Cleaning the Generator.
To clean the generator in this case attach the air pump to the gas cock on the generator and force the acid up into the acid chamber by pumping air slowly into the gas chamber until the acid rises to the proper hight in the acid chamber, where it can be held by forcing a long wooden plug into the acid supply pipe. The pumping must cease when the acid rises to the proper level, or the excess pressure of air will work up through the supply pipe and cause a blow of acid.
The charging screw can then be removed and the zinc taken out and washed in hot water. Remove the clean out screw and run one or two pails of hot water through the gas chamber. This will remove the deposits of sulphate paste. The zinc can then be replaced, the screws tightened and the acid released again. Be sure and exhaust the air in the gas chamber, as previously described, by letting the air spurt out of the gas cock before connecting it to the scrubbing cup. Care must be taken not to have any lights near the generator when blowing out this mixture of gas and air, as it is very explosive.
The apparatus will never clog if cleaned after each day's work, which should always be done. The tubes should be removed and hung up over night to dry. The acid, if not spent, can be dipped out of the acid chamber and placed in jugs. The generator can then be carried to a drain and filled with hot water, which should be allowed to flow out through the cleaning screw. This will clean the zinc and wash out all the sulphate deposit. The screws may then be tightened and the apparatus left ready for the next day's use.