*Get a steel bar and push it into the suspect
*hay bale/s. Leave for a short time (say 1/2 -
*1 hour) and having pulled it out, clasp the
*bit that was in the bale with a bare hand. If
*it is too hot to hold then you have a problem.
Hi,
Respectfully, I have a different view on this test.
Most people would be unable to grasp a steel pipe tightly at
only 120F or slightly above.
I base this on having trained a large number of people to
wash the pipeline after milking. Nearly everyone can grasp
and hold the pipeline if the temperature of the circulating
solution falls below 120F. Almost no one can grasp and
hold the pipeline if the wash solution is slightly above
120F.
As an aside, If the worker can grasp and hold the pipeline
then the wash solution is too cold to be effective and
should be dumped.
Anyway, using the hand test described above for hay would
only tell us that the hay is hot and is above 120F, but it
doesn't tell us if there is a serious problem.
A candy thermeter from the farm kitchen would be the right
tool. The way to go about this is to drive a capped ten
foot pipe into the hay from the top, and then lower the
candy therometer on a string into the pipe.
If I suspect very hot hay, I don't walk out on the hay as
people have fallen into a burned out cavity. Lay a 2x12
plank out on the hay and walk on that. Once we determined
that the temperature was below maybe 170F then we could
dispense with the board.
The 135F the the original poster mentioned is not unusual
and isn't a critical situation.
What is appropiate at 135F is that the temperature be
checked daily. Most hay baled above 15% moisture gets to
at least 120F-135F by day 5 or 7.
In fact most hay gets this hot or hotter. That temperature
rise serves to drive off excess moisture and the hay cools
soon. This is referred to as "going through a sweat".
This is just part of making hay.
Most experienced farmers don't fill a mow from top to bottom
in one "go". It's smarter to put in 4 or 5 layers (small
squares) and them move to a different location in the barn.
This lets the hay sweat and keeps temps down.
-
I would not call the fire deptment unless the temperature
got to 175F. And then it would be a request that the fire
chief come out and discuss strategy. Below 175F, I would
just increase the frequency of the temperature checks from
once a day at 135F to every 4 hours at 165F
But I would error on the safe side, and would remain deeply
suspicious that I had missed the hottest spot with my pipe
probe.
-
The original poster had big round bales stacked two high on
end. That means that there are chimney-like diamond shaped
columns between the bales.
The heat is getting away in his situation.
One of the elements of spontaneous combustion, a large mass
that can't dissipate heat, is missing. This situation is
not anything to get worked up about other than daily
temperature checking.
--
Kindest regards,
=======================
F. W. Owen
Owenlea Holsteins
9430 Spencer Road
Homerville, Ohio 44235
e-mail fwo@bright.net
home page http://www.bright.net/~fwo
voice & fax 330.625.2369
=======================
