The sun., 1917-07-01

tsaisatiye bodies, state and municipal,
"a interest themselves In the state OF
The motorists lighting arrangements, It
b.hooves that much pestered Individual
10 take thought as to just what condition
that part of his cars equipment may be
in Poor lighting IL an annoyance to
the driver OF car. but In these days
f may be good deal more II may result
IN his running foul Of the law. Suppose
=, note brieny some OF the faiilngs Of
the ordinary electric lighting system
and suggest some ways In which the
motor car owner may avoid trouble.
To begin with. the range OF adjust
m.nt in many lamps is 30 limited that
satisfactory light may be obtained only
through tho use of a certain type and
s1s,of bulb. The owner OF n car maxi
inF casual purchase Of bulbs when he
/, on tour may get lamp that will fail
utterly to give efficiont service. There
FIRE. every car owner should know just
what type Of bulb will give good service
with his lighting system. II he is forced
to purchase bulbs when he IL away from
homo he will know just what make TO
ret But better still. he should carry
with him always spare bulbs TO put him
beyond any necessity OF making casual
purchases Carrying cases for extra
bulbs may he obtained In any accessory
store and in these the spares will be
kept from danger Of breakage until
used. This is a simple precaution. but
h may save the car owner almost limit
less trouble. ..
In buying new bulbs Il is important TO
examine the size Of the electrical con-
taets on the base, as many bulbs have
100 much solder on this part When
this condition exists the contact pin will
lam against this lump of solder and
sometimes prevents the proper anchorinx
qf the bulb in the socket. In cases where
ire owner has such 9 bulb already In
his possession the trouble may be obvi-
ated by scraping of the excess solder
with knife or flling II of.
Even when the equipment Is perfect In
every way the best illumination will not
10 obtained unless tho lamps are prop
prly focused. Not all motorists realize
this. ard many more, while they know
that focusing is necessary, do not know
how 10 do It, The following 10 the best
way to focus headlights: Drive the car
10 within twenty feet Of blank wall.
barn door, or any other nat, perpendicu-
lar surface Observe the image cast by the
lamps Make the adjustment 80 that the
bulbs wili.be as far back OF the reflector
a. possible. This should give an image
with black spot in the centre. N the
black spot does put in an appear
ance II Is a sign that the socket adjust
ing device Is limited in its rear move
ment. II the black spot is not com
centric with the image. that Is TO say, II
Il appears of to one side or II II is not
circular, IL means that the fiiament Is
not In the axis of the reflector.
Next place the rubber end of a pencil
on the tip of the bulb and move II
around in every direction and note the
effect of this procedure on the black
spot. IL moving the bulb in any direc-
tion makes the black spot Soncentric. II
proves that the socket does not hold
the bulb In the correct position. This
may often be remedied by removing the
hulb from the socket and giving 1t a
half turn before returning 1t to its
position in the socket. II, on the other
hand. the bulb has q tendency 10 spring
away from correct position 1t Is GER
tainly the fault of the socket or OF the
device used for focusing and this will
have to be repaired by the lamp manu-
facturer or service station.
Now TO get rid Of che black spot
ADJUST tho bulb by moving Il forward
until the desired image Is obtained. In
some socket adjusting Sevices the move
ment toward the reflector IL not so
great as the movement away from the
reflector and for this reason the desired
images are best obtaiEsd by moving
the bulb out of the reflector as far as
possible.
The number OF adjusting devices used
m modern lamps is almost without end.
In some of them adjustment Is secured
by turning the bulb, In others by turn
ing A screw at the back ane In still
others by moving the rim OF the lamp.
The mere turning Of the adjusting de.
vice is not by any means the entire
battle, for some focusing devices are ac-
tually defective and when the lamp
seems 10 be in focus II is actually out.
In the use of lamps where focus is
obtained by turning the bulb, caro- must
be taken not to loosen the bulb from its
base during adjustment, and there Is
also danger OF breaking the bulb TO be
guarded against.
There is still another form Of defect
which must be watched. In some lamps
there is lost motion. 80 TO call II. be-
tween the socket and the bulb and play
is generated. BY this play a displscs-
nent results of the source of light that
TO say the ce,tre line OF the filameRt
does not coincide with the centre line Of
the reflector THIS results I'm q distorted
IMAGE anc naturally the light yielded
IS very poor.
Some bulbs are made with the centre
line Of the flament offset from the
centre line of the bulb base. Obviously
bulb Of this kind IL not wholly EN-
Gent II Is sometimes possible to change
tae position OF a bulb of this sort. 30
as TO get the flament line on centre
snd remedy the trouble, but again no
twisting Of the bulb will do any good.
No matter how efficient his lighting
gstem may seem TO be. 1t 10 q good
plan for the car owner TO make q prac-
llee OF examining his bylbg occasionally
" see II the filament centres are actu-
sly In line with tho bulb base centre.
haios that started in life correctly
hsned as to their Intervals often de-
Felop this trouble after considerable
service. II there Is any question about
'he bulbs, take the safe course and re-
place them with fresh ones.
another thing to remember II that
""Hgh the light may be right. It's d.
Ieenon may be absolutely wrong. The
really efficient light is thrown on Tie
Iound and not in the air. No beams
rom the headlight should ever rise
Aore than forty-two inches from the
uound. This Is common sense as wei
u compliance with the laws OF several
eAtes II the lamps have an adjust
ment Tor this phase OF the matter, well
"u good II no adjustment II provided