The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1922-11-24
INSIDE dope" ON BATTERIES

There recently appeared in the Chi
cago Daily News, an article by Mr..
Erwin Greer, President Of the Greer
College of Automotive Engineering,
under the title OF Take Care Of Your
Battery" which contains real battery
information. The Article follows:
"If you want TO obtain low cost Of
battery service on your car you must
do three things: You must have a
standard battery. you must see that
1t Is serviced properly, and you must
give II certain amount Of attention
yourself.
"If you consider the cost of a bat
terry and the work it has to do you will
readily realize that II needs exactly
the care that you give the engine.
''There are now on the market more
than 100 different makes of storage
batteries. Out Of this number a good
percentage are virtually worthless
when compared with topnotch batteries
made by responsible concerns. The
worthless ones are sometimes called
black alley batteries, because they are
made in barns. garages and shops that
have no recognition. II does not take
any particular skill or experience to
make such batteries. The plates are
purchased from one source, boxes, jars
and electrolyte from others, and so the
parts are put together and the result
tant called a storage battery.
IF the parts were properly made
and correlated good battery could
be produced, but such battery would
then have TO sell at such q stiff price
as compared with the reputable makes
that the alley builders could not COM
pete. So the motorist Is asked to buy
these put together batteres at q low
price, sometimes at high price. II
does not matter much about the price,
for the motorist gets stuck" either
way.
III you need battery, buy one made
by reputable firm. That does not
necessarily mean large manufacturer
who advertises his wares all over the
country, because there are many small
er battery makers who haven't the
distribution nor the advertising vol
ume. The battery business Is one that
must be studied In order to produce q
good unit at low cost This study
calls for constant experimental work
In every branch Of manufacture, and
this Is something the "back ally" build.
ers do not care to do.
"Once you possess a good battery
the next thing 10 do Is to give Il the care
II deserves. All you have to do Is 10
add distilled water once each week in
summer and once every two weeks in
winter or at such intervals az found
necessary to keep the cells filled to
level. Aside from this simple proce-
dure see To II that the terminals are
clean and tight and the battery as a
unit Ia mounted solidly in place. II
white or green deposit appears on one
OF the terminals little or no current
will flow into or out Of the battery.
Disconnect the terminal and scrape oil
the deposit. wipe the terminal dry and
cover with a light coat Of grease OF
vaseline.
"Never add anything but distilled
water. There are some garages and
even battery service stations that will
try to sell YOU some special electrolyte
to revive" the battery. These special
solutions should not be used, for while
It Is perfectly possible TO add chemicals
temporarily to revive any battery /,
harms the battery In the end. II Tho
battery Is so far gone that Il will no,
take a charge, special electrolyte will
give II only temporary relief at great
cost.
"See to II that the generator charg
ing rate Is low or high enough to keel
the battery up to charge. Some driv
ers do little continuous driving will
the result that the battery IA under
charged. Others do constant driyin,
and little starting and stopping witt
the result that the battery Is usual,
overcharged. II Is difficult to antici
pate driving conditions, therefore In,
wise owner occasionally has the bat
terry charged at service station. 1
possible go to reputable station
where the shop equipment Ia adequatl
and where an honest opinion will b.
| given"