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Subject: Warning -Potential Fire Safety Hazard

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Tim Daley(MI)    Posted 04-23-2010 at 09:04:37 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [Email]  
  • Warning -Potential Fire Safety Hazard
  • This post deals with a potential fire hazard caused by an electrical short in the key switch wiring. It should be under a FMEA (failure mode effect analysis)document. This happened to me yesterday after I was out plowing and discing gardens and food plots for neighbors and myself all morning and early afternoon. I took a break, shut tractor off, but after dinner went out to do more and turned key switch to 'ON' position to start tractor. Immediately smoke poured out from under dash and I noticed Ammeter pegged at -30 amps. Shutting it off quickly, I determined a shorted switch was the culprit. I removed the toolbox and inspection showed a melted wire and blackened area on back of toolbox. Conlusion was that the wire had been rubbing on the back of toolbox and finally wore through and shorted out, which melted wires on switch. Luckily I did no more damage and happened to have a used switch which I promptly replaced the defective one with. I also wire-tied the key switch wires together and out of harms way so it won't happen again. Another solution would be to replace with a DC original repro with the fabric insulator wrap around the wires. I'll order one and do that. The potential for fire existed because if I would have topped off the gas tank as I was going to do but decided I had enough to do what I wanted to do, and spilled a litle on battery cover, the possibilty of fire was great. Check your wires and remedy if needed. Here are some pictures of the accident:


    Tim Daley(MI)

    *9N653I* & *8NI55I3*

    36 coupe    Posted 05-11-2011 at 06:47:53 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [Email]  
  • Re: Warning -Potential Fire Safety Hazard
  • One sure fix for this is to fuse the battery wire going to the ignition.A good bakelite inline fuse holder costs 1 buck in my shop.A post type fuse holder costs more.A 6 amp fuse will handle most ignitions.If you have a light switch it should be fused.I just took 2 15 amp fuses out of a fence charger that is plainly marked Use 1 amp fuses.

    Roger ID    Posted 09-03-2010 at 01:07:38 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [Email]  
  • Re: Warning -Potential Fire Safety Hazard
  • I just put a complete new wiring harness in my 8N. I can't imagine that the wiring on the tractors doesn't last longer.
    On the serious side, anyone that has a tractor with original wiring should consider a new wire harness. Money well spent.

    Larry (TX)    Posted 04-23-2010 at 11:29:05 [URL] [DELETE]        [Reply] [No Email]  
  • Re: Warning -Potential Fire Safety Hazard
  • Tim,

    Everyone should practice fire safety/prevention at all times, so thanks for posting the problem in hopes that others will take the necessary steps to avoid potential such fires that could be life threatening in scenarios as you've pointed out.

    Responding to multitudes of vehicle, farm equipment, heavy equipment, etc. fires over my lengthy fire service career, from a suppression effort firefighter to an origin and cause investigator, you wouldn't believe the number of those fires that were caused by electrical wires chaffing on grounded surfaces and then short circuiting, (resulting in sparks that start the fire).

    Larry S.

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