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).
Examination report on a 40/50 HP battery from chassis 102-MC, concluding it was over-discharged.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 46\3\ Scan159 | |
| Date | 20th January 1926 | |
| X4117 To EY. from EFC. EFC4/T20.1.26. 40/50 HP. Battery - EX CHASSIS 102-MC. We have duly completed the dismantling of this battery and examined the parts. Omitting, as I suppose we may, the fact that two of the cells were returned to us with no separators between the elements, there is no indication whatever that the battery had an original fault, and we think that now-a-days it is, though perhaps not impossible, extremely unlikely that any of these batteries would have an original fault which would cause them to fail prematurely. The condition of the elements is in our judgement such as to indicate that the battery has been over-discharged by being left on closed circuit when the volts have fallen below 1.8 per cell. The uniformly sulphated condition of the negative elements is an indication of this, and there is on the elements, a characteristic horizontal sulphate line about 2/3 of the way down, which we know from experience appears in the circumstances stated. It is a fact that a line like this may be produced even though the electrolyte has not fallen below the level of the tops of the plates; there is in this instance no particular indication that the electrolyte has been allowed so to fall, but as previously stated, there is every indication that the volts have been allowed to fall. I think it is possible that the characteristic line may be produced by a | ||