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).
Value of magneto reserve ignition and proposing a switch to a double battery system.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\V\October1930-February1931\ Scan221 | |
| Date | 17th January 1931 | |
| ORIGINAL. R2/M17.1.31. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}) FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} ) (At Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence.) C. to SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} RG.{Mr Rowledge} (Struck through) X.6098. re. CAR WORK. X.6105. EFC. Mr. Hives points out that our magneto reserve is not of the value we imagined because we cannot start the engine easily enough. It is not quite so bad as one might conclude by his memo. on the subject because it is - RECEIVED 1931 JAN. 12 (From circular stamp) (1) Useful if something is wrong but the car is still running or the starter will still work (i.e. something wrong on the ignition circuit and a fuse will blow.) (2) Investigating a cause of poor running of the engine - i.e. is it ignition or carburation. However it is perhaps not appreciated by the buyers (although it has still some advantages and no disadvantages except cost and complication). It would suit our manufacturing policy better to have only battery ignition. We could then have no magneto to buy and we could make 3 sets of battery ignition all alike instead of two of somewhat different pattern. Will E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} kindly get out a scheme for the double battery on P. 2. It would be a great convenience and save trouble with spares if this could be put on the first L.H. to be delivered. It would in fact be worth some scrap. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||