Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-10-31
'S|MPL|F|ED LESSONS IN
CARE OF AUTOMOBILE
Gucrrlich Explains Methods 10 BE
Used in Testing the
the Battery.

RE slb.
~ Sulphuric acid is much heavier
than Is water, and so solution OF
j sulphuric acid and water taS the cleo
,ralyte) will be heavier than water:
acid to water the heavier will be the
: solution.
When the elcctroiyte is first pour
phuric acid will he absorbed by the
plates, and so the electroiytc be-
comes lighter in weight. the pro-
less As the battery Is charged, how
ever, the sulphuric acid is thrown
out OF the plates and into the cleo
trolytc again. thus making the cleo
discharged the acid will again be alb
sorhcd and the clectrclyte become
Here. then. is a way in which to
see how well charged the battery Is.
namely, by weighing the elcctrolytc.
The best way 10 weigh the electro
This is glass tube made air tight.
having some lead shot as weight in
the bottom. and having scale of
numbers in the top. Figure shows
II hydromctcr.
Thc hydromctcr is so weighted and
proportional that when placed in
pure water 1t will sink TO. such Il
depth us to have the top Of the water
come to the 1000 mark on the scale.
as Fig. The very top is the 1000
mark OF many. hydromcters. II
IL will not sink so far. and the num-
Der 10 which the top OF the liquid
comes Will give the weight OF the
liquid as compared TO the weight Of
water. Thus the liquid in Fig ;
weighs l.3 as much as water does.
SO. then. To test battery TO see
how the charge is, draw out some OF
the, cicctrolyte and place into it a
hydromcter When the reading is:
i275 To l.Sr0 battery is fully
charged.
.2iS battery IS l.. charged.
il6O battery is !. charged
LAP" battery is discharged.
~ special tydrometer syringe with
out Of tho battery. and also contain
ing the hydrometer. can be purchased
81 any accessory store. and will prove
u handy device TO have.
While YOU can test a battery o.,
dry cells with an ammeter. you can
not do this in the case OF a STORAGE
battery. In the first case the amper-
age is seldom over ~. wh;lr in the
second case !, will he SO high as TO
burn out the Instrument. there not
being enough resistance.
Filling With Water.
In the last part OF the las: lesson
you saw how the water OF the cleo
TToiyte constantly decomposes and
disappears in. the form OF gas. For
thls reason. about once week, you
should I'll the battery with distilled
not nl;c-cdl water The hydrome-
r syringe referred TO above is an
.AeHcnt device for doing this. Fill
ING with distilled water is extremely
important II the battery is TO have
lons and efficient life
Do not attempt to test the battery
after filling with water.
Never put acid into the battery.
storage battery can only be
charged by a direct current and when
charging the positive wire OF the
charging current must DC connected
to the positive OF tho battery. and the
negative to the negative. The volt
age of. the charging currcn, should
be somewhat greater than that OF
the battery. while the amperaCc
should not bc above one-tenth OF the
capacity When battery is charged
or discharged very quickly /, viii
overhead. and this overheatinE NAV
result IN the plates warpinE. When
me plates warp the paste will fall
prevent the battery from taking a
charge, hut II will short circuit thu
plates al the bottom. For this reason
me battery mus; be charged slowly
Using the starting motor for a con
siderable time At stretch means q
quick discharEing OF the battery and
=, possible overheating and warping
Lheretore, II the engine does MOI
out why the engine does not start.
ksep your battery clean. If tn,
sihaileSt quantity of iron or conner
ETC.. gets into the battery. an iron %,
copper sulphate will form on IN,
plates and so make them inac,ivc.
DO not leave n battery standing ir
discharged state for any length O.
Its a good practice 10 wipe IN.
terminals with cloth on whicI
which there is a little vaseline
Acid must never be put into tn.
battery. j: the eiectrolyte is Smile,
by accident. the battery must be re
hiied with solution OF acid nm,
water, II is best TO let the battnr,
man do this for you.
wrap the ,erminal Wires In insula,
ing tape. - :"
Questions and Answers
J nave i Ford touring car Tn. a.,
Sinc 70 IN god condition. the brake ana III