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).
Letter regarding a cell failure in an experimental battery due to a missing separator.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 49\5\ Scan315 | |
| Date | 30th August 1921 | |
| R.R. 253a (100 T) (S H. {Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} 798. 10-12-20) G. {Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} 2347 X. 4288. EFC {E. Fowler Clarke - Electrical Engineer} 2/T. 30th August, 1921. The Chloride Elec. Storage Co., Clifton Junction, Nr. Manchester. Dear Sirs, Re 6 BXE 5 Batteries - present Standard with Modifications. On one of the three experimental batteries received from you for test and approval for standardisation, incorporating the recent modifications which are now standard, we have had a cell failure by short circuiting whilst this battery was in service on an experimental car. This naturally was a bit of a shock as we had not so far had, and did not anticipate having, any cell failure by buckling and short circuiting since the advent of these modifications. It was, therefore, with a certain sense of relief that on opening up the cell we discovered that one separator, i.e. both wood and perforated ebonite, had been completely omitted and this raises the question in our minds as to whether, if such fault could pass inspection on the three special batteries produced for us for experimental purposes, as to how many such faults may pass, or have passed, inspection on batteries which are used on production cars, of which up to the present we have had no failure. Contd | ||