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 laboratory testing and suitability of Maconit H.T. cable for chassis wiring.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 52\1\ Scan070 | |
| Date | 1st May 1926 | |
| To R. {Sir Henry Royce} from EFC. {E. Fowler Clarke - Electrical Engineer} c. BJ. E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. Da. {Bernard Day - Chassis Design} By. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. Mor. Roy. {Sir Henry Royce} X860 EFCL/TE.5.26. MACONITE H.T. CABLE FOR CHASSIS. X860 Originally we received a small sample of such cable. We made certain laboratory tests on this, (and at the same time on a piece of standard Glover H.T. cable), comprising prolonged immersions in petrol, engine oil, 50% sulphuric acid, and H.T. breakdown tests. The detailed results of these were reported to Ry. and were summarized in the following paragraph:- “It will be seen from the above tests that the Maconit cable appears the better of the two, and we suggest making up a set of ignition wires from this cable and putting them on a car for test.” About that time we paid a visit to the Maconit Co.’s Works here in Derby and generally we were favourably impressed with the suitability of this material as H.T. covering for the chassis cables. The wire originally received was found to be too large in diameter for the chassis, so we obtained a quantity of correct diameter. A general report on the position to date of Maconit insulated H.T. cables for the chassis (EFCL/T10, 5. 26) was issued at that time, pointing out its possible advantages. It was claimed to have good resistive properties in almost all directions, but we know that there is one direction, viz, the fact that it is affected by petrol, in which it is not well resistive. The effect of petrol is much the same as on ordinary rubber, viz. that the Maconit absorbs the petrol and swells. But it will be seen below that this does not Contd. | ||