laughed to myself. I also never started that bus again without being in the seat and giving it enough gas so it wouldn't cough. It was that cold blooded 370.

2X what Brett said about 2.5 gal. Water with about 6 oz dish soap. They will do about 20x what your usual 5BC will do on ordinary combustibles

Maybe so, but vehicles have flammable liquids. I like CO2 or powder aboard

(quoted from post at 19:43:22 08/12/15) Maybe so, but vehicles have flammable liquids. I like CO2 or powder aboard

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As well you should ObsoElitist. But what I was intending to emphasize is that for saving something valuable where the fuel is ordinary Class A combustibles, one is far more likely to get the desired outcome with the 2.5 gal loaded stream than with that 5A-10BC that we are more likely to carry. 25 years ago our Fire Dept. pulled up to a farm tractor fire where the tractor was four feet from a house. The booster line was pulled and the fire was put out but it kept coming right back because the fuel line was burned. I pulled out the 2.5 loaded steam, shot a little foam and it was out.

Only time I've had to use one is when I was adding oil to my Pontiac Grand Prix. Filler hole is right above the exhaust manifolds. Didn't think about the fact that I had just gotten home and the engine was still hot. Dripped a little oil that ran down onto the manifold and "poof". I tried blowing on it like Mike M but that wasn't working so I ran into the garage to get the extinguisher. I always keep one near my arc welder and oxy-acetylene tanks. :wink: Put the fire out quick without any damage to hoses or wiring. Lucky.