Fire on John Deere mower

   / Fire on John Deere mower #21  
I won't spray water on my tractor but do use the air compressor to blow off all the dust and debris after EVERY mowing. Parts stay dry rather than soaked down and causing rust, and water in and around the engine parts, the electronic parts, the bearings, and such can't be very good for longevity. But just may be me. Not putting down whatever anyone else likes to do.
 
   / Fire on John Deere mower #22  
Two points I have to add.

Lady around here once cut the grass around her place, parked it next to her house and went to take a shower. Next thing, the house was in flames!

I have a Steiner 430 Diesel MAX that was given to me, burned to destruction, that was used to try and push a burning brush pile. The FD showed up reasonably quickly, but to see the machine, you would would think it had been in a burned builiding.

3rd point, check your fire extinguishers for content. A shot extinguisher is about as good as a rock.
 
   / Fire on John Deere mower #23  
Looks like a box store special to me. Get an insurance check and go buy another, they are, after all, expendable.
 
   / Fire on John Deere mower #24  
I have had issues with my Husqvarna rider when dealing with thick piles of leaves in the fall. It is easy to catch as there is smoke and the smell of smoldering leaves. This year and last year, I started using a mulching blade and not letting the leaves build up on the grass too much. It takes more sessions to mulch them than to bag them, but it is only seat time. I did have a small fire once due to my laziness. I thought it was just the "normal" smoldering smoke from the leaves but I let it go too long. Learned my lesson...if it smokes or smells even a bit, I clean the area out.

Have to agree that it seems your issue was a gas leak of some sort as dead leaves/grass will smolder before bursting into flame.

Hope your homeowners policy helps out. Mine has $1000 deductible so it would still be painful. One thing I like about ZT's is the engine is up and out of the way. Nearly impossible to have a grass/leaf fire.
 
   / Fire on John Deere mower #25  
There have been some JD combines that have caught fire while working. They are usually a total loss, as by the time it is noticed, it is too late to do anything. If you think a mower is costly, price a combine.

Speaking of combines, a local Farmer told me the fire extinguisher in the cab is for the operator's "peace of mind" he will be able to get out, not put the fire out. By the time he knows it's on fire, it will be a total loss
 
   / Fire on John Deere mower #26  
Found many of my extinguishers plugged with mud wasps. Can be easily cleaned out usually, but not when something is on fire.

Big problem, especially with todays plastic encased equipment. You can't put out a fire if you can't get at the source!
 
   / Fire on John Deere mower #27  
plugged with mud wasps.

Appreciate the heads up, and will do some checking. Hadn't thought of that and it was not included when doing the "pointer in the green" zone check. tks
 
   / Fire on John Deere mower #28  
There have been some JD combines that have caught fire while working. They are usually a total loss, as by the time it is noticed, it is too late to do anything. If you think a mower is costly, price a combine.

I think it was the new JD S series combines that when they first hit the market there as a faulty hydraulic fitting that would spray hydraulic oil on the turbo when it failed. Instant roman candle.
 
   / Fire on John Deere mower #29  
An experienced farm manager I know told his employees if a tractor ever caught on fire to throw their cell phone into the blaze and walk calmly back to the farm office to report the incident.
 
   / Fire on John Deere mower #30  
An experienced farm manager I know told his employees if a tractor ever caught on fire to throw their cell phone into the blaze and walk calmly back to the farm office to report the incident.

:laughing::laughing: Oh so much truth in that one sentence then one can imagine.....:D

Glad all I have is coastal going to bed and rye waking up and blue stem drying out.....leaves....what are those....????:dance1::laughing:
 
 
Top