Wiring up the indicators?

[Doctor924]

Hello

I’m struggling to match the colours and wires in my project with those on the wiring diagrams I am using.
I bought a project 71 plus 2SE that came with new looms but everything else in boxes. I have managed to get some items wired up such as the wiper, washer, heater etc by checking wiring in place. Sometimes it fits with some diagrams, other times not.
The loom I have has one fuse box and four holders for modern relays.
I am currently trying to get the indicators to work.
This is the wiring on the column switch-



Checking continuity, it seems the red green is the common wire for left and right signalling (connecting white/green or green/red).

The hazard connections look like this - four green wires (green, light green, green white, green red)…


I cannot see any other unused connections that might connect to a flasher unit, and I understand there should be two?

Can anyone shed any insight here?
I’m not great with wiring and perhaps just getting the indicators to function and forgetting the hazard switch would be a good first step?
Thanks
Ian

[Hawksfield]

Ian

From what you say you are trying to install a later harness into an earlier car.

a, The harness you describe sounds like a later +2 S130 Late.
b, The ignition switch looks to be a non column type i.e. early +2S.
c, A car with a generator has a completely different wiring arrangement from the harness you
have with different components.
d, How have you identified your car as a 71 Plus 2SE ?

There is a lot of variation in Plus 2 cars over the production run so you must Identify it correctly, so if you want to upgrade to alternator it will require wiring to the components you wish to use.
This will not be a case of just connecting wires but rewiring the correct circuits to suit.

Hop you get it resolved

John

[HCA]

Yes, you are mixing models, but not a problem. Unfortunately for you though, back in the day, communication between the design chappies at Lotus and loom makers at Lucas or wherever was scrappy dependent on the flavour of ganja around at the time! There are many variants!

You need to provide more information on what you have, especially the indicator and hazard relays. And indeed hazard switch.

Some models had a bizarre method of taking the wiring to the lights through the hazard switch but I think when the ganja was not around, they reverted to common sense and the switches were just switches!

If you have as I hope a three pin flasher relay, and you want to go by the British car convention, then G/R is LH light and G/W is RH light. Your photos are fuzzy on my screen, but these should come out of your stalk and connect to the same colours in the main loom. Now, somewhere out of the stalk you should have a Light G/R wire. This goes to the L on the flasher relay. A solid Green wire from the switched array of greens will go to the B on the flasher relay and the P on the flasher unit will go to the warning light - usually via a G/P wire. This will give you indicator functionality using a three pin relay.

Now the hazards. Need to see what relay and switch you have. I hope it is again a three pin relay and three pin switch, in which case dead easy - out of the switch you will have G/R and G/W wire that go to the respective lights, then into the switch you will have a solid LightG wire from the L of the relay. A hot live B into the B or + of the relay, and a G/Y to the warning light from P of the relay.

The above is how it should be. Some Elans, as I said, have a really complicated set-up using a six pin hazard switch, but I am hoping this was not continued into the +2.

[Doctor924]

Brilliant thanks for the feedback. It seems I may do better by switching to the correct loom - or at least one that has more of a chance of being right than wrong…
I’ll try to follow the guidance above, in the parts did come a 2 and 3 pin flasher unit and a 3 and 5 pin switch. The 5 pin switch had ‘heater’ written on it in pen although I have used the 3 pin switch instead for now.
If I cannot make the wiring work as is, I’ll pick up the better looms.

From my browsing, looms are described as main,dash and rear.
Would it be reasonable to assume I can make the rear loom work that came with the car and would only need the dash and engine harnesses?

Thank again
Ian

[Doctor924]

Ian

a, The harness you describe sounds like a later +2 S130 Late.
b, The ignition switch looks to be a non column type i.e. early +2S.
c, A car with a generator has a completely different wiring arrangement from the harness you
have with different components.
d, How have you identified your car as a 71 Plus 2SE ?


John

Thanks. Yes the loom is a hard fit so far. Yes the ignition switch is dash mounted. The car was sold to me as a 71 SE and it at least has the SE rear wing badge.

Once I get the loom sorted, the car should come together quite quickly I hope.
Ian

[HCA]

The loom you have could be made to work, but you are right, if you are not happy with wiring, then get the correct loom. If you can. Again all the looms can be 'made' to join together, but getting the right one for your car I suggest is a mission for you!

I am surprised they gave you a 5 pin switch for the heater - it only needs three. Question them on a two pin flasher relay. Such relays are for cars that have separate warning lights for left and right indicators. As far as I know the Elans always had just the one warning light serving both sides.

[Doctor924]

Thanks, the wiring diagrams I’ve do show two flasher unit relays but I don’t know. I assumed all the parts that came with the car were originally from the car, but again it was an abandoned project of 40 years ago….
I tried the wiring guidance above but the 3pin flasher unit did nothing. On the chance that it might be faulty, a new one is ordered and I’ll try that next. By a new loom looks increasingly likely…

[HCA]

You are saying then that these items, loom switches and relays, were supplied as part of the car you bought? If this is the case, then you could have anything. I somehow read it that you had purchased them new from a supplier! Forget then most of what I have said...

[Doctor924]

Everything came with the car, mostly boxed and with some labelling on items. The column switch was in situ. I’ll tinker a bit more for now thanks

[Doctor924]

Got the indicators to work all round now thanks.
Next I’ll look at the hazard switch set up then turn to the lighting
Thanks again. I’m sure I’ll be back here as I continue to try to make the wiring fit…
Ian

[alan.barker]

Sorry but there is no such thing as a +2SE .
It's either a +2 or +2S or +2S130/4 or +2S130/5.
Have you got a photo of Dashboard please.
Good luck with the Wiring.
Alan