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).
The condition of a magneto after a 500-hour bench test.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\T\2July1929-December1929\ Scan065 | |
| Date | 30th September 1929 guessed | |
| -3- "This magneto has run 500 hours on the bench rig at an average speed of 2950 r.p.m. working normally and lubricated regularly every 18 hours running. It was found necessary to clean the distributor and H.T. brush holder at the end of 240 hrs. running owing to the considerable carbon dust accumulation, otherwise no attention was given to the magneto which functioned O.K. until near the end of the run when occasional misfiring occurred which, as stated later, was due to the contact points being worn down. At the end of 500 hours running the magneto was completely dismantled for inspection, and the following is a detailed report of the condition :- Distributor. General condition very good, only very slight burning of the brass segments. Rotor carbon brush bedding perfectly with no signs of burning. Gears O.K. No appreciable wear in distributor plain bearing. Contact breaker. Platinum points worn completely away. Considerable deposit of platinum oxide on surrounding parts. Armature. Iron core rusty, suggest painting with varnish for protection against nitrous oxides. Bearings in good condition. Safety gap parts were rusty, these should be made in brass. Inside of magnet arch rusty - also suggest painting with varnish. Apart from the unsatisfactory condition of the contact breaker, the general condition of the magneto was | ||