ER 10.
STORAGE BATTERY TROUBLES.
-------------------------

The Storage Battery is a most faithful servant, and if given even a
fighting chance, will respond instantly to the demands made upon it.
Given reasonable care and consideration, it performs its duties
faithfully for many months. When such care is lacking, however, it is
soon discovered that the battery is subject to a number of diseases,
most of which are "preventable," and all of which, if they do not kill
the battery, at least, greatly impair its efficiency.

In discussing these diseases, we may consider the various parts of
which a battery is composed, and describe the troubles to which they
are subject. Every battery used on an automobile is composed of:

1. Plates
2. Separators
3. Jars in which Plates, Separators, and Electrolyte are placed
4. Wooden case
5. Cell Connectors, and Terminals
6. Electrolyte

Most battery diseases are contagious, and if one part fails, some of
the other parts are Affected. These diseases may best be considered in
the order in which the parts are given in the foregoing list.

PLATE TROUBLES

Plates are the "vitals" of a battery, and their troubles affect the
life of the battery more seriously than those of the other parts. It
is often difficult to diagnose their troubles, and the following
descriptions are given to aid in the diagnosis.

Sulphation

1. Over discharge. Some battery men say that a battery is suflphated
whenever anything is wrong with it. Sulphation is the formation of
lead sulphate on the plates. As a battery of the lead acid type
discharges, lead sulphate must form. There can be no discharge of such
a battery without the formation of lead sulphate, which is the natural
product of the chemical reactions by virtue of which current may be
drawn from the battery. This sulphate gradually replaces the lead
peroxide of the positive plate, and the spongy lead of the negative
plate. When a battery has been discharged until the voltage per cell
has fallen to the voltage limits, considerable portions of the lead
peroxide and spongy lead remain on the plates. The sulphate which is
then present is in a finely divided, porous condition, and can readily
be changed back to lead peroxide and spongy lead by charging the
battery.

If the discharge is continued after the voltage has fallen to the
voltage limits, an excessive amount of sulphate forms. It fills up the
pores in the acti