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F6BANGER
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« on: July 07, 2011, 06:38:26 AM » |
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The horns on my interstate aren’t working properly. The horns are in the fairing.
When I push the horn button, I get a sound of an empty tin can getting hit with a spoon, push button once get one clank, push button three times get three clanks. When I start the bike it does the same. When I rev the motor, sometimes the horns work, sometimes I get the clank sound.
I pulled the inside fairing pieces off and I can get to the left horn. I unplugged it and hit the button. The right horn honks. If I hold the button down and hook up the left horn, they both work. Then I let go of the button and repress it and get the clank sound.
I believe they are hooked up to a relay. Not really sure, gotta pull off the whole fairing to see in there.
I could just ride with the right horn only. The problem is it is a wimpy (excuse me) horn. The left one is a loud (get out of the way) horn.
Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
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PhredValk
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« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2011, 06:57:57 AM » |
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Yes, check the wiring setup. You want the horns wired directly to the battery through a relay (on it's own inline fuse) with the original horn button wire as the relay's trigger. If it's wired in place of the origional horn, the power going down that wire won't run 2 horns, and there's some fire risk when it tries.
Fred.
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Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.
VRCCDS0237
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X Ring
Member
Posts: 3626
VRCC #27389, VRCCDS #204
The Landmass Between Mobile And New Orleans
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« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2011, 07:26:43 AM » |
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I'm with Phred. I installed a Stebel under the fairing on my I/S and wired it the way Phred described. Plenty of power to sound that 139db horn. Use the stock horn harness to activate the horn relay.
Marty
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People are more passionately opposed to wearing fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than bikers.  |
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Ricky-D
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« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2011, 09:18:57 AM » |
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If you disconnect both horns and push the button you ought to be able to hear if there is a relay or not.
Should be easy to find the relay if you can hear it clicking!
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2000_Valkyrie_Interstate
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F6BANGER
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« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2011, 11:16:51 AM » |
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There is a relay. Coming off the relay, was a y wire. From the relay to the left horn (that is where the Y was) then to the other horn. I put the Y on the relay and had each leg going to each horn. It works great now. The connections were good before and after. I changed it back to the first way and no workie.....  makes no sense to me. Changed back, now they both work. Power is constant to both legs regardless when the horn button is pressed. Just one of those things that makes you go HMMMMMMMM. Thanks for your suggestions.  |
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PhredValk
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« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2011, 02:06:25 PM » |
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Works better in parallel than in series. Makes sense to give each horn it's own power wire.
Fred.
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Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.
VRCCDS0237
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CajunRider
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« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2011, 04:35:29 PM » |
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Works better in parallel than in series. Makes sense to give each horn it's own power wire.
Fred.
Yep... In series, each horn is only getting 6 volts (about... depending on electrical resistance of each horn). In parallel, each horn will get the full 12 Volts, but the wire will draw double current (hence the relay being needed, since the original wire can't handle the extra current). |
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5_19
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« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2011, 05:54:07 PM » |
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There is a relay. Coming off the relay, was a y wire. From the relay to the left horn (that is where the Y was) then to the other horn. I put the Y on the relay and had each leg going to each horn. It works great now. The connections were good before and after. I changed it back to the first way and no workie..... makes no sense to me. Changed back, now they both work. Power is constant to both legs regardless when the horn button is pressed. Just one of those things that makes you go HMMMMMMMM. Thanks for your suggestions. Chuck, Sounds like they where wired in parallel to start with. The voltage drop in the wire from the relay to the y at the first horn couldn't handle the load off both horns going off at the same time. When each horn got connected directly to the relay the load was reduced enough to work either just like when you tried them individually. Since it was ok before I would suspect the conductor or the connections in the first wire. Either way you got it fixed . TJ |
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 Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects the handlebars to the saddle. IBA # 45723 2001 Honda Valkyrie Standard (Sold after 9 years) 2009 BMW R1200 GSA |
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R J
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Posts: 13380
DS-0009 ...... # 173
Des Moines, IA
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« Reply #8 on: July 09, 2011, 08:49:48 AM » |
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Had a VW trike come into the shop one day with very dim driving lights.
He said the car they took them off of they were very bright.
So we put our best electrical guy on it (my son) and he had done the same thing, wired to a relay, run a wire to the left light and 'Y'ed over to the right one. Very low voltage on both lights. Pulled the wire as it was too light anyway, ran it the way it should be, 'Y' off the relay and to this day, he is still running those lights. Wish I could get them to last that long on the Chevy Trike.
Electrical wiring looks simple, but it can be a head scratcher sometimes if ya aren't familiar with it. I know I learned the hard way, my step dad's brother was an electrician. I worked for him wiring rural farm houses, barns, yard lights, hog houses and you name it if he wanted electricity in a bldg. The REA came by these farm houses in the mid to late 40's. Well, shortly after WWII ended. Most of the time I was the attic boy. I was the smallest and could crawl around in those attics pretty easy. Only fell through one ceiling, that is another story.
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