Mowing / Hogging in the rain

[Jmsmithy]

This may be an old question but I'm new to this. I didn't get any straight answer searching history threads either....

So, can I hook up my 6' Kodiak Med Duty mower to my Kioti HST DK40se and mow down saplings, brush etc etc?

Will it hurt the equipment?

Will it hurt the blades?? Assume would dull them a bit quicker...

Anything else I need to know? Certainly appreciate any and all info you all can bestow !!!

:thumbsup:

 

[Gary Fowler]

You can bush hog in wet grass but you may not get as good a cut and the trash may not clear as well from under the hog. It will take a lot more power to pull the BH in wet grass though. Cutting brush and other coarse material would not be an issue as I have done that with no problems when raining. It isn't going to hurt your bush hog and certainly not dull the blades, it may even wash out some dirt from underneath.

 

[farmgirl19]

I'd caution you about hogging in thunderstorms. You become more of a lightening magnet, and with the hog attached, are no longer "insulated" by your tires. If it is just rain, should not be a problem.

 

[RaydaKub]

and with the hog attached, are no longer "insulated" by your tires.

This is one of the biggest myths about lightening there is.

Air is a fantastic insulator. You have a million or more volts of static electricity jumping across miles of nonconductive air gap. So the 6 to 16 inches of nonconductive rubber isn't going to protect you much. What can protect you is the conductive cab around you; the top of the metal cab down the rops posts to the frame to the rims is an easier path than jumping from the headliner to you to the seat to the frame to the rims. But if you are the highest point on the tractor you might want to change that.

Nature is lazy. Water takes the easiest path. So does lightening.

If you hit a power pole with your car the tires will help you. Lightening, not so much.

 

[TripleR]

I prefer not to mow in the rain or when wet, but I have and will, never really worried much one way or the other unless it is a deluge and it gets muddy, I now use cabs, but have done it on open station too.

 

[farmgirl19]

This is one of the biggest myths about lightening there is.

Air is a fantastic insulator. You have a million or more volts of static electricity jumping across miles of nonconductive air gap. So the 6 to 16 inches of nonconductive rubber isn't going to protect you much. What can protect you is the conductive cab around you; the top of the metal cab down the rops posts to the frame to the rims is an easier path than jumping from the headliner to you to the seat to the frame to the rims. But if you are the highest point on the tractor you might want to change that.

Nature is lazy. Water takes the easiest path. So does lightening.

If you hit a power pole with your car the tires will help you. Lightening, not so much.

I've known one horse and rider killed by lightening, and also seen a tractor, actually brush hog, hit by lightening. No one was on the tractor at the time, but it was in the field. Lightening likes taller objects, and if the tractor makes you the best target, it isn't safe, IMO.

If you say it is a myth, maybe we get worse thunderstorms in Texas. I'd rather play it safe.

 

[MoKelly]

I prefer not to mow in the rain or when wet, but I have and will, never really worried much one way or the other unless it is a deluge and it gets muddy, I now use cabs, but have done it on open station too.

I agree. I hate mowing when it is wet and don't unless I have no choice. The cut is poor and it makes a mess. Seems like I can spend more time cleaning the tractor and mower than I actually spent mowing.

MoKelly

 

[mbmrang]

Since I don't have a cab tractor, I don't like to mow in the rain, but when the ground is still wet is a perfect time to mow small saplings and brush. It seems to pull a lot of brush out of the ground versus cutting it off.

 

[RaydaKub]

I've known one horse and rider killed by lightening, and also seen a tractor, actually brush hog, hit by lightening. No one was on the tractor at the time, but it was in the field. Lightening likes taller objects, and if the tractor makes you the best target, it isn't safe, IMO.

If you say it is a myth, maybe we get worse thunderstorms in Texas. I'd rather play it safe.

I'm not sure what part you are disagreeing with. My whole point is that people think that tires will protect you. They won't. If lightning hits the cab, you may be safe because the metal shell around you conducts the charge
to the earth better than you will, but I sure wouldn't be anxious to test the theory. Lightning that jumps miles through the nonconductive air will not be deterred by a foot of rubber. As I read your earlier post, you implied that he would be giving up his safety margin because of the mower, when I would say he never had one at all.

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

Actually my mower seems to cut a little better if the grass is just a little damp, but i dont believe i would mow a field in lightening :laughing: :lightningbolt:

 

[GManBart]

I'm not sure what part you are disagreeing with. My whole point is that people think that tires will protect you. They won't. If lightning hits the cab, you may be safe because the metal shell around you conducts the charge
to the earth better than you will, but I sure wouldn't be anxious to test the theory. Lightning that jumps miles through the nonconductive air will not be deterred by a foot of rubber. As I read your earlier post, you implied that he would be giving up his safety margin because of the mower, when I would say he never had one at all.

Yep. I think the term "insulated" throws people. They view it as an absolute...you're either insulated, or you're not. In reality, you're only insulated up to a certain point. Around here, the typical utility pole power lines are around 13,800 volts...nowhere near what lightning is, so you can safely handle the hot wires with an "insulated" bucket truck, and special rubber gloves (with insert gloves inside as well). Try that with 1,000KV, and you're going to die!

I'll brush cut in the rain, but once the lightening gets within a couple of miles (literally...like 2-3), I park it, and head inside!

 

[farmgirl19]

Sorry RaydaKub. I misunderstood your first reply to me. I read it as lightning would not be likely hit the tractor. My mistake.

 

[RoyJackson]

I don't mow when it's raining and I don't mow the lawn when it's wet. I do field mow when the field is a bit wet...keeps the dust and such down.
Caveat: NO mowing on slopes at all when it's wet....grass is, as most of you know, slick!

 

[k0ua]

This may be an old question but I'm new to this. I didn't get any straight answer searching history threads either....

So, can I hook up my 6' Kodiak Med Duty mower to my Kioti HST DK40se and mow down saplings, brush etc etc? YEP

Will it hurt the equipment? Nope

Will it hurt the blades?? Assume would dull them a bit quicker... Nope, they are dull to begin with

Anything else I need to know? Certainly appreciate any and all info you all can bestow !!! I would not mow in the rain, it increases the danger of getting struck with lightning, it increasing the danger of slipping down hills, and increases the amount of damage to the ground from the tires, and increases the load on the cutter with the wet heavy material.

:thumbsup:

There you go.. my 2 cents.

James K0UA

 

[RaydaKub]

Sorry RaydaKub. I misunderstood your first reply to me. I read it as lightning would not be likely hit the tractor. My mistake.

No problem Farmgirl. Conveying an idea requires good explanation as well as good interpretation.

 

[Zebrafive]

No cab, so I don't mow in the rain. If it starts to rain when I am mowing, I high tail it to the barn and wait for another day.

 

[wmonroe]

I have mowed in the rain (not during thunderstorms though) but don't like to. Having an open station tractor and the above safety concerns take all the fun out of mowing if it is raining.

 

[MikeInEburg]

...keeps the dust and such

This is the biggest advantage of mowing in the rain. I agree with others, mowing brush in the rain makes little difference. Mowing grass in the rain will provide poor results. While not all rain storms have lightning potential, getting struck by lightning can ruin your whole day. Don't take chances.