Jars, pasted plates and empty grids may be purchased from well known firms dealing in apparatus for the experimenter, and with their aid it is possible to construct a very substantial and durable storage cell at home.
The empty grids or fully formed plates may be purchased in the following sizes:
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Positive or Negative Plate, size 2 7/8 x 2 1/2 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── " 3 1/8 x 2 7/8 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── " 3 5/8 x 5 3/4 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── " 4 3/4 x 2 7/8 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── " 4 3/4 x 5 3/4 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Glass jars will be found satisfactory for stationary batteries. Rubber jars are however advisable for portable batteries. Jars of the following sizes may be easily obtained:
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Glass Jar, outside 3 3/4 x 4 x 1 1/2 inches ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Glass Jar, outside 3 3/4 x 5 x 1 1/2 inches ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Hard Rubber Jar, outside. 6 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Hard Rubber Jar, outside. 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
If the empty grids are purchased, they should be pasted in the same manner as those plates just described. An empty grid of this type is shown in Figure 42. A pasted plate is shown along side of it.
The two negative plates in cells of this type are fastened together by "burning" into a lug, The lugs for this purpose may also be purchased and will be found inexpensive.
The long lugs on the negative plates are cut off so that they will only just project through the rectangular holes in the "connecting lug" when the latter is in place, as shown by A in Figure 43.
The plates are "burned" into the connecting lug by using a red hot soldering iron to melt the lead until they flow together at those points. This is a job requiring a little skill and the experimenter had better practice burning some odd bits of lead together first so as to avoid all possibility of spoiling his plates.
[Illustration: FIG. 43.—Two Negative Plates "burned" together and the
Connecting Lug used.]