Air Horn
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Air Horn
Great forum, thanks for any help in advance.
I am going to install an onboard air system and airhorn on my 09 f-250 tomorrow. I am goiung to do this with my 8 year old son and he is super excited (am am pretty happy about it too, lol).
I have everything pretty well worked out except for best way to wire the solenoid and compressor circuit. Most of the how-to type videos I've seen make use of the Ford upfitter switches to activate solenoid and compressor and tap into electric horn circuit to sound horn. However my truck does not have those switches.
Here's what I have:
I am going to install an onboard air system and airhorn on my 09 f-250 tomorrow. I am goiung to do this with my 8 year old son and he is super excited (am am pretty happy about it too, lol).
I have everything pretty well worked out except for best way to wire the solenoid and compressor circuit. Most of the how-to type videos I've seen make use of the Ford upfitter switches to activate solenoid and compressor and tap into electric horn circuit to sound horn. However my truck does not have those switches.
Here's what I have:
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 1
From: Frederick MD
Yeah I put mine on my up fitters. One turns my compressor on and another for the horns. My tank and compressor are in my tool box and everything else is frame mounted. I didn't tap it into my regular horn due to I didn't want to hear it. Every time I double tap my lock.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 585
Likes: 4
Those horns have an electric solenoid.
A relay has four pins. Activating power, activating ground, main power and main ground.
I wired mine as follows:
Upfitter switch (or a toggle switch with 12 volts in) to the activating pin on the relay, ground on the activating ground.
Main coil power tapped off the stock horns, ground on the main ground wire.
When the upfitter (or toggle) is turned on, the relay is active (closed). When I hit the horn button, the stock horn AND the train horns sound.
When the upfitter (or toggle) is turned off, the relay is dead (open). When I hit the horn button, only the stock horns sound.
A relay has four pins. Activating power, activating ground, main power and main ground.
I wired mine as follows:
Upfitter switch (or a toggle switch with 12 volts in) to the activating pin on the relay, ground on the activating ground.
Main coil power tapped off the stock horns, ground on the main ground wire.
When the upfitter (or toggle) is turned on, the relay is active (closed). When I hit the horn button, the stock horn AND the train horns sound.
When the upfitter (or toggle) is turned off, the relay is dead (open). When I hit the horn button, only the stock horns sound.
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
So since I don't have the upfitter switches and the associated pigtail under dash to wire up to, best way to go would be purchase a toggle switch at auto store and power it through the firewall directly to battery?
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
No, don't believe so. Here's the contents:
-2.0 gal tank
-viair compressor
-pressure switch (90psi on / 120psi off)
-40 amp relay
-145 psi safety valve
- 1/4" drain ****
- 20' 12ga wire with inline fuse
- accessory airline
- electrical connections.
The horn also comes with a 12 volt electric solenoid
-2.0 gal tank
-viair compressor
-pressure switch (90psi on / 120psi off)
-40 amp relay
-145 psi safety valve
- 1/4" drain ****
- 20' 12ga wire with inline fuse
- accessory airline
- electrical connections.
The horn also comes with a 12 volt electric solenoid
Trending Topics
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 1
From: Frederick MD
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Okay, everything is mounted and air is plumbed. Need to wire now. I'm thinking two circuits. One controls the on board air and the other controls the horn blast.
Since I don't have the upfitter switches, what I'm having trouble with is finding an accessory wire to use so that compressor only comes on when ignition is in ON position.
I did find a rather large bundle of capped wires in driver footwell. Can someone direct me to the proper wire to send to relay? See picture below.
Since I don't have the upfitter switches, what I'm having trouble with is finding an accessory wire to use so that compressor only comes on when ignition is in ON position.
I did find a rather large bundle of capped wires in driver footwell. Can someone direct me to the proper wire to send to relay? See picture below.
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Sorry about late update. Install took longer than I anticipated, but all done now and it is AWESOME! Here's how I did it.
Mounted Compressor and tank on inside of driver side framerail. I fabricated a bracket for tank from c-channel steel using 9" bolts. The c-channel cantilevers over top of frame rail and allowed be to bolt tank in upside down position.
I bolted horn through truck bed. It is located just forward of spare tire and barely fit.
I installed two toggle switches in the cab. One activates the relay for onboard air. The other switch is connected to my existing 12V horn wire and runs to solenoid on airhorn. This switch when turns off allow the use of trucks stock horn, when on and I press steering wheel horn button, both horns sound.
Here is the wiring schematic I used for both circuits. The hardest part for me was locating a suitable ignition wire to use. I ended up testing fuses in the passenger side footwell until I found a 12v source that was switched by the ignition. Once I found on, i used and add a fuse to tap into circuit.
Here is a short video of me sounding the horn.
Video - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting
Mounted Compressor and tank on inside of driver side framerail. I fabricated a bracket for tank from c-channel steel using 9" bolts. The c-channel cantilevers over top of frame rail and allowed be to bolt tank in upside down position.
I bolted horn through truck bed. It is located just forward of spare tire and barely fit.
I installed two toggle switches in the cab. One activates the relay for onboard air. The other switch is connected to my existing 12V horn wire and runs to solenoid on airhorn. This switch when turns off allow the use of trucks stock horn, when on and I press steering wheel horn button, both horns sound.
Here is the wiring schematic I used for both circuits. The hardest part for me was locating a suitable ignition wire to use. I ended up testing fuses in the passenger side footwell until I found a 12v source that was switched by the ignition. Once I found on, i used and add a fuse to tap into circuit.
Here is a short video of me sounding the horn.
Video - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
GormGorm
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
2
Apr 4, 2010 11:21 PM
atomicjoe23
1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
5
Feb 20, 2009 09:33 PM
caadoptees
1999 - 2016 Super Duty
7
Jun 6, 2006 04:06 PM