S4 lighting

[crannyr]

I am in the final stages of restoring a Federal 1972 Elan Sprint Drophead. I have installed and sorted new wiring harnesses for front, rear, and dash. Using photos of the original harness instalation, wiring diagrams for S4 and federal+2 (this has a DB10 relay), and some guess work I have all the circuits and systems working. So here is the question; are they working correctly? The panel light switch, running/parking light switch, and headlight swithes all work independent of one another. Activating the headlights does not automaticlly energize the parking lights (as it does on my Plus 2) or the panel lights. Each needs to be brought on seperately. In archieves I read a post that suggests that independent circuits is the standard. Before I go back and reinvent the system I hope to get confirmation of how these should function. Many thanks

Rick

[Frank Howard]

Rick,

You've got it exactly right. Kind of a pain that every time you want to turn on the lights, you have to pull the headlight knob which raises the headlights and turns them on, then you have to push the rocker right next to the headlight knob which turns on the side and tail lights, and finally, you have to push the "PANEL" rocker which turns on the instrument lights. Why anyone would want the instrument lights off while the headlights, side lights, and tail lights are on is a mystery to me. My guess that Lotus wanted the dash to be symmetrical, so they added a separate switch for the instrument lights.

I have gone back and reinvented the system as I have modified my wiring so that the instrument lights come on when the side/tail light switch is depressed. This way, when I need lights, I only have to pull the headlight knob and push the rocker right next to it. And what have I done with the "PANEL" switch you ask? I replaced it with a momentary on rocker switch like the one used for the washer and I wired it to a transmitter for my garage door opener which is wired directly into the 12V system. Now I have a switch on the dash that controls my garage door, just like a modern car and the dash looks completely stock. Of course when the day comes that I refinish the dash, the "PANEL" label will be replaced with a label that says "GARAGE" or "DOOR" or "OPENER".

[m750rider]

I have a 69 S4 - here's how mine works and it is all original.

Headlamps pull switch lifts the lamps and turns on the headlamps. Independent of anything else.

The parking lamp rocker switch turns on the front parking lamps and rear tail lights, and the dash/instrument lights if the dash light rocker switch is turned on.

The dash/instrument lights will not come on, even with the switch "on" unless the parking lamp switch is also "on". With the switch in the "off" position, no dash lights come on with the parking lamps turned on.

Hope that helps

Bob

[crannyr]

Thanks guys. Saves me a bunch of grief.
Frank, I like your mods, make a lot of sense.

Rick