There is no logical difference in connecting a 12v system's horn
and a 6v system's horn. What you need to find out is what voltage
the currently installed horn is supposed to work with.
If you are lucky (I never am), the horn may be marked 12v (or 6v)
especially if it is an aftermarket device.
Trying to run a 12v horn on 6v usually results in no sound. Trying
to run a 6v horn on 12v can result in one of 3 things.
a. a REALLY LOUD horn
b. no sound
c. smoke escaping from the horn - not good because
it is really hard to get the smoke back into
the horn.
Quick test:
If you think your horn has been upgraded to 12v remove the
wire from the terminal on the horn. Connect a wire (10-12
gauge) to the terminal and then touch the other end to the
positive side of the battery. If it honks you are most of
the way home. If it "thunks" or makes no noise at all it
either is bad, is 6v or in some cases needs tuning (loosen
the lock nut, turn the screw until you get what you want,
tighten the lock nut - only available on some horns). If
there is no noise at all AND no spark when you touch the
wire to the battery the horn is either bad or does not
have a good ground.
-----Original Message-----
From: tcape [mailto:tcape@weblnk.net]
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2000 10:46 AM
To: Hanlon, Bill; 'Mike Suriano'; oletrucks@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] Horn wiring....AD trucks....12v
Thanks to everyone for all the info on wiring a horn. My horn has never
worked on my '47, and this gives me some good instructions for fixing it. I
have two questions.....what additional steps are needed in rewiring a horn
on an AD truck that has been converted to 12 volts?
The PO installed an aftermarket horn button on the underside of the steering
column. How can I tell if he pulled the wires out of the steering
column....or just bypassed the steering column to install the aftermarket
horn? Many thanks!
Tom Caperton
47-2nd 3100....in Whiteville, NC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Hanlon, Bill" <Bill.Hanlon@COMPAQ.com>
To: "'Mike Suriano'" <climbandmaintain@yahoo.com>;
<oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2000 10:18 AM
Subject: RE: [oletrucks] Horn wiring
> The horn is a high current device. The horn switch in the
> steering column is not. In order to solve this problem
> a relay is used. On a TF truck, the relay is on the
> engine side of the firewall, near the driver's side
> hood hinge.
>
> One terminal of the relay connects to some point in your
> electrical system that is hot all the time. The second
> terminal connects to the horn. The third terminal connects
> to the horn button. The big question is which terminal is
> which. If your lucky the relay may be marked. Something
> like BAT, HORN. I'm never lucky.
>
> If you have an volt-ohmmeter you can figure out which terminal
> is which.
> a. Unhook all three wires from the relay.
> b. Use the ohmmeter to find the pair of terminals
> that show continuity. Mark one of the pair as
> terminal 1, the other as terminal 2. Mark the third
> terminal (the one that had no continuity to
> terminal 1 or 2) as HORN.
> c. Connect terminal 1 from step b to ground.
> d. Switch the ohmmeter to DC voltmeter mode.
> e. Connect + lead of voltmeter to the HORN contact
> on the relay.
> f. Connect the - lead of the voltmeter to ground.
> g. Set the voltmeter range to measure 12 volts.
> h. The voltmeter should read 0v.
> i. Touch a wire with 12v to terminal 2 while observing
> the voltmeter. There may be a small spark. You
> may hear/feel the relay pull in.
> If the meter reads 12v
> mark terminal 2 as BAT
> mark terminal 1 as BUTTON
> If the meter reads 0v
> mark terminal 1 as BAT
> mark terminal 2 as BUTTON
>
> Disconnect all the temporary connections from steps a. thru i.
> and wire the horn like this:
>
> Connect BAT to the battery. Needs to be hot all the time.
> Use large wire, at least 12 gauge. 10 would be better.
> A good place to connect to would be the starter end
> of the positive battery cable. Most FLAPS carry crimp-on
> connectors with a large enough "hole" to fit over the
> same stud that the battery cable connects to. If your
> wiring kit has connections for horns use them instead.
>
> Connect HORN to the terminal on the horn. Again, use
> large wire.
>
> Connect BUTTON to the wire in your steering column.
> Not as much current being carried here. 16-18 gauge
> wire is OK.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Suriano [mailto:climbandmaintain@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2000 8:12 AM
> To: oletrucks@autox.team.net
> Subject: [oletrucks] Horn wiring
>
>
> Can someone please explain to me how to wire the horn?
> I have the complete harness (Chevy Duty) all hooked up
> but for the life of me can figure out how the horn
> hooks up to the steering wheel. I have the a terminal
> that goes to the horn and one ending inside the cab.
> I assume that I need to run a wire from there to the
> horn button? How does this thing attach to the
> steering wheel? I've looked over the manuals and I can
> find a picture of it at all. Can someone help me out?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike
> Clueless on Cape Cod
>
> =====
> 1959 Chevy Apache
>
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