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).
Poor longevity of platinum points in a car's electrical system and potential solutions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 54\4\ Scan056 | |
| Date | 11th May 1925 | |
| X4654 To EFC. {E. Fowler Clarke - Electrical Engineer} from R. {Sir Henry Royce} c. to OJ. Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Ev. {Ivan Evernden - coachwork} RE CAR IN FRANCE. X.4652/4. X.8780. X.8680. X.3199 I hear that the platinum points are not lasting well on the above car. Unless this can be accounted for it is quite a serious matter. Above all things the electrical equipment must be reliable, and not require attention. You will remember that we have an ample condenser, and go to the expense of platinum points, so that there seems no excuse. It has occurred to me that any reduction in the maximum current which can be arranged by permanent resistance, or by the efficiency of the coil should add to the life of the points. This would suggest that the coil with a nearly closed iron circuit, and only takes one fourth the amperes, might make an enormous difference in the platinum points. The only other way one can think of is to have sufficient ballast resistance and an oversized condenser. Please say if you wish me to design an iron core coil suitable, or whether you have something of another make which you could test ? R. {Sir Henry Royce} | ||