The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-07-23
Study Battery Care
yksITH the opening of touring it is
W imperative that the owner-driver

ySItTH the opening of touring it is
wv imperative that the owner-driver
gives his battery that share of
attention which it merits. He must ex-
anime it every 10 days if it is used for
starting and lighting purposes. 1t is
most important that each cell be tested
to sec if there is enough liquid in it.
lin hot weather the electrolyte evapor-
ates very quickly, and sometimes a cell
will be half empty at the end of a week
of hot weather if there is much tour
ing done. Distilled water must be add
ed. This water can be purchased in
! gallon bottles at any drug store at
nominal price. A gallon will suffice for
several months.
The modus operandi of testing your
battery is a simple one. If you have
been running your car several weeks or
months and have not tried your battery
you are courting trouble which the bat
terry may not show for several months,
but which will be sure to affect it soon
er or later. If you have not been test
ling your battery because you do not
know how to do it, the sooner you learn
how the letter. Your car should be
equipped with testing hydrometer and
syringe, together with directions on how
to use it. Both the hydrometer and
the syringe may look formidable, but
they are not. 1t is nearly as simple to
handle them as it is for the doctor to
place a thermometer under your tongue
and take the temperature of the body.
If you are afraid to try testing your
battery the first time, then the next
best thing is to stop at your garage,
or at a battery repair depot and OBJ
serve the workman there while he
spends five minutes doing the job. You
will find it very simple. There is moth
ling mathematical about it. You don t
have to be a chemist; in fact, there is
nothing difficult from start to finish.
1t is nearly as simple as initiating a
tire and using tire gauge to see that
you have the proper air pressure, but
it is much easier work.
Adding distilled water is in reality
all you have to do providing you have
started out with new car and bat
tery. The distilled water is added with
ia syringe. Each cell should be filled SO
as the plates are covered. A good way
to do this is to fill the cell to the top,
and then draw out a little from all OF
tho cells after they are filled. 1t rare
lily is necessary to add anything but
distilled water throughout the season.
If your electrolyte shows too great a
weakness then the battery man should
be consulted. If it is impossible to get
distilled water, rain water collected a
few minutes after the shower has start
ed will do equally well. The rain water
lcollected at the start of shower is
generally filled with foreign particles
from the roofs Of buildings, ETC., and
should not be used. In case rain water
lis not available there are many dis
titled table waters that are entirely sat.
isfactory for the work.
If you are to have entire success with
your battery during the present touring
season it is highly imperative that you
give it attention. Keep it properly fill
ed with distilled water. The battery is
silent factor in your car; if a eel
goes nearly dry there is not any noise
the same as when a bearing goes dry
or any immediate difficulty, as whei
a tire goes flat, or you run out OF gaso
line, or the brakes won't hold. Bn
the fact that there is not any immedi
) ate evidence Of distress is not any rea