NO. 100-A CONDENSER
If
the i nstal lation instructions which are packed w i th each condenser have
been carefully followed, and the condensers operated at normal temperatures
and rated voltage, little or no routine mai ntenance is requ i red for the No. 100-A
Condensers.
These condensers should be insL:dled in a place where there is free circula
t i on o r a i r, and whe1·e th e room temperature may be mai ntained between 40
degrees F. and
1 05
degrees F. They should be used only on d i rect current ci1·
cu its and operated at potentials not exceeding
33
\'olts. If i t i s necessary to
d i sc.:onned a c.:oncl enser from the c i rcuit for more than one week, the film on
the positive p late may deteriorate. To prevent th i s, th e condenser should be con
nected ac.:ross a sou rce o f normal o perati ng voltage for one or two hours each
week
that it is out of service.
\V hen a condenser has not been mai ntained i n th i s manner, it may pass a
h igh cu nent and give o f!' gas when a potential is a p p l i ed. If the cell is in this
ro11 di tio11, it w i l l be necessary to refilm the positive plate before putting a con
dl•nser back into sen·ice. T h i s process is an emergency measure only, and should
not be substituted for weekly ma intenance wh ile the condenser is out of service .
. ..\ l lo w i n g th e film on the pos itive plates to deteriorate, shortens the l i fe of these
cel l s . The refilm ing ma�' be done by connecting the condenser in series with a
l
1 0- volt lam p rated between 50 and 1 00 watts, across a supply of di rect current
having a potential equa l to or sl ightly greater than that of the circu it in which
t h e condenser is used. Care sh ould be taken in doing t h i s that the positive
term i nal
of
the condenser is connected to the positive s ide of the source of
potential. The condenser should be al lowed to remain connected in th is circuit
until the current fl owing th rough it drops to a val u e of 50 milliamperes or les8.
Th i s may, in some cases, take one or two days.
Care sh ould be taken to keep the h ole in the porcelain cover plugged with
a cork and to have the groove of the cover set properly over the rim of the glass
j a r. The paraffin in the grooves maintaining the seal. Unless the air space above
the oi l is sealed to prevent air circulation, crystals from the evaporation of
creeping condenser flu i d will form on the supports above the pil.
Occasionally a gray precipitate will appear at the bottom of the jar. This
is a result of a corrosive action which takes place on the positive or corrugated
plates and their terminals. Such a corrosive attack is particularly l ikely to take
place if sufficient care has not been exercised in the i nstallation of the con
densers. This action is not harmful unless the terminals of one of the positive
plates are weakened sufficiently to allow the plate to drop against the negative
structure. In the event of a short-circuit of this nature, the condenser plates
can be removed from the fluid, the remaining supports of the affected plate cut
off and the damaged plate removed. The remaining electrodes may then be used
u ntil a new condenser is obtained.
[ 56 ]
