Evening star., 1924-07-18
BATTERY EXPENSE
OFTEN EXCESSIVE
Some Sets Cost 30 Cents an
Hour to Operate, Investi-
gators Discover.

NEW YORK, July 1S.-With the
summer, as evidenced by the sale of
apparatus reported from many sources
to the radio section of the Associated
Manufacturers of Electrical Supplies,
the need for the proper choice and
best care of batteries is attaining
growing Importance, according to
statement issued by the section.
1T would be difficult to overesti-
mate the function of batteries in ra-
dio receiving apparatus" it is de-
clared. Batteries in the receiving
set are as fuel to the engine, as vital
to its operation as coal or oil are to the
running of d steamship. Slight as 1T
is, maintenance cost must be con-
sidered a necessary factor in the
operation of any set.
May Cost 30 Cents Hour.
when it is considered that due to
careleSSncSS or ineXperience some sets
are being operated at home at cost
as high as 80 cents an hour, whereas
others of equal range and perform
ance cost but a few cents an hour to
operate, it becomes evident that bat
terieS must be properly chosen and
cared for if the receiver is to be
operated economically. Here are the
points with regard to batteries that
the amateur should observe:
Il. Use the size battery adequate
to the need of your particular set.
1t is possible to get results from
multiple-tube apparatus with the
smallest size of 'B' battery, but the
experiment will be costly because of
d Of
and the consequent need of frequent
renewals. The number and type OF
tubes, as well as the range sought,
should determine the size of battery
required.
Connect Batteries Properly.
-. Be sure that the b battery is
not connected to "A battery ter
minals, as the filament in the latter
is designed to operate on low voltage,
whereas the voltage of b battery
is many times that of the hlament
voltage rating.
-. Use no more tubes than are
sufficient for the results desired. II
frequently happens that lneXperl-
enced operators will have more tubes
burning than are necessary and then
de-tune to lessen the volume OF
sound. For local stations, for in
stance, the first audio stage is amply
sufficient.
4. BuTn your IuDeS at ITe 10" est
point compatible with good recep-
ton Excess flament current not
only drains the batteries unduly, but
reduces the life of the tubes. Once
the rheostat is fixed at the proper
point il should not be touched again.
-. Turn off the filament the mo-
ment you stop listening. Current is
flowing as long as the filament is lit,
regardless of whether or not you are
receiving.
Standards to BE Fixed.
THE battery standards committee
of the radio section of the A. NJ E. s.,
under the direction of the committee g
chairman, G. h. FurnesS, is now en-
gagged in standardization or simpliti
cation work that is destined to have
important consequences in the devel-
opment of the art. The committee
is classifying b batteries with a
view to fixing standard sizes and
dimensions This will enable man
ufacturers of self-contained sets to
build standard sized compartments,
so that the user of the set may in
stall whatever make of battery he
prefers.
Vertical batteries are apparently
favored for universal use in self-con-
tanned sets. The committee, there
fore. is fixing standard locations for
terminals on batteries of this type.
When this is accomplished the manu-
facturer can cut his wires to the eX-
act length needed, SO that the bat
terry cannot be wired to the wrong
polarity.
Finally, the committee has fixed
on a standard type of wire lug that
can De attached to any of the diff
ferent styles of battery terminals