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).
Different half-charge schemes for the vehicle's dynamo and battery system.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 163\6\ img103 | |
| Date | 18th December 1930 | |
| To E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} X.6016 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} 8/MJ.18.12.30. X.6016. HALF CHARGE SCHEME. Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}'s car is running with a resistance which only reduces his dynamo output by 1 to 2 amps. when running in the half charge position. This does not seem to be a very practical job because if a man should run about London and then decide to go to Edinburgh, it is possible he could destroy his battery. The proposal is that he should change his resistance but I think a man is more likely to use a switch that would give him half charge as soon as he got out of the city than he is to grovel about under the body and change resistance. Bonnet! EFC. has a scheme whereby an alternative charging position is provided on the switch board so that when running in town a driver can switch on to his full charge although the headlamps are not working. At the same time he cannot run on half charge when the headlamps are working. We think that if a man will not take the trouble to operate this switch when he is continuously driving in town he deserves to be in trouble. If we cut out the half charge scheme altogether the man is still left with the option of switching his dynamo off when he thinks the battery has had as much as it can stand under high speed touring conditions. The difficulty about this is that the man has got to think more than once if he continues to tour, whereas with the other scheme he has only to make a decision when he alters his mode of living. Everyone seems to be agreed that the longer dynamo is required. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} | ||