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).
Dynamo failures and customer feedback on design weaknesses in the electrical system.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\4\ Scan120 | |
| Date | 27th September 1923 | |
| X. 4158 BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. EFC. c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}1/AEM. for Mr. Brock. EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}14/H27.9.23. X 4383 re. Dynamo Failures. (50-S-8) We have today received a report from the owner of the above car that his dynamo has failed and that the armature has completely burnt out. We are not at present able to handle this job personally, as the customer is on the continent and is making for our Paris Depot for this job to be rectified. The following are points, however, which he brings to our attention, which I feel are interesting and should receive your consideration:- 1. Having found there was no charging taking place, he found that No.1. fuse had burnt out, and the wire connection to the terminal marked "A" on the dynamo had broken. He considers this a weak spot and asks "would it not be possible to have a fuse to protect the dynamo from short circuits." 2. He points out that when the dynamo is taken off he will not be able to use the magneto as he has no length of shaft to bridge over the space vacated by the dynamo. He can run for a time on the battery, but if he happens to be in a country where he cannot get the dynamo repaired, or his battery charged, his magneto would be useless. This he considers is also a weak spot. We have arranged to replace the dynamo and replace the faulty connections, which we feel can easily account for the cause of the dynamo failure. We shall be glad, however, for you to consider whether we cannot fix some better protection for the dynamo as above suggested, also whether we should not retrospectively arrange for some improved type of low tension terminals for the dynamo and other connection on the car, as we have now done with the connections to the make and break. It surprises me to find that we are still turning out cars with low tension connections which are of the direct soldered type, which were originally used on the make and break terminal, but which have recently been replaced at this spot by the more flexible type. | ||