Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-22

head lamps of automobiles in order to
reduce the light for city driving or
when the car is left standing seems to
be a puzzle to most people.
ITO make the matter clear, suppose
that there are two tubs to be filled
with water and that a separate pipe
carries the water to each tub. The
tubs will receive a certain amount of
water within given time. One of
two methods may be used to reduce
the amount of water flowing into the
tubs.
Both tubs may be filled from the
same pipe and the other pipe turned
off. In this method less water is used
in the same time that both pipes were
flowing. The second method is to al
low the water to flow into the tubs
through the two pipes and cut holes
in the pipes so that part of the water
in each pipe may leak out. In either
case the amount of water reaching the
tubs will be less than in the first case.
Now the electric current behaves
in the same manner. The head lamps
are the tubs and the wires the pipes.
The electric current is the water flow
ing through the pipes. When the lamps
are burning at the full intensity, cur
rent is coming to each one through
separate wires. The only way to make
an electric lamp give less light is to
cut down the current flowing through
as holes were cut in the pipe, and
resistance or coils of wire connected
in to use up part of the current so
that less current will reach the lamps.
Obviously more current is being used
when the lights are dimmed by this
method than were the lights burning
brightly, but this system can still be
found on some cars.
THE most economical way is to act
ually reduce the amount of current
going to the lamp by switching both
lamps into series the same as both
tubs were filled from the one pipe and
the other pipe shut off entirely In
this method the electricity is saved by
turning the DINNER switch just as gas
is saved in gas light when the gas
is turned down low"
among the 242 makes of cars regis
tered in the state of Michigan during
January there were 106 lines of Michi-
gan manufacture, but it must not be
inferred that all of these lines are now
being manufactured, for a careful
perusal of the list shows that no less
than 81 lines have been discontinued
through failures and have gone out of
existence, while nine lines have been
absorbed by other companies. Few
companies that have failed have been
reinstated to good standing by the
purchasers. The buyers of the plant
have sold the machinery and disposed
of the parts and what cars have been
companies that have been revived are
easily counted upon the fingers of one
hand.
With many motorists.it is very nat
ural that they give very little atten-
ton to their cars, when they are laid
up for the winter. AS a result when
OVRrhQlI1jnO them for in, ha
spring, they find that some of the
most important parts have suffered
from neglect. One of the most i'm
portant factors in modern motor car
construction is the storage battery.
Upon its condition depends, to a great
extent, the performance of the cleo
trio starting and lighting system. It
is very provoking and sometimes ex-
pensive to find that your storage bat
terry is dead, when you inspect 1t after
winter storage Since it is such an i'm
portant part, it is of interest to every
notorist to know a few things about
battery care. and inspection to de-
termine it's condition.
Probably the most frequent cause
of dead battery is failure to keep 1t
filled with pure water. This has a
very bad effect upon the construction
of the battery, and if allowed to go
too long will result in damage, which
necessitates expensive repairs, and
sometimes the purchase Of a new bat
terry.
John De Palma, brother of the ia
nous Ralph De Palma, has been en-
tered in the next Indianapolis 500-mile
race.
w. E. Wilson, of Rochester, N. Y,
owner of the car in which De Palma
won the 500-mile race is having II
equipped with smaller cylinders at
present, believing the change will not
sufficiently reduce it's speed to affect
it's chances. In view of the fact that
it weighs only little over 1000 pounds
it is not thought the alteration will
make much difference.
During the past season the car
has participated in many contests, but
without much luck. 1t is hoped thai
De Palma,s training, as acquired I'M
der his brother Ralph, whose mechan-
ician he has been since the last FL
gin races, will once more make it a
winner.
An American cup defender which
it is fondly hoped, will once more re-
store Indianapolis 500-mile race hon.
ors to the stars and stripes, is being
constructed at a New Jersey automo-
bile factory.
This craft, it is said mounts a mo-
tor that is capable of 5000 r. p. m
without q dron in the mower curve 2