ABOUT BATTERIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 705, 3 July 1929, Page 14

ABOUT BATTERIES

Failure to charge a battery regularly and efficiently is the cause of a large proportion of L.T. battery troubles. When adding distilled water to an accumulator to replace losses by evaporation, remember that the battery should be charged immediately after the water is added, so as to “mix" the new electrolyte. ... On no account should the liquid from a cell be poured into any ordinary metal container, as the acid immediately attacks the metal, and both will be ruined. If when charging a battery violent gassing starts, do not let this continue, but reduce the charging rate until the recharging is finished. Although the separators in an accumulator may last longer than twelve months, it is often advisable to replenish them after they have been in use for about that period. L.T. battery terminals should not only be kept clean but they should be covered occasionally with a good coating of petroleum jelly in order to protect them against the action of the acid. Never shake an L.T. battery unnecessarily, as if sediment from the bottom of the cell settles on any of the plates, “local action” sets in and the battery may be ruined. If distilled water is absolutely unobtainable and it is essential to replenish the electrolyte, as a temporary measure it is better -to use clean rain water, thoroughly strained, for this purpose than, ordinary tap water. After a battery is discharged, it should never be stood aside for a few days, as in this condition the plates start to sulphate quickly, which is not the case if the battery is promptly recharged. Be sure not to lose the little vent plugs on the top of an accumulator, as these play an important part in the mainteuance of a cell in its correct condition.

When mixing distilled water with acid for making the electrolyte for an accumulator, the acid must he poured into the water very, very slowly. (On no account should the water be poured into the acid.) If the level of the electrolyte in an accumulator falls owing to evaporation, do not replace this with tap water. Only distilled water should be used for the purpose. Do not on any account add acid (the acid would make the electrolyte too strong. RADIO ON TRAINS CANADIAN EXPERIMENT The problem of establishing direct communication -with passengers on a moving train has been solved in Canada by the wireless telephone. On May 7 passengers travelling on a Canadian National Railways train between Montreal and Toronto were able, through an adaptation of the wireless telephone, to converse directly with friends in either city, who in turn were able to talk with those on the train, although it was travelling at 40 miles an hour. This is the first successful experiment of its kind in Canada. Because of the success of this trial the Canadian National Railways will install wireless telephone equipment in a number of its more important trains.