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).
Translated report from the technical department to the Paris agency regarding an irreparable Exide battery.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 46\3\ Scan034 | |
| Date | 3rd November 1921 | |
| Translation. REPORT FROM TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT TO PARIS AGENCY. RE YOUR ORDER 2.373 V.{VIENNA} EXIDE BATTERY, 12 VOLTS, 80 AMPERES HOURS. Examination of this battery shows: 2 elements, the plates of which are in good condition, but the separators are missing. 1 element, the plates of which are unserviceable, separators missing. 3 elements of which the plates are partly without active material and the negative plates slightly sulphated. Moreover two ebonite jars are broken. THE BATTERY CANNOT BE REPAIRED AT OUR WORKS. It is obvious from the examination that the battery has already been dismantled, examined and badly re-erected (in absence of the separators). It is quite possible, in fact, that it had been re-erected after ascertaining the damage to the plates solely in order not to lose the parts and not with the intention of again utilizing the battery. With regard to the damage to the plates, this can be attributed to rough handling before placing the battery in position. Such handling might have caused a disaggregation of the positive plates without however short-circuiting them. Both these hypothesis can be admitted and justified, since, on the one hand, two ebonite jars are broken and, on the other, the battery was not sufficiently damaged when placed in positionand it had been erected without any defectuosity in the working being mentioned at the time of setting the electric installation. Later on, jerks on the road may have hastened the deterioration and caused the effritement of the positive plates. The active material of these plates dropped to thebottom of the jars and caused the short-circuit. Anyhow, it does not seem that there has been carelessness (lack of electrolyte, unitilization) for the sulphation noted is a very slight one and appears to be consequent to the examination that took place before ours. November 3rd. 1921 | ||