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 ignition failure in Goshawk II cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\4\ Scan053 | |
| Date | 5th October 1922 | |
| BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. EFC. c. Sft.{Mr Swift} X4178 [handwritten] EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}9/H5.10.22. X3453 [handwritten, crossed out] re. GOSHAWK II. BATTERY IGNITION FAILURE. X0079 [handwritten] Of the 20 Goshawk cars now coming through on test the battery ignition of four cars has failed. The trouble appears to be due to the failure of the high tension current of the coil, as in all these cases the low tension current seemed to be quite satisfactory. The strange part about this failure, however, has been that when short circuiting the ballast resistance the ignition then became effective and continued to be so even though the ballast resistance was again put in action. A similar failure has again occurred, and a similar cure has enabled us to keep running. The failure appears to be due to a temporary leakage of the high tension current, and some part of the high tension system, but on inspecting and testing the units they were all found to be satisfactory except the coils, which in each case EFC. reports has definitely gone weak and is below the specification, and less than that which the coil originally gave. EFC. points out that he cannot conceive any other cause of the failure than the coil, and he finds that by soaking the coil in paraffin wax it is then rectified and appears to be quite satisfactory. A point I am anxious to bring forward, however, is that I fear this failure will take place on the present Goshawk cars delivered. At the same time, I understand from EFC. that the coils on these cars are the same as those used on the 10,000 miles Experimental Trials cars, which gave no trouble in this respect. The point therefore requires very serious investigation. In the meantime, however, I certainly feel that instructions should be given that none of these cars should be allowed to be put into service, unless the coil has been improved as suggested by EFC. mentioned above. Can BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} please give instructions to this effect, also that the coils on the cars not yet despatched should be attended to immediately. EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} | ||