By KNIGHT NEFTEL.
Owing to a variety of causes, the system which was assigned to me at the last convention to report on has made less material progress in a commercial way than its competitors.
PRIMARY BATTERIES.
So far, primary batteries have been applied only to the operation of the smallest stationary motors. Their application in the near future to traction may, I think, be entirely disregarded. Were it not a purely technical matter, it might be easily demonstrated, with our knowledge of electro-chemistry, that such an arrangement as an electric primary battery driving a car is an impossibility.
In view of the claims of certain inventors, I regret to be obliged to make so absolute a statement; but the results so far have produced nothing of value.
SECONDARY BATTERIES.
The application of secondary or storage batteries to electrical traction has been accomplished in a number of cities, with a varying amount of success. Roads equipped by batteries have now been sufficiently long in operation to allow us to draw some conclusions as to the practical results obtained and what is possible in the near future. The advantages which have been demonstrated on Madison Avenue, in New York; Dubuque, Iowa; Washington, D.C., and elsewhere, may be summarized as follows:
First. The independent feature of the system. The cars independent of each other, and free from drawbacks of broken trolley wires; temporary stoppages at the power station; the grounding of one motor affecting other motors, and sudden and severe strains upon the machinery at the power station, such as frequently occur in direct systems; the absence of all street structures and repairs to the same, and the loss by grounds and leakages, are also very considerable advantages, both as to economy and satisfactory operation.
Second. The comparatively small space required for the power station. Each car being provided with two or more sets of batteries, the same can be charged at a uniform rate without undue strain on the machinery of the power station, and as it can be done more rapidly than the discharge required for the operation of the motors, a less amount of general machinery is necessary for a given amount of work.
Another and important advantage of the system is the low pressure of the current used to supply the motors, and the consequent increased durability of the motor, and practically absolute safety to life from electrical shock.