The Case for the Battery Wagon.
Page 21
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There is No Excuse for the Mart who Ill-treats His Accumulators.
[We have recently published two articles dealing respectively with the state of the electric-vehicle industry in the United States of America and with the imminent prospects of battery propulsion in Great Britain. These two contributions to our columns have aroused so much general interest in the subject that we include a further contribution by Mr. W. II. L. Watson. He argues that there is no excuse for mishandling of properly-equipped battery cars.En.] In a previous article—[In the issue dated 1st May.ED.]—I endeavoured to review those points which must be observed to ensure a successful future for the electric van. I did my best to bring home, to those responsible for electric-vehicle pruduction, the necessity of improved design and of detail work, which is imperative for the success of the campaign before us. I will now proceed to point out further improvements which will do much to Promote a feeling of security.
It must he appreciated by users that there is a limit to the radius of all battery-driven vehicles. This varies in accordance with the capacity of the cells in use, and therefore, when a new delivery route is under consideration, a careful estimate should be made of the longest mileage which can possibly be incurred. Moreover, the maximum weight to be carried, the undulating nature of the roads to be traversed and the condition of their surface, must all be reckoned with. Having obtained these data, the manufacturer must faithfully advise his client as to what size of vehicle, battery, motive power, etc., is demanded. He must not allow the question of cost to curtail any of those essentials for successful running, for it is better to pass a possible order than to fail to please after having obtained it. A single such failure means many other possible orders lost. In addition to the installation of ample battery power, etc., it is equally necessary so to simplify the instruments which give readings of the battery output that even the most inexperienced driver can decide definitely at a glance what further amount of energy is available. The ampere-hour meter manufactured by the Sangaino Co., not only determines this successfully, but, in addition, serves to measure accurately the current input during the recharging of the battery. This instrument consists—so far as it affects the driver—of an easily readable dial around which a Pointer travels, measuring battery output in ampere hours. When the accumulator is being recharged, the pointer moves gradually back to the zero Position, the instrument haying been originally adiusted.so that the distance moved for a given current input is proportional to the battery efficiency. A few flours of experience of this useful recorder are sufficient to enable even the tyro to estimate correctly the amount of current required for a given distance. Locomotives, whether on rail or road, require careful supervision to avoid stoppage owing to shortage of fuel. The ampere-hour meter renC...a.s the
battery vehicle as immune from failure as ; strol or steam-driven competitor. It would be gross carelessness on the part of the man responsible if his battery were discharged beyond its known capacity. As a dual precaution a reliable speedometer, with trip mileage distinctly shown, should be affixed to the dashboard. This will record the mileage traversed, and the driver who knows the total distance can readily appreciate his balance of mileage at any part of the journey.
Those owners who have installed the Edison nickeliron battery, will have still less fear of distance. Charging stations are available throughout the country and are distributed fairly regularly. This applies especially to manufacturing districts and to all the large cities in Great Britain. It is possible at most of these stations to obtain current at high current rates for rapid charging in emergency ; five times normal charging rate being frequently " boosted " into cells of the nickel-iron type without fear of damage. By this means the mileage per day is frequently increased 50 per cent.
As an indication of th.e distances which can be successfully undertaken, the writer recently journeyed to Portsmouth Dockyard with a covered van containing a load of batteries the total weighing 2 ton 7 cwt. 1 qr. (weighed on Government weighbridge). The current consumed was 193 ampere hours. Before leaving the garage at Chelsea a full charge of 2t5 units was given. At Ffindhead, during lunch, a one-hour "boost" was available at 75 amperes, which provided a further '7.1 units, making a total of 30.6 units. Upon arriving at the dockyard sufficient current remained to have proceeded a further 25 miles. Here current was taken at the Portsmouth electricity works. The van then proceeded light to Southampton, thence to Winchester, where more current was obtained ; afterwards a non-stop run to London was made without a hitch. The writer would be Pleased to repeat the same run in the presence of a COMMERCIAL MOTOR expert, who could take careful readings for the information of readers. This would remove the stigma with which the electric-battery vehicle is now unfairly debited ; such indisputable evidence would establish the fact that only by carelessness could the failure entailed by complete discharge of the battery ever be justified.