It's hot and dry in the middle of summer, and excavators are prone to spontaneous combustion under high temperature operation. In order to avoid unnecessary human and financial losses, we need to understand the causes of spontaneous combustion of excavators and countermeasures to minimize the harm.

First, what causes excavator spontaneous combustion?

There are many reasons that can lead to spontaneous combustion of excavators, of which a few of the more common:

1. Turbocharger. Although the turbocharger is located high up in the engine, it is a constant source of high heat. The turbine is hot enough to ignite any type of fuel, including debris. We can only avoid this by keeping the engine clean and avoiding leaks immediately.

2. Broken wires. Improperly installed wires can rub against other parts or the frame of the machine, causing the insulation to wear down over time. This is when a spark is created when the wire comes into contact with metal.

3. Tires. Improper maintenance and tire changes can sometimes leave metal fragments inside tires. If under-inflation, excessive loads or speeds cause the air inside the tire to overheat, it can cause these small metal fragments to catch fire, and in turn, the burning metal can cause the rubber to start burning. Once a tire starts to burn, it is almost impossible to extinguish. It has to burn itself out, and in most cases it will do so along with the rest of the machine.

4. batteries. Excessive current can cause the battery insulation to burn out. Charge and store batteries according to specifications and instructions.

5. Fuel. Diesel fuel has a spontaneous ignition point of approximately 650 degrees Fahrenheit, which means that at this temperature it will ignite spontaneously without an ignition source. Hydraulic oil is slightly less flammable, with a spontaneous ignition point of about 650 degrees Fahrenheit. Both will spontaneously ignite in the presence of a hot leak.

6. Debris is a common source of ignition. Land clearing and forestry applications throw large amounts of flammable material onto heavy equipment, and pieces of paper and plastic bags can be sucked up by cooling fans. Staff should take care to clean the machine regularly to reduce the chance of debris starting a catastrophic fire on the machine.

Second, how to avoid spontaneous combustion of excavators?

First of all, the best way is to give our excavator a good regular inspection and maintenance.

1. Strengthen the fire awareness, the cab must be equipped with fire extinguishers, and regularly go to the fire equipment store for inspection, once the fire, the first time to save themselves.

2. Check the engine, oil circuit and electrical system before operation to see if there is any leakage and aging.

3. Clean the engine system in time to ensure cleanliness and hygiene inside and outside the engine.

4. During operation, if you smell burnt odor or find unknown smoke coming out from the body of the engine, or if the instrument panel alarms, you should stop the operation immediately, turn off the power, and leave the cab quickly.

5. Before the fire spreads, take out the fire extinguisher to find the fire accurately at the first time, focusing on cooling down and extinguishing the fuel tank and burning parts to avoid the fire spreading.

6. If the fire is too big, immediately move away from the scene and call fire brigade!