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).
Battery overcharging and undercharging issues, considering solutions and lamp economy.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 31\1\ Scan210 | |
| Date | 21th November 1929 | |
| X1402 EFC. Brock Mr. Watson. } FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} R1/M21.11.29. Copy to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} De/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} X.4040 X.1402 X.294 X.8780 BATTERY OVERCHARGING. I do not think the device used on your test would suit the car work, because should we decide to fit an overcharging device it would have to be one that either reduced the output of the dynamo, or stopped the dynamo exitation entirely. The best way we know up to the present is what is called the green light scheme, but even this is hardly worth the complication, and has been abandoned for the present. Unfortunately the trouble with the batteries in practice is not so much overcharging, as undercharging. One finds them run down the next morning if they have been doing much night running. My 20 HP. here hardly seems to have sufficient dynamo output to maintain the lights, etc. We must always see that there is a margin when running the ignition, klaxon or buzzer, side lights, head lights and tail light. There should be a margin so as to allow for parking, internal lighting, and starting. Perhaps none of the lamps should be unecomomical for their C.P. The side lights should only take a very small current. To avoid glare they should not be too powerful, and they would then be economical for parking purposes. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||