MOTORING NOTES.

Hutt News, Volume 11, Issue 12, 18 August 1937, Page 5

MOTORING NOTES.

(The following notes have been prepared by Mr. K. C. McKinnon, M.1.E.E., Chief Engineer to Exide.) SPRING-TIME AND BATTERIES. 1. Take hydromoter readings at least, once a week. The capacity of a battery docs not suddenly flop. Gra'dual loss of charge is bound to be in line with a gradual lowering of the specific gravity of the acid. Watch the ammeter. Whatever amount of "juice" is taken out of a battery that amount must bo put back. Tiio battery does net generate electricity—it only acts as a storage medium. Watch the dynamo setting which can be adjusted to fix the rate of charge. In winter it may be advisable tc« have a higher selting than in summer to compensate for tiie bigger drain on the battery under winter conditions, but this adjustment should lie done by an expert, air;!' re-setting art spring must not be overlooked. The dates for change from "summer-time" to "win-ter-time" and vice versa are suitable seasonable points for varying the dynamo setting. 4. Keep your battery topped up with distilled water. A good time to do this is just before a run as during charging the water which has been added will have a chance of thoroughly mixing with the electrolyte, otherwise the water will lie on top of the denser acid and will prevent you obtaining a true hydrometer reading. If it is not convenient to charge just after topping up, take a reading of the specific gravity of the electrolyte before adding distilled water. Keep your battery clean and dry. The terminals should be well covered with vaseline to prevent corrosion. Cell tops should be kept dry to avoid leakage currents. Water slopped over the lids in filling should be mopped up. (I. Look to the insulation of cables leading to the battery. Any abrasion should be made good by the use of insulating tape. 7. Be economical with your parking lights; ,-ee that your traffic indicators, instrument dial lights, etc., are switched off and so conserve the battery for its primary function of self-starting. 5. Don't forget those switches. Literally hundreds of comparatively new starter batteries have been ruined through the ignition switch being left on accidently. Brunette & Co. are the local agents for Exide.—P.B.A.