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).
Comparing Delco and Bijur electrical systems and discussing tests on induction pipes.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 49\5\ Scan074 | |
| Date | 19th May 1921 | |
| contd. -2- I do not think it is right or fair to compare the Bijur with the Lucas. The best voltage control machine should be compared with the best 3rd. brush scheme. I believe then that the advantages with the voltage control would be very little and owing to its simplicity, the 3rd. brush scheme would be the best. I certainly think now that R. {Sir Henry Royce} has suggested that you go for the Delco, and that he favours the Delco, you should get the Delco people to completely equip a car. I am making a point of keeping record of the reliability of the Delco set on the Marmon car. So far we have not had the least trouble. With regard to the Bijur motor. I think that the motor takes too much current. There is no doubt that our 40/50 engine with its seven-bearing crankshaft with well fitted bearings and pistons, takes considerably more horse power to turn when cold than the average car. I think that our own Starter Motor may take too little current but I believe it is the lesser of the two evils. I think it would be a mistake to go to the Bijur people for the Starter Motor and Dynamo and elsewhere for the Switches and Battery Ignition. It would be far better to let the Delco people do the whole job. I believe also that it would be less difficult to get R. {Sir Henry Royce} to agree. He appears prepared to trust the Delco people with the equipment so that it would be much better to carry this out. If this is the view you take, then I think it would be unwise to adopt either the Bijur or the Westinghouse temporarily. It might be better to continue as you are until the Delco people satisfy us. I am hoping that when 4.EX Car leaves, you will let us have full particulars of all the parts fitted and what your recommendations are. We have been carrying out further tests on Induction Pipes. We have proved definitely that fixing the 1" pipe through the present induction pipe improves the distribution apart from any heat, as a matter of fact, we cannot find that the heat makes any appreciable difference, with this scheme. We would very much like you to confirm this. We find, however, that there is a variation in the induction pipes. We have fitted the 1" pipe into four different pipes. Three of them are giving very good results; on the 4th. it is very little, if any, improvement. We are investigating to try and find the reason for this. We have not had much success with the hot spot induction pipe designed by R. {Sir Henry Royce} We have modified the position of the hot spot and as soon as we have proved it to be satisfactory contd:- | ||