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).
Page discussing the deterioration of batteries due to over-filling, over-discharging, and incorrect charging methods.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\Q\December1926-January1927\ 18 | |
| Date | 4th December 1926 | |
| Contd. -4- EFCL/T4.12.26. If the batteries should be over-filled this makes a nasty mess, electrolyte spurts out through the vents and it is almost certain that deterioration would occur by acid getting to places where it is not desired. In addition to which, some amount of electrical leakage takes place which further aggravates the matter and incidentally assists the battery to over-discharge itself if it does at any time get down to a low condition. There is no doubt that batteries are on their best behaviour when they are regularly charged and discharged with a charge approximately equivalent to a tapering charge of large value when the battery is low, and of relatively small value when the battery is high. But there must be sufficient voltage ultimately available to bring the battery right up, otherwise the possible capacity will gradually become successively reduced with each charge and discharge. It is for that reason that true constant voltage (on battery terminals) charging is and always has been incorrect. The overcharging which the batteries get at present also is, as pointed out by PN.{Mr Northey}, a considerable factor in reducing their life. The negative elements are kept in good condition but the positives become weaker and weaker, by mechanical disintegration, not to mention partial/short-circuiting which develops through distortion of the positive elements and loss of paste therefrom. It is to some extent correct to look upon the device which is the subject of this report as a long period Contd. | ||