New-York tribune., 1918-12-01
BY VIM. Fl. Stewart, Jr.,

ny w III. 4. OlcWdIt, JE.y
President Of tIc ssewart Automobile School
THE lighting system on a car is so
complicated that few owners ever at
tempt to master it, but it is easy to
learn how to care for it. Some parts,
such as the regulator and cut-out, must
be left to the experts at the service
station, bu. the battery, ammeter
fuses and wires should be understood
so that proper care may be given them.
"The battery will first engage our at
tention. Learn to read a hydrometer,
as it is the best way of testing a bat
terry. Get one made of celluloid in
stead OF glass, as there is less danger
Of breakage. A reading between 1875
and 1900 shows that the battery is
being kept properly charged by the
generator. If the reading gets down
to l.200 you may be using the lights
or starter too much. If the engine is
difficult to start. excessive use of the
st~rter will run down the battery. If
the car is not run much daytimes the
'attery may not yet enough current to
carry the lights. In case none of these
troubles are shown the system should
De gone over by an expert, as the
generator may not be delivering the
amount of current necessary Keen
the battery terminals tight and covered
with cup grease to prevent corrosion
by the battery acid Prevent short
circuits by watching the insulation of
the wires and cover worn plates with
tape.
Watch the Ammeter
Keep close watch of the ammeter
to make sure that the battery is
charging when the engine is running
he best type of ammeter is one
which shows the rate at which charg-
ing Or dischargng takes place. When
the car is running at normal speed,
say about twenty miles per hour.
with all lights turned on. the ammeter
. should show charge. If it does not
! the battery will be discharged. This
Calls Tor expert regulation, as the
generator is capable of delivering
more current than is usually REQUIRED
OF 1T. Also see to it that the ammeter
doesn't indicate discharge when lights
and ignition are turned off. This
would be caused by a short-circuit
between ammeter and switch. which
must be found and tapped immediately.
occasionally an ammeter needle be-
comes bent, giving an incorrect read
ing IN consequence. This NAV be de-
termined by shutting off the ligbts bf :
and disconnecting the wire from am
meter to switch. If any variation is
noted it must be allowed for when
making reading.
Always carry a duplicate set of
Temp bulbs for your car. Make list
OF them, noting the voltage and can
td!lepower of each lamp and its loca-
'lon. rms is great convenience in
replacing burned out lamps or buying
new ones. Note particularly the volt
age of the tail light and the instru-
ment light. II these are marked 3V
instead of 6V it means that thew are
wired up in series-that is, the cur
rent must pass through one and then
through the other before it grounds.
ms IS done to notify you that the
ia tan light is burning or that it isn't.
IT either light goes out the other roes
out also. These lamps must not be
put into sockets intended for 6V
lamps, such as the side lights. as thev
would burn in few seconds. On the
other hand, CIV lamp put into a
socket for 3V lamp would give very
little light, but no harm would be
done to it,
Keep Supply of Fuses
Keen an extra supply of fuses.
Learn the location of the fuse for each
set of lamps. This is easily determined
by turning on all the lights and pulling
out one fuse at a time, noting what
lamps go out. When a fuse burns out
.1nd IN, the short circuit before replacing
lhe iuse, otherwlsc the fuses will burn
out as fast as you replace them.
The only attention the wires need
is to see that they do not come loose
or become hort-circuited BY going
over the thumb nuts occasionally and
glancing at the rest of the wiring such
troubles will be avoided.
"lf they do not fit properly they viii
permit free passage of the current and