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).
Merits of a warning lamp versus a whistle for radiator water boiling.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 175\4\ img020 | |
| Date | 28th April 1926 | |
| To B.J. from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to CWB. c. to Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} x3875 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}3/LG28.4.26. Water Boiling in the Radiator. x766 Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}4/W24.4.26. With reference to the attached report. We have carried out experimental tests with a whistle so that the driver would be warned of the water boiling. We have not however so far received any designs for applying this to the cars. CWB. recently pointed out that there was an alternative scheme he understands is being fitted by Messrs. Barkers which consisted of an electrical contact incorporated in the thermometer which lighted a red lamp on the instrument board when the water was boiling. He promised to let us have more particulars about it. We think this type of signal may be preferable to a whistle because it would be rather disconcerting for instance if the shutters were forgotten and the whistle operated when the car was running in the west end of London. Also we know that in some extreme conditions we cannot avoid the cars boiling. We think it would greatly aggravate the boiling trouble if at the same time the car whistled continuously. If Sales approve of the red signal lamp and we can actually obtain a sample of what is being used, we could fit it up on to an experimental car and show it to R.{Sir Henry Royce} - this would no doubt accelerate the job. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||