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).
Epidemic of complaints regarding insufficient battery charging on 20/25 HP models due to low-speed town driving.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 62\3\ scan0468 | |
| Date | 3rd December 1934 | |
| C O P Y. S/W Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}...from C. C17/C3.12.34. re 20/25 h.p. Dynamo Output. We appear to have struck an epidemic of complaints at Cricklewood from owners of modern 20/25's that they are not able to get sufficient charge in their batteries. Almost invariably the reason is that their cars are used practically exclusively in Town, at any rate during the Winter, and rarely, if ever, is the car taken into the country to give the dynamo a real chance of putting the battery up. In some cases we have been able to advise them to put in a trickle charger, but this is not possible in many cases - for instance, those who live in flats and garage their cars in lock-ups which are not fitted with power plugs or suitable connections. We have also in some cases advised the keeping of a spare battery, but this is not welcomed by any means and we are referred to other cars which are used in exactly the same way and yet do not suffer from this. It appears that the great trouble is that the dynamo does not cut in until the car is doing 19 m.p.h. and then at a small rate, and really the main charging rate is not attained until 30 m.p.h. [handwritten correction] -15 m.p.h.- With the present speed of London traffic and controls, it is not possible to use these speeds except on rare occasions, and the only hope appears to be for the cutting in speed to be 10 to 12 m.p.h. Alternatively some help might be given if the full charge were given when the side and tail lamps were turned on and not when the head lamps are turned on, because head lamps cannot be used in London to any extent. This is really quite an important matter at the moment and I should be glad if you would please have it looked into, because Br.{T. E. Bellringer - Repair Manager} does not know what to do to satisfy some of these clients. C. [handwritten notes] (1) Emergency switch (?) Alter resistance | ||