Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-20
MOI PL|F|ED LESSONS IN
PROPER CARE OF AUTOS
All Car Owncrs Advised to Study
and Keep Handy Wiring Dia-
gram Of Electric System.
EXPLANATIONS OF SYMBOLS
Times-Dispatch Expert Charts Dc
vices Used by Various Manufac-
turers and Defines Each Tells
How to Locate Circuit Troubles.
LESSON NO. ~
Wiring DlacrnDl.

starting and lighting system should /
have u wiring diagram OF the electric |
system. and should not only have stud !
led 1t. so as to be able 10 RID it IN .
Gaze OF need. but should keep 1t In /
tire car. a wire may become detached. |
and often even experienced mechanics !
will be at loss to know where 1t be- |
longs unless guided by the wiring dia-
gram.
AS a rule the wiring diagram is given !
in the instruction book OF the car. or in !
special instruction. book furnished /.
b? the makers of the electrical equip !
nicnt. II you have not such Il diagram
& would be well to write TO the makers. ;
preferably OF the electrical system. for +
one.
In al! wiring diagrams. FOR space
sake. certain! symbols are used TO In
dictate tho various units and devices,
and Il is necessary TO know The mean
Ing OF these symbols in order to be able
20 read the diagram. The same SYM
DO! is used by all makers and all dta-
grams TO indicate certain Of the devices
ana methods OF wiring, but for others,
such as switches. interrupted points,
automatic contacts. there is no uniform
symbol.
In the upper portion OF tho llustra-
ton I give 4 list of the symbols gen
orally used. anu where different sym
bois are used to indicate the same
thing. give those used by four OF
the makers whose equipment is the
most often found on the automobile.
Referring 10 the illustration:
No. l denotes a positive terminal
aud No negative terminal. In COM
Meeting wires TO tho battery, generator
or motor. great care must be taken
TO connect the positive OF the battery
TO the positive OF the motor or gem
orator. as shown bY the dag When
replacing = battery after Charg ing, the
negative or positive termina! is often
grounded where the other should have
been. You should observe how the bat
tery t. connected when taking IL out,
Or refer 10 your diagram when re-
placing.
40. 3 represents battery, either
ot dry cells o. storage.
No. 4 represents "A battery OF dry
cells.
No. . represents a storage battery.
No. represents Il grounded wire
that is. wire attached 20 some metal
part Of the car.
40. I indicates a condenser.
SO shows different symbols for a
generator.
No shows different symbols for the
starting motor.
No 10 shows different symbols for
Il switch
No II represents fuses.
No !? shows different symbols used
:
tcrruptcr points automatic cuiout
points, vibrator points, etc.
80. 10 shows the symbols for n coil
wrapped about an iron core. as those
used on cut-outs, regulators. motor or
generator fields When OF heavy black
lines II denotes that a high arlperaGe
or voltage current. as in the starting
motor heid. passes through them. while
II OF light lines. tho a!nperage Is low.
80. u represents the ignition Undue
tion coil. The heavy lines usually in
d,cate the primary coil and the Lighter
tho secondary.
No. 10 represents 4 resistance coil.
No. Is represents crossing wires,
which are not connected and are IN
sulated from one another.
No. II represents connected wires.
No. IS represents lamps. Generally
the headlights are indicated by an IL
in the circle, side or DINNER by an
or H. respectively, and tail by L in
tho circle.
In addition TO the above. the horn.
interrupter. distributor and other de-
vices and some OF the above are shown
in different ways, but their name is
usually printed under them.
Having seen the meaning OF the
symbols used, let us trace the various
circuits in a diagram. as the one shown,
which is that OF the Delco. which is
used on the Buick models D-4i, As, 46
and A..
first we must determine how many
circuits there are in the system. Thus
there Usually are the motor circuit; the
generator circuit: the ignition circuits
(pr!mary and secondary. and the
lighting circuits.
r. there is trouble in one OF these
circuits it Ia only necessary TO trace
that particular circuit. However
short circuit in another circuit, be-
ha the units, Will
affect other circuits, but in this case
the trouble will show in more than
one circuit.
The diagram shows the condition
when the car is at rest engine stopped
and lights out. In starting the en-
Eine the FIRST thing we would do would
be to pull out the ignition switch but
ton y. The current would then flow
from the battery to the point T. The
motor brush y being up, 1t cannot go
10 the motor. and will go up to the
ammeter. then to the point 8. acrosa
the switch to . and 4. We are tracing
the ignition circuit now. and find that
the current will go to the ignition
coil. through the primary coil then to
II of the interrupter, across the points
and then through the ground bac.: to
the battery.
The secondary will start on the coli
(nne lnes), go TO the distributor.
the ground and the grounded wire a.
The condenser is connected in parallel
with the interrupted, so as to prevent
sparkling at the points.
The ignition now being ready for
starting, we step on the starting pedal.
This will bring the motor brush In
contact and raise the generator brush.
The current will now flow from the
battery to tho motor also. which will
now crank the engine till 1t starts.
The engine having started, tho foot
is taken off the pedal, thus raising and
disconnecting the motor brush, and
lowering and connecting the generator
brush. The generator will now gem
crate current, which will go through
the wire (G) to the point (2) and then
across the switch to or 4. Ir the
voltage OF the generator is greater
than that Of the battery. and there is
more current than IS needed by the
ignition. this excess will so to the bat
terry by way OF and the ammeter and
so charge the battery.
When a light switch, S, or Z. Is
thrown on, the current will come from