ress, take out the boards, and replace the
plates in the battery jar from which they were removed, and cover with
water. They may also be placed in a stone or earthernware jar and
covered with water, especially if there is any work to be done on the
jars or case of the battery. If the spongy lead of the negatives is
firm, they may be reassembled in the battery as soon as they have been
pressed. If, however, the spongy lead is soft and mushy, keep the
negatives covered with water for 12 to 24 hours. This will make them
hard and firm. Then remove them from the water and dry them in the
air. In drying, the plates will become heated and will steam. As soon
as you notice any steaming, dip the plates in water until they are
cool. Then remove them from the water and continue the drying process.
Each time the negatives begin to steam as they dry in the air, dip
them in the water until they are cool.

When the negatives are dry, they are ready to be reassembled in the
battery and prepared for service. Negatives treated in this way will
give good service for a much longer time than they would if not
treated in this way. The spongy lead has been made firm and elastic.
If you have other negatives in your shop which are not in use, treat
them in the same way and put them away for future use, to use as
rental batteries. Always put them through the same process:

1. Charge them fully.

2. Press them in the plate press to force the spongy lead back into
the grids.

3. Soak them in water, if the spongy lead is soft and mushy, for 12 to
24 hours, or even longer until the spongy lead is firm. Dry them in
the air, dipping them in water whenever they begin to steam and become
heated. This will give you negatives that will give excellent service
and have a long life. Many negatives treated in this way will be good
for fifteen months to two years of additional service. The rental
batteries should be assembled in the same way as those you are
rebuilding for the owners.

The importance of pressing negatives cannot be exaggerated. Always
press the negatives of the batteries which you rebuild. Do not do it
to half, or three-fourths of the negatives, but to all of them. The
work takes but a few minutes, and the time could not be put to better
advantage. The spongy lead of the negatives swells and bulges out and
makes very poor contact with the grids as a battery becomes
discharged. This results in a loss of capacity, gradual sulphation of
t