Moron injured working on chipper!!!!

[B-Edwards]

Local moron injured today working on a chipper that was overheating. Ok the moron was me! Older drum chipper with a 300 6/cyl Ford engine had been heating, i checked thermostat, had radiator checked, all checked out ok but there was a small leak bottom of radiator, fixed that and fired it up to see if it would heat. Gradualy heated up to about 190 degrees. I touched the radiator cap to see if it was under pressure i didnt turn it, just pushed down. Pop it came off, i get sprayed on the neck and comence to do the Wild Thang. I got some blisters and feel like a complete fool. I realy consider myself to be very careful but so do most people who get hurt. Be careful guys.

 

[romeo]

I had a friend a while back get burned badly like that. The funny part was when he picked his nipple off like a scab.

 

[Jumper]

You are not the first person to be injured by steam from an overheated rad. I worked with a Brit Army officer who set off for Alberta in an old POS from Ontario, predictably it overheated and he ended up being scalded over his entire arm and face.

Chalk it up to a learning experience at some painful cost-you certainly have educated or reminded us, and glad you were not badly hurt. Heal quickly.

 

[geofore]

scalded

My brother did that, had an old truck sitting in the shed for a couple of years and he started it to see if it would run. It gets hot and he checks the rad, burned him. The cap popped off when he went to check water level, he dissappeared in a cloud of steam.

The problem with the old chippers was the leaves and chips would get sucked into the rad if you did not have the engine at high RPM. The chips and leaves would not clear the front of the machine at low RPM and the fan would suck them into the rad and you'd over heat.

 

[Koa Man]

On the extremely rare times that I do need to open a hot radiator, I use a big towel and soak it with water first so it is heavy and cool. I place that over the cap and then twist. Move your hand quickly because steam will start to come through, but you won't get burnt.

 

[jerseydevil]

A friend of mine opened a rad once and was not only burned but had cooland blown in his mouth and nose which compounded the problem since in those days it was not nonhazardous. I forget what they did for him but he lived and learned.
:greenchainsaw: