Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-05-21
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
DEAD AND ALIVE
How and Why These Useful Storages of
Power Produce Supply of
Electricity

lass, DeSlu6 the caf-aS 81 many
drivers do upon occasion
What's the matter ?" asked a
passing tourist as he slowed down to
help a comrade in distress.
Cant crank her up" answered
the helpless one. Don t know what
is the matter, either.
The tourist found the gasolene
supply all right. He tested the spark
plugs and found them dead.
Magnetic is out of business, said
he. as he switched the ignition over
on the batteries. BATTERIES out
too, be muttered.
With trained fingers he Disconnected
the little dry cell batteries under the
drivers seat and replaced them with
fresh batteries which he took from
his tool box. When the crank was
whirled the engine began to throb
with power.
Well, I'll be- began the help
less one.
mo juice. explained the Good
| Samaritan. Batteries wore out.
Just a question of replacing them
with new ones Well. so long and
better luck next time.
The helpless one could only
stammer 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 wol thless batteries and looked
them over carefully. TO all appear
ances they we're just as good as new,
He could sac nothing the matter with
them. Being of a frugal turn of
mind he replaced them in his tool box
and drove on.
The electric battery generates a
supply of electricity by chemical
action. 1t differs from the magnetic.
or dynamo, which generates electricity
from mechanical energy supplied by
I the engine. When this chemical
action ceases 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 es-
sentials, the two metal plates and the
chemical solution. The plates are
called electrodes and the chemical is
the electrolyte. Dry batteries are
dry in name only. If they were
absolutely dry, they would not work
at all The only difference between
a dry battery and a wet battery is
that in the former the electrolyte is
in the form of 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
copper, or zinc and carbon. The
chemical may be diluted sulphuric
acid. blue vitriol, or a number of
other chemicals. This chemical solu-
tion attacks and destroys the zinc
plate when the circuit is complete.
When the circuit is broken the
chemical action ceases and. con-
sequently, no current flows. When
the circuit is completed the chemical
Immediately attacks the metal plates.
1t eats up, or burns up the zinc plate
This action produces energy. Some
of the energy is wasted in heat, s0me
is changed into electrical energy
which flows out over the wires to
ignite the gasolene charge in the
engine or to do other useful work for
mankind, such as ringing the door
bell. sending telegram or carrying
speech over the telephone wires.
When either of these metal plates
is destroyed, or the chemical has so
changed itself by combination with
the metals that it will no longer at
tack the plates, the chemical action
ceases. Therefore the electricity
ceases to flow out and over the wires.
Ordinary battery cells soon polarize
and cease to work, This means that
the metal plates become covered with
film of insulation material, such as
hydrogen gas, so the chemical action
can not take place. This also stops
the electric current. Numerous
chemicals are put into batteries to
offset this polarization. When these
poIarizing agencies cease to perform
their duties, from becoming exhaust
ed or otherwise 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
encased and covered with insulation
that it would absolutely destroy one
to try to remove the plates. The job
would not be worth the trouble. 1t
ia easier and chaanar 70 b,,x, now