Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

So tonight I was mucking around with dashboard stuff again and noticed two red wires, two black wires, and a blue/red wire hanging out of the dash loom, and they had no tags on them- meaning that they must not have been connected to anything when I took it all apart, since I did a very thorough job of tagging everything that I could. After consulting the wiring diagram, these seem to go to the side lamp relay, which must live close to the dashboard since the wires are there.

So where exactly does this relay live in a mostly early Plus 2? There weren't any relays behind the dashboard when I took it apart. The good news is that among the miscellanea that came with the car are two new-in-box relays that have the same connection markings as the side lamp relay in the drawing, so at least I don't have to go buy one.

Do your sidelights work without the relay, has a previous owner bypassed it by some method. I found wires twisted together to bypass the anti-theft switch in the glove box in my car.
My early Plus 2 (chassis No. 142, November 67) doesn't have a side light relay, if fact it didn't have many relays and fuses at all! I've installed relays and fuses for the main power users, headlamps main and dipped beams, horn, electric cooling fans but didn't feel the side lamps warranted a relay, maybe I should reconsider while i'm still working on the wiring harnesses?

The Veg wrote:So where exactly does this relay live in a mostly early Plus 2? There weren't any relays behind the dashboard when I took it apart. The good news is that among the miscellanea that came with the car are two new-in-box relays that have the same connection markings as the side lamp relay in the drawing, so at least I don't have to go buy one.

Attached pic of the relays in my 1970 Plus 2S, and underneath same area in (much neglected) 1968 Plus 2 50/0993

On the left, are the original 4 relays, from top down: Heads (partly hidden), Dips, Horn, Park (sides)

On the right are 5 additional relays I have fitted, from top down: Fan 2, Wiper Lo, Wiper Hi, Fan 1, Spots.

Veg, as I recall your car is the same as mine (50/2181 1969 Federal, only two fuses)? Assuming your side lights use an intermittent flat rocker switch?

From memory the side light relay was originally attached to the right side of the heater box, about the middle of the panel.

Have you figured out the circuit for it? It is used as a latching devise to keep the lights on. I have posted a diagram somewhere here, and can find it if you need it.

HTH

Stu

Stu, I think you are correct. Last night I was going through the online gallery in which I keep all the pics I take through the work and there was one from during dis-assembly that shows a relay in that location and at the time its function was a mystery. Now I just need to figure out where I've stashed the relay!

Excellent!

The relay is just a normal four terminal make and break affair, so can be replaced with a new Lucas or Bosch style as preferred. Note the quirky Federal wiring diagram kind of ?confirms? the relay location the way it is layed out.

I opted to relocate it to centralized relay blocks mounted to the back of the glove box as I was adding several other non-stock relays for various other items.

Here are a couple of threads that cover the wiring

lotus-electrical-f38/side-lights-t17589.html

lotus-electrical-f38/help-with-lights-t30081.html

HTH

Stu