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50A
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM—General Description—Service Information
General Description
The electrical system o n the " C " series cars is
practically the same as o n the corresponding " B "
models. T h e o n l y differences are i n the distributor
a n d the spark plugs.
Beginning w i t h engine unit 30-3607, the 345-C
and 355-C engines are equipped w i t h a second-type
distributor w i t h a single set of contact points and
a n eight lobe cam.
T h i s distributor c a n be iden-
tified b y the type N o . 661-P.
The distributor u n i t used on the V - 8 engines
before engine unit 30-3607 is the same as provided
for the " B " series cars.
T h e
advance
mechanism i n the 370-C a n d
452-C
distributors
incorporates
new
advance
characteristics to compensate for the higher engine
compression ratios used i n these cars.
Otherwise
these distributors are the same as used o n the
" B " models.
T h e " C " distributors can be iden-
tified b y the type numbers 004110 for the 370-C
a n d 004111 for the 452-C.
The spark plugs used o n a l l " C " series cars are
of the " G - 7 " type.
These plugs are especially
designed w i t h a pointed porcelain at the electrode
end for heavy d u t y work i n extremely high c o m -
pression engines.
Service Information
8.
I g n i t i o n T i m i n g
T h e m e t h o d of t i m i n g the " C " series engine is the same as
o n the corresponding " B " cars.
T h e c o n t a c t g a p for b o t h t h e
d i s t r i b u t o r a n d t h e s p a r k plugs o n a l l " ' C " cars except the
V - 8 beginning engine u n i t 30-3607 is also adjusted the same
as o n t h e " B ' m o d e l s .
T h e d i s t r i b u t o r c o n t a c t gaps for the
V - 8 engines u s i n g the 661-P d i s t r i b u t o r is .012 t o .017 i n .
W i t h the single a r m t y p e 6 6 1 - P d i s t r i b u t o r there is n o t h i n g
t o be s y n c h r o n i z e d o r c h e c k e d relative to the second
firing
point.
A l l r e m a i n i n g adjustments, however, are the same as
w i t h the s t a t i o n a r y contacts i n t h e earlier d i s t r i b u t o r s o f t h e
d o u b l e - a r m t y p e .
See P l a t e 2 5 A .
9.
W i n t e r C a r e of Storage B a t t e r y
T h e c o n d i t i o n of the storage battery is one of the m o s t i m -
p o r t a n t factors i n easy s t a r t i n g . E v e n w i t h w i n t e r l u b r i c a n t s ,
the engine is stiffer i n c o l d weather a n d more power is required
t o t u r n i t over.
A t the same time, the d r a i n o n the b a t t e r y
is increased i n w i n t e r because, i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e greater p o w e r
required in s t a r t i n g , the d a y s are shorter r e q u i r i n g greater use.
o f l i g h t s , a n d heaters w i t h electric blowers are frequently used.
A l l of this s i m p l y means t h a t the b a t t e r y m u s t be i n t o p c o n -
d i t i o n from the s t a r t a n d m u s t be k e p t i n t h a t c o n d i t i o n
t h r o u g h o u t the c o l d weather season.
B a t t e r y trouble i n a n y weather can be a v o i d e d w i t h a l i t t l e
care a n d a t t e n t i o n .
T h e b a t t e r y is a perishable i t e m , a n d
g r a d u a l l y deteriorates d u r i n g a n y period of i n a c t i v i t y .
T h i s
d e t e r i o r a t i o n is s h o w n i n a g r a d u a l d r o p p i n g o f the specific
g r a v i t y of the s o l u t i o n i n the cells.
O r d i n a r i l y a b a t t e r y n o t i n use requires a freshening charge
e v e r y 30 t o 6 0 d a y s t o p r e v e n t r a p i d d e t e r i o r a t i o n . A regular
schedule for c h a r g i n g w o r k s o u t m o s t satisfactorily, b u t i n a n y
case, a close check s h o u l d be k e p t o n the c o n d i t i o n o f t h e
b a t t e r y t h r o u g h records of the specific g r a v i t y of each cell
t a k e n every t w o weeks.
T h e b a t t e r y
s h o u l d be charged
whenever the specific g r a v i t y d r o p s below 1.225.
B a t t e r i e s i n cars o n d i s p l a y o r in storage c a n be charged
w i t h o u t r e m o v i n g the b a t t e r y from the c a r b y u s i n g a n y g o o d
portable charger.
T h e charger s h o u l d be connected t o the
storage b a t t e r y o r the negative t e r m i n a l o n the charger c a n
be connected t o the a m m e t e r o n " B " a n d " C " series cars w i t h
the generator c u t - o u t relay i n the c i r c u i t c o n t r o l box.
If the
c a r is t o remain i n storage for a n y considerable time, however,
it is advisable to remove the b a t t e r y a n d t u r n it over t o the
b a t t e r y d e p a r t m e n t for care a n d a t t e n t i o n .
T h e b a t t e r y m u s t be k e p t fully charged o r n e a r l y so a n d the
proper level of the l i q u i d m u s t be m a i n t a i n e d i f the b a t t e r y is
t o p e r f o r m satisfactorily.
O r d i n a r i l y w i t h the c a r i n use t h e
generator w i l l keep the b a t t e r y charged b u t there is o n l y one
way t o m a k e sure a n d t h a t is t o test the b a t t e r y a t regular
intervals.
If the specific g r a v i t y is 1.250 o r above, the b a t t e r y m a y be
safely assumed t o be i n satisfactory c o n d i t i o n .
If the reading is below 1.225 t h e battery s h o u l d i n every case
be removed a n d charged.
10.
C a u t i o n s o n A d j u s t i n g C h a r g i n g R a t e
S e t t i n g the generator c h a r g i n g rate is n o t a cure-all for
electrical t r o u b l e s o f a c a r i n d i c a t e d b y a l o w b a t t e r y , a n d
careless s e t t i n g t o t h e m a x i m u m c h a r g i n g rate m a y result i n
generator troubles m u c h m o r e serious t h a n recharging t h e
b a t t e r y o c c a s i o n a l l y f r o m a n o u t s i d e source.
O r d i n a r i l y the m a x i m u m c h a r g i n g rate s h o u l d be more t h a n
enough t o k e e p t h e b a t t e r y f u l l y charged, b u t whenever i t i s
necessary t o set t h e generator a t its m a x i m u m , special pre-
cautions m u s t be t a k e n t o keep the a r m a t u r e from b u r n i n g
o u t .
T h e car a m m e t e r m u s t n o t b e relied u p o n when s e t t i n g t h e
generator a n y w h e r e near its m a x i m u m l i m i t .
T h e r e are t w o
discrepancies i n the c a r a m m e t e r for w h i c h allowances m u s t
be made i f i t is to be used a t a l l i n s e t t i n g the c h a r g i n g rate.
1. T h e a m m e t e r does n o t s h o w t h e a c t u a l generator o u t p u t ,
b u t shows t h e difference between t h e o u t p u t a n d the i g n i t i o n
c u r r e n t w h i c h is a b o u t 2 ½ amperes per c o i l .
2.
T h e c a r a m m e t e r is n o t a precision i n s t r u m e n t a n d t h e
possible error m a y a m o u n t t o as m u c h as 2 amperes.
W i t h allowances m a d e for t h e i g n i t i o n a n d the possible
error therefore, t h e difference between t h e a c t u a l generator
o u t p u t a n d the r e a d i n g of t h e a m m e t e r m a y a m o u n t to 4 ½
amperes o n V - 8 cars a n d 6 to 7 amperes o n V - 1 2 a n d V - 1 6 cars.
F r o m t h i s i t c a n r e a d i l y be seen t h a t the o n l y safe w a y t o set
the c h a r g i n g rate near the m a x i m u m is t o use a precision a m -
meter connected at t h e generator.
O n " B " a n d " C " series
cars t h e c h a r g i n g rate s h o u l d n o t exceed 22-24 amperes c o l d ,
measured at t h e generator.
E q u a l l y essential t o t h e a c c u r a c y o f t h i s a d j u s t m e n t is a
fully charged b a t t e r y .
If t h e b a t t e r y i n the car is p a r t l y r u n
d o w n , the generator c h a r g i n g rate w i l l increase as t h e b a t t e r y
becomes m o r e fully charged, r e s u l t i n g i n t h e o u t p u t exceeding
t h e safe l i m i t .
It is e x t r e m e l y i m p o r t a n t i n s e t t i n g the generator t o t h e
m a x i m u m c h a r g i n g r a t e t h a t a fully charged b a t t e r y be used
i n t h e car a n d t h a t the o u t p u t be measured w i t h a p r e c i s i o n
ammeter connected a t the generator.
I t is also a g o o d p l a n t o inspect the b a t t e r y t e r m i n a l s t o
m a k e sure t h a t t h e y are clean a n d t i g h t .
L o o s e o r c o r r o d e d
t e r m i n a l s w i l l increase the v o l t a g e t o s u c h a n extent t h a t t h e
entire electrical s y s t e m w i l l be overheated a n d the generator,
l a m p filaments a n d c o n t a c t p o i n t s m a y be burned out.
A s i m i l a r c o n d i t i o n m a y be found i n a n y case where, t h r o u g h
overheating, t h e solder h o l d i n g the a r m a t u r e wires t o
t h e
c o m m u t a t o r has been m e l t e d a n d t h r o w n o u t .
I n s u c h cases,
the a r m a t u r e wires m a y be loosened b y centrifugal force a t
h i g h speeds, m a k i n g p o o r c o n t a c t a n d p e r m i t t i n g the c h a r g i n g
r a t e t o d r o p excessively even t h o u g h a t o r d i n a r y speeds t h e
c h a r g i n g rate is sufficient.
T h i s c o n d i t i o n i n t h e
a r m a t u r e
m a y
n o t a l w a y s s h o w u p as a n o p e n c i r c u i t i n a b e n c h test,
b u t i f the c o m m u t a t o r shows signs o f h a v i n g t h r o w n
t h e
solder, the c o m m u t a t o r s h o u l d be resoldered.
August 1933
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