The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay 12 volt horn relay

4 years ago I added a 12 volt aftermarket horn relay to the 50.

I few days ago the horn quit working so I replaced the relay.

it tested fine and worked.

well the horn went out again today.
quick power test to the terminal on the horn shows it works.

inspected the wires I could see and they look fine.

of course I cannot look at the mast wire.

What would cause 2 horn relays to go?
thanks

Bad ground? Could you bypass the mast wire with a jumper and see if that's your problem? Also you can do a continuity check for the mast wire.
Good luck

You might have a bad relay. It happens. If the first relay worked for 4 years you have every thing in place so look at connections, corrosion and don't forget to look at the horn button pats as well. Are you running 1 horn or 2? The relay has to provide enough current to work both if you have them. With 2 horns see if you can get a relay rated at higher amps. Check one thing at a time and I bet you find it.

My ground is good.

When it quit working I checked the ground, and tested the horn.

...one horn...

Might just be a bad new relay that worked 1 time.

You should be able to ground the mast wire connection and the relay should click. Did you do that?

Have not tried that yet
I would like to see if I can figure this out. Just spent another 18 bucks for a second relay last night. But have not installed it.

For this test
Can I do this with everything still hooked up?

Run a ground wire to the relay terminal for the mast wire?

Leave everything hooked up and use your jumper to go from ground to that terminal.

Thanks
Ill give that a try after dinner tonight

I guess that is what the second post was stating, but when I read that post and checked the ground I was checking the ground from the terminal off the horn.

As stated earlier. Horn went out after 4 years of working fine.

Replaced with new relay.
Horn worked right after I replaced relay.

Next day
Horn did not work.


Thanks

thanks you guys...

as soon as i got home today I had to test that relay
good ground to mast terminal on the relay. Horn BEEPED.

great
so I figured it the mast wire.
but just to be sure I removed the wheel and checked the plunger.
the wire inside the spring was missing.

so I found my original plunger.
popped it in and it worked...

thanks again you guys. I got tunnel vision with the relay and when it worked after I installed a new one I figured that was it.

here is my post on the other horn thread just a few days ago.

kind of a moment for me.
Didn't even follow my own advise of a few days ago.

but I'm glad its working now.



I'm still wondering , what would cause the wire in the plunger to disappear?
its just a ground wire right?
no voltage on that wire?

I'm going to enjoy my dinner now.

You must be using the 6 volt version. I don't believe the 12 volt one has a wire. Just the spring.

that's odd

the plunger I removed was purchased 4 years ago. it came complete with plastic jacket.

So I don't know for sure if it ever had a wire


the old one I installed last night was the original.

Horn still worked this morning

I had the plastic cased plunger one in my 6 volt system that I found it to be heating up. I also opened it and found that the thin spring was all there was. No wire. I ordered the plunger that is an open spring and has a wire down the middle. I hope it works.

Again, I am running a 6 volt system.

Thanks

Lets see...what is the better conductor? Steel spring or a proper copper conductor? Who cares..I just saved 18 cents on a 5 dollar part that I can sell for 12 dollars.

There has to be a better business model than that. I hope. Any way good fix and a good lesson for all of us.