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).
Cost reduction and alternative suppliers for electrical equipment such as ammeters, clocks, speedometers, and batteries.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\W\May1931-August1931\ Scan037 | |
| Date | 30th May 1931 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/HEW. c. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} Ry. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/HEWl/ADSO.30.5.31. X6084 R.R. ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. Ammeter. If we wish to reduce costs we suggest that we might use an ammeter of the more usual moving iron type instead of the present moving coil type. We do not consider that an extremely accurate instrument is necessary for the following reasons:- (1) It is impossible to read on the present instrument with any degree of precision, fractions of an ampere. (2) When the car is in motion, the oscillatory motion still more prevents any precision in reading the instrument. From a customers' point of view the ammeter is only used to indicate roughly whether it is charging or dis-charging. (3) We know of no other car which use this type of ammeter. Ferranties will supply moving iron type instruments of good qualities at 15/- less than we are paying at present. Clocks. Trials are being made with electric clocks supplied by Boyce Motor Accessories and Messrs. Gent. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} has a Boyce clock on 58-CN{Mr Chamberain} and we are arranging for two others to be fitted to experimental cars. The Boyce electric clock costs 15/- less than our present standard Watford. Speedometers. The A.T. speedometer is very expensive. We have for test a Watford speedometer working on the same principle as the A.T. which only costs half the price. Batteries. We consider the batteries on our cars are very satisfactory and have proved themselves in customers hands to be reliable. The batteries are being supplied by Exide and P & R.{Sir Henry Royce} 50/50. We are still not in a position to say which of these two makers produce the better battery. | ||