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).
Proposal to change the 40/50 chassis batteries to a more cost-effective and internationally standard type from the Exide Co.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 179\2\ img141 | |
| Date | 1st August 1932 | |
| ORIGINAL To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst. c.c. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c.c. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c.c. Ds. RV. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst.3/AUG.1.32. X6054 X6122 40/50 CHASSIS BATTERIES. For some time we have been considering how it would be possible to reduce the cost of our 2-unit Phantom II batteries without seriously impairing the life or the efficiency of same. Another point we have also considered is that our battery should be made interchangeable as regards outside dimensions with a known international standard type, so that in the event of battery failure, at any time in any country a new battery could be obtained from an ordinary battery service station. This procedure will be all the more necessary when our chassis relies solely on battery ignition as will be the case in the near future. As the Exide Co. have the largest servicing system in the world with service stations in every country and in some countries in almost every large town, we approached them in the matter and they are making up for us a special battery type 3XC-15 which they state is held in stock everywhere as a standard battery. They propose to give us the wood and ebonite separators which we have found invaluable from the point of view of reliability and long life, but will use slightly different plates. The average life of such a battery they state will be 4 years as against the 2 years life of the Ford battery fitted to our American L.H. chassis. The external dimensions will be very similar to our present standard, the only divergence of any account being the width which will be 1" wider, but we shall gain 7 ampere hours in capacity by this extra width. We shall save in price per battery, by using this type, approximately 25%, and our only compromise will be in the life of the battery which at 4 years we consider to be very reasonable. We hope to have one of these batteries produced by the Exide Co. and fitted to 19-KX for the forthcoming 10,000 mile test. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst. | ||