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).
Letter from Rolls Royce of America discussing issues with the Lucas dynamo on post-war cars, specifically regarding noise and cutting-in speed.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 48\3\ Scan127 | |
| Date | 12th November 1920 | |
| X4211 Oy 9/G 12.11.20. Nov. 12th 1920. Mr. Claude Johnson, Managing Director, Rolls-Royce Ltd., London, England. Attention Mr. Clark. Dear Sir:- X.4165. X.3770. X.4211. X.3014b. Re: Electrical Equipment on Post War Cars. In reply to Mr. Clark's memo EFC {E. Fowler Clarke - Electrical Engineer} 5/T25.1Q20. we have found that retarding the third brush slightly almost sideways reduces the cutting-in speed as well as silence in the dynamo, which latter is the real object of this change. I would like to refer to Mr. Clark's memo mentioned above and to Mr. Platford's memo 105 re noisy Lucas dynamos, in which Mr. Platford mentions this feature. There appears to be some discrepancy between Mr. Clark's letter and Mr. Platford's instructions, and we should be glad if this could be cleared up, because we feel it is very important to get the very best possible out of the Lucas dynamo, seeing that already it is not entirely satisfactory. Mr. Clark's memo suggests that we could improve the functioning of the Lucas dynamo by reducing the spring on the cutout in some cases. Does he recommend that we should do this - running the car until the dynamo was hot and then reducing the spring until the cutout points would close at just such a speed as to avoid discharging the battery through the generator ? Yours truly, ROLLS ROYCE OF AMERICA INC. Per________ MO/G. C. Mr. Nadin. Mr. Hulley. Enc. EFC {E. Fowler Clarke - Electrical Engineer} 5/T25.10.20. EP. {G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} No. 105- Re Noisy Dynamos. | ||