The sun., 1916-10-29

All three important forms OF energy
mechanical. electrical and chemical
are used In the modern automobile. h
mechanical has been with US so long
that even the schoolboy is quite familiar
with its principles. The electrical tas
been used In other lines to such an ex-
tent that It is not altogether n mystery.
The chemical form. which Is us,d in My
one place-the storage battery-seems
to be buried deep In uncertainty. Like
most unknown quantities II Is avoided.
and 1, Is this condition that makes tie
average owner n contributor TO an an
nual sum OF $4,000 900 a year which
may be called the neglected battery fund.
The worst feature OF this enormous
loss and wastage IL that 1t IL due not
so much 20 wilful neglect as TO lack of
knowledge Of what ought to be iore and
lack of Information on what happens lf
the neglect occurs. Every man who
OWNS AN automobile knows that II he
does not put air In his tires they Will
d~lsintegrate much more rapidly than II
The pressure Is kept up to normal.
still a certain percentage vii, neglect the
air In the tires anyway. This same per-
centage will neglect the care OF the
battery even after they know what this
carclessncss Is doing The majority.
however. realizing the results OF not
maintaining II proper state OF AFFAIRS,
take pains to see that conditions arc
such as TO keep the cost level as low as
possible.
Mechanical Neglect Rare.
Neglect OF the mechanical features
OF the car rarely occurs. Every one
knows that II oil Is not put into the
motor the cylinders will score and the
life of the engine will not be anywhere
near az long as It would he II II were
kept properly fabricated. Wear is com
pensa,ed for by adjustment. When a
part is slightly out OF order II is re-
paired AT once before the damage goes
further and affects parts which. would
otherwise remain In good condition.
All these principles apply to the chem
zeal side VI the clr-in other words the
battsry-as well as they do to the
cylinder parts or the tires. Neglect will
cause certain well defined conditions 10
exist just the same as IL will cause rim
cutting In tires. scoring in cylinders and
other definite conditions in the me-
chanical side OF the car.
The point is that the owner will pu,
OIL inc the motor because ne KNOWS q
actly hat will happen IL ne does not
He will put air into the tires because the
condition which will result from no,
having the proper pressure Is as clear Ia
him as the fact that he will go hungry
II he does not secure food. The auto-
mob!list Of to-day Is taking care OF HE
car rs he takes care OF his own physical
we'll being. He knows that good food
will preserve his health. He knows tina,
good oil will preserve his motor. but hs
does not know. taking motorists as q
body. gus, exactly what will happen &c
his storage battery. the chemical elc'
inent OF the ear. II ne neglects II.
Storage battery books can be secured
N AIRY quantity and so can standardize,
/ Elections on exactly how TO take car,
o. the battery what the average ownej
does not know. however. is what 4
happening when this neglect occurs. and
i is purpcsed to show some OF ~
actual conditions which rave been foun,
N batteries brought into service station
for repair long before the normal tim,
for the end OF the battery's lie Ia,
arrived.
Primarily, the action of a battery 4