Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I am just checking out the electrical integrity of the dashboard rocker switches for my sprint before mounting in the new dashboard. Has anyone ever drawn up the electrical connections of the switches and the functionality?
I have nine switches:
Electric windows x 2
Wiper
Washer
panel
interior
running lights
hazard
Heater fan
The electric window ones I can Identify, also the screen washer, panel, and hazard, but the others are electrically obtuse! they appear to have strange configurations. I will photograph the connector side and put them onto this post.

Bob,

PM me your email address.

I don't know if it will help but I have a schematic drawing of a Plus 2 130 'back of dashboard' wiring and switches -which i can forward to you. Some of the switches will be the same so might help a bit

Steve

Wow! I must be psychic - I replied to the original post 23 minutes BEFORE it was posted!

Bob, took me a while to find this thread. It has the flat switch terminal numbers and switch logic outlined in an Excel sheet. I think Gerry did it for a Plus 2, but pretty sure a lot of the switches would be common. Be a bit careful of the side light switch as there are a few different configurations I think. Also, window lift motors and wiring for an Elan are completely different from Plus 2, so switch might be different.

lotus-electrical-f38/dashboard-switches-s130-rewiring-info-t21224.html#p125554

Kind of got missed when Gerry posted it. I started on doing up a sheet (based on Gerry's sheet) with the various wire colours for my Plus 2 noted and the switch logic, but not quite ready to go. As mentioned above by Steve, the Plus 2 WSM has the switch wire colour connections outlined.

This is the thread where I found a link to the sheet thread. Might have some helpful stuff.

lotus-electrical-f38/new-dash-and-switches-bad-electrics-t22375.html

Post again if you have specific questions for various circuits, I think there is a link in the above thread for the windshield wipers, which should be the same as Plus 2 two speed wipers. Plus 2 uses one switch for panel / interior; not sure if the same on your Sprint. Two speed heater fan should be the same with a big resistor on the side of the heater box?

HTH

Stu

I have been refurbishing my dashboard and have had all the switches to pieces. The contacts inside them were filthy and they work much better now. The operation of them is bizarre to say the least - true Lotus. Anyway, counting your top photo as number 1 and so on down, they are:
1 Headlamps
2 Wipers
3 Washers, Interior Lights, Panel Lights - all three are the same
4 Windows
5 2-Speed Heater Fan

Mine doesn't have hazard lights.

Hope this helps,
Mike

Slight error. The Washer switch is different from the other two panel and interior light switches because it is non-latching. It doesn't stay on when you let go.

Mike

Thats great thanks.
I may have more queries when I check them out, if thats ok?
I bet taking the switches apart was fun! How did you manage to get them back together and crimp them tightly?
Bob

I would highly reccommend thast before you reconnect your wiring, you first take each switch and with an Ohm-meter or other connectivity checker, make a chart or list of exactly which contacts connect to other contacts in each position of the switch.

Then put that list in your service manual for future reference.

~~~

Personally I always find that a wiring diagram laid out to show the logical functions of each part (with wire colours) is much more useful than one which is laid out to show the lay of the wiring loom. The latter are extremely difficult to follow.

How did you manage to get them back together and crimp them tightly?

I found that if I bent the claws as little as possible, the switches went back together OK. Except for one, and on that one I twisted some locking wire round the switch to keep the claws tight. I can help you with knowing which contact is connected to which wire if you need it. The window switches are the strangest ones as they are actually two switches in one box, so they have two power inputs, and two earths, plus the feed wires to the UP and DOWN sides of the motor. When you take it to bits it becomes obvious how it works, but it sure is strange.

Mike

Hope that you have the facility to read XL files. Attached is such with my continuity tests of the switch position Vs Connections.
As you will see, there is one switch that gives cause for concern SWITCH 5. I would have expected that in the up position, the centre contact would have made to the left one.
Am I correct?
SO, I discover that I cant attach XL files! Have to figure some other way.

Bob,

I bought a book 12 years ago by Gordon Lund "Lotus Elan a Restoration Guide".

The book is nothing like as comprehensive as Brian Buckland's but it has a drawing of the switches (Elan S4) viewed from the rear showing which switch is which, complete with terminals and the colour of the wire that attaches to each terminal. I assume the drawing is correct.

If you are still struggling, send me an e-mail, and I will post a copy to you.

[email protected]

bloodknock wrote:SO, I discover that I cant attach XL files! Have to figure some other way.

Not sure why you can't. Here's a re-post of a referenced spreadsheet with some switch positions labeled.

Strange, i'll try again. Its probably finger trouble!
Aha, i'm getting "extension xlsx is not allowed" I'm using a Macbook with Micrsoft office. Is it related to the Mac version of the software?

save it as the earlier xls file version and it will probably work?

Bob,
Switch 5, the 2-speed fan, is configured like this.
Terminal at the side is the power feed from the ignition switch source (Green)
Terminal at top left on the photo is to motor low speed, first click position (also Green I think)
Terminal at top right is to motor high speed, second click position (Green and Yellow)

I have been plotting out all the circuits in colour using Microsoft Publisher, but since I am designing my own wiring harness using 12 fuses and lots of relays, it bears little resemblance to the standard Lotus set-up, otherwise I would transmit it to you.

You probably can't send an .xlsx file because it is too new. This is the nomenclature from Windows 8. My version of Excel (2003) has to convert .xlsx files before they can be loaded. can you opt to save it as an .xls file?

Mike

Hi Bob

this is what I used, and also an image of the back of my dash with switches in place



Cheers
Dave