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).
Observations and tests on a Delco-Remy contact breaker unit and ignition coil.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\P\2July1926-September1926\ Scan003 | |
| Date | 21th July 1926 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} From EFC. c. BJ. By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} EFC/21.7.26. RE DELCO REMY IGNITION. Recently we obtained from The Delco Remy Co. a Delco-Remy contact breaker unit with nearly closed iron circuit coil, on which apparatus we have made some observations and tests. Some of the results are contained in my assistant's reports WB.{Mr Brazier/Mr Bell}80 and WB.{Mr Brazier/Mr Bell}87, copies herewith. The available spark energy from this Remy system appears to be very much less than our own, and it would appear/that engine ignition, using this coil, would (see WB.{Mr Brazier/Mr Bell}80) stop by placing the hand on the coil, in the same way in which we used to be able to stop the ignition of the engine in the early days of the improperly cured bakelite material of the coil cases, at the same time feeling the effect. Rightly or wrongly our method has been to provide sufficient spark energy in the first instance to overcome contingencies, so as to ensure regular sparking, and now we are gradually by the use of (1) Finer primary coils, (2) Larger ballast resistance reducing the amount of energy available until we find a reasonable practical limit. The taller ignition coil was at the time of its institution a means of increasing the available spark energy, not by actually increasing the consumption appreciably, but amongst other things by getting the outside of the secondary winding more clear of the case, since which time the moulded cases certainly appear to have improved. Contd. | ||