A. The cause of the copper electrode fusing is due to too high speed of
the generator, or having lead wires connected up wrong, allowing
positive current to get into copper electrode first.
56. Q. What arrangements have been made so that you cannot connect your
wires wrong?
A. The positive binding post both at the dynamo and lamp have been
provided with a much larger hole to receive the wire than has been made
in the negative binding post, and the ends of the positive wire should
always be bent or doubled back so they will just enter the receptacle in
the positive binding posts, but cannot be connected to the negative
binding post.
57. Q. Should the copper electrode and holder become fused until no
longer serviceable out on the road, what would you do?
A. Would remove the damaged holder from the lamp and substitute a
carbon, securing the substituted electrode in the bracket of lamp same
as the electrode holder is held. Be sure that the end of the carbon
comes up to center of reflector and does not rest on base of reflector
or lamp.
58. Q. If you were running along with your light burning steady and
nice, then suddenly the light began to flash badly and kept it up, where
would you look for the trouble?
A. You would no doubt find one of the lead wires loose in binding post.
59. Q. If you were running along with light burning satisfactorily and
suddenly your light went out, where would you be likely to find the
trouble?
A. You would undoubtedly find carbon burned out, or a lead wire was
broken off or out of the binding posts.
60. Q. If the light goes out while between stations, what course would
an engineer pursue?
A. If investigation cannot be made within a few minutes thereafter to
determine the cause, the steam should be shut off from the turbine
engine until such time when cause of failure can be determined.