Jonathan Kay

"Relay sounds possible does anybody know where the feed from ignition is connected to the Green/Brown wire. "I had an of the wall thought, as the wire is constantly live when the ignition is on could I just wire a two terminal G/box swilch on that one wire?" For the live feed to a relay you should be able to use any green wire from the chassis loom. I'd recommend that you test it first. Running two rear lamp circuits through it shouldn't be a problem as the current draw with LEDs is so low. But I don't know what you mean by "the wire" in the second paragraph. Jonathan PS: You might like to add a note at the fuse box if you use a different live feed that has a different fuse.

Thanks Jonathan

Yes, the logic can be modified with a common relay type. But I hope that it won't be necessary if we can analyse the earth side of the new lighting kit. Jonathan

Can anyone post some pictures of the new reversing lamp unit and the new lighting subloom, please? And the instructions and any diagrams that come with it. I hope that we can find the earth wire for the reversing lamp and then ensure that it's only connected to the Green/Brown wire from the gearbox switch. Jonathan

Thanks, John. Your lower left picture addresses the question I asked in #20 (assuming that the gearbox end is OK). But I think that it's now connected the other way round: Green to Green giving the always-on live feed. The light is staying on because of that other earth. If we can find where it is and remove it then the only earth will be through the Green/Brown wire coming from the gearbox and will be switched by the gearbox switch. The live feed will be permanently connected through the Green wire. No changes will be needed to the switch or the wiring at the gearbox. NB polarity for the lamp unit. So where is that earth in the new light kit... is it a wire that isn't connected to anything except the LED reversing lights? Jonathan

"You should not need a new switch unless the old one is faulty. Both new and old lights have a 12v supply that is energised when reverse is engaged (with ignition on) so as long as the new light is connected with correct polarity then it should work. I assume the old light worked correctly" AIUI Ralph has a gearbox switch that switches the earth side, not the 12v live side, Jonathan

You might not need a new switch (and the related new wiring). That sounds as if the lamp unit is getting an earth connection all of the time, rather than only when the switch is closed. First disconnect the lamp unit and check whether the Green/ Brown wire from the chassis loom is connected to earth all of the time rather than only when the switch is closed. But if that isn't the fault: I don't know how the new kit is wired... but I'd investigate along these lines... is the lampholder earthed other than through the Green/ Brown wire... is a common earth wire shared with another part of the lamps, possibly in the new subloom... etc. Jonathan

"I'll just stop visiting unless I have a specific question or reason to come on." That would be a shame. If there isn't a technical solution would you like to explore ways of working around this? When something similar came up before I was surprised by the variety of workflows used by Members. Jonathan

"Used a circuit tester and the answer to the why plunging in to the new loom does not work is now apparent the original connection on the old loom is back to front to what I would expect (In the Picture the wire with the masking tape is black (This is the live wire the green is earth). see photo "I always thought Black was supposed to be earth?" I'm not quite sure what you're seeing, but it sounds like progress. Please document it all and keep us informed. : - ) "Standard" colours: Black should be earth. Green should be live switched with the ignition. Green/ Brown should connect the reversing light switch to the reversing lamp. From Caterham's wiring diagrams: Reversing light switch with one connection: (And this must be a switched earth) Green/Brown from reversing light switch to reversing light ... so the wires from the chassis loom to be connected to the lamp unit are Green and Green/Brown. Reversing light switch with two connections: Green to reversing light switch (so this is a switched live) Green/ Brown from reversing light switch to reversing light ... so the wires from the chassis loom to be connected to the lamp unit are Green/Brown and Black. Please could you check if one of your original wires is Green/Brown rather than Green. Thanks Jonathan

I'd start by looking again at how you could develop that Crossflow. Then I'd consider a Zetec, previous discussion here (and elsewhere): https://www.lotus7.club/forum/techtalk/zetec-planning ... It's a crude measure but what sort of power would you like? Jonathan

"Questions 1. would this switch work with the new lights anyway? 3. If all else fails I am thinking of changing the switch to the normal 2 pin and rewiring. Any ideas on the easiest way to do this." ... "Let's confirm what you've got, as above. Then look at the options. NB LED units usually have to be connected the right way round." ... Assuming that you've got that earth-switched arrangement what wires have you got emerging at the rear end of the car? And what are the relevant wires on the new lamp unit? Jonathan

Thanks Jonathan

"Confirm the reversing light earths through the gearbox, so its a single wire only on my 1995/early 96 car. " Thanks. And looks like that connector? Jonathan

I get a blank hang whether I go to your profile or mine. Safari on macOS. Jonathan

"Questions 1. would this switch work with the new lights anyway? 3. If all else fails I am thinking of changing the switch to the normal 2 pin and rewiring. Any ideas on the easiest way to do this." Let's confirm what you've got, as above. Then look at the options. NB LED units usually have to be connected the right way round. Jonathan

"At the other end two wires presumably one live and one earth but they are the same colour green." Green is conventionally a live feed to accessories switched with the ignition. Where is "the other end"... at the lamp unit? With a switched earth circuit there needs to be a live feed to the lamp unit. It then lights up when the earth side from the lamp unit is connected to earth by the switch eg in the gearbox. Jonathan

On the reversing light switch: It's known that the factory wired this in two different ways. Can you see the colour of the wire to that connector? With one connector like that I'd suspect that it's switching the light to earth. You can test that with a multimeter or by disconnecting the wire and touching that directly to the gearbox and seeing if the light comes on, might need ignition ON. That would need to be the old light. If it is this then there shouldn't be any power there, see next post. Would you like the wiring diagram for your Seven? Jonathan

The looseness is where the blade clips onto the arm... not the pivot for the blade, not the arm on the spindle? If the spring lever were applying more force would that remove the looseness? Jonathan

I've never heard of gluing. Is the difference between the two sides the resting position of the little spring lever? If you swap blades on arms which side is loose? Jonathan PS: Remember to check that the top end of the blade doesn't touch the frame. I once abraded the nice black finish by forgetting about this.

"has Brise been taken over? https://brise.co.uk/faq.html" ... "In April of 2019, Brise Motorsport was aquired by Carwood Motor Units Ltd." Jonathan

"last time I spoke with Tim Brise, which was ages ago, he was saying he can't fix the problem without being sent devices that exhibit the problem. If it ain't broke he can't fix it - so I sympathise. There was more to the conversation about competitors." The fndings have been shared with Brise, and their proposed solution has been tested. Jonathan

Sorry, how about this? Jonathan

I suggest starting with Andrew Revill's article in Low Flying: K-Click (amended following subsequent post) Jonathan PS: How far have you got in tracking down the cause of the problem? PPS: You've posted this three times. You can't delete the others but you can change their Subject and the content so that all the responses come in this thread.

Thanks for letting us know. Jonathan

Well done, and thanks for adding the solution. The common factors with the the previous case seem to be: An alternator without a separate energising circuit.An LED warning light.EU3 ECU and wiring.But why? Is it the need for enough current through the warning light circuit to energise the alternator? Jonathan