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).
Extract from a report detailing an electrical fault caused by a failed condenser on Chassis 1 EX.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 34\1\ Scan075 | |
| Date | 28th July 1919 | |
| X.2512 X.2512. X.3129. CHASSIS 1 EX. Extract from Bn{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington}5/W28.7.19. ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT. The wiring on this car was not finished in accordance with our standard proposals, and had only a temporary junction box. The electrical wiring was completed as regards the starter motor and main switch leads. No trouble was experienced with the exception of the failure of the battery ignition. This fault occurred after about five hundred miles, and I came to the conclusion that either the coil or the condenser wasat fault. I ran for the rest of the time with the magneto on the plugs over the inlet valves. On investigation at the works, it was found that the condenser had failed completely between two of the foils, which we believe to be due to a fault in the mica. This condenser had not been subjected to our usual test which is for half an hour's duration, but only for two or three minutes. Mr. Clark is going into the matter of what tests we can impose on our condensers for production and will put the matter before you. I noticed that in removing the condenser in its little box from the contact breaker casting, that the longe studs tend to scrape against the edges of the mica sheets, and I think there is some risk of splitting them up. I think it will be necessary to protect the condenser block in some way from these studs. | ||