The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Horn wire gauge size

Working on wiring the '46 Chevy 1/2 ton and need to know what gauge wire size is needed for the horn ground wire. Sparky's was missing all but a small remnant soldered to the mast bearing. It appeared to be 16 gauge. So, that's what I used. But, now many months afterward and deeper in to this, I find the wiring harness has much heavier gauge wire (10 gauge?) for the connection at the lower end of the steering column and at the horn terminal wire end.

The shop manual wiring diagram doesn't show gauges sizes, unfortunately. Furthermore, the harness being used does not match color and stripe codes described. It was made some 25 years ago by an unknown vendor and efforts to determine the source have been without joy.

What is the correct horn ground wire gauge?

Thanks

My new horn wire that came with a new mast bearing was 16 to 18 gauge... did some year trucks have a horn relay and others did not?

The wire from the horn button going to a relay would be a small gauge wire, right? Then the horn side of the relay would have heavier wire, right?

I'm not sure '46 ever had relays. The '48 2 ton had a single horn and a 10 Ga mast wire.

I should have indicated that I am using Town and Country horns. There is a relay mounted on the bracket with those horns. The original single horn does not use a relay, as far as I know. Both types came in the parts pile from the previous owner.

Dave, the wire size noted in your reply is what it appears this one would have when done. I am uncertain I've got this right though and that's why I am asking. The mast bearing was replaced with a NOS that didn't have a wire attached. I soldered a 16 gauge wire to it using the old mast bearing as an example.

Thanks

I had no idea the original horn didn't have a relay... I just assumed that it would need one. I've only just begun to re-wire my truck, but I'm using a 12V universal kit so the horn wires will most likely be small gauge for a relay, I imagine... the piece of wire on my old horn looked like this: Horn wire

Hope that helps a little... I have since thrown the wire away, so I can't measure it for you- sorry.

1953 was the first year that a standard horn had a relay (on the firewall).

The GM accessory dual "seashell" Matched Horns came with a relay.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/accessories/1951am/51aim40.htm

I think I stumbled on to the answer. I found a wiring diagram for a 1950 Buick that shows dual horns. The mast bearing wire to the horn relay shows a 16 gauge wire was used. It might be a stretch to assume this but, I think it would likely also be acceptable for this project.

Alternative ideas, info are welcome.

12 gauge is shown for the wire from the horn relay to the horn on both cars and trucks in 1954 (6v).