Help with headlight flasher wiring - Elan Sprint

[Mrmci]

Hi all,

I am after the collective support, I have found some really useful posts on here which have helped me to get where I am now.

For reference, my headlights work properly on dipped and full beam, including blue warning light, but my headlights don't "flash" when I pull the left hand stick.

I have determined that the flasher relay and flasher unit are working properly as if I put a 12v feed straight to the pin supplied by Blue and yellow the headlights flash on and off correctly when the pod is up.

Using the wiring diagram this blue and yellow wire appears to go to the dip switch however when I open my dip switch up (on the column) I have a Blue with red tracer, Blue with white tracer, Brown with red tracer and a Brown which is fed off the contact pad which makes contact when the stick is pulled back. I cannot find a 12v supply to the "live" side of the pad with the ignition on but I am getting 2.5v on there with the sidelights on....this may be a misreading as it is all a bit tight in there and I was upside down.

So three questions.
1) anyone have any clues
2) where does the blue and yellow disappear off to? I was expecting to find it broken off in the dip switch, it is this wire which needs to provide 12v to the flasher relay
3) what are the brown and brown and red wires and where do they get their feed from.

Thanks in advance,

Mark

[types26/36]

For reference, my headlights work properly on dipped and full beam, including blue warning light, but my headlights don't "flash" when I pull the left hand stick. Mark

Mark, I’m not sure I quite understand the question, are you saying that when you pull the column mounted dipswitch lever up (towards you) that the headlights don’t flash?
If that is the question I’m not aware that they are supposed to, I don’t think that the Elan’s switch is equipped with that function.
During in the day the headlights are held down, if you wanted to flash them it would take time for them rise before flashing, by then it would probably be too late for the flash to be of any use.
My own Sprint (Oct 72) does not have a flash function. Maybe later Sprints do, I have never seen it but happy to be corrected.
The Europa has fixed headlights and is equipped with a flash function, the switch could be fitted to Sprints but I think it would be pointless.
Sorry if I am misunderstanding your question and you are talking about the flash system that operates when you raise the headlights with main/dipped headlights off, then that is a totally different subject.
If that system is working on your car then just pulling out the vacuum switch will cause the headlights to raise and flash.

[Mrmci]

Thanks very much for the reply, yes I've also come to the conclusion that the "pull" on the stalk is a redundant feature, which is not wired up. I was told that a pull on the stalk should flash the side lights unless the headlights were up, in which case it would flash the headlights, but the wiring suggests that this was never possible.

I've traced my problem to no live supply to the flasher relay. I suspect that the headlight switch has been swapped for a new one, probably losing the terminal formally used for this purpose. I need to go crawling around under the dash to find out.

[types26/36]

I was told that a pull on the stalk should flash the side lights unless the headlights were up, in which case it would flash the headlights, but the wiring suggests that this was never possible.

You are correct, someone is getting mixed up, the sidelights were never supposed to flash, pulling the vacuum switch out should cause the headlights to raise and they should flash EVEN if the sidelights are switched on, when the headlight toggle switch is moved to the main headlight position the flashing will stop and the main headlights/dip will function normally.
Is this system still functioning on your car? it relies on micro switches and a separate flasher relay.

[Mrmci]

I have concluded that the power feed to the flasher relay is not getting 12v it is very hard to see, but it does appear to be attached to the back of the light switch, which is a modern replacement. I wonder if this replacement doesn't provide the live feed in "off" and "sidelight" positions. The flasher circuitry works when I put a live jumper to the relay and open the pods. Unless I want to take the dash out to check the light switch I think I'm going to have to wire up a switching relay to give the circuit power and use the headlamp feed as a trigger to cut power when the headlights are on.

Any thoughts?

[types26/36]

The flasher circuitry works when I put a live jumper to the relay and open the pods. Unless I want to take the dash out to check the light switch I think I'm going to have to wire up a switching relay to give the circuit power and use the headlamp feed as a trigger to cut power when the headlights are on.

Yes I see the logic behind your thoughts, probably the easiest solution if you want to use the flasher system.
Most Elans have had the flasher system disconnected or people have just not bothered to fix when they give trouble (and they do) In my experience its rarely used anyway and according to some sources its illegal although I never had problems when I used to MOT my cars before MOT exemption.
BTW, to test you only need to open the L/Side pod as the L/S micro switch controls the flashing system (the R/Side micro switch is for the main headlight relay)

[Simon_C]

forgive me - 71 Sprint that doesn't flash

How should it work - I would be grateful for some pointers - its on the list of things to investigate

[Mrmci]

As I'm finding, it's quite complicated.

The way it should work is when you pop your headlights, without turning them on, there should be a 12v feed from the light switch, through to a 3 terminal relay. This turns the main beam on in "flash mode". This circuit also passes though an indicator style flasher unit and a microswitch on the left hand pod which activates the relay once the pod is open. The main beam should then pulse/intermittent flash in a time frame similar to indicators. When the headlights are on this circuit is bypassed by the 12v to the system from the switch being removed.

[types26/36]

How should it work - I would be grateful for some pointers - its on the list of things to investigate

This is how the flashing system should work.
It’s quite a complicated system and suggest you open a new thread after doing a search using the search facility as there are numerous post on the subject.

[Craven]

Circuit diagram shows, when the dash lighting switch is set in the OFF position it provides a live 12v feed U/Y wire to power the head light flasher relay. When dash lighting switch is set in an ON position this 12volt supply is disconnected. Only know S3 stuff really, but on the column dip switch the pullback function is disabled by a small block of wood placed inside the switch. So never an option.

[Mrmci]

Thanks all, now I've got to the bottom of the problem I just need to find a solution. Accessing the back of the switch to test why the UY isn't getting power is nigh on impossible. I'm thinking of rigging up the attached, any thoughts? Where am I best getting my +ve headlight feed from?

I realise that the wire to the headlights also goes to the dipped headlight relay but I'm concluding of that all works fine now with no feed to UY it will see the same with this.

[pharriso]

Take a look at https://lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=30133

[billwill]

Google [is it illegal to flash headlights in the UK]

To see the weird rules about flashing headlights in the UK.

[l10tus]

As stated earlier in this thread, although the headlamp dip switch appears to be able to be used as an headlamp flasher, it does not.

I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to get the headlamps to flash as designed, after raising the pods without switching the headlamp rocker fully down ,from side light position, to headlamp position. In the end, with assistance from members on this forum, it was nodiscovered that the wiring diagram was incorrectly drawn regards the flasher set up. The Lotus Technical author being to blame.
The wiring correction diagram was posted when I rebuilt the car some years ago, unfortunately I can't search / find it now.

If there's a real need I could check on my cars wiring and confirm back.

Trust this helps.
Phil.

[Mrmci]

For anyone who is interested in progress or is trying to get this circuit working themselves.

So, after a busy weekend I can confirm that my circuit as drawn above nearly works. I've removed the dead blue and yellow from the light switch and used an ignition switched live. I've then used the blue and red from the dipped beam to remove the feed to the flasher circuit when the headlights are on. The only minor hiccup is that I didn't appreciate that the dipped headlights turn off when main beam is on....which re-energises my new flasher circuit. I'm going to fit a second relay on the earthing line ahead of the pod microswitch as a normally closed and opened by a main beam feed.