mysterious switch

[spridget]

I?ve just discovered on my glove box a little switch on the right side. So I wonder if this kind of equipment was originally fitted or if it?s an aftermarket and what it is use for !
A thought ?
Franck

[fatboyoz]

Franck,
Should be the same as the two seat Elan. It is an alarm/immobiliser. When selected ON, it bypasses the coil feed and supplies power directly to the horn circuit. If the ignition is then turned on, the engine will not start and the horn will be activated.
Colin.

I?ve just discovered on my glove box a little switch on the right side. So I wonder if this kind of equipment was originally fitted or if it?s an aftermarket and what it is use for !
A thought ?
Franck

[RichC]

isn't it great to make those little discoveries ?

next you'll be wanting to see if you can get it to work!
Someone mentioned in the forum this week that working on elan door internal mechanism was the worst job .
I reckon acessing and fixing this little switch's internals & wiring comes a close second
RichC

[RichC]

oh, and before i forget .. the first outing in our +2 with local lotus club involved an incident with the switch.

I'd forgotten about the switch ( which I'd flicked up when we parked for lunch ) when we went to leave and I turned the ignition over and over and over & over . Must have been there cursing and swearing for 5 minutes before I remembered!!!!!! A very embarrasing 5 minutes ...
motto of story is :
take care with throwing switch because if you don't do it far enough it wont complete horn circuit (which will remind you it's on!), however you will have moved switch far enough to break ignition circuit

[stugilmour]

Or Franck, seriously consider getting rid of this feature by wiring around it. We also had an incident similar to above, but the horn relay was trying to activate but not enough juice to blow the horn. Whole story involved lots of hassle, hitch hiking, etc.

The slide switches and their connections (soldered?) are prone to failure after so many years, and if someone bumps it putting stuff in the glove box....

Many folks have installed a battery cut-off switch for storage which works well as a sort of immobilizer function anyway.

Cheers!

[oldelanman]

motto of story is :
take care with throwing switch because if you don't do it far enough it wont complete horn circuit (which will remind you it's on!), however you will have moved switch far enough to break ignition circuit

Quite so.......throw it as far as you can !!

[spridget]

Many thanks all for your replies
I was very far to imagine a so complicated alarm !
I tried it this afternoon, It doesn?t work; probably the wiring had been modified.
You?re right RichC, it?s very great to make these discoveries ! It?s a pleasure to better know the car, even I?ll probably throw this switch far away !
Stu, a cut off switch has already been installed; so this switch is no longer needed.

Thanks again, for your precious advices

Franck

[alexblack13]

PS... I'm with the man on the door internals .....

Ah! That little switch eh? Seamed like a good idea at the time I bet. The battery turn off switch is a great alternative.

Go Buy if you don't have already...

Alex B ..........

[RichC]

i'm happy to keep my little original switch, but i guess it is really only of use if you have the earlier lockable glovebox ... otherwise the clever thief who is after your car to break for spares would find it all too easy
RichC