THE BATTERY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19993, 9 November 1927, Page 10

THE BATTERY

HARM IN OVERCHARGING. j The question whether overcharging does or does not injure a battery is one which closely concerns the ownerdriver, who often Wants to know whether he should always keep the battery on charge whatever its condition. The question was recently dealt with by the chief engineer of a well-known battery manufacturing concern, who pointed out that over-charging does harm in several ways. The lowering of the electrolyte level by excessive decomposition will, unless made good, uncover the upper portion of the plates and increase the current density on the covered portion of the plates, resulting in over-neating and abnormal depreciation.

Tn certain batteries in which the plates are not protected by a complete diaphragm or separator particles of lead or lead sulphate earned up by the circulating electrolyte will form spongy lead on the upper edges or projecting ledges and in time bridge across and short-circuit the plates. These also suffer material damage, the active material or the negative plates contracting and the grids of the positives becoming oxidised, and, furthermore, the active material of the positive plat-es suffers from mechanical and chemical effects. Overcharging, therefore, does cause increased depreciation .