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).
Performance of different battery makes and proposing continued tests on the Peto & Radford battery.
Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\G\August1921\ Scan26 | |
Date | 30th August 1921 | |
To EFC. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to OJ. [Strikethrough] " " TN. [Strikethrough] CONFIDENTIAL. ORIGINAL [Stamp] R4/G30/8/21. X.3398 [Handwritten and underlined] RE STORAGE BATTERIES. X.607 [Handwritten and struck through] X.4283 [Handwritten and underlined] I was not particularly struck with the design of the Peto & Radford battery plate, but as we have had such disappointing results from our present Exide batteries I certainly think it would be wise to have a few more of the Peto & Radford manufacture in use on cars which we could watch. I am particularly pleased that a battery of this make has done so well, as Mr. Pritchard the managing director of this very large group of storage battery makers is an old and highly respected friend of ours, and I think he would see that the cells were thoroughly well made and technically as good as possible. You will remember that we have decided that the C.A.V.-Willard is the most hopeful source from which we could obtain batteries, owing to the tremendous experience that the Willard Company have had on rapid discharge starter batteries in the States. We thought this also with reference to the Exide, but have been terribly disappointed owing to the Exide plates warping badly, and the separators being carelessly arranged, and of poor quality. In conclusion, you will see that I am in favour therefore of continuing our tests with the Peto & Radford battery, and never minding so much the academic difference in weight efficienty or in internal resistance, but go all out for durability, and find out if they can turn the engine quickly for a given weight. The actual storage capacity I think is of much lessmoment but I do think the feature of the batteries holding their charge is of great importance, so that the features are - (Contd.) [Faint text, bottom left] RR S3Py (PO L 42'H SEC 18-5-21) C 1002 | ||