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).
Undercharging issues with batteries on Bentley cars and the testing of a new armature.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 58\4\ Scan204 | |
| Date | 4th January 1935 | |
| c. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst. c. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} BY.12/N.4.1.35. Re: Discharged Batteries on Bentleys. With reference to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}13/R.2.1.35, and Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst 7/MA.1.1.35, we still believe that there are two conditions by which undercharging can take place on the Bentley, as outlined in BY.6/G.10.12.34. We appreciated that we would get a lowered output at high speeds and increased temperature, but we do not think that the facts as checked experimentally should deter us from carrying on with the programme of making twelve armatures. If the customer is handicapping the dynamo by regular driving in the City and such congested areas to such an extent as to result in a run down battery, it is fairly certain that he will not be also doing long night drives, demanding continuous driving at 50 M.P.H. or more for three to four hours, and anything less than this the new armature will cope with. We agree that the new regulator meets fully a case like Lp{Mr Lappin}'s but Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} has the new regulator and is not happy, and I therefore suggest we at once fit the new armature the Experimental Department have tested on to Bn{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington}'s car as we believe he will adequately test it in his normal driving, since he does some fast driving at night, but is for the maximum part of his driving time running in and out of the City. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | ||