Fog light circut added

[necro]

I wanted to have an additional circuit that is switched.
I leveraged the rear fog light circuit. I bought the following parts from lotusgarage.com:

1. The euro-style light panel. ( picture 1 )
2. The fog light connector
3. A sticker for the fog light

The first part of the install is to remove the bezel and unplug everything. Then you transfer all the switches, making sure the start button is oriented properly.
Then you plug everything back in.

Why? Now you have a relay-switched +12 in the front.
You have a +12 power pickup in the back (not relay-switched; it shares the rear light fuse)

To tap into the fog line in the back, find the main lighting connector ( picture #2) . Then either get another blade or with solder flatten the end of a wire. ( picture #3 ) Disassemble the orange part and insert the wire. Then re-assemble.

I have not tapped into the front part though. the nice thing is that you do not need to splice into any harness or run additional wires.

The way the fog light button works is as follows:

You have to have the side & head lamp ON. (Both green buttons are lit!) The ignition has to be ON then you can press the amber fog light.

The lights are ( from top to bottom: Side Lamp, Head Lamp, Rear Fog)

Turn the ignition or the head lamp off and the fog one turns off as well.
To turn all, off you have to turn the driving lamp off and then the side lamp.

[Mr.C]

I was waiting for somebody to finally do this!

Can you share more details on where exactly the main lighting connector is located?
Also, I saw the three switch light panel on the Lotusgarage web site, but were you able to also get the switch and the sticker thru them?
For those parts it says to call directly, and I would assume that they need to come directly from Lotus in the UK.
How long did it take you to get those parts?

Does your car have the LED lights or regular bulbs?

Any details would be greatly appreciated since I will have to do the same conversion soon in order to get my car certified in Germany.

[necro]

I had to call them up personally to get the light panel and the LED (and the decal) But yes - I got everything through them and they were helpful. I do not remember the exact time; maybe 2 weeks? I think even less.
My car has regualr bulbs. I did not hook up any fog lights yet, but there is a connector in the trunk where you can draw about 5A max -you for the TRUNK you'll have to use a relay if not using LED bulbs.

As far as the FRONT connector goes - I do not know. I have not looked into that. BUT the front circuit has a relay. I can hear it click when I activate the fog light switch. You might have to add a fuse to the fog light circuit - not sure if the US cars have a fuse or an empty slot.

Good luck with the conversion.

I'm from Germany BTW.

[Chris Mackey]

One use for the front connector might be Tonywa28's heater bypass kit.

I just ran a new wire and installed an ugly button and light. You can see the result below. Necro's idea would have saved me a lot of time and looked better, too.

[Mr.C]

After coming home today I took the dash pannel off and located the connector in the trunk.
I then unplugged one of the light switches (hoping they would work since I apparently don't have the fog switch yet) and plugged it into the fog light pigtail on the switch panel. But right now I don't measure any voltage at the connector pin you pointed out in the trunk...
Also - the LED in the switch does not light up when I push it.
The hint with the fuse is good. I'll go back into the garage and check if there is one installed...
I figured I could change one of the reverse bulbs from the inner lights to a red LED bulb.
As far as I know you only need to have one reverse light to get certified.

What part of Germany are you from?
I was born in Heidelberg and lived there for 30 years until moving to the states seven years ago...

[Mr.C]

I LOVE this forum
The only thing better is to also have a download of the service manual!
I checked in there, and the fuse on the 06 for the fog light is shared with the side marker lights.
I took the front access panel off to verify its there, and it is (of course, otherwise the side markers wouldn't work...)
But the section in the service manual where they talk about the fog light also states that you have to turn the headlights on first before you can switch on the fog light. And since I unplugged the headlight switch to use it on the fog light connector I of course didn't see any voltage at the connector in the trunk
I changed the switches and used the one for the parking lights this time.
And guess what: A nice 12 Volts at the connector pin in the trunk
I'll be on the phone with Lotusgarage tomorrow to order my three switch dash panel and the switch and sticker.
I will probably be able to find a pin to add to the connector in the trunk at work...

This went really well so far - considering the fact that I'm a mechanical engineer, and I'm pretty much clueless whenever it comes to wires end electrical gizmos

Thanks again for the great help.

This is one thing off my list of things I need to do.
I already have a call in to Lotus to get the Euro style outer rear lights with the amber turn signals, as well as a query to a German company that makes speedometer dials to get a custom made dial in km/h.

The fallback solution on the dial will be to have a transparent sticker made which has a km/h scale and fits into the mph scale and just stick it onto the current dial.
I've already spent a few hours on the design for this decal, and it's pretty much ready to go. I just need to find someone to make it (SweetdaddyD comes to mind...)

[Mr.C]

Originally Posted by Chris Mackey

One use for the front connector might be Tonywa28's heater bypass kit.

I just ran a new wire and installed an ugly button and light. You can see the result below. Necro's idea would have saved me a lot of time and looked better, too.

Yes, I saw this thread too as I was hunting for a switch.
But I'm glad to see that I might be able to get the original switch and even the original decal...

[Chris Mackey]

Originally Posted by Mr.C

Yes, I saw this thread too as I was hunting for a switch.
But I'm glad to see that I might be able to get the original switch and even the original decal...

The original switch and decal are expensive. I went cheap.

[Mr.C]

Originally Posted by Chris Mackey

The original switch and decal are expensive. I went cheap.

Holly Mackerel

I just went to Lotusgarage and saw it:



Over $60 for a switch that shouldn't cost more than $5

I wouldn't call it being cheap. Rather something along the lines of being reasonable...

[Chris Mackey]

Originally Posted by Mr.C

Holly Mackerel

Over $60 for a switch that shouldn't cost more than $5

I wouldn't call it being cheap. Rather something along the lines of being reasonable...

Yeah. If you search the forum for "original buttons", you'll see I have done my homework. A few notes:

1) The switch you probably want is an actual on-off switch. The only Lotus button that is such is the driving light switch (according to some). The other switches are momentary switches. You can imitate an on-off button with a latching relay.

2) The manufacturer is APEM. The switches can only be bought in bundles of 25 or more. I tried to do a group buy, but I only got 6 commitments.

3) You can buy similar switches online. The main hang up is the chrome ring on our switches, At elise-shop.com you can buy a momentary switch with a red LED and a chrome ring. I went this route and will adapt it with a latching relay.

Necro's shortcut is actually very good; the wiring acts like an on-off switch even if the button doesn't. A little pricey, but worth it. If I could go back...

[Chris Mackey]

btw, my switch and light cost about $6.

[Mr.C]

Look what I found today



Those pins are identical with the ones which are already in the connector...

[necro]

Originally Posted by Mr.C

and plugged it into the fog light pigtail on the switch panel. But right now I don't measure any voltage at the connector pin you pointed out in the trunk...


What part of Germany are you from?
I was born in Heidelberg and lived there for 30 years until moving to the states seven years ago...

The trick with the fog light is that you have to have all three LEDS lit.
Press, the parking light switch, then the driging light switch and then the last one.

I belive that the AC on, the traction contorl and the re-circ buttons might be the SAME as the fog light one.

Ther are expensive because they:
1) are from Lotus
2) They have a built-in LED
3) A good connector
4) A high quality switch.

The buttons are momentary-on though. The controller toggles the light and the relay ( if there is one)

Also you do NOT need part #12 from lotusgarage ( the back lit )
At least for me the sticker illumination is on all three slots!!!

Those are nice pins connectors you have found. Although I was surprised to see how easy the soldering "shortcut" was, I'd use the pins. Where did you find them?


I have plans for an automatic trunk light w/o splicing the wire. Two superseal connectors and the trunk sensor switches to ground.


- I used to live in Dortmund; my Sister lives in Cologne and I grew up by Freiburg ( and the Canary Islands )


Late response due to chaos at work.

[Chris Mackey]

Originally Posted by necro

Ther are expensive because they:
1) are from Lotus

Fixed that for you. APEM sells them for $20 in quantities of 25. You can get them for about $13 if you buy thousands.

Originally Posted by necro

The buttons are momentary-on though.

Tim Mullen and I have argued about this. I am starting to think that cars with driving lights from the factory have momentary switches and perhaps the add-ons have on-off switches. Maybe?

[necro]

Originally Posted by Chris Mackey

Fixed that for you. APEM sells them for $20 in quantities of 25. You can get them for about $13 if you buy thousands.

Cool, but do they have the wiring connector? I don't think they do. - So for the fog light connection that would not work - but for all teh other projects it would be even better!

Originally Posted by Chris Mackey

Tim Mullen and I have argued about this. I am starting to think that cars with driving lights from the factory have momentary switches and perhaps the add-ons have on-off switches. Maybe?

The Add-Ons ? hat do you mean by that?

Personally I think ALL the switches are momentary, there does not seem to be an on-off click. It's all been pushed into the things that the switch plugs INTO.

I can verify this - if you want.


Also there are relays and small electronic solutions for the on-off issue. That also would make it so taht the LED comes on.hmmmm.

It also seems to me that there is just ONE wiring harness for the whole car!
(That's why in the exige you have that strange trunk connector that would hook up to the elise brake light!!! )

Also surprising was that all three backlights were hooked up.

I'll take more pics tonight with the panel removed!.

[Mr.C]

[quote=necro;1053254]

Also you do NOT need part #12 from lotusgarage ( the back lit )
At least for me the sticker illumination is on all three slots!!!

Those are nice pins connectors you have found. Although I was surprised to see how easy the soldering "shortcut" was, I'd use the pins. Where did you find them?

QUOTE]

My dash panel also has the back lit for the third switch already installed.

I walked over to our vehicle test lab, and they had bins with thousands of the pins in all different shapes and sizes. I just took a few of the ones that looked closest. When I then compared them to the pins on the car I found that they are exactly identical. Even the little logo which is stamped on them is the same. So I guess they are just very commonly used automotive pins.

[necro]

Originally Posted by Mr.C

My dash panel also has the back lit for the third switch already installed.

Yeah - I actually bought one.... before looking.

Originally Posted by Mr.C

I walked over to our vehicle test lab.

COOL!!!!! Lucky you.

Originally Posted by Mr.C

So I guess they are just very commonly used automotive pins.

No surprise. Keeps cost down. Could not find them at Autozone or Pep Boys - maybe I overlooked them.

[Chris Mackey]

Originally Posted by necro

The Add-Ons ? hat do you mean by that?

Personally I think ALL the switches are momentary, there does not seem to be an on-off click. It's all been pushed into the things that the switch plugs INTO.

I can verify this - if you want.

See Tim Mullen's comments here - WTB: original headlight or fog light switch

There's another post of his where he is just as certain, with more details.

Originally Posted by necro

Also there are relays and small electronic solutions for the on-off issue. That also would make it so taht the LED comes on.hmmmm.

I am going to use a "latching relay" to mimic the on-off behavior with a momentary switch. More details:

Group buy: interior buttons with led

[RoadDad]

My driving light switch (with a blue LED) is not a momentary switch. It stays depressed when I push it once (on) and comes back out when I push it again (off). I checked this a few days ago and just rechecked it, FWIW.

[Chris Mackey]

Originally Posted by RoadDad

My driving light switch (with a blue LED) is not a momentary switch. It stays depressed when I push it once (on) and comes back out when I push it again (off). I checked this a few days ago and just rechecked it, FWIW.

It's blue, eh?

Sell it to me!