The Automobile Storage Battery Part 20

LEAD BURNING (WELDING) OUTFIT

In joining the connectors and terminals to the positive and negative posts, and in joining plate straps to form a "group," the parts are joined or welded together, melting the surfaces to be joined, and then melting in lead from sticks called "burning lead." The process of joining these parts in this manner is known as "lead burning."

Directions for "lead burning" are given on page 210.

There are various devices by means of which the lead is melted during the "lead burning" process. The most satisfactory of these use a hot, pointed flame. Where such a flame is not obtainable, a hot carbon rod is used.

The methods are given in the following list in the order of their efficiency:

1. Oxygen and Acetylene Under Pressure in Separate Tanks. The gases are sent through a mixing valve to the burning tip. These gases give the hottest flame.

2. Oxygen and Hydrogen Under Pressure in Separate Tanks, Fig. 78. The flame is a very hot one and is very nearly as satisfactory as the oxygen and acetylene.

[Fig. 78]

Fig. 78. Hydrogen-Oxygen Lead Burning Outfit. A and B are Regulating Valves. C is the Safety Flash Back Tank. D is the Mixing Valve. E is the Burning Tip.

3. Oxygen and Illuminating Gas. This is a very satisfactory method, and one that has become very popular. In this method it is absolutely necessary to have a flash back tank (Fig. 79) in the gas line to prevent the oxygen from backing up into the gas line and making a highly explosive mixture which will cause a violent explosion that may wreck the entire shop.

[Fig. 79 Flash-back tank for lead burning outfit]

To make such a trap, any strong walled vessel may be used, as shown in Figure 79. A six to eight inch length of four inch pipe with caps screwed over the ends will make a good trap. One of the caps should have a 1/2 inch hole drilled and tapped with a pipe thread at the center. This cap should also have two holes drilled and tapped to take a 1/4 inch pipe, these holes being near the inner wall of the large pipe, and diametrically opposite one another.

Into one of these holes screw a short length of 1/4 inch pipe so Fig.

79. Flash-Back Tank for Lead Burning Outfit that it comes flush with the inner face of the cap. This pipe should lead to the burning outfit.

Into the other small hole screw a length of 1/4 inch pipe so that its lower end comes within 1/2 inch of the bottom of the trap. This pipe is to be connected to the illuminating gas supply.

To use the trap, fill within one inch of top with water, and screw a 1/2 inch plug into the center hole. All connections should be airtight.

4. Acetylene and Compressed Air. The acetylene is bought in tanks, and the air compressed by a pump.

5. Hydrogen and Compressed Air. This is the method that was very popular several years ago, but is not used to any extent at present because of the development of the first three methods. A special torch and low pressure air supply give a very satisfactory flame.

6. Wood Alcohol Torch. A hand torch with a double jet burner gives a very clean, nonoxidizing flame. The flame is not as sharp as the oxygen flame, and the torch is not easily handled without the use of burning collars and moulds. The torch has the advantage of being small, light and portable. A joint may be burned without removing the battery from the car.

7. Gasoline Torch. A double jet gasoline torch may be used, provided collars or moulds are used to prevent the lead from running off. The torch gives a broad flame which heats the parts very slowly, and the work cannot be controlled as easily as in the preceding methods.

[Fig. 80 Carbon lead burning outfit]

8. Carbon Arc. This is a very simple method, and requires only a spare 6 volt battery, a 1/4 inch carbon rod, carbon holder, cable, and clamp for attaching to battery. This outfit is shown in Fig. 80. It may be bought from the American Bureau of Engineering, Inc., Chicago, Ill.

This outfit is intended to be used only when gas is not available, and not where considerable burning is to be done.

In using this outfit, one terminal of an extra 6 volt battery is connected by a piece of cable with the connectors to be burned. The contact between cable and connector should be clean and tight. The cable which is attached to the carbon rod is then connected to the other terminal of the extra battery, if the battery is not fully charged, or to the connector on the next cell if the battery is fully charged. The number of cells used should be such that the carbon is heated to at least a bright cherry red color when it is touching the joint which is to be burned together.

Sharpen the carbon to a pencil point, and adjust its position so that it projects from the holder about one inch. Occasionally plunge the holder and hot carbon in a pail of water to prevent carbon from overheating. After a short time, a scale will form on the surface of the carbon, and this should be sc.r.a.ped off with a knife or file.

In burning in a connector, first melt the lead of the post and connector before adding the burning lead. Keep the carbon point moving over all parts to be joined, in order to insure a perfectly welded joint.

9. Illuminating Gas and Compressed Air. This is the slowest method of any. Pump equipment is required, and this method should not be used unless none of the other methods is available.

The selection of the burning apparatus will depend upon individual conditions as well as prices, and the apparatus selected should be one as near the beginning of the foregoing list as possible. Directions for the manipulation of the apparatus are given by the manufacturers.

The most convenient arrangement for the lead burning outfit is to run pipes from one end of the work bench to the other, just below the center shelf. Then set the gas tanks at one end of the bench and connect them to the pipes. At convenient intervals have outlets for attaching the hoses leading to the torch.

EQUIPMENT FOR HANDLING SEALING COMPOUND

(a) Stove. Where city gas is available, a two or three burner gas stove or hot-plate should be used. Where there is no gas supply, the most satisfactory is perhaps an oil stove. It is now possible to get an odorless oil stove which gives a hot smokeless flame which is very satisfactory. In the winter, if a coal stove is used to heat the shop, the stove may also be used for heating the sealing compound, but it will be more difficult to keep the temperature low enough to prevent burning the compound.

(b) Pot or Kettle. An iron kettle is suitable for use in heating compound. Special kettles, some of which are non-metallic, are on the market, and may be obtained from the jobbers.

(c) An iron ladle should be obtained for dipping up compound, and for pouring compound when sealing a battery. Figure 81 shows a convenient form of ladle which has a pouring hole in the bottom. A taper pin, which is raised by the extra handle allows a very fine stream of compound to be poured.

The exact size of the ladle is not important, but one which is too heavy to be held in one hand should not be used.

(d) Several old coffee pots are convenient, and save much time in sealing batteries.

Sealing compound is a combination of heavy residues produced by the fractional distillation of petroleum. It is not all alike-that accepted for factory use and distribution to Service Stations must usually conform to rigid specifications laid down by the testing laboratories governing exact degrees of brittleness, elongation, strength and melting point. For these qualities it is dependent upon certain volatile oils which may be driven off from the compound if the temperature of the molten ma.s.s is raised above the comparatively low points where some of these oils begin to volatilize off as gaseous vapor or smoke.

Compound from which certain of these valuable const.i.tuent oils have been driven off or "burned out" through overheating is recognized through too great BRITTLENESS and SHRINKAGE on cooling, causing "CRACKED COMPOUND" with all of its attending difficulties.

[Fig. 81 Pouring ladle]

Do not put too much cold compound in the kettle to begin with. It is not advisable to carry much more molten compound in the kettle at any time than can easily be dipped out-cold compound may be added during the day as needed. When there is considerable cold compound in the kettle, and the heating flame is applied, the lower bottom part of the ma.s.s next to the surface of the iron is brought to a melting point first-heat must be conveyed from this already hot part of the compound upward throughout the whole ma.s.s-so that before the top part of it is brought to a molten condition the lower inside layers are very hot indeed. If there is too much in the kettle these lower layers are necessarily raised in temperature beyond the point where they lose some of their volatile oils-they are "burned" before the whole ma.s.s of compound can be brought to a molten state.

Do not use too large a heating flame under the kettle for the same reasons. A flame turned on "full blast" will certainly "burn" the bottom layers before the succeeding layers above are brought to the fusion point. USE A SLOW FLAME and TAKE TIME IN MELTING UP THE COMPOUND. It PAYS in the resulting jobs.

The more compound is heated, the thinner it becomes--it should never be allowed to become so hot that it flows too freely--it should never exceed the viscosity of medium mola.s.ses. It should flow freely enough to run in all narrow s.p.a.ces but NOT freely enough to flow THROUGH them before it cools.

Stir the kettle frequently during the day. It is advisable about once a week to work as much compound out of the kettle as possible, empty that still remaining, clean the kettle out, and start with fresh compound.

NEVER USE OLD COMPOUND OVER AGAIN--that is, do not throw compound that has been dug out of used batteries into the kettle with the new compound. The old compound is no doubt acid soaked, and this acid will work through the whole molten ma.s.s, making a satisfactory job a very doubtful matter indeed.

Cold weather hardens sealing compound, of course, and renders it somewhat brittle and liable to crack. This tendency could be overcome by using a softer compound, but, on the other hand, compound so soft that it would have no tendency to crack in cold weather would be so soft in warm weather that it would fail to hold the a.s.sembly with the necessary firmness and security. It is far better policy to run the risk of developing a few cracks in the winter than a loose a.s.sembly in summer. Surface cracks developed in cold weather may be easily remedied by stripping off the compound around the crack with a heated tool, flashing with the torch and quickly re-sealing according to the above directions.

It is not practical to work any oil agent, such as paraffin or castor oil, into the compound in an effort to soften it for use in cold weather.

SHELVING AND RACKS

The essential things about shelving in a battery shop are, that it must be covered with acid-proof paint, and must be made of heavy lumber if it is to carry complete batteries. Figure 82 shows the heavy shelving required in a stock-room, while Figure 83 shows the lighter shelving which may be used for parts, such as jars, cases, extra plates, and so on.

[Fig. 82]