The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-12-04
BATTERY CARE
DURING COLD
MONTHS TOLD
Care Is Necessary Whether
Car Is Being Driven or Not,
Edward Rose Says
RULES, ARE GIVEN

Winter is pretty tough on the stor-
age battery says Edward Rose OF
the Lair Motor Sales Co., local dis
tributors Of ISL batteries. The best
battery ever built is apt to balk ut
the extra work it has to do in win
ter. 1t is more apt to become dis
charged in winter because it receives
less current than in summer and has
to give out twice as much. 1t re-
ccives less current because Of less
driving and few long drives, which
in the summer keep the battery fully
charged. 1t has to give out twice
as much current because the engine
is cold and the oil stiff, all Of which
makes extra work for the battery in
starting. Winter days are short and
the lights arc used ii great deal more
| than in summer, which means still
more work for the battery. At the
same time the battery is cold, which
makes the circulation Of acid slower,
and therefore the battery less eff
cicnt.
AS a result, your battery is likely
to become exhausted and discharged
because the generator cannot pro-
duce enough electricity to keep it
fully charged under such severe con
ditions.
Your battery can't freeze if it is
fully charged, but Il discharged bat
terry freezes at ordinary winter tenn
peratures and once frozen is usually
worthless. Every spring new bat
tcries are sold. to car owners because
they neglected their batteries the
winter before. 1t does not pay to
take any chances with your battery
in cold weather.
If You Lay Up.
Here are few helpful suggestions
| for storing your battery. An idle
battery slowly discharges itself. Pro
cure "A hydrometer which will enable
you to test the gravity of acid in
each cell. The battery should be
kept where the temperature will not
fall below 80 degrees F. and should
be given charge at least once Il
month by running the engine at Il
speed equivalent to 20 miles per hour
until all cells are bubbling freely
and evenly and the gravity Of the
acid i'll each cell tests 1875 to 1900
, If water is required { to bring the
level of acid Ia inches above top OF
puates) it should be added before
the charge is started, so that it will
be properly mixed by charging. If
water is added without PROPER mix
ing being lighter than acid, it may
collect in the top of the cell and
freeze. The specific gravity in every
cell must be kept above 1875 at all
times to prevent danger of freezing
If in doubt as to the condition o.
your battery. have it inspected by ;
competent battery service man.
If You Drive This Winter.
Here arc a few precautions fol
winter driving:
Enrich the mixture before start
ing by pulling out the choke. If dit
hculty is experienced in startin.
promptly, prime the cylinders with
few drops of mixture half gaso
line and half ether which can be car
ried in small oil can. A rag dipped
in hot water and wrapped around tn
carburator Is q considerable help il
case Of difficulty.
2. Throw out the clutch while start
ing the engine and thus relieve tn
battery of this unnecessary drag.
3. When stopping pull out tn
choke just after turning off the igni
ton. The momentum of the cngin
will draw a rich mixture into tn
cylinders. This will facilitate cas-
starting. =
A. Use only cylinder oil having
= low cold test which will not congca
at the temperatures to which it will
>. be subjected.
~ 5. Economic current by usin
l. lights and starter as sparingly a
n possible.
6. Make sure your battery is wei