New-York tribune., 1920-12-19
Battery Needs
Most Attention
In Winter Time
Likely to Run Down Most
in Cold Weather. Because
Temperature Has I'm
avfOrable Effect OH Them


How does your battery bat? Is il u
babe Ruth that has no trouble in max
Ing home runs, or is it down below
the 300 mark? Does it fall down oc-
casionally when you want to start the
motor? Do lights go out or burn dim
at times? Is the ignition intermittent ?
There are some things the driver
should know about the care of the bat
terry, especially in cold weather, if he
is to have efficient service from it.
The storage battery in general use
in the automobile usually consists OF
three cells in which are two sets of
plates. kept apart by wooden or rubbe r
sep2rators, one set of plates known as
the positive group and the other as
the negative. These plates are made
IN the form of gridron, the grids OF
the positive group being filled with
peroxide of lead, which is dark brown
or reddish brown coloE; the grids of
the negative plates arc filled with
spongy lead, which is dull gray.
The positive plates Of each cell are
grouped together by connectors and
cell groups are likewise connected. The
y.
An eiectrolyte. composed usually of a
70 per cent solution of sulphuric acid
and distilled water, fills the cell to the
top OF the plates. There is not q par
ticle OF electricity in the whole thing
1t does not store electricity and the
name storage battery" is a misnomer.
Inc battery produces electricity. When
the positive and negative terminals are
connected by wire or otherwise,
chemical action is set up and electricity
Is one OF the products of this chemical
action. This however. is onlv done
when the battery is "charged."
What Charging Is
10 charge battery an electric cur
rent is passed through, which creates
a chemlcal reaction, changing the
character of the plates. No electricity
y produced in this process. but when
the terminals are connected either to
the lighting wires, the ignition or
starting motor, the discharging process
peglns-that is, the chemical process is
reversed, and in the chemical reaction
OF TINS reverse process electricity is
produced. This process is continually
gong on while the battery is in use:
lii fact, battery will run down or dis
charge from lack of use, and if it is
not continuously being charged by the
generator while the car is operated it
will soon run down so that there will
not be enough current for the starting
motor or for ignition and lights. This
means that care must be taken to see
that the generator is furnishing cur
rent enough to the battery to keen it
charged
At this time of the year there is
great danger that the battery will be
starved. Many generators have an adj
Justment tor winter driving and the
owner should see that the adjustment
is made. And the battery should like
wise be tested at least every two weeks
in tho winter to see that it is up to the
mark in efficiency. The best way to
make the test is with a hydrometer.
Full directions how to use it-eome with
each instrument.
The electrolyte must be kept above
the top OF the plates at all times. This
IS done by adding distilled water. In
the summer this should be done every
week, and in winter at least every two |
weeks.
At Low Ebb in Winter
In the winter the starring motor
makes much heavier demands upon the |
battery than in the summer. because it
takes little longer to start the en-
gine running, due to the cold. Also, !
more electricity is used for the lights
and consumption Of electricity is much /
heavier IT the same time the battery
docs rot work so we'll in cold weather. !
because heat is required for rapid .
{ chemical action. Sometimes low con-
dition of the battery will be indicated
hrst by failure or weakness of the cleo
trio horn, OF the lamps may burn dim
Sometimes they will burn bright at
first and then gradually grow dim. In
such cases always test the battery.
out whether it is giving proper
charge. If not it indicates you should
have the battery charged at a service
station. Many owners have this done
once every month or six weeks
throughout the winter to make sure
that it functions properly.
The battery should be taken apart and
cleaned at least once a year, if it lasts
that long. 1t will not last that long un-
less proper care is given to it and it is
not subjected to heavy demands. Extra
devices which consume current, and
undue use of the starter, burning the
lights when the engine is not running
for a long period, and neglect of the
wires and terminals so that there is
chance for the current to leak out, all
put severe drain upon the battery
Likewise if the electrolyte is allowed
TO run low, SO that the plates are not
covered, or if the battery is allowed to
stand in partly or completely dis
charged condition, one need not expect
the battery to last much over a year,
If that long
In motor practice with heavy cars
the average life of the battery would
be about one and half years, and if
one makes the battery last two years
by care he is indeed fortunate.
Another thing to remember in winter
is that battery that is fully
charged viii not freeze under severe
conditions, but if it is DISCHARGED. so
that the sulphuric acid has entered the
plates, there is nothing left but dis
tiiled water, which will freeze at 80
degrees above zero. As battery
frozen is ruined, it follows that the
only safety lies in keeping the battery
charged.
Efficient battery operation need not
oe expected il the ton is not kept clean,
the metal parts covered with vaseline
70 prevent corrosion. They corrode
very readily, and in a short time NAV
FORM nice little insulation between |
the terminal and the wires. Dirt NAV
also lodge in the vent holes and tbc |
niler openings. These should be kent |
open hydrogen gas passes of during |
.hc charging process and this must |
have vent
II is also well TO remember that
hydrogen gas is highly explosive 20
~. L