Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-25
'sl|MPL|F|ED LESSONS IN
CARE OF AUTOMOBILES
Storage Battery, Important Unit of
Automobile. Requires Atten-
$50 ton to Insure Service.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Expert Guerrlich Replies to Many
. Motor Machine Owners. Explaining
In Plain Terms Problems Which
Annoy and PcrpIcN inexperienced.

SINCE the introduction of the starting
ana Lighting system the storage bat
tant unit OF the automobile. and il is
one which needs certain amount of
attention. The work il does is ire
mendous in comparison to its size.
While the enormous sale of autos in
the last few years can be assigned TO
II perhaps more than to any other
! told YOU in an carly lesson that u
battery is composed of cells; thus a
more dry cells and storage battery
of two or more storage cells or as
they are also called. accumulation cells,
ana. sometimes. secondary cells.
Each acCumulator cell. no matter
how small or how large. will yield a
current having voltage electrical
volts. The cell will give almost the
fun voltage even though ii be nearly
discharged.
OF course two volts is not enough
pressure for practical purposes. We
must have six or more volts. In order
10 ge; the increased voltage. a number
series" that is. the positive pole Of
one cell is connected to the negative
IL a siX-bolt battery is required three
cells are so connected UP. while If Il
twelve-volt battery is required. six
cells are used.
In many cars the twc!vc-volt battery
is used for the starting motor. but only
six volts can he used for the lights
and ignition In this case a separate
three cells for the tights etc. use '"'S
CorrcrtS Statement.
In booklet furnished by one OF the
storage battery manufacturers it is
said that the battery does not store
up the electricity. think this is
misleading statement. because as you
can send electricity into the battery.
then carry the battery around for days,
quantity of electricity formerly sent
into 1t. or a portion thereof as YOU
desire; 1T certainly does store up this
Storage battery would be: "A battery
composed OF number of cells. which.
because of a chemical action, will store
up certain quantity OF electricity
and which will. because of a reverse
chemical action. give out all some
OF this electricity according to how
much is desired"
Though the statement that the bat
terry stores up the electricity may not
he technically correct. it is practically.
correct. and we will use ii in these
articles.
Let US see Of what storage battery
or jar. which is practically always
made OF hard rubber. Generally there
is separate jar for each cell Gas Fig.
-. the various cells being placed side
by side in a battery box. or case. as
shown in Fig. >. but often the jars arc
combined into one piece as shown in
) as it would appear II cut on the lines
"A. You will notice that in the bot
tom of this there are a number OF
raised webs or Ranges lettercd \ in
Fig. A.. On these webs the plates Eek
planned below rest.
In the jars. and resting on the webs,
are placed two sets of plates. one called
the positive the other negative The
number OF plates in each positive and
each negative set will vary according
TO the capacity of the cell Thus the
capacity Chat is. ampcre hours) will
be determined by the number and size
of the plates: Each plate is made up
OF lead grid. as shown in Fig. ;. The
positive grids are filled with paste
made Of peroxide Of lead, which is OF
a, dark brown color. while the negative
erids are filled with "A paste of soft
spongy lead. which has not as much
oxygen as has the peroxide. and which
is dull gray. When the plates have
been filled with the paste, the positive
plates are all connected together, so
as TO have a space between them as
shown in Fig. 6, by what are called
connecting straps. These connecting
straps "B" have attached to them
binding posts for wires. The negative
plates are likewise connected together
When the plates have been connected
the two sets of plates are placed be-