The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-06-14
BATTERY REPAIR
VERY IMPORTANT
Little Black Box Filled With
Magic Works in a Most
Mysterious Manner.


(By B. w. COOKE. President of Coyne
Trade and Engineering School.)
If ever you feel like parting your
self on the back because you know
how and why the carburetor carbu-
rates, the clutch clutches, and so forth
If you are ever tempted to regard
yourself as an authority just because
you have driven and tinkered with
motor cars since they first began to
smoke-or if you ever get the idea
that there isn't anything about auto
mobiles that you don't know, then con-
slider your storage battery.
Little Box of Magic.
There, tucked away beneath the
fioor-boards or front seat of your car,
is little black box filled with magic
that works in a mysterious way A
marvellous thing is this battery-deli-
cate as a child, yet strong enough to
turn over the most powerful engine
against its own compression as diff
cult to understand as woman, as
sensitive as wife, everlastingly eat
ing it's heart out Treat it intelIi-
gently and it reciproeates with faith
full service; neglect it and it retaliates
with slow but certain vengeance, but
like the mule, it takes a surprising
amount of abuse before it quits.
For the benefit of those motorists
who take pride in wel-groomed cars
suggest few things necessary to get
the best results from the battery.
The ammeter is the pulse of the cleo
trical system and it should be care
fully watched to see if the battery is
charging or discharging properly.
Test the battery with the hydrom-
eter at least once a week Make posi-
tive that your hydrometer is accurate.
If it isn't buy new one Immediately.
Your battery's good health is at stake.
Add enough distilled water once
week to keep the electrolyte over the
plates. Not too much or the fluid will
bubble out and eat it's way down the
wood container.
Never leave the switch on when the
engine is not running.
Prevent Short Circuits.
Prevent short circuits by watching
for worn places in the insulation and
taping them when discovered. Never
lay a tool or other piece of metal
across the battery terminals. These
should be kept tight and free from cor
rosion (sulphate).
If a greenish substance forms around
terminals, clean and dry the parts
thoroughly, replace securely and cover
them with cup grease to prevent the
a. m climbing up the posts and
ore trouble.
III the battery with water to
to- level. The water will tend
to work through the top, starting cor
rosion of the terminals and quick de-
struction of the wooden box
If electrOlyte is needed, never add it
yourself but consult the battery man
at the service station.
Practically the only repair that is
safe for the car owner to make on his
storage battery is patching up the
pitch insulator which protects the cells
at the top. When this becomes broken
VI udiHdScu III any way LHe HOlc may
be filled and smoothed over by melting
pitch and applying it while hot with
wide-bladed knife. For all other re-
pairs the battery must be taken to
the expert at the regular battery
service station.
Keep the cells filled with distilled
water up to the proper point; keep
the battery properly charged so that
the specific gravity as measured with
the hydrometet is at, or close to 1850.
Bear in mind that when the specific
gravity drops to 1.15 your battery is
very, very i'll and needs expert atten-
ton Immediately. And, most of all,
watch the water. Though the adding
of the water to battery fluid, is the
easiest thing to do. it is an actual
fact that 80 per cent of all batteries
die for lack of water