Question about horn hookup

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Sep 11, 2005 | 04:30 AM

BlueDolphin

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 245

Likes: 0

From: North Ranch, CA

Question about horn hookup

I have a question about hooking up a horn.

From the relay.... can someone explain how their horn is hooked up? I want to be sure I have it right. I am running a 6v positive ground system.

I currently have two wires running off of the relay to the horn posts. One from the middle terminal (shared with the battery hot lead wire), and the second from the top terminal (shared with the horn button wire).

Is this correct? Or should I be running from the bottom terminal (unshared) to one horn post, and running to ground from the second post on the horn?

Thanks to anyone who takes time to post.

Sep 11, 2005 | 05:09 AM

Earl

Postmaster

Joined: Mar 2000

Posts: 3,730

Likes: 13

From: Waynesville, OH

If I remember correctly, the relay has three terminals (plus the case ground). One terminal gets the battery hot wire. One terminal goes to the horn button. The third terminal goes to both of the horns. You can run a single wire from the relay to one horn, and then to the other horn. The horns get their ground through their cases. Make sure the relay and horn cases have clean areas of contact with the body or frame where they are attached.

Sep 11, 2005 | 05:15 AM

BlueDolphin

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 245

Likes: 0

From: North Ranch, CA

I have a single horn on my 50 F1. I will check the grounds on the horn and the relay.

Earl.... you are saying that only one wire runs to the horn off of the relay? What goes to the second post on the horn? My horn has two posts.

Sep 11, 2005 | 06:49 AM

dmptrkr

Senior User

Joined: Jan 2004

Posts: 298

Likes: 0

From: Albany NY

In the early years the horns had two terminals and didn't use a relay. one terminal was wired hot to the battery and the other to the horn button. I think it's a good idea to add a relay. One of the horn terminals (doesn't matter which one) gets wired to the left terminal of the relay and the other to ground.

Craig

Sep 11, 2005 | 09:50 AM

Earl

Postmaster

Joined: Mar 2000

Posts: 3,730

Likes: 13

From: Waynesville, OH

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueDolphin

Yup, only one wire goes to the horn(s) from the relay. The second terminal on your horn must be a ground. As Craig mentioned, some of the early horns did not get their ground through the horn case (my mistake). Craig also mentioned that it doesn't matter which horn terminal gets the wire from the relay, and which one is grounded.

Nice diagram Craig.

Sep 11, 2005 | 04:50 PM

BlueDolphin

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 245

Likes: 0

From: North Ranch, CA

Hmmmm...

My horn is working with one lead coming off the ground from relay, and one lead coming off of the shared terminal on the relay that connects to the horn button.

From what it looks like.... I need to use the unused terminal on the relay (not share with the horn button).

Last edited by BlueDolphin; Sep 11, 2005 at 05:14 PM.

Sep 11, 2005 | 05:12 PM

BlueDolphin

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 245

Likes: 0

From: North Ranch, CA

Hmmmmmmmm

Here is how I have the terminal wired.

One wire to center terminal from the battery.
One wire to bottom terminal (or right terminal) from the horn button.

The horn does not seem to work when I run a lead off of the the empty terminal on the relay (top or left terminal).

In otherwords.... the only way I get the horn to work is running from the center terminal of the relay to the horn (from battery). And then to share the same terminal on the relay with the horn button. Isn't this virtually bypassing the relay though?

This is a 6v POSITIVE ground system mind you.

Perhaps if I run a wire from the relay (use the empty terminal) to the horn. Then instead of connecting to the center terminal on the relay...... just run a wire from the horn to the chasis of the truck?