Sprint Healamp microswitch?

[archigator]

Headlamp microswitch... what does it look like and do I have one...? I
have this Black/Purple wire dangling from the wiring loom of my '71
Sprint, near my headlamp relays, with a female spade fitting. The only
male spade that I see within reach of this wire is on the Headlamp
Flasher Relay. Now when I look at the Elan S4 wiring chart, I see that
this is Black/Purple wire is supposed to fit to the left hand side
Headlamp Microswitch, but I can find no such microswitch on my car.
Did the Sprints have headlamp microswitches?

(I do have the correct Yellow/Blue wire running from the Headlamp
flasher relay TO the Headlamp Flasher Unit... does this Black/Purple
wire then return from the Flasher Unit back to the Flasher Relay?)

My Workshop manual has no wiring chart for a Sprint. Thanks.

Gary
'71 Elan Sprint
Miami, FL

[tvacc]

My original as from the factory, when I got is as the second owner, 72
Sprint did not have the micro switch.



I think it has something to do with not allowing the lights to be on when
they were in the down position.of course.I might be wrong.



Tony Vaccaro
_____

[archigator]

Tony, you're right about the lights being on when down, because my
right headlamp comes on in the down position ... even when the
headlight dash switch is off. Does your Headlamp Flasher Relay have a
Black/Purple wire running to/from the cylindrical Headlamp Flasher Unit?
Thanks.

Gary
'71 Elan Sprint
Miami, FL
______________________________________________________________________
--- In ***@***.***, "Tony Vaccaro" <tvacc@l...> wrote:

[tvacc]

I don't have my car anymore...sorry.

This is a very simple wiring loom.in fact I put relays into mine..with
higher wattage headlights.

Don't over think this..and like you said.the diagram is not always right on
the money. I eventually found out that I had to completely understand the
way it all works.then I had to sit down and figure out the best way to
modify it..to work more reliably. I only use the power (12 volts) from the
switch to activate the relays..which then activate the head lights. I ran
12 gauge wire from the starter connection ..(or somewhere near there) to the relay.then to the lights.

If you want to talk more about all this.if you are unsure on relays.give me
a call.

I will email you my number. I am up all night tonight..30-40 teenagers over my house.

Tony

["Carl F Peters&quo]

Gary

The headlight micro switch was fitted to the inside of the headlight pod
(the left hand one when looking forward from the driver's seat). Its aim
was, as Tony said, to turn off the headlights when the pods went down. The
switch was fitted to Sprints until the the failsafe system was introduced in
1972. It was originally a courtesy light switch fitted in the door of many
British built cars (Cortinas, Anglias and BMC cars) as well as the Elan
itself. If you put your hand in the underside of the headlight pod (by the
heel that rests on the stop screw) you should be able to feel the spring
loaded switch.

Carl Peters
72 Sprint, 73 S130/5

[Frank Howard]

My 1971 S4 SE came equipped with the failsafe system and of course, no
microswitch on the headlight pod.

Frank Howard
Minnesota

[archigator]

I have no microswitch(s) behind the headlight pod(s), but I have now
been told that it was moved inboard, behind the dash at the headlamp
activation switch on many Sprints. Going back to look at old digital
photos confirms that the mysterious black/purple wire does indeed
connect the Headlamp Flasher Relay to the Headlamp Flasher Unit. Was an
accurate Sprint wiring diagram ever published anywhere?

Thanks everyone for your help. (I was hesitant to connect a dangling
wire to the nearest free connector without some sort backup.)

Gary
'71 Elan Sprint
Miami, FL

[Rob_LaMoreaux]

If it is a US car than the answer is NO. If it is a UK/European car than the
answer would be yes.


You obviously haven't tried using the horn, or someone changed it's wiring.

The wiring diagram shows Black with Purple as the wiring from the horns to
the horn switch and then ground.

Rob LaMoreaux
Ann Arbor, MI USA
(734)-971-5583
Cell (734)-604-9280
Email: ***@***.***
Too many Hobbies.... Too Little Time
1969 Lotus Elan....It's not a restoration, it's a never-ending adventure.

[archigator]

Rob,

Although I live in Florida, my Sprint is RHD, and no microswitches at
the headlight pods that I could find.

Page 105 of the Lotus Elan Workshop manual calls for one of the feeds
to the microswitch to be Brown/Purple, but the Series 4 Wiring
Diagram in the same manual calls for this wire to be Black/Purple...
which is what is installed on my car. The relays were original, and
judging by the connectors, I think the wires there are original too.
Maybe the author of the manual didn't get the memo... Go figure

Horn works great, although it has been rewired with incorrect solid
wire colors to a modern relay. I believe Lucas horn wires are
typically Purple/Black... not Black/Purple. Thanks...

Gary
'71 Sprint RHD
______________________________________________________________________

--- In ***@***.***, "rob_lamoreaux"
<Rob_LaMoreaux@a...> wrote:

"Headlamp microswitch... what does it look like and do I have
one...?"

If it is a US car than the answer is NO. If it is a UK/European car
than the answer would be yes.

"I have this Black/Purple wire dangling from the wiring loom of
my '71 Sprint, near my headlamp relays, with a female spade fitting."

You obviously haven't tried using the horn, or someone changed it's
wiring. The wiring diagram shows Black with Purple as the wiring from
the horns to the horn switch and then ground.