pathetic Horn

An alchemy of sparks, copper wire and earth

Moderators: User administrators, Moderators

Locked
jaylo264
Registered user
Posts: 202
Joined: 15 Feb 2008, 15:58
80-90 Mem No: 4769
Location: Near INVERNESS , Scotland

pathetic Horn

Post by jaylo264 »

the kids keep laughing at our campers horn, so i bought a new , cheepo one from jk . Does anyone know whether i can simply connect it up together with the existing one , using choc box connectors or similar , or do i need a separate relay etc ?
jaylo
1986 Autohomes Kamper 1.9 Petrol DG

User avatar
Bowton Lad
Registered user
Posts: 3263
Joined: 16 Mar 2006, 01:42
80-90 Mem No: 2488
Location: BOLTON, LANCASHIRE & BOURGANEUF, FRANCE

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by Bowton Lad »

jaylo264 wrote:the kids keep laughing at our campers horn, so i bought a new , cheepo one from jk . Does anyone know whether i can simply connect it up together with the existing one , using choc box connectors or similar , or do i need a separate relay etc ?


You havn't said what type of horn you have bought from JK apart from it's a cheapo one. If it's standard VW round type costing around £6.95 then it's a straight replacement ie. one bolt & two spade connectors. If you've bought some sort of air horn then it will need a relay as there won't be enough power to make it work properly.
BOWTON LAD, CLUB 80-90 MEMBER No.2488

2013 VW PASSAT ESTATE 2.OL TDI BLUE MOTION TECHNOLOGY

User avatar
gti mad man
Registered user
Posts: 1020
Joined: 20 Jan 2008, 22:42
80-90 Mem No: 4918
Location: London

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by gti mad man »

if youre not too up with relay wiring halfords tdo a kit for external spotlights that do the job

make sure you have a good earth
Holdsworth villa 3 1987

Andy

User avatar
murdoch
Registered user
Posts: 129
Joined: 31 Oct 2006, 20:08
80-90 Mem No: 1829
Location: Bude

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by murdoch »

still saving up for some of these
http://www.hornblasters.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

was thinking about mounting them pointing toward the rear, in the hope that i'd get a few more mph when i honked the horn :rollin
murdoch

Fingle

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by Fingle »

I just got a Nautilus "trombe" air horn from Stebel.
Been told it needs to run of a relay despite the instructions, trouble is I altho I understand the principle of relays, in practce I woulnt know where to begin on the van

User avatar
1664
Registered user
Posts: 8746
Joined: 30 Mar 2006, 15:20
80-90 Mem No: 3299
Location: Coventry Member

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by 1664 »

Fingle wrote:I just got a Nautilus "trombe" air horn from Stebel.
Been told it needs to run of a relay despite the instructions, trouble is I altho I understand the principle of relays, in practce I woulnt know where to begin on the van

If they say that it's because the original horn circuit can't provide sufficient power to the new horn. The original horn circuit is used to operate the relay instead and the new horn has a new circuit supplying it.

A relay consists of what's known as 'volt free' contacts and a coil circuit. The coil circuit energises the coil thereby pulling the 'volt free' contacts together. The horn is wired through the 'volt free' contacts so that when the coil is energised the contacts close and act as a switch thereby sounding the horn. The coil circuit would be controlled via the horn push on the steering wheel. The feed to the horn through the 'volt free' contacts would be a completely separate and suitably rated circuit.

Actually, it's not that easy to describe in words.........
Vorsprung Durch Technik my ar$e!

jaylo264
Registered user
Posts: 202
Joined: 15 Feb 2008, 15:58
80-90 Mem No: 4769
Location: Near INVERNESS , Scotland

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by jaylo264 »

1664 , you`re doin alright in words , i BEGIN :shock: to understand the idea of a relay -- what does Haynes mean when it says " a relay saves a long run of heavier cable " ? ? does it ?
so, i have to put the relay (the chines horn came with one ) in and a separate live feed to the relay too ?
ta ,
jaylo
1986 Autohomes Kamper 1.9 Petrol DG

Fingle

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by Fingle »

Cheers 1664.
I kinda get what a relay does, i vagely recall em at school, its more a case of wiring an independent power supply to the actual horn, presumably through the fuse box etc etc.
Simple job now sounding a bit of a ball ache

User avatar
Bowton Lad
Registered user
Posts: 3263
Joined: 16 Mar 2006, 01:42
80-90 Mem No: 2488
Location: BOLTON, LANCASHIRE & BOURGANEUF, FRANCE

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by Bowton Lad »

Fingle wrote:I just got a Nautilus "trombe" air horn from Stebel.
Been told it needs to run of a relay despite the instructions, trouble is I altho I understand the principle of relays, in practce I woulnt know where to begin on the van


I bought a Stebel Nautilus horn off ebay ages ago. I had a quick go at fitting it in place of the standard VW horn & it didn't work because without a relay, electrickery wise there wasn't enough ''oomph'' to get any sound out of it. Hope you like the technical jargon? :)
BOWTON LAD, CLUB 80-90 MEMBER No.2488

2013 VW PASSAT ESTATE 2.OL TDI BLUE MOTION TECHNOLOGY

Fingle

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by Fingle »

Borrocks :(

User avatar
1664
Registered user
Posts: 8746
Joined: 30 Mar 2006, 15:20
80-90 Mem No: 3299
Location: Coventry Member

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by 1664 »

Sorry Lads, it is a bit of a balls ache. You need to use the wiring to the original horn to operate the coil circuit. The wiring to the all singing, all dancing, ball blasting MF of an ear burstin' horn will (should) be a totally new circuit.
Or you can do what I do and wind the window down and shout obscenities - no wiring required :twisted:
Vorsprung Durch Technik my ar$e!

Fingle

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by Fingle »

Decided I may as well fit it as a seperate horn. Perhaps on a loo chain from the roof :)

User avatar
Syncro G
Registered user
Posts: 239
Joined: 21 Mar 2007, 19:15
80-90 Mem No: 3988
Location: Peak District

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by Syncro G »

Fingle wrote:Decided I may as well fit it as a seperate horn. Perhaps on a loo chain from the roof :)

Find an old fire extingwisher with a Schrader refill valve (ie car tyre valve) on it, some have them (CO2 ones?); any refilable presure vessel will do really if it is rated and in serviceable condition-. You should be able to fill it off a garage air line and get alot more bar than you'd get from a little compressor (The little compressors tend to be 1bar, maybe 2 if your lucky. Most airlines cut out at 8-10bar so it'll be much more fun. If you can fill a tank higher than that you'd probubly need a regulator prevent damage), get a truck horn and pipe the two together (with rated hose) - won't last long on a small tank but it'll be loud! (you could even trigger it off a roof mounted lanyard valve!)
Glen Syncronaut: 113 - 1992 JX Syncro pannel van

Fingle

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by Fingle »

Syncro G wrote:
Fingle wrote:Decided I may as well fit it as a seperate horn. Perhaps on a loo chain from the roof :)

Find an old fire extingwisher with a Schrader refill valve (ie car tyre valve) on it, some have them (CO2 ones?); any refilable presure vessel will do really if it is rated and in serviceable condition-. You should be able to fill it off a garage air line and get alot more bar than you'd get from a little compressor (The little compressors tend to be 1bar, maybe 2 if your lucky. Most airlines cut out at 8-10bar so it'll be much more fun. If you can fill a tank higher than that you'd probubly need a regulator prevent damage), get a truck horn and pipe the two together (with rated hose) - won't last long on a small tank but it'll be loud! (you could even trigger it off a roof mounted lanyard valve!)

Oooh Now THAT is exciting !

User avatar
Bowton Lad
Registered user
Posts: 3263
Joined: 16 Mar 2006, 01:42
80-90 Mem No: 2488
Location: BOLTON, LANCASHIRE & BOURGANEUF, FRANCE

Re: pathetic Horn

Post by Bowton Lad »

Syncro G wrote:
Fingle wrote:Decided I may as well fit it as a seperate horn. Perhaps on a loo chain from the roof :)

Find an old fire extingwisher with a Schrader refill valve (ie car tyre valve) on it, some have them (CO2 ones?); any refilable presure vessel will do really if it is rated and in serviceable condition-.


The fire extinguishers with a Shrader valve fitted would have been the Water Stored Pressure type. These have mostly been replaced by the Water Gas type which have C02 stored in a cartridge. Some Dry Powder extinguishers did have a Shrader valve but not many of them. Due to the high pressure involved CO2 extingishers which do not have a Shrader would have to be recharged by a specialist fire protection company or the likes of B.O.C. :)
BOWTON LAD, CLUB 80-90 MEMBER No.2488

2013 VW PASSAT ESTATE 2.OL TDI BLUE MOTION TECHNOLOGY

Locked