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).
Dangerous short circuit caused by a faulty Philco wireless installation on a 3½-litre car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 63\3\ scan0274 | |
| Date | 7th March 1935 | |
| 86153 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst. K/KC/DPB/7.3.35. WIRELESS INSULATIONS ON 3½-LITRE. ------------------- (Owner, Mr.Tearne.) Enclosed with this memo is a defective lead and condenser removed from a filter unit part of the wireless installation (Philco) fitted to the above chassis. This cable you will notice has been the cause of a dead short, causing an outbreak of fire, which, but for the promptitude of the Shop Staff, might have had disastrous results. Luckily the car was being worked upon at the time and not actually on the road. The reason for this dead short was as under:- 2 Circular condensers were fastened end to end to one bolt on the dashboard, one filter with its lead on the outside going to the petrol pump, the other with its lead on the inside, nipped between the condenser bodies, going to the live side of the main battery terminal and not the fused side. I do not know what can be done in this matter with regard to making these Wireless people toe the line, but have assumed that this trouble is of a serious enough nature to warrant some action being taken to prevent its re-occurrence. Wireless people on the whole are terribly unorthodox in their methods of installation. Your advice in this matter would be appreciated. I have not taken the matter up with the Philco people direct, but will do so on receipt of your instructions if you deem it necessary. Incidentally, on the same job we have removed a filter from the field circuit of the dynamo in accordance with the contents of your memo HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst/12/MA. 21.2.35, regarding regulator failures. K/KC.Pab | ||