rocker switch for headlights

[umbyfer]

A question to all the owner of a Lotus Elan Sprint:

is the rocker headlight switch with two position or one only? how many pins it has on the back? looking the book of Gordon Lund i found a scheme wher it is with 4 pins...

In my Elan sprint Federal (1971), fail safe system, it is with one position only; i don't know if it is the original one or it has been changed in the past....
Someone else sold me a used rocker switch with two position and 4 pins as the headlight switch.....

Thank you for any help!!

Umberto

[handi_andi]

The two position one is to allow for parking lights plus side lights position, which was a requirement in the UK for a long time. So the federal one may not have had that option fitted.
Andy

[ppnelan]

My ex-Federal 1971 Elan S4 has a rocker switch that just operates the side (parking) lights - I would call it 2-position since it is either 'off' or 'on'.
I think you are asking if it should be a 3-position switch i.e. seperate positions for 'off', side lights, & headlights ?
The headlights (failsafe) operate with the vacuum switch - there's an electrical switch 'tacked-on' (it looks like a bodge but it must be original!) to the back of the vacuum switch.

Hope this helps.
Matthew

[umbyfer]

actually the rocker switch is one position only: on or off, like panel or cortesy light.

I found a switch that is with two position (not 3) ("2 click")

I have two microswitches fixed to the knob valve for the headlamp; i replaced by new (easy to find).

Thanks for more info....
Umberto

[umbyfer]

oh yes, the one i found is with 3 position: off, first position, second position...

Umberto

[elansprint71]

oh yes, the one i found is with 3 position: off, first position, second position...

Umberto

umberto,
My 72 Sprint is as you describe, Off, parking/side lights, head lights.

Cheers,
Pete.

[umbyfer]

ok thank you to everybodY; now the question is: if the car is UK standard may have a 3 position switch; if it is Federal with the microswitches on the valve may have a two position switch. Correct?

Any advise just to solve: "to be or not to be"?

Thank you,
Umberto

[smokey73]

I have a 1970 Elan +2S that I am parting out and I just took the switches out of the dash and carefully identified each one in a small plastic bag. This is a Federal Failsafe system. I thought I'd give you some pictures and maybe that would help but I could not get them to upload for some reason. If I can figure out what is wrong I'll post the pictures later)

Of course yours may not be the same but a picture is worth a thousand words. There is a combination vacuum switch/electrical Headlight switch and a separate "rocker" switch marked "Park" on the panel. This rocker switch is a "return to center" type switch. I took the car apart 27 years ago so I can't remember what the different positions of up and down do but I know it spring returns to the middle position.

[smokey73]

Lets try the pictures again. And I looked at the dash and the up positon on the parking light is "off" and the down position is "on" It spring returns to the middle positon.

There is a completely different switch for the panel lights.

STILL WON'T LET ME UPLOAD A FILE - SAYS TRIED TO UPLOAD AND EMPTLY FILE?

Send me a private email with your email address and I'll send you the pictures. Dan

[smokey73]

Finally figured out the picture problem. I had 7M high resolution pictures and they were too big. I have taken some low resolution pictures and they are below. Hope this helps.

Dan

[umbyfer]

are you able to take a pictur of the knob switch in order to see how the small lever of the knob going out from the valve works to the electric switches..

when you pull/pusch the knob a small piece going out from the valve pushes the switches....

thank you

umberto

[smokey73]

umberto

I took apart the switch so you could get a good look.

The way it works - When the knob is in (lights off) the small white wedge pushes in on the two little red tabs and opens the circuit so the lights are off. When the knob is pulled out (lights on) the small white wedge is pulled up and the two little red tabs move out of the switchs and the curcuit is completed and the lights are on. Pictures show with the plate off so you can see the switches (two) and with the plate on.

Is this what you were looking for? Hope this helps.

Dan

[umbyfer]

Great!! very helpful job. in my car the small triangol parts is missing...I supposed somthing like that. Now i know to repruduce by resin.
Are you able to find in UK some nuts as the 2 fixing the switch to the matal support. I need only one. Its is missing and substitute by a bigger one end not nice....
Thank you for everything, very kind.
Umberto

[smokey73]

Umberto,

I am glad to help. I have no idea where to get misc parts like that. I am in the US and parting out my +2S and just happened to have the light switch and rocker taken out last week.

Dan

[handi_andi]

If your original rocker switch isn't working then they are easy to take apart and clean then reassemble.

Andy