From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
The difficulties of maintaining accumulator cells, particularly regarding surface leakage, and proposals for improved charging systems.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 35\1\ scan 147 | |
| Date | 15th March 1920 | |
| X.2676 To PN.{Mr Northey} from R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to CJ. " " Dn. " " Ck.{Mr Clark} " " HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} " " H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} RZ/G15.3.20. X.664. RE ACCUMULATOR CELLS. X.607. X.1402. X.2676. X.294. X.3526. I have had a little experience with cells at West WitteringHenry Royce's home town, both of the portable and stationary type. I find the portable type which is fitted on cars, very difficult indeed to maintain in a charged condition. I think this is largely due to surface leakage from the terminals, and it was for this reason that I condemned batteries with terminals having maximum volts.close together (Lucas model.) I suggested vaselining the whole top of the attery. This has been ruled out owing to the vaseline dissolving the sealing bitumen. We are bound to thoroughly vaseline the terminal and apparently the only thing to do is to throughly wash the battery occasionally with fresh water. The Chloride cells that we have been using appear to take a charge of 12 amperes, and even 15 amperes, very quietly. Regarding the heating of dynamo, and the difficulty of obtaining the large current at slow speed, I think as I pointed out some time ago, we shall get the best results by using the trembler form of regulation. The usual self-regulating dynamos. (Constant current) naturally produces a rather inefficient machine as regards het, as well as preventing large charging current at slow speeds. We are proposing to build an experimental machine for vibrator regulator. You will notice that the Chloride Accumulator Co. strongly recommend the very small charging current trickling into the cell while resting. This is exactly what I meant in the garage equipment in all places where continuous current is available. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||