Show every M Should hould K Know noW This By E. E E. E F Fairchild years ago aeo th the car that was equipped with a and starter F FOUR FlOUR was considered some car but today with few exceptions manufacturers manufacturers manufacturers manu manu- are equipping their cars with both A failure of either s Of or these functions is now quite uncommon Many standard cars cais carsi i after fier having bavins been in use for tor mote more than ei eighteen n months are still ope- ope rat nt without the least sign sig-n of or trouble from either source Engineers have known for many mam Years that it was entirely feasible to generate and store electrical ener energy on a small scale as is being done in millions of automobiles today Why they were so Ion long In developing developing- and perfecting the modern modem system was due to the wide variations of speed at which the engine eng runs and at which the generator g is called upon to de de- electric currents A brief review in plain En English ish ishmay may mav throw some sidelights on this Important part of or your equipment that would serve seFe for a better beiter understanding low JOW CURRENT IS CONTROLLED The generating and storing apparatus con consists of a a dynamo or generator generator gen gen- orator and an accumulator or storage battery The generator is generally s made the same as most large larae direct current units in use for tor commercial lighting purposes With the small type that we are are interested in the voltage is in proportion to the speed up ut to a certain point when it Is controlled b by bythe bythe the controller attachment When the engine is idling idling- running Idling running its slowest slow slow- est the est the generator is developing perhaps no more than two or three volts As soon as the c car crr r gets under motion say ten ten- to fifteen miles dies per r the voltage builds up to more than that of the r. r Then Ithe the potential or voltage switch which Is held open by a spring the force Jot O which is overcome by a portion of the current from the generator passing pass pass- ing through an magnet electro-magnet operates and closes the only place in the circuit i between the generator and accumulator that is norma normally open V. P nd allows the current to pass through gh the battery-accumulator battery charging it it for It-for for future use As the speed of your engine increases h more magnets electro-magnets in the controller controller controller con con- operate that tends to hold down the production of current THE FLOW EQUAL With a properly designed co controller the rent cux-rent nt should be nearly nearly equal At t all speeds from fifteen miles per hour up At the same time the generator is Is feeding the storage battery it may also be feedIng the lights horn ignitions etc The surplus going to the battery and thus keeping i it always charged The positive terminal of the storage battery is connected to the positive side of the generator as also are the negative lines connected together One or the oth other r of these lines Jines p passing esing through the controller controller and the ammeter charge and discharge indicator on the dash All of the connections connections going to the lamps etc are taken off ocr these lines Jines on the battery side side of the controller Therefore rE if the potential switch is open you are getting your current supply from horn the storage battery The above mentioned mentioned men men- potential switch also acts as aR a a. shutoff e to prevent the current current current cur cur- rent accumulated in m the battery from flowing back through 0 the generator when whon it is not in motion The starting motor is a simple device It will give little or no trouble except at tt the contact points used In starting |