Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-05-16

tool box. When the crank was whiried
the engine began 10 thIob with power.
well, I'll be-" began the helpless
one.
| NO juice" explained the Good Sa-
marian. Batteries wore out. Just u
F., question of replacing them with new
ones. Well, 50 long and better luck
/ next time
The helpless one could only stammcr
his thanks and marvel at the superior
knowledge of the man who was fast
fading from sight down the dusty
| turnpike.
| Still puzzled the man picked up the
| worthless batteries and looked them
over carefully. To all appearances
they were just as good as new. He
could see nothing the matter with
them. Being of frugal turn of mind
| he replaced them in his tool box and
drove on.
The electric battery generates a sup
| ply of electricity by chemical action.
| 1t differs from the magnetic, or dyna-
no, which generates electricity from
mechanical energy supplied by the en-
CINE. When this chemical action ceas-
es the supply of electricity ceases and
| the battery is worn out So far as
human eyes can see the battery is just
as good as it ever was, but it will not
produce any current worthy of the
name.
All batteries consist of three essen
| tails the two metal plates and the
chemical solution. The plates arc
called electrodes and the chemical is
the eleetrolyte. Dry batteries are dry
in name only. If they were absolutely
/ y,
only difference between dry battery
and a wet battery is that in the former
the electrolyte is in the form of a
paste and in the latter it is a solution.
| The action of all batteries is about
the same, regardless of kind. The
plates usually consist of zinc and cop
per- or zinc and carben. The chemical
may be diluted sulphuric acid. blue
vitrioi, or number of other chemi-
calls. This chemical solution attacks
and destroys the zinc plate when the
circuit is complete. When the circuit
lis broken the chemical action ceases
and, consequently, no current flows.
When the circuit is completed the
chemical Immediately attacks the met
al plates 1t eats up, or burns up, the
zinc plate. This action produces ener-
2Y. Some of the energy is wasted in
heat, some is changed into electrical
lenergy which flows out over the wires
Ito ignite the gasolene charge in the
lengine or to do other useful work for
mankind such as ringing the door
bell. sending a telegram or carrying
l8peech over the telephone wires.
When either of these metal plates is
destroyed, or the chemical has SO
lehanged itself by combination with the
metals that it will no longer attack
the plates, the chemical action ceases.
Therefore the electricity ceases to
flow out and over the wires.
i Ordinary battery cells soon polarize
and cease to work. This means that
the metal plates become covered with
"a film CT insulation material. such as
hydrogen gas. so the chemical action
can not take place This also stops the
Electric current. Numerous chemicals
Iare put into batteries to offset this
polarization. When these polariZing
lagcncies cease to perform their duties,
from becoming exhausted or other
wise, the battery will not work, even
though the plates remain intact and.
seemingly. are good, as ever they were.
But there is no remedy for a worn
out battery. Dry batteries are so en-
eased and covered with insulatio that
it would absolutely destroy one to try
to remove the plates. The job would
not be worth the trouble 1t is easier
and cheaper to buy new batteries.