I've got the horn!

Philiz

Philiz

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 Aug 2008
Messages
2,888
Location
Staffordshire Moorlands U.K.
www.shabiera.co.uk
Well I've got two of them actually adorning the front of my newly acquired boat. They're the stainless steel trumpet type and look great, only trouble is, they don't work.

Has anyone had any luck repairing these? I understand they suffer from salt water ingress particularly if they're not tooted occasionally, just wondered if it's possible to fix em or if they're destined to remain decoration only.
 
On one of my boats I had a little sqaure horn on and didn't work. I took it off and o found out that it was just a tub of rust so I got a little cirle one as the gantry was small.
 
horns not working

Hi just done my horns there was power to them but did not make any noise ,took the rear cover of and adjusted the little nut on them till thay worked or thay could be a screw to adjust no harm in trying good luck PETE
 
On one of my boats I had a little sqaure horn on and didn't work. I took it off and o found out that it was just a tub of rust so I got a little cirle one as the gantry was small.
 
Philiz said:
just wondered if it's possible to fix em or if they're destined to remain decoration only.
Click to expand...

Leave em mute.
Else you will have to learn more Col Regs.

On the other hand -- Hhmm:(

Yep, apparently, a little bird told Me.

They might come in handy to warn us when You are berthing in the wind:eek::D
 
Just had the same trouble. Power going in, but nothing coming out.

Took the horns off and gave them to the maintainance man at my workplace. He fixed them. Just stripped down, contacts cleaned, little nut adjusted, and hey presto - the whole factory knew they were working again.

PM me if you need further details.
 
Adjusting Horns

I have had a similar problem with my horns and managed to fix it myself.

The first thing is to take of the covers at the back of the horns. If the units are badly rusted then they will probably be beyond repair.

If you have a multimeter, check that power is getting to the connectors on each horn. This will probably require an assistant to press the button.

If the power is getting through then look for an adjusting screw. It may be under a cover and sealed with paint or mastic. The screw will move one of the contacts. The other contact moves with the diaphragm. It needs to be making contact when the power is off. When the current flows, the diaphragm moves and opens the contacts. This cuts the power so that the diaphragm returns, restores the current and starts the cycle again.

On my horns, one contact was out of adjustment so that the circuit was not breaking. The horn just gave a click when the button was pressed. This took so much current that the second horn would not sound either. I found that it was easiest to disconnect the horns and then connect one at a time to adjust them. It was just a matter of moving the screw in and out until I got a good, clear sound. Once both were adjusted I reconnected them and they now work together again.
 
Clean up the contact points

I had the same problem which I fixed easily once I discovered the cause.

The screw others have referred to is, I believe for adjustment of the tone / pitch only and doesn't affect the operation if they're not working.

What fixed mine was rubbing some fine sandpaper between the contact points inside the horn. These look just like a set of points that used to be fitted inside cars' distributors. (Some would say, real cars!) I had 12v feed to the horn OK, but high internal resistance. The contact points seem to oxidise, and cleaning the faces up fixed it a treat. The points are a bit hidden at first, not that obvious to spot, but once you know where they are you're onto a winner. What makes it harder to spot is there's nothing visibly wrong.

These contact points open and close quickly as the diaphragm moves in and out, to make and break the circuit.
Funnily enough, contact points were always a common cause of breakdowns in cars too, usually through poor maintenance.
As the saying goes, "Joseph Lucas, Prince of Darkness"

"The Lucas 3 position switch - Dim, Flicker and OFF"
"Lucas, the inventor of the intermittent wipe"

(With apologies to all ex-Lucas employees out there)..
 
Get yourselves a proper one, 30 years old & works a treat. The kids & now grandkids think it's the bee's knees using it to open the bridge at Caernarfon.

380x350_ab837643.jpg
 
Searush said:
Get yourselves a proper one, 30 years old & works a treat. The kids & now grandkids think it's the bee's knees using it to open the bridge at Caernarfon.

380x350_ab837643.jpg
Click to expand...

Like
Smart:)
How much where from Rushie?

I have a pump up air horn.
My leccie one works from time to time!

Though Philiz will be able to sort it soon I reckon;)
 
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