Blazing a tail (round baler on fire)

WI Dan · Apr 5, 2016

I saw a video (link below) of a round baler that caught fire. When I translated the text it said the baler couldn't be disconnected because they couldn't get the hitch pin out. So, the driver "blazed a trail" across the field. I presume to find a hose at home.

What would you have done in the same situation?
Hmm...Save the big-money tractor and start the field on fire... Looks like the fire dept. was on-site. Who pays for that bill?

(pardon the volume)(not my video)
poke here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzQ8iCieQsY
or http://www.agrivideos.com/farm-machinery/2993/fire-hay-bale-machine-john-deere-550

WI Dan · Apr 5, 2016

oops... blazing a *trail...

Tx Jim · Apr 5, 2016

A rd hay baler that has caught on fire while baling makes ones heart beat faster for sure. BTDT but I think the safety chain was more trouble to get lose than pulling the hitch pin. I saved my tractor.[/url]

rusty6 · Apr 5, 2016

I worry about that when pulling my 7721 combine harvesting flax. Which is notorious for wrapping and starting fires. I've already had one
incident where smoke was coming down the feeder chain but I was able to pull into a sheltered area out of the wind and get enough shields
open to pull out the smouldering straw wrapped around the shaft.
I saw one guy with a round baler fire that had tried to back the burning baler into a slough. (We have plenty of those here). It might have
worked but the tail wind still pushed enough heat onto the back of the tractor that, even parked in the water, it lit up and burned too.

ditchwitch · Apr 5, 2016

Personally i would have unhooked it and let the baler burn right where it was. If this kind of baler
is known for that seems like the tractor operator would be on the look out or be aware. It aint all
straight driving and listening to your cool radio in your air conditioned tractor.

rrlund · Apr 5, 2016

There've been a couple of tractors around here burned up for the very same reason. When mine caught fire,I kicked the bale out,left the baler running so it spit out anything still burning that dropped down. I headed for a bean field and threw dirt on it. When I had it down to just smoldering,I headed across the road to a farm and grabbed a hose. I had the woman there call the fire department to put out the field fire that was going in the wheat straw.

cole in mo. · Apr 5, 2016

I've an 852 NH chain bailer, last year on the last windrow, and almost to a full bale, I smelled grass smoke. Finished and added the string, when I opened the hatch, I saw smoke coming from the top right chain sprocket. As the bale hit the ground I did too, grabbed my water jug, got on the twine box and doused the sprocket. Nothing was on fire, but sure took my mind off the all the dust and chaff the was making me itch.

Allan in NE · Apr 5, 2016

There is no time to unhitch.

Allan

Pair-a-dice farm · Apr 5, 2016

I've only had one to catch fire and I was able to dump the bale and put out the fire. Since then, When I get to the field I turn the pull pin over with the hair pin on top. If I need to I can pull the hairpin and the pull pin will usually fall out, then if needed, I can pull pull away and the hyd hoses should pull off and I don't worry about the electric wires. I never get on the roads but I put the pin in right when changing fields. I start out each year with a new fire extinguisher.
A neighbor had his baler catch fire, he just backed into the river.

Dave H (MI) · Apr 5, 2016

As someone who was once a fireman AND has baled a lot of hay, my only response to that would be that you do not sound like the voice of experience. Pulling those pins can be very difficult in a hurry. Doing so with that kind of heat just a couple feet away would be almost impossible and not get seriously hurt. Just staying with the tractor took a lot of guts. Few things burn as fast and hot as hay. If you cannot eject the bale probably the best plan is to drive as fast as you can to keep the flames and heat behind you as much as possible until the FD gets around to you. If you had a pond it would be tempting to drive the whole works right into it.

ditchwitch · Apr 5, 2016

No i will admit im not the voice of experience, I understand fire how fast it burns how hot it gets. The jest of my response was get of your ipod or smartphone or listening you your radio if you know that piece of equipment is known to do something like that and pay attention.. If i saw a hint of smoke yes i would try to unhook it. Yes if it was all of a sudden to much i surely wouldnt be stupid enough to drive around and set the whole field on fire while waiting on a fire truck thats not good common sence at all. If it was all of a sudden to much to do anything stop the tractor get away let the tractor and baler burn where it sits. Or like you said close to a pond drive it in if you know the pond is shallow enough.

ss55 · Apr 5, 2016

Does anyone use or sell an emergency quick release that would let the operator drop a burning baler without leaving the cab? Maybe by only reaching out the rear window?

With a fire that is very far along, it could be pretty hot at the back of the tractor. If an operator tries to get behind the tractor and pull the draw bar pin, he could possibly suffer some pretty severe burns just from the heat radiating from the fire. It could take over a minutes to unhook the baler, especially if draw bar pin is in a bind, if the PTO shaft blocks completely removing the pin, or if the tongue must be jacked up some before the pin can be removed (assuming the baled tongue does not fall on the operator once the pin is out).

LAA · Apr 5, 2016

I had the opposite one time, the tractor caught on fire but I was able to unhitch the baler and get
the monitor off the tractor, was only about 2 miles from the VFD at the time but no cell phone then
and middle of the day so no traffic. Lost the tractor but still have the baler.

ditchwitch · Apr 5, 2016

Now that would be a great idea . Some sort of quick release.

notjustair · Apr 5, 2016

My JD 435 caught fire. I had it on the 4440. I
backed the baler in the pond. Worst mistake ever. I
should have let it burn even if I had to buy a new
tractor. That baler was mildly annoying before that
but quickly went downhill after I got it back from
Deere. I'm not sure whether it was the fire or sinking
it (and the back of the tractor) in that much mud, but
everything seems a little "off" and wears funny
since. It's always busting springs and ties like junk.

In its defense it has tens of thousands of bales
through it.

caterpillar guy · Apr 6, 2016

I have had hot bearings and I stop and go around and touch near the bearings to find any that are warm. I then check any that seem warm after a few hours. I have dumped chaff off that was black. So near to a fire. Never lost one yet. Did have an old UNI burn one time.

Tx Jim · Apr 6, 2016

(quoted from post at 16:47:29 04/05/16) If this kind of baler
is known for that seems like the tractor operator would be on the look out or be aware. .

All brands/colors of rd balers have been known to catch on fire & burn. Just visit a salvage yard that buys rd balers.

wvfarmboy · Apr 6, 2016

first thing is insure baler and tractor just in case. remember if you have a bad hot bearing it can catch fire a coupel hours after youn quit baling . best insurence against fire is insurence. aith a baler and tractor costing close to one hundered grand losing both can bankrupt lot of us.

cannonball · Apr 6, 2016

I mounted my FE on my tractor, not the baler...

showcrop · Apr 6, 2016

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I have never had a baler fire, but I have had a fire while in the field. I fortunately had my fire dept. portable radio (before cell phones) so I was able to call direct to dispatch. Best that I have seen is monitoring bearings with a point and read thermometer like JD Seller does. Second best is a 2.5 gal. Loaded stream WATER fire extinguisher (water added). They are far more effective than plain water.

kyhayman · Apr 9, 2016

Make sure they are adequately insured, bail out, and run...... I've had 2 bad tractor fires
in my life, the first one I fought, hard and saved the tractor, not that it mattered other
than as I told the insurance agent, with 5 tons of ammonium nitrate behind it I was too old
and too fat to run as far as I'd have needed too....

While the fuel tank going wasn't too bad batteries exploding....... I want to be a good way
away.......

Blazing a tail (round baler on fire)

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