Horns!!?

[kpinnn]

I have purchased two electric twin horn style horns. After a two or three year use each has quit. Called the manufacturer and they told me how to open them and adjust. Can’t seem to get them to work. I like the sound when they work. I read recently that if the voltage dropped slightly people found they would not work. I have not yet checked the voltage but the wiring utilizes breaker switches etc. lots of places for voltage drop. Should I go with air. Compressor yuk more things to go wrong. Like dual trumpet design. Any suggestions?
Ken

 

[High Wire]

I would rule out a power supply issue with a pair of 14 gauge test leads and a known good 12VDC source like a fully charged jump box or lawn tractor battery.

 

[CaptTom]

Timely post. I accidentally flipped the fog horn switch at my helm yesterday and found out that one of my twin trumpets is dead. I've had that type apart before, and although they can be cleaned and adjusted, it always seems like the beginning of the end once they start to go.

Being on salt water, I have no use for chrome. SS horns are OK, but the limited lifespan doesn't justify the cost. I'd be happy with cheap, white plastic horns I could replace every few years, but plastic horns always seem to come only in red.

Maybe it's time to look at compressed air.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. CT. Red horns?

 

[Mischief Managed]

I have found that the price of electric horns has no bearing on longevity so I just buy cheap SS dual trumpet horns and replace them every couple of years. They fail gradually so it's not that big a deal. We carry a hand-held air horn as a backup in case of complete failure, but so far have never had to use it.



I have had bad luck with air horns that come with a small compressor and no air tank. They don't work reliably and when they fail, it's a complete failure with no sound at all. The high-priced air horns with a tank seem much better, but yowza, they are pricey.

 

[PM]

Check for water in the trumpet.

pete

 

[Mako]

Twice when I took apart, cleaned and reassembled horns in the past, they never sounded the same. Such a simple component with no moving parts. Weird.

I like the suggestion of going with less expensive options that can be easily replaced.

 

[C lectric]

I have one dead electric trumpet.
A bunch of years ago the one started to give trouble. When apart I realized it had been full of water. Leakage around the cover allowed water in but not out. It is not sealed.

I filed a weep hole in the bottom, ran some sealer around the cover perimeters, sealed the screws and adjusted the thing but the damage was started.

It finally failed completely last year towards seasons end and will be replaced.

Electric horns are not for ever. I looked into a decent set of air horns but I figured I can replace and repair a lot of electrics for the ~ $3,000+ I was looking at. Love the air horns but not at that price.

THis new set when I get it should last untill we can no longer boat.



As for your existing horns if you hear a thunk then it is trying but is likely rusted enough the diaphragm can no longer move, vibrate, or not effectively.

THey do have moving parts, the Diaphragm, which is what makes the sound and also breaks the electrical circuit to the magnet which is what creates the vibration and sound.

When new make sure it works and then seal the gaps and file a wee weep hole at the bottom.

 

[Mako]

A more affordable air horn option would be from the trucking or off-road industries. The difference in price would cover the cost of plating, powder coating or repainting them, probably by ten times.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Try these. Mine has worked for about 6 years and still going strong.

https://www.airhornsoftexas.com/collections/train-air-horns

 

[Old Sea Dog]

I have train horns on both my trucks. Loud but air capacity is small. I would get larger air tank if using on a boat.

 

[lwarden]

There is a relatively new tradition (I think started during Covid) in Avalon harbor of honking your horn at 5:00pm to signal party time. One afternoon at 5 everyone was beeping their standard electric horns and feeling pretty good, then about 5 seconds after the horns stopped someone with a really impressive train horn let loose. I'm sure I wasn't the only one with horn jealousy that day...

 

[Mako]

If I remember right, it’s not a horn. It’s a sound producing device

 

[Lepke]

I bought an air horn from a scrapped ship about 10 years ago. I have compressed air for my engine controls, so it's always available. Horn is bronze and probably 30-40 years old when I bought it. No problems, zero maintenance.

 

[Cigatoo]

How about this combo?

https://www.northerntool.com/produc...t-1-4-hp-2-gallons-150-psi-model-20005-113696

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1442427099...JTkrTWGLOofJY5oVOyDKtc9WatA=|tkp:BFBM-sPJrYdi

Be nice to have a little compressed air on board

 

[Lostsailor13]

Look online for hornblaster

 

[jgwinks]

Mine are air, with a little compressor on the other side of the flybridge panel they're mounted on. It's a 1973 boat and as far as I can tell the horns are original. They still work and sound beautiful. The compressor is activated by pressing the horn button just like an all electric horn, but it's probably less voltage sensitive.

 

[markpierce]

go air

 

[ORIF]

A while back my horn sounded like it needed to cough and clear its throat(s).
I was about to go down the checking voltage path then read that sometimes the diaphragm can stick (or something like that) and spraying WD40 down its throat can clear it.

Worked for me. Had to repeat about 2 years later and worked again...

Didn't take much

 

[Cartouche]

I have purchased two electric twin horn style horns. After a two or three year use each has quit. Called the manufacturer and they told me how to open them and adjust. Can’t seem to get them to work. I like the sound when they work. I read recently that if the voltage dropped slightly people found they would not work. I have not yet checked the voltage but the wiring utilizes breaker switches etc. lots of places for voltage drop. Should I go with air. Compressor yuk more things to go wrong. Like dual trumpet design. Any suggestions?
Ken

I would agree with the voltage drop scenario, I installed an air horn on our 390, and it went flat after about a month I purchased a new one and it was fine then while coming home on the Rideau I lost the Tach at both helms and the horn stopped working. I discovered my alternator was caput, and when I replaced the alternator all things came back to life. for sure it is not the horn but a voltage drop to the compressor.