Horn wont work

[gbennetto]

Ok so I tried installing this new horn on my truck and now my horn doesnt work. The hazard lights and the horn are on the same fuse. The OEM fuse is a 15 amp, the horn i am installing requires a 5 amp fuse. Does anyone know where I can find the wire that comes off the steering wheel so I can wire that direct to my horn and use an inline fuse off the battery to the horn. Oh yes I did check the current fuse and it is not blown.

 

[Kmvreter]

Ok so I tried installing this new horn on my truck and now my horn doesnt work... Oh yes I did check the current fuse and it is not blown.

Because you have power, I think your issue is on the other side of the circuit, grounding. Most horns install with one wire for power and use the frame/mounting for ground. Get a good mounting contact (metal to metal) or run a seperate ground wire and it should work.

 

[GYoter]

What kind of horn is it? Is it a replacement for stock or an air horn with a compressor?

I have air horns and i took the horn signal straight from the wire going to the stock horns and got power from the battery with an in-line fuse. The kit came with a relay to wire it all correctly with power, ground and signal. The wire to the stock horns is just used as a trigger wire, not carrying power to drive the horns. Could help more if i knew exactly what you are installing.

 

[gbennetto]

What kind of horn is it? Is it a replacement for stock or an air horn with a compressor?

I have air horns and i took the horn signal straight from the wire going to the stock horns and got power from the battery with an in-line fuse. The kit came with a relay to wire it all correctly with power, ground and signal. The wire to the stock horns is just used as a trigger wire, not carrying power to drive the horns. Could help more if i knew exactly what you are installing.

it is an electric marine horn. I cut the wires going to the stock horns but there are two and I don't know which is the ground. I do not have a voltometer to check. I think I will ground it to some other piece of metal on the truck and not use the wire that grounded the stock horn. here is a link to the horn I'm installing: http://www.boatersland.com/afi10035.html

I plan on installing train horns on the truck when I get some extra cash to blow. check out www.hornblasters.com it is funnk as heck to watch their videos.

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[gbennetto]

ok so I fixed the ground and bingo it works. Only problem now is that it is not nearly as loud as when I place the wires directly on the battery, any Ideas?

 

[rook]

ok so I fixed the ground and bingo it works. Only problem now is that it is not nearly as loud as when I place the wires directly on the battery, any Ideas?

It could be that you need what gyoter described: a relay and supplemental current from the battery. However, the horn your post links to states it only draws 3 amps. Maybe the ground is weak, try running the ground back to the negative battery terminal.

 

[gbennetto]

What kind of horn is it? Is it a replacement for stock or an air horn with a compressor?

I have air horns and i took the horn signal straight from the wire going to the stock horns and got power from the battery with an in-line fuse. The kit came with a relay to wire it all correctly with power, ground and signal. The wire to the stock horns is just used as a trigger wire, not carrying power to drive the horns. Could help more if i knew exactly what you are installing.

So I installed the horn with the relay and inline fuse. It still is not as loud as when it goes right to the battery. The factory horn had two thin wired inside the insulator wire, I hooked up one to the signal on the relay. Should I have hooked up both into the female connector and then to the relay, or did I do it like you did?

Rook, what does the 3amps have to do with my wiring??? Please explain.

 

[GYoter]

Well I just looked at mine. Dont know if this will help but as you look at the stock horns, there is a connector mounted to the center piece with 2 wires, and if you look at the horn on the right there is only one wire going to the horn. This is the one I spliced off of as the trigger to the relay. So I dont think you would really need both hooked up. If the relay is wired correctly this wire isnt carrying the current, just triggering the relay. Is the relay grounded properly? Does the marine horn have a pos. and neg. terminal? If so then make sure the relay is grounded AND the horn is grounded with individual wires to a good unpainted surface.

 

[rook]

Rook, what does the 3amps have to do with my wiring??? Please explain.

I was thinking the wires from the factory horn may be too small to handle a more powerful horn, but 3 amps is not that much. Like you stated, if you hook it directly to the battery it is loud, it should work better if you have a proper ground.

BTW, you shouldn't need a multimeter, just an inexpensive test light. You can then test for voltage and ground easily. Snap and post some pics when you get a chance.

 

[gbennetto]

I grounded the relay to the negative battery terminal and I broke into the same line for the ground on the horn. Yes the horn has both positive and negative wires. I can't find that single wire you are talking about. My truck is kinda different for some reason the gas cap is on the drivers side on my '92 it was on the passanger side. So I think this single wire you are talking about may be on the passanger side horn. I hooked up into the driver side horn so I guess I better break out the old wire cutters and go to work lol. I so can't wait to get my train horns.

Oh hey I got a sweet deal on HID 8000K lights for my truck from a japanese supplier. $140 US for the lights terminals and ballasts.

 

[GYoter]

Oops, i just realized you are in a 99. I was looking at my 04. So of course they are different.:bash:

As long as the relay is triggering the horn you probably have it wired fine. The ground should go to an unpainted bolt to the body or frame, not the neg. battery terminal. Tho I dont know that this would be why its not as loud as possible.