Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-12-02

. 4
/ sclrcc OF more trouble and inconHen
ieiicc than any other single part Oh
accessory CT the ear This is due
\ oftentimes TO neglect out is to some
extent the result Of qualities inherent
in batteries Of the lead type accord
ing t5 Herbert Chase in Motor Travel
the official publication OF the Auto
mobile club OF America.
The containers for the active ele
ments OF the BATTERY called "5ars
are usually made of hard rubber
/ These jars are set into an outer case
/ OF wood. and the space between them
and the wood filled with a plastic
/ composition containing pitch. into
! each jar one set or group of positive
and one OF negative plates are placed,
after which tbe lars are sealed bY the
( use Of a rubber cover set in pitch Tie
Tar complete with plates, terminals.
etc. is called a cell Into the rubber
l.coyor is set one filling cap for each
cell
Through the cover project the term
inais. OF the positive and negative
pl2tes and the electrical circuit be-
tween these is completed by connect
ing links Ct lead Between the posi-
tive and negative plates separatCrs of
( wood pulp. or other insulating mate
/ rial, are placed to prevent mechanical
and electrical contact between adiOin-
| ing plates. The space remaining about
the plates in the cells is then filled
with a dilute solution of sulphuric
acid This solution is called electro
lyte'
The grid or framework of the plates
is made of a stiff lead alloy. After the
plates are cast they are covered with
paste containing oxide of lead, which
sets in drying The plates are then
subjected to electro-chemical process
es which convert the material of the
positive plates into a brown peroxide
of lead and that of the negative plates
into grayish spongy lead When
the plates are assembled in the cells
and the latter filled with electrolyte
the battery may be discharged through
an external circuit. During this dis
charge the sulphuric acid in the elect
rolyte combines with the lead in the
active material or composition in the
plates and'forms lead sulphate This
results in the electrolyte becoming
weaker and lighter. The electric cur
rent generated my be taken off az the
terminals of the battery and utilized
for lighting, starting and ignition pur-
poses.
Rechargine the Cells
To recharge direct current is pass
led through the ceIissia direction OPP
posite to that of discharge. This re-
verses the chemical action which
took place during discharge, restores
the active material in the plates to
its original condition and returns the
acid to the elctrolyte. Thus during
charging the electrolyte becomes grad
ually stronger and heavier. 1t should
be noted that at all times the acid
remains in the battery so that it is
never necessary to add new acids un-
less it is actually split out of the con-
tainers.
Since the electrolyte becomes heav-
Ter as the battery becomes charged
and lighter as discharge proceeds it is
evident that the specific weight Cor
weight for a. given volume) of the
electrolyte may be taken as a means
of determining the condition of the
battery with respect to the quantity
Of electrical energy remaining in it.
Thus. by the use of an instrument
known as the hydrometer, designed
for quickly determining the specific
weight or gravity, it is possible to
learn how nearly charged or discharg
ed the battery Is.
Now batteries of the lead type de-
.preciate rapidly if allowed to stand in
discharged condition for any con-
siderable period, 1t is, therefore, very
important to keep them well charged,
not only on account of this fact, but
because they will always perform the
WORK for which they are designed in
much better fashion when kept in a
fully charged state. The lighting gem
orator now applied TO nearly all mod
ern cars is so designed as to charge
the battery whenever the speed OF the
car is above a certain critical speed.
usually about 10 miles per hour. If
it performs this function properly and
the car is usually driven above the
critical speed, the battery will be
kept in a properly charged condition
providing the demand on the battery
for current used in starting or light
ing is not, on the average, in excess of
that furnished by the generator.
1t frequently happens, however, that
the lighting generator, its regulator or
some other portion Of the system gets
out Of order or one OF more other adj
verse conditions arise. For example.
in the case Of cars used mostly at
night with all lights burning, the cur
rent consumed may exceed the supply
In this case the battery may soon be-
come exhausted. Or, again, the cleo
trio starter may be used for a long
period. especially when, as in cold
weather, starting is difficult; this may
exhaust the battery.
Testing the Battery
For these and other reasons il is
always advisable to test the storage
battery by the use Of hydrometer
at leas; once week. This simple in
strument is nothing more than closed
glass tuge with heavy bob at the bot
tom ana an air chamber just above
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