2015 LS TRACTOR - Block heater cause fire

[gdog26]

2015 LS TRACTOR - Block heater cause fire .... anyone else..??


The extension cord from the house to the tractor is from the manufacture, and basically named and used especially for "block heater"
The entire tractor is original by the factory
Plugged the tractor around 5pm ish and fired started 2-3hrs after...

Going at the dealership first thing tomorrow morning (Monday)!! NOT impress!!!!!!!
((Anyhow, thank you god!!! and thanks again to this good samaritan and his good old wife who stopped by to let us know that our tractor was on fire!!! My wife car was 2ft behind the tractor and brother in-law SUV was just 2-3ft beside it... this could have cause a HUGE boom boom with a mix of diesel, hydraulic and gas.))

A few video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpUv51wayfA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YkaBHAZ6Rk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHGIrbEwyL0


I'm hoping to see the dealership taking full responsibility, thoughts?
Also thoughts or suggestions on what could have cause this, and what should I be concern once they do the repair...

From what I can see... new radiator hose, coolant, block heater, cord are required, but I wonder if something else could have been overheated but i dont know...

 

[George2615]

First, Welcome to TBN.............
Very sorry to here about your fire. Any idea what gauge wire and length the factory used for the extension cord? Sounds like either the cord or the block heater failed. Very lucky a good samaritan stopped to let you know.

 

[gdog26]

First, Welcome to TBN.............
Very sorry to here about your fire. Any idea what gauge wire and length the factory used for the extension cord? Sounds like either the cord or the block heater failed. Very lucky a good samaritan stopped to let you know.

thanks..
sorry, but I dont know. I went outside to check the cord installed on the tractor which was plugged into the block heater... my guess is the length is near 12ft, and the wire gauche is probably 16 assume but again, both numbers are assumptions. How can I measure the gauche wire?

edit: btw, just read the entire operator manual almost.. and they dont mention anything about that wire or block heater

 

[lostcreekranch]

Dealer installed option?

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[Clint S]

Lower radiator hose not block and not an LS part I would guess. Either your dealer will step up or they will tell you to contact the manufacturer of that heater. It looks like a zero start heater and I had one melt. I attributed to it not being fully seated in the heater. Hopefully homeowners will cover it if the dealer does not step up. Since the damage is minimal the dealer may, but if would have engulfed the tractor sadly I think you would be out of luck.

 

[blueriver]

Is the tractor insured?

 

[gdog26]

Is the tractor insured?

Yes, it is insured with my house property etc...

 

[gdog26]

Dealer installed option?

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

I believe everything was installed from the manufacture. I doubt this is something the dealership are doing on each of them, but i could be wrong, i should know more tomorrow morning.

 

[ozley]

I believe everything was installed from the manufacture. I doubt this is something the dealership are doing on each of them, but i could be wrong, i should know more tomorrow morning.

I would go for a block heater that is install in the block though a freeze plug. Maybe the joint at the hose clamp had a small leak getting antifreeze into the heater wiring causing a short.

 

[nvmyhd]

Be careful about what you post regarding who or what is to blame until you settle this.
You could be sued for defamation (not that your point fingers at this point)

When you do find out what happened we do want the details, but you need to look out for yourself.

 

[Coyote machine]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune, but glad to hear of your good fortune with the folks who prevented a much worse scenario. Since you're in Canada, I suspect your selling dealer chooses to install rad hose heaters as stand operating procedure due to your weather.
My Kioti dealer, for instance does the same here in VT for all tractors he sells, BUT he uses a Katz brand block heater - which, IMHO, are much more effective, and much less likely to do something like cause a fire.
Regardless, let us know what the ongoing followup is with your dealer/your insurance co., etc.

Good luck- Best wishes. It will get resolved.:thumbsup:

 

[gdog26]

I would go for a block heater that is install in the block though a freeze plug. Maybe the joint at the hose clamp had a small leak getting antifreeze into the heater wiring causing a short.

Ok, something to think about, thanks for your inputs

 

[gdog26]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune, but glad to hear of your good fortune with the folks who prevented a much worse scenario. Since you're in Canada, I suspect your selling dealer chooses to install rad hose heaters as stand operating procedure due to your weather.
My Kioti dealer, for instance does the same here in VT for all tractors he sells, BUT he uses a Katz brand block heater - which, IMHO, are much more effective, and much less likely to do something like cause a fire.
Regardless, let us know what the ongoing followup is with your dealer/your insurance co., etc.

Good luck- Best wishes. It will get resolved.:thumbsup:

Yes they did, good statement, thanks

 

[gdog26]

Be careful about what you post regarding who or what is to blame until you settle this.
You could be sued for defamation (not that your point fingers at this point)

When you do find out what happened we do want the details, but you need to look out for yourself.

Agreed, make sense! thanks

 

[gdog26]

They came today at the house... they changed the radiator, block heater & cord and the radiator hoses and the ones going onto be heater inside of the cab, every thing else looks OK as per them, and it look OK as per me too. The block heater was defect, not sure what was the problem but something was wrong with it. This is something they installed themselves at the shop he said when I bought the tractor, the block heater is NOT from the manufacture like I thought. Anyhow, everything looks OK now and ready for tomorrow morning, because we have snow storm starting this evening, expecting 30cm, hopefully everything will be fine tomorrow morning.

Not sure if I will trust this block heater again...even if everything is new.. its kind of scary...

thanks for all the feedback!

 

[Clint S]

Good news. I have one on my tractor and other than the one incident it has worked well and again I think I did not have it plugged in all the way.