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).
Extract comparing the failure rates of Chloride, Lucas, and Willard batteries on experimental cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 35\1\ scan 159 | |
| Date | 2nd September 1920 | |
| R.R. 25M (100 T) (S. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} 543. 19-2-20) G 2618 X2676 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ------------ Extract from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}1/LG2.9.20. X.664. X.607. BATTERIES ON EXPERIMENTAL CARS. X.1198. X.2676. X.3761. We have had more failures on the post-warcars with Chloride batteries than we had before the war when we used the Lucas or C.A.V. Before the war we had four or five cars running continuously and all of them were fitted with dynamos. The batteries received less attention then than they do now but we never had any absolute failures, for instance, we have a Lucas battery on 7.CA Car; it has been on the car for well over two years. During that time the car has run 17,000 miles. The battery still operates the starter, lights, etc. satisfactorily. Early in its life it did not receive much attention. We also used a number of Willard batteries. With these we have not had any absolute failures. <s>We feel we have not had any absolute failures.</s> We We feel that for a battery on a car, we may have a sacrifice some efficiency to obtain a battery which will work continuously under adverse conditions. . Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||