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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).
Battery charging issues in Australia and proposing automatic control for charging rates and fan speed.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 72\2\  scan0045
Date  17th April 1928
  
X8990
Pt.14/FM-17/4/28.

By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer}
Derby.

C. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Derby.
Whr.{Mr Wheeler} London.

In Australia we seem to be troubled, so far as the charging of batteries is concerned, with two extremes, that is to say, we have customers who regularly complain they cannot keep their batteries sufficiently charged and other customers who just as consistently complain that they cannot keep their battery topped up with distilled water owing to excessive charging rate.

This may sound paradoxical but it is none the less true and I would like to suggest that investigation be made to see if it is not possible to design some form of automatic control of charging rate to suit the demands made upon the battery and its condition so far as charge is concerned. The same thing applies regarding automatic control of the speed of fan which it should not be beyond the power of present day designers to arrange thermostatically. After all the fan drive absorbs power as does the dynamo drive and frequently both are absorbing considerably more power than is warranted by the engine's demands upon their proper function. If some control could be arranged, power would be saved; the battery would maintain its normal voltage and the water would maintain its pre-determined temperature. Academically it would seem some form of hydraulic drive worked off existing or an auxiliary oil pump with control valve worked in the one instance electrically and the other thermostatically, might meet the case, though there are, I admit, many constructional difficulties to face, and possibly on the grounds of room required or loss of efficiency these may be out of the picture; that, however, is not in my province.

One advantage of a fan driven other than by belt would be that its centre need not vary and it would therefore be possible to house the fan at its periphery thus adding to radiator efficiency. I know the whole idea may seem Utopian but I should nevertheless much appreciate your candid criticism.

Pt.
  
  


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