arge
this should be done at a constant rate and at a rate specified for the
battery. During the overcharge the voltage of the battery and the
specific gravity of the pilot cell should be taken every fifteen minutes
from the time the gasing begins. The charge should be continued until
five consecutive, specific-gravity readings are practically the same.
The voltage of the battery should not increase during the last hour of
the charge.

As the principal object of the overcharge is to insure that all of the
cells have received the proper charge, it must, therefore, be continued
long enough to not only properly charge the most efficient cells, but
also to properly charge those which are lower in efficiency. The longer
the interval between overcharges, the greater will be the variation
between the cells and, therefore, it is necessary to continue the
overcharge longer when the interval between overcharges is as great as
two weeks. Before the overcharge is made the cells should be carefully
inspected for short circuits and other abnormal conditions. These
inspections may best be made by submerging an electric lamp in the cell,
if the cell be of wood, or of allowing it to shine through from the
outside, if it be of glass. By this means any foreign material may be
readily detected and removed before serious damage is caused. In making
these inspections it must be borne in mind that whatever tools or
implements are used must be non-metallic and of some insulating
material.

_Regular Charge._ Regular charges are the periodic charges for restoring
the capacity of the battery, and should be made as frequently as the use
of the battery demands. The voltage of the cells is a good guide for
determining when the battery should be recharged. The voltage of a cell
should never be allowed to drop below 1.8 volts, and it is usually
considered better practice to recharge when the battery has reached 1.9
volts. If a battery is to remain idle for even a short time, it should
be left in a completely charged condition.

The regular charges for cells completely equipped with plates should be
continued until the specific gravity of the pilot cell has risen to five
points below the maximum attained on the preceding overcharge, or, if
only partially equipped with plates, until it has risen to three points
below the previous maximum. The voltage per cell at this time should be
from .05 volts to .1 volts below that obtained on the previous
overch