Re: Beckfoot Bells, batteries


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Posted by Ed Kiser on May 10, 2003 at 02:00:53 from 152.163.252.103 user Kisered.

In Reply to: Beckfoot Bells, and Dick School posted by Clinton Crawford on May 08, 2003 at 20:00:32:

Back in the mid thirties, we used rather large batteries that were of the dry cell type, similar to the batteries we put into flashlight. They had a zinc shell with a carbon rod in the center, with some sort of paste innards. These batteries were round and quite larger than the flashlight type, but of the same chemistry. These were about three inches in diameter, and about 7 inches in length. There were two brass screw top posts, one on the center piece, and another on the edge, to which the wires were attached. These were 1.5 volts, but strung in series could be used to power automobile headlights. The size of these batteries gave them tremendous capacity so they would last for a considerable time. I have not in the past several decades noticed these dry cell type batteries in use any more. They may still be available; I just have not encountered any. We used four of these batteries, taped together, with short wires between them to make the circuit, and an auto headlight (in those days, six volts) to give us lighting in the barn. If not continuously used, they lasted quite a long time. I highly suspect that such large capacity dry cells were available at that time for Beckfoot. It was not a question of getting them recharged, only replaced when they had drained their last spark.

Now I wonder if such batteries are still available.

Ed Kiser, South Florida


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