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G6Tanuki · 30th Jan 2019, 9:39 pm

The "big 6V flag-cell battery" - it could have been a starting-battery for old industrial/agricultural oil-engines.

As the name implies, these ran on heavy oil - but they were often started using petrol. For this they had a spark-plug and a 'trembler' coil arrangement, for which a battery was needed. Since the battery was only used to get the engine started and to run it for a few minutes to get some heat into it, there was little point fitting a lead-acid battery and a dynamo/regulator to recharge it so a dry-cell pack was the answer.

Once the engine was warmed-up, you switched off the petrol and turned-on the heavy oil supply, at the same time turning off the battery/coil arrangement which was no longer needed. The engine then ran with ignition by way of a 'hot spot' in the combustion chamber.

30th Jan 2019, 9:39 pm	#76
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 13,998	Re: Is Ever Ready still a part of your life? The "big 6V flag-cell battery" - it could have been a starting-battery for old industrial/agricultural oil-engines. As the name implies, these ran on heavy oil - but they were often started using petrol. For this they had a spark-plug and a 'trembler' coil arrangement, for which a battery was needed. Since the battery was only used to get the engine started and to run it for a few minutes to get some heat into it, there was little point fitting a lead-acid battery and a dynamo/regulator to recharge it so a dry-cell pack was the answer. Once the engine was warmed-up, you switched off the petrol and turned-on the heavy oil supply, at the same time turning off the battery/coil arrangement which was no longer needed. The engine then ran with ignition by way of a 'hot spot' in the combustion chamber.