The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1914-06-05

storage battery may be made large
enough to operate the motors without
the aid of the generator, but usually
power Is wanted only during the day
when the engine and generator would
be running and the battery itself be
charged for service during the ave.
ming. Under these conditions the bat
terry need not be larger than is neces-
sary to operate about one-fourth OF
the total number Of lights installed.
and the cost OF the equipment will be
reduced in proportion. However,
when the generator is to be used for
lighting only, it is not best to get too
small a machine, as there is likely to
be more trouble In it's operation than
II 1t is larger. A machine of less than
one kilowatt capacity is likely t, give
more trouble in this respect than one
larger. Another point to be considered
IS the voltage to be used. 1t is not
advisable to use a voltage of less than
nifty or fifty-five even for lighting alone,
and where motors are to be used or
where the distances to which the cur
rent is to be carried amount to several
hundred feet, a voltage of 100 or 10
is advised, as with the lower voltages
the current i. larger for equal amounts
OF power and the line losses increase
very rapidly with increases in current.
IN addition to these losses, which are
larger at low yoltages than at high, the
regulation OF the system is much poor
er at low vOltages. This means hat
the variation in the brightness of the
light Is likely to be greater with the
low voltage systems and the light not
nearly as satisfactory.
Now as to the cost. This will vary
somewhat with the kind and grade IL
the equipment. An installation large
enough for the needs of almost any
farm home as far as lighting is con.
cerned, a be purchased for not to
exceed $500. and the smaller equip
ment will be less than this. When Il
is considered that in most places where
house lighting is supplied b. central
stations the average yearly bill
amounts from $50 to S35, 1t will be :
that the interest on an investment OF
$500 is not greater than the amount
paid by the city dweller for his light,
and 1t is a sum not much greater than
is paid out by the farmer for oil lamps
and Kerosene which gives him a quail
itv Of light that is not comparable
with that Of electricity.
The cost of a generator, storage bat.
fnrv and cyrifeh hoard v.SfS - ,,..-
greatly from the figures which follow.
A description and approximate cost Of
wiring is also given.
Generators OF from one and one
half to three and one-half X. w. 1880
to $500 watts) capacity can be pur-
chased for from SIS 10 s125. A switch.
board completely equipped with in.
struments, switches. rheostat. and bat
tory cut-out will cost from SIS to 800
more. A good storage battery Of TWEEN.
ty-five cells, having a capacity of fifty
ampere hours, should cost about S1nJ.
Prices will Of course vary, and the best
grade of switch boards and switch
board instruments will cost somewhat
more than the price mentioned.
The cost Of wiring the buildings viii
vary with the kind OF wiring lone and
the system used. Open or exposed
wiring is the cheapest. The labor cost
is least, and weather proof wire may
be used. For concealed work, in which
the wires are laid between floors and
are prevented from coming into con.
tact with any wood or other material
NV means nf nOrnn1ain fphac o~l yocl~
the wire used is known as rubber GOV.
cred, n this covering has much bet
ter insulating properties than the
~weather-proof variety. More labor is
required to install this kind of wiring
and the wire is more expensive but
makes a better acd neater job. as the
wire is all out of sight except the CELL
ing rosette and the lamp cord to which
is attached the socket and lamp.
Conduit wiring is the most expensive
to install, but has the advantage OF
being the safest and most durable.
Metallic conduit is most COMMONLY
used, and in house wiring Is usually
concealed within the walls, being led
to outlet boxes or conduits where
lamps are to be connected and switch
IS attached.
Conduit wiring for barns and other
buildings In which the wiring must be
exposed is very much better and safer
than knob and tube work, as the open
wiring IS sure to come in contact at
places with hay and other dusty, IN
famable material, in which case the
conduit is an absolute protection.
The cost Of wiring complete, includ-
ing labor, material, lamps, ETC., every.
thing ready for use. will vary from s.
to s. for each lamp installed, depend.
ing on the kind Of wiring done. Tho
wiring must be done by one who under.
stands the work, and for ali voltasse
above thirty volts, the "nre under
writer's" rules should Do strictly 81.
served Is the fire risk is serfoua II
cases OF defective work