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).
Investigating disappointing test results on platinum points due to an under-capacity condenser for the battery ignition.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 34\1\ Scan021 | |
| Date | 18th June 1918 | |
| X2572 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from EFC. c. to CJ. c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to EY. c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to EH. c. to EY/HBC. EFC3/T18.6.18. X.3173 - CONDENSER FOR BATTERY IGNITION. X2572 Referring to your note F6/G12618. I think we may put down the disappointing result on the platinum points to the fact that the condenser used during the test was not up to requisite capacity. It will be remembered that we stated in our EFC2/T29.4.18, that the minimum capacity of condenser we should use is .14 m.f., whereas the capacity of the condenser actually in use on the ignition at present is only .11 mf. (that of the condenser on the ignition set on 49-GB being approximately the same). The reason of this is that we made up several condensers with some mica as originally ordered and found that the capacity for the number of leaves instructed was smaller than it should have been by calculation, owing to the fact that the mica used was actually somewhat thicker than allowed for. We have on order some thinner and better quality mica, but unfortunately owing to certain delays, we have not yet been able to obtain this, and therefore we have not so far had an R.R. condenser of the correct capacity. The condenser, .14 mf. referred to in our EFC2/T29.4.18, was one of the magneto condensers given to us by Mr. Young of the B.T.H Co., and was connected outside the condenser box. We have now instructed a temporary condenser and shall obtain the requisite capacity by sheer number of leaves. This | ||