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 examination and comparison of an Accu-Slem battery with an Exide battery.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\M\2October1924-December1924\ Scan67 | |
| Date | 6th December 1923 | |
| KP/S. 6th December, 1923. Re Accu-Slem Battery from Rolls-Royce. I have read Mr. Fowler Clark's very interesting report on the above, dated 1.11.23, and have examined the cell taken from the battery referred to in his report. I find the Accu-Slem battery is practically the same size and weight as the Exide BXE5 we tested in March 1921, and is very similar in construction, with the exception of the wood separator which has a .56 mm. flesh as against 1.58 mm. flesh on the Exide. When the French cell was opened up for examination, two of the positives fell to pieces owing to the advanced peroxidation of the positive grid, indicating that although the battery had run 23000 miles without trouble, this particular cell was approaching the end of its life. The active material was hard and fairly intact, and having regard to the strenuous test of 23000 miles running on the School Car, in excellent condition, and the performance must be admitted to be exceedingly good. The wood separators were in fair order but somewhat fragile owing to the thin flesh. The condition of the negative plates was quite out of the ordinary, I have never seen better and few as good. I think however, that our new negatives, the suggestions for which I made the other day and which I hope may be in production next year, will be quite as good as these. As regards the output at high and low rates of discharge as shown on the RR report, an Exide battery in new condition gives approximately an equal performance, and so does our BDT11-RR type, but the durability of the Exide positive is vastly inferior to the French positive owing to the softer character of their active material. In my opinion, the Accu-Slem battery is a very good proposition open to adverse criticism only by reason of its somewhat flimsy design of positive grid, which fault is present in the Exide battery. I venture to predict that our new positive plate with its robust grid and improved type of active material will shew a marked advance on the Accu-Slem in respect of durability. (sgd) K.{Mr Kilner} Preston (PETO & RADFORD CO.) | ||