The sun., 1916-11-05
NEGLECT IS'WORST ENEMY
OF THE STORAGE BATTERY
An Autopsy on Cells Which Have Met an IIntimelv
End-Symptoms Of Trouble and How
to Meet Them.
n, }. VAN sCnIPPER ~ "Th- Automobile.
In two parts-rart =.

charged when the strong solution has
been added the clectro,yte becomes
stronger and stronger until II il easily
capable of breaking down the insulation.
Al inns time Of the year many car
owners are thinking OF storing their bat
'erles Tor the winter. Improper methods
~ storing have destroyed many hum
dreds OF batteries. There are two dam
gers IN winter First. that the bat
terry Will remain idle in "A discharged
STATE allowing the active material 20
o'c"nnc nara or second. tho battery
may freeze. Normally , battery will
discharge itself to a grca, cxtcn, If
left standing IDLE two months. Wh.,
discharged the "leCtrolyte has A specjHc
gravity OF Tie. and the battery will
'recSe ~ 20 degrees abuve zero. When
Inc battery IL fully charged and the
clect'olNtic is up around lis il will MOI
ifceac until rs degree below zero. Thus
me danger of freezing IA quite grca, on
" discharged battery. but remote ON "A
charged onc.
Inc battery should lie fully charged
whch 1t IL put away for the winter
and every two or three weeks should :r
aiNen an additional charge to bring IL
w 10 It's roper gravity reading. If the
car II put away for tho winter and this
! neglected a battery that readily starts
the engine IN the fan may be nothing
nut a contatner and &, mass Of muddy.
disintesi atcd material. in the spring.
An important point to remember In
connection with batteries IN which the
m'iAtin' has been allowed To- crystalline
to = certain extent. due to the fact that
II has been too long in a partially dis
charged condition. Is that the specific
eraNity ri the clectrolyte cannot always
h' brought up to the proper gravity with
tive generator. In other words. the
active material has got out Of the con-
troll or tho electric system on the car
and must he reformed or given a fresh
start. With n battery of this kind the
charging should he given At ABOUT a
. or 2 amperc rate and should not he
allowed TO rise beyond !. or i ampercs.
M explained In "A case of this kind the
temperature should not go over 100 de-
grces. This end to break up the crNs-
tails and to put the mate ial back In
the rope condition.
The more rapidly a battery IL charged
tho hotter the solut on becomes. and
therefore when il is remove from the
ar and charged on IN cNtcIra, circuit
where there is plenty Of time 1t is much
better 10 charge at 3 or 4 ampercS han
g. l. - rharge at q higher rate where
the tcmnCraturc Of the solution becomes
dangerous and a factor in tn. doStIuc-
ton " III" plates II II goes above Ito
degrees. hs soon a u battery T. crys-
tall,zcd or ~sulphated to- any c%tcut the
slow 'a'' OF reforming charge bacomcs
imperative ar else the plates will heat
where the Crystallizati"n has occurred
and remain cool In the normal places.
thus giving unequal expansion to the
plates. causing them 20 buckle and to
drop the active material. \ hurkiinG
plate excr,s enough force to crack the
Z contsircr az hard rubber.
one prerauiion which is often neg
l"ptcl is ~ he continually oh the alert
for short, ci-H uit- Thos" viii drain the
battery quickly. allowing II soon 10 cnme
into its discharged state. In this cor-
dition s~ulrhation or GENERALIZATION o.
ours. and tho battery will dcteriorate
much more rapidly than II II were under
q state Of normal discharge.