Horn upgrade

[dduelin]

I removed the OEM pip-squeak horn and installed a Fiamm Blaster in the air space under the right hand air duct. It is plenty loud for a MC horn. There is lots of space here for bigger horns or to add a second Fiamm. All that was required for this mod was to make up a duplex lead to bring the horn wires up to the new location. I covered the white 16/2 duplex cable with black plastic wire loom that looks like the OEM harness that runs down to the stock horn location.

 

[Beemerphile]

Did you use a relay? If not, please try the horn for for 2-3 seconds with both the brake light and turn signals operating and see if the fuse holds.

 

[dduelin]

Did you use a relay? If not, please try the horn for for 2-3 seconds with both the brake light and turn signals operating and see if the fuse holds.

No relay for one horn and yes, I just tried your experiment with emergency flashers, brake light, and horn for much longer than 3 seconds. It's good.

 

[Beemerphile]

No relay for one horn and yes, I just tried your experiment with emergency flashers, brake light, and horn for much longer than 3 seconds. It's good.

Must be a slow fuse. The electrical schematic shows the horn on a 7.5 amp circuit with the brake and turn lights. My Fiamm horns ran 3.8 amps for the low one and 4.2 amps for the high one when I tested them. Two turn signals and the brake light should be 6.3 amps on top of that.

 

[dduelin]

Standard ATO ? fuse. I am using a Fiamm Hi tone.

 

[duk2n]

I also tested a FIAMM AM80S Low tone replacing the stock horn and it passed the experiment. To be honest, I didn't test it with the (4) emergency signals but only with the (2) turn signals and brake.

Anyway, I plan to replace the turn signals and brake with leds. I already ordered a new flasher relay to operate the led lights.

@dduelin, you found a nice site to fit the horn, I will copy your idea ;-)

 

[Beemerphile]

I also tested a FIAMM AM80S Low tone replacing the stock horn and it passed the experiment. To be honest, I didn't test it with the (4) emergency signals but only with the (2) turn signals and brake.

Anyway, I plan to replace the turn signals and brake with leds. I already ordered a new flasher relay to operate the led lights.

@dduelin, you found a nice site to fit the horn, I will copy your idea ;-)

Agree. Except my left side has a power controller and the right side has relays for various add-ons. Where did you find a 4-wire solid state relay for the flashers?

 

[duk2n]

Where did you find a 4-wire solid state relay for the flashers?

Here you go:

FLASHER RELAY, 12 V for HONDA NC 700 S/X (RC63) - Louis - Motorcycle & Leisure

Maybe you also want to have a look at this (I didn't order it, but I was thinking about it for a while):

REMINDER FOR INDICATOR - Louis - Motorcycle & Leisure

HTH

 

[Beemerphile]

Here you go:

FLASHER RELAY, 12 V for HONDA NC 700 S/X (RC63) - Louis - Motorcycle & Leisure

They won't ship to the US, so I will go with what I have until something local shows up. I mounted a couple of 6 ohm 50 watt resistors to compensate for my rear LED flashers. They don't operate often enough to worry too much about saving the power.

Maybe you also want to have a look at this (I didn't order it, but I was thinking about it for a while):

REMINDER FOR INDICATOR - Louis - Motorcycle & Leisure

If I get that bad mentally, I might just give up riding. They are particularly annoying at an intersection while waiting for a light. A smarter circuit would recognize the standstill and STFU. Smarter yet would be the Kisan Signalminder with automatic cancellation.

 

[Hitandrun]

I think the reason for using a relay for the horn is that the switchgear (horn button) is not designed to carry the higher current used by the bigger horns. The minimal current required to pick the relay enables a separate higher current circuit to work the horn while protecting the low current switchgear.

 

[Rocker66]

I think that location is ideal for a larger horn

 

[Beemerphile]

I think the reason for using a relay for the horn is that the switchgear (horn button) is not designed to carry the higher current used by the bigger horns. The minimal current required to pick the relay enables a separate higher current circuit to work the horn while protecting the low current switchgear.

I'm there as well. I don't know any way to find out the current rating of the horn switch, but I know to smoke-test it is about $100 US. It is probably fine with one horn, but who can be sure how it works longer term? I did current tests of the original horn and the Fiamms and it is about 1/3 the current of either Fiamm horn alone. I know that with two Fiamm horns that I am above the circuit rating, so my path forward is unambiguous. I believe that the sound volume from two horns is worth the effort and also that the dissonance of the two frequencies adds to the urgency of the sound as a train horn does. I have a Stebel Nautilus air horn on my other bike that is rated at higher dB than the Fiamm pair, but I think the Fiamms are better attention-getters (in addition to being less expensive and longer lasting.)

In fact, I am wiring it now with 14 gauge wire from a dedicated 15 amp circuit breaker on the PDM-60 through a relay picked up by the original horn wires.

 

[duk2n]

In fact, I am wiring it now with 14 gauge wire from a dedicated 15 amp circuit breaker on the PDM-60 through a relay picked up by the original horn wires.

Lee, are you using the relay (and instructions) provided by FIAMM? If so, is it the horn switch in the negative or in the positive?

I'm asking because with the location "discovered" by dduelin I'm thinking about using the two horns (one in each side of the bike). I never thought of relocating the horn, but IMHO a single FIAMM horn in the stock location doesn't look very nice and it's much more exposed to crap than in dduelin's location. I have to strip down the side pannels yet, but probably I will be doing it that way

 

[dduelin]

Yes a relay would be necessary for a pair of Fiamms but since it was not necessary for one I made a conscious decision to keep it simple. If I use the horn once a month for a toot. Maybe.

 

[Beemerphile]

Lee, are you using the relay (and instructions) provided by FIAMM? If so, is it the horn switch in the negative or in the positive?

I'm asking because with the location "discovered" by dduelin I'm thinking about using the two horns (one in each side of the bike). I never thought of relocating the horn, but IMHO a single FIAMM horn in the stock location doesn't look very nice and it's much more exposed to crap than in dduelin's location. I have to strip down the side pannels yet, but probably I will be doing it that way

No, I am using a Potter-Brumfield relay that I already had. Doesn't matter as long as there is one normally open contact and a 12 vdc coil. The horn switch is positive. The other wire at the horn is a ground. The way I did it was to use the two wires at the original horn location to power the coil of the relay. The +12v power to the relay common can be unswitched (battery) power since the relay cannot be picked up with the motorcycle power off.

As far as pulling the panels, I think that is something we will all become familiar with. It is only a few minutes of work.

 

[duk2n]

It makes sense to me, thank you for the electronical leasons!

Before doing the mod, I must wait for having an issue with my horn switch covered by the guarantee. It seems to me the internal spring in my horn switch is missed. I need to go to the dealer to have this fixed. This is not related to the FIAMM horn test, I already have it previously

 

[BigMike]

No, I am using a Potter-Brumfield relay.

Those are good relays. I only have a few of them left. I'm actually looking at adding a Wolo compact twin air-horn to my bike. It's not very high on my "to do" list, though.

I have this exact horn on my VFR and my son's Ninja.....

Wolo Bad Boy Compact Air Horn, Model# 419 | Air Horns Sirens| Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[Tigershark]

Bought the Wolo and mounted it at a 45 degree angle in front of the radiator on top linked off the radiator mounting bolt. The angle provides clearance from the forks at full left to right motion and clears the fender at maximum shock compression. I'll be placing the relay where the OEM horn is located below and wiring all up the side of the radiator for the horn and back to the battery. I bought an inline fuse holder that takes a 10A fuse. I had the Stebel Nautilus on my last bike and loved it.

Also, I read a lot of posts prior to installing the Stebel and was advised that the current draw would kill the horn switch if installed direct without a relay.

 

[L.B.S.]

I removed the OEM pip-squeak horn and installed a Fiamm Blaster in the air space under the right hand air duct. It is plenty loud for a MC horn. There is lots of space here for bigger horns or to add a second Fiamm. All that was required for this mod was to make up a duplex lead to bring the horn wires up to the new location. I covered the white 16/2 duplex cable with black plastic wire loom that looks like the OEM harness that runs down to the stock horn location.

Granted, it's very easy to do, but I'm a little puzzled here.

If you removed the stock horn, and put in the Fiam up higher in the bodywork, what are those wires still going down to? Why does the OEM harness run down to the stock location still, if the horn is no longer there, and why does the new duplex cable now go down there, too?


Thanks!

 

[dduelin]

The harness running down to the horn also has the wiring for the oxygen sensor. I did not want to cut the horn wires off at the bottom and hack into the harness higher up to reconnect them.