Help wiring up an Air Horn.

[Got Smoke?]

Can someone give me a diaghram or something that show's me exactly how to wire up my air horn? I tried a searching several different ways and came up with nothing. I am not that wiring talented, but I can follow instructions. My poor 'ol Grover/compressor/tank has been sitting in my basement for over a year now and I REALLY want to get it back on.



Trying to wire a relay and a switch get me all kinds of



TIA for any and ALL help. Oo.

 

[DennyDay]

Do yoiu want a separate switch (button) or do you want to control it from the steering wheel horn control?



Denny

 

[Got Smoke?]

Do yoiu want a separate switch (button) or do you want to control it from the steering wheel horn control?



Denny

Seperate Switch... ... I have a momentary switch I tape to the side of my shifter... ... its perfect for the job!

 

[JoshPeters]

It's pretty easy. But that also depends on the air horn system... ... Is it the type with the compressor that turns on when you hit the horn button, then feeds the horns, or is it the kind that fills a tank and has a solonoid?



Josh

 

[Thomas]

... I have a momentary switch I tape to the side of my shifter...

No tape needed.

 

[dresslered]

Here's a quick sketch of what I did looong ago. The main features that I wanted to incorporate were:

1. Switch mounted on steering column toggles between factory horns and Grovers.

2. Horns (factory or Grovers) are activated from OEM steering wheel horn buttons.

3. When ignition is shut off, regardless of switch setting, the factory horns are activated (this allows for OEM horns to be used when arming vehicle).

4. Compressor only runs when ignition is on--just in case a leak develops while I am away, the batteries will not be discharged.



P. S. Sorry, it is hard to get any resolution with our size constraints. PM me for a better copy.

 

[Got Smoke?]

No tape needed.

Thanks, but I love my momentary switch. Acts almost like a lanyard..... and I can flutter the horn so to speak.

 

[Got Smoke?]

It's pretty easy. But that also depends on the air horn system... ... Is it the type with the compressor that turns on when you hit the horn button, then feeds the horns, or is it the kind that fills a tank and has a solonoid?



Josh

My poor 'ol Grover/compressor/tank has been sitting in my basement for over a year now and I REALLY want to get it back on.

 

[MMeier]

Thanks, but I love my momentary switch. Acts almost like a lanyard..... and I can flutter the horn so to speak.

They make momentary switches like the one thomas has, matter of fact that may be one there! I use a momentary paddle switch mounted on my dash to control my electronic air horn in my rig!! Yes, I can "flutter " it with it too !!

 

[MMeier]

Oh, dresslered, nice schematic you have there. But take note under Mr. Harris' sig in Italics, may be a bit involved for him ! LOL !! :-laf j/k

 

[Thomas]

They make momentary switches like the one thomas has, matter of fact that may be one there!...

It is. I put a small SPST momentary contact switch into the Delrin bracket. Would anyone use anything other than a momentary contact switch in a horn circuit?

 

[MMeier]

I would hope not, but in this day and age who knows !

 

[Got Smoke?]

I think that this is all I need of dresslered's diaghram because I don't want to go into it as extensive as he has. So since I'm not needing all of his other relays and switches and wiring where do these two wires go to? (red arrows).



Click the picture for a larger version to see what I mean, it auto-sized the picture and erased one of the lines.



#ad

 

[JoshPeters]

Sorry... . missed that... .



Josh

 

[dresslered]

Mark, the arrow on your left is pointing to the wire that should go to an "ignition switched" +12V (such as the cigar lighter). You can use an "unswitched" source such as the battery, but whenever the pressure drops below a certain threshold of about 125-psi, the compressor will run until the tank is again filled. You may run down the batteries if your system develops a leak while the truck is unattended when using an "unswitched" source.



The arrow pointing to the right, should go to a "switched" ground. In other words, run it to one side of your momentary switch and the other side to a ground. Whenever you hit the momentary switch, you will ground the solenoid thus making a very loud noise.



P. S. Also, run all your airlines as short as possible. Click my "Grovers" link for some mounting ideas. Make sure that the airlines will not rub on the frame, etc. Secure everything tightly.

 

[BigPapa]

Mark,



I'm doing this with a 15 gallon air tank under my toolbox in my topper.



No pump, I'll just keep her aired up. Valve was $9 at Truck Pro. How simple can it be?



Scott

 

[dresslered]

I think that Bigsaint had a similar setup. Nothing wrong there. I wanted the ability to fill a spare tire in an emergency which is why I went with a small compressor.

 

[Got Smoke?]

Mark, the arrow on your left is pointing to the wire that should go to an "ignition switched" +12V (such as the cigar lighter). You can use an "unswitched" source such as the battery, but whenever the pressure drops below a certain threshold of about 125-psi, the compressor will run until the tank is again filled. You may run down the batteries if your system develops a leak while the truck is unattended when using an "unswitched" source.



The arrow pointing to the right, should go to a "switched" ground. In other words, run it to one side of your momentary switch and the other side to a ground. Whenever you hit the momentary switch, you will ground the solenoid thus making a very loud noise.



P. S. Also, run all your airlines as short as possible. Click my "Grovers" link for some mounting ideas. Make sure that the airlines will not rub on the frame, etc. Secure everything tightly.

Thank you very much for all of your help. I see an air horn getting installed Thursday! Oo. Oo. Oo. Oo. Oo.



Sure coulda used it yesterday when that stupid little 16 yr old girl pulled out in front of me in her Eclipse looking over her "other" shoulder! #@$%!

 

[nickleinonen]

Also, run all your airlines as short as possible.

just adding my $0. 02cdn to it... run the line as short as possable between the horn and the solenoid. between the solenoid and the tank isn't as important, but a larger line on that side [say 1/2" synflex or similar]. the horns do need a good bit of air to work, but the hole in the horn where the air passes through isn't all that big [locomotive air horn trumpits have a hole about 0. 125" for the air inlet]

 

[hemijustin]

im about to hook up my air horns. where is a good place get and Electric solenoid... thanks.

JUSTIN