The positive plate is placed in position, as shown in Figure 44.
Wooden separators of the same size as the plates are placed between the plates and the whole strapped together with heavy rubber bands near the top and bottom.
The cells are then placed in their jars and the latter poured full of electrolyte, providing that the batteries are to be of the stationary or open type.
If it is desirable that they be portable and arranged so that the acid will not easily spill, it will be necessary to seal them at the top.
The sealing is accomplished by cutting a "cover" strip out of thin wood which will slip down over the lugs into the jar so that it comes about one-half an inch below the top. A small hole should be bored in the centre of the cover strip to receive a short piece of hard rubber or lead tubing, which will act as a vent and permit the gases formed during charging to escape or the electrolyte to be emptied at will.
[Illustration: FIG. 44.—The Elements of a Storage Cell composed of two
Negative Plates and one Positive Plate in their proper position.]
The cover strip should fit into the jar tightly so that when the sealing mixture is poured in it will not run down around the plates or into the jar.
The top of the battery is then poured full of a molten compound of asphaltum and pitch.
No attempt should be made to seal the batteries when they contain acid.
The inside of the jar should be clean and dry.
After the cells are sealed and filled with electrolyte they are ready for either forming or charging, depending upon whether the empty grids were purchased and pasted by the experimenter or the plates were bought already pasted and formed.