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).
Performance and failures of various vehicle components including the dynamo, battery, bodywork, and windscreen wiper.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 5a\4\ 04-page181 | |
| Date | 14th December 1934 guessed | |
| - 6 - STARTER MOTOR STANDARD. No trouble has been experienced with the starter Motor. The engine was started easily during the cold weather; condition of the motor is good. STOP LAMP SWITCH. LOP. D.8419. There has been no trouble with this switch or the rear light. DYNAMO VOLTAGE CONTROL. ARMATURE LOP. D.94343. FRAME AND FIELD WINDING LOP. D.84343. The dynamo started to fail after a mileage of 6800, excessive sparking of the commutator taking place. This was cleaned and dynamo charged for a few hours. The solder then melted out of the commutator segments and no charge could be obtained. Upon dismantling and testing, a short circuit was found from the positive brush holder to earth, carbon dust and oil being the primary cause. The heat generated in the armature had caused a break down of the insulation of the armature coils, just behind the commutator, a short circuit being registered by an ohmmeter. Paris Dépôt temporarily converted a third brush dynamo, so that we could continue running. The voltage regulator, which we suspected at first, was quite alright upon testing. MAIN STARTER SWITCH. LOP.D. 100808. Incorporating a coil of finer winding D.74174 coil assg. D8C. copper wire. The starter switch has not shown or given any trouble. BATTERY AND FITTINGS. LOP.D.84401. D.94402 BATTERY. Until the failure of the dynamo, the battery had maintained the supply for lighting and starting. Very little water has been added to the battery during the mileage. BODY WORK. The front doors and windows have rattled consistently during the mileage. The sunshine roof is very draughty and produces wind noise. The rear squab of the rear seats has shattered, the fastening not being satisfactory. The front wings have cracked. The near side at a point close to the radiator and where Boutons to the dany iron. The OS. cracked on the outside edge, at the fastening to the front wings stay, the crack going through the beaded edge. Both the front wings protrude below the running board, with the result that the protruding piece has been severely battered by stones and crumpled up and out. The ventilating window on the drivers side is inoperative. WINDSCREEN WIPER. KLAXON TYPE. The motor refused to work owing to the shaft of the reduction gear having tightened up, shortage of lubrication being the cause. | ||