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 failure analysis of a Young R.R. battery.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 164\4\ img056 | |
| Date | 7th December 1931 | |
| Copy X 6056 TEW 7-12-31. Failure of Young R.R. Battery. This battery was made up in 2 - 6 volt units using R.R. moulded ebonite cases. All cells were fitted with patent Wilderman separators of porous moulded ebonite. The separators were joined together round the positive plates with bitumen sealing compound thus making a pocket for each positive plate. The initial capacity tests were good & the units were put on cars for use under actual running conditions. In less than 12 months service after having only covered 14000 miles both units failed. On examination the cause of failure was found to be due to the paste falling from the positive plates & being unable to fall to the bottom of the cell had accumulated in the pockets & so forced itself through the separators, bursting them, & so shorting to the negative plates. The separators were of a soft spongy nature & allowed the active material to become clogged in them. Instead of being an insulator they were forming a leakage path. The condition & life of the batteries is not so good as we obtain from our standard batteries. E.G. | ||