Fighting fires in headers

Mungindi farmer and contract harvester Heath Rowe has taken a simple idea, one born from the power of observation, that has grown into a small business removing the risk of fire from more than 500 harvesters across the eastern seaboard.

Mr Rowe says he's a self-taught engineer and mechanic. He experienced first-hand a header fire while working on his mate Max Buchanan's property at Mungindi. Mr Rowe said he was fortunate, however, as he managed to extinguish burning chaff and harvest debris caught in the exhaust system of the header before it had the chance to start a fire.

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He said the penny dropped when he realised that operators and owners could be looking for the source of a harvester fire in the wrong area of the machine.

"You've got a lot of dust around the machine's sides and hot parts."

He said in the end, and it was a simple idea to re-direct airflow to "brush away" the fine chaff and dust from the threshing process from the hot exhaust pipes.

Once he decided he had the idea to fix the problem, it was a five-year process to secure patents in Australia and the United States for his idea.

Patented as the HRFT [Heath Rowe Family Trust] Fire Prevention Shield, Mr Rowe's device successfully directs an airflow that keeps the flammable materials from settling in areas on headers "of all colours" (brands) where a fire could break out.

He said the shield keeps the machine significantly cleaner and cooler, which increased harvester reliability "tenfold".

Mr Rowe manufactures the shields from his home workshop in Mungindi and then mails them to farmers who want to put one on their harvesters.

"It's all been word-of-mouth," he remarked of the growth of the cottage industry he and his wife, Shelley Badcock, have established.

"If you build something good, then the word gets around," he said.

"Australia Post has been fantastic, and can we send the shields across Australia.

"I used to travel and install the shields, but nowadays, I can quickly assist over the phone in about 10 minutes."

The shields are made out of an aluminium sheet, which has been chosen as it has a higher thermal conductivity rate which is an advantage in keeping the Shield at an acceptable temperature.

Mr Rowe said temperatures recorded on the exhaust system muffler went from 280 degrees to 67 degrees when the shield was fitted.

He said a ceramic-impregnated paint has been applied, which reduces heat even more and protects the shield for a longer life.

To help remove hot gases from the muffler, the exhaust flapper lid is removed and replaced with either a mitre-cut exhaust extension or a 90-degree elbow outlet; this is also positioned to reduce cabin noise even further.