Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-04
Electrolytic Action.
cFor the Dispatch.)

As electrolysls is causing wrinkles on
the broWs OF all engineers connected Win
both gas and water companies IL may 20
OF interest TO the non-pr0fesslonal realeI
TO learn how II causes Damage 10 INC
pipes. - -
house ON the insulated feed wires, ana
Is passed by them TO the trolley wires,
which are thoroughly insulated from tne
ground This electricity finds It's way
down the trolley poles Of the street cars
through the motors and tho wheels mo
the track rails. by which II IL supposed
10 find it's way back 10 the power-house'
thus completing the circuit.
Electricity. as is well knowp TO many,
seeks the path OF least resistance, and
the current will jump from the rail- 10 any
convenient conductor, such az water OF
gas pipe and thus ind It's way BACK 10
| the poWer-house When the current leaves
the pipe IL will carry minute piece WIZ
| IT, Where the current enters the pipe "
| causes no damage nor does IL lhJuls -
as IL passes along, but at the point wh,fe
| il leaves however, the iron Is oAldl2ed,
and small particles are continually being
| separated from the pipe ana mixed Win
! the surrounding earth, and thus IN time a
| hole will be eaten IN the pipe. III Il
| singular fact that where the current
enters the pipe II appears III some way ~
have slightly added 10 its thickness.
Previous 10 the introduction OF electric
| street railways using the overhead uoley
| wire for one side OF the circuit. ana the
| rail on which the cars run for the return
| current electrolysis was only thought OF
| in connection with electro-piatng pro-
| cesses; but ever since that time II mas De
| como very serious matter Tor All NUM-
| clpal authorities 70 deal with
| As most people know, the first teie-
| phone circuits were what was called
! grounded or. in other words, used the
| earth as q return, thus saving large sums
! of money In construction, ana reducing
A.. 1 90 .slrla. "A taftFs
This cheap method they enjoyed without
| interruption until the frst electric street
! railroad Was built. which at once threat
ened 10 destroy the efficiency or the tsle-
While the electric railroads do not. In
| the strict sense OF the term, use The earth
as one side OF their circuit yet, IN pfac-
tice IL amounts 10 the same thing, as the
rails are quite uninsulated, aud are lad
| in the moist ground.
As the result OF this form Of construc-
! ton, a large percentage OF the current
| used for the propulsion OF the cars es-
| canes from the rails 10 the eafth, WheFs
| Al aVails itself Of the best conducting
mediums. such as water or gas pipes, over
| which II passes TO the generator from
| which IL originally started.
| For the sake OF argument let Us sup
| pose that the rail bond Is abs9l utely per
| feet. or that you have continuous gifder
| rail without joints, sim you would nave
! electrolysis because the rail- Is not IN
| sulated from the ground. II the trolley
wires were not insulated from the ground
the cars could not travel. Ih- clrlent
! which passes through the trolley wire Is
the same current passing through tho
| rails
Insulation from the ground Of both the
| trolley wires and tracks viii cure electro
| lysis. but nothing short OF th's VIII give
! Inc freedom from olectrOlysls enjoyed In
WASHINGTON and some other places
G. r. ASHBURNER.