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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).
The electrical efficiency and mechanical features of Peto & Radford batteries.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 38\5\  Scan123
Date  24th August 1921
  
X.3398

PN{Mr Northey}1/DN/24.8.21.

S/W.
EFC.(Copy to R.{Sir Henry Royce}& CJ.)

X.3398. RE PETO & RADFORD BATTERIES.

I have read your EFC2/12.8.21.

The only thing that puzzles me is your frequent reference to electrical efficiency. Do you really mean electrical efficiency in the sense of the relation between watt-hours put in to watt-hours taken out ? Or are you actually intending to refer to the inefficiency in the sense of watt-hours per lb. of complete cell ?

Forgive me if my question seems at all superfluous, but your references to the weights of various batteries interspersed with your expression "efficiency", leade me to ask the question. If you mean electrical efficiency in its proper sense, I cannot understand why a cell like Peto & Radford's, should have less efficiency than other types which you have under test, at ordinary lighting rates anyhow. Also, I am not aware that you have sent us any particulars of tests which you may have made to do with input and output.

Mr. Minchin, one of the Directors of Messrs. Peto & Radford, has sent me a memo reminding us of certain mechanical features in their latest cells, which they consider of some importance :-

(a) The material their cell boxes are now made of cannot crack or split, even if dropped on a concrete floor. Therefore, there will never be any leakage.
(b) The base of each cell has 4 ribs on which the plates rest. The plates have cast on to their lower edge, small feet which rest on the ribs. These are arranged so that the positive plates rest on ribs No. 1 and 3 and the negatives on No. 2 and 4. Consequently on any given base rib there are either positive plates or negative plates resting on it, but not both. With the separators carried down ½" below the lower edges of the plates, you will see it is impossible for a short circuit to occur even when the battery is getting old and usually does short circuit at these points. Then there are our special grease rings round each terminal pillar which really prevents the corrosion one usually gets there.

R.H.
PN.{Mr Northey}

[Faint stamp: RECEIVED AUG 25 1921]

H.R. 959M. (50) (T) (S.H.) 326. 31-1-18. Bm. 2/6/15.
  
  


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