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).
Dissatisfaction with Exide batteries, comparing their performance and cost to French alternatives.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 46\3\ Scan064 | |
| Date | 13th May 1922 | |
| - 2 - Re: BATTERIES. Eu for By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Ps9/JP.13/5/22 The number of separate cells fitted are too numerous to trace, but run into hundreds. We shewed a Director of "Exide Co." two rather imposing heaps of scrapped plates. Memo BY3/P15.5.22, only confirms to me that our reports do not reach the proper authorities. Please look up your memo EFC2/T25.11.21, 3rd.par.that gives one the impression that you have had battery trouble, and this is in reply to Ps4/JP. 10/11/21. We refrained from sending you our remarks to EFC2./T25.11.21 as we received a visit of an Exide Director, who calmed us somewhat by admitting that they had had trouble at Works, and would open a depot in Paris D'arblay Getting down to facts and to prove that the battery is at fault and not the dynamo:- We have had 30 batteries made in France similar in construction and dimensions to the "Exide"; some of these have been in use since 1920, and we have not had a single fault or complaint, and they are used under the same conditions as Exide , and cost 33 1/3 % of "Exide". "Exide"costs about Fcs.1000 - French batteries Fcs.375 In spite of very emphatic memos from Works about using any other battery vide D/BP35/CW29.4.21, which does not show much " bonne volonté " to help us out of a difficulty. We still consider that Exide batteries are unsatisfactory and we know they have been the cause of special conferences between Exide people and Works. We shall be pleased to have your remarks on the above points. Ps. | ||