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Two Horns Wiring
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buzzboy
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 3:11 pm    Post subject: Two Horns Wiring Reply with quote

I finally got around to fixing my sick(cough wheeze) honk button today and I decided that I would install my old horn(though it was dead, it wasn't) and the one I bought to replace it. And I ran into not a roadblock but a confusing restriction thing. Do I wire horns in series or parallel. I know I will get more volume with parallel but will it melt my wire?
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Jeckler
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Use a relay. That's how VW did it on the Ghia.
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buzzboy
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A relay sound like its not a bad idea but still, series or parallel?
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Jeckler
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Parallel.
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Cusser
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Parallel. You need 12 volts to EACH.
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Bugorsh
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 7:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Remember the stock horn is wired with the (+) always hot and the (-) is switched. If it is an aftermarket horn where the (+) is usually switched and the mounting bracket makes the ground connection, you will need to take that into consideration when you wire in the relay.
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CoastalDefender
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bugorsh wrote:
Remember the stock horn is wired with the (+) always hot and the (-) is switched. If it is an aftermarket horn where the (+) is usually switched and the mounting bracket makes the ground connection, you will need to take that into consideration when you wire in the relay.
Just switch the wires around and you should be fine.

Now, do you know what tones the horns are? I Nissan Frontier came with a "low" tone, very puny by itself. I wired a "hi" tone in parallel and now I really get people's attention.

Make sure the one you got as a replacement and the original aren't the same tones, or you're going to end up with pointless install. Smile
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SkrapMetal
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dual horns are only just a bit louder than a single. Remember, you'll need a high tone and a low tone for it to sound decent. You could follow a ghia wiring diagram and that should help. You should switch to air horns Wink
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Wayne S. Johnson
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 9:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wired a selector switch to my two horns. One is the original the other is a truck horn.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3067288&highlight=#3067288

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buzzboy
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 5:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have an american tone horn and the stock horn in parallel. Both have two posts so the wiring was easy. And, like stock, I switched them on the (-) cable. It is pretty loud and has a good tone. I am wondering though what would happen with two of the same horn. Would you get constructive interference creating a louder tone?
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CoastalDefender
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 10:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

buzzboy wrote:
I am wondering though what would happen with two of the same horn. Would you get constructive interference creating a louder tone?
Nope. When I did the dual horns on my Nissan, I actually bought a low tone, thinking I had a hi tone stock. When we wired it up, it didn't sound any different at all. That's when we discovered I got the wrong one.

Two of the same horns doesn't do anything. Something about the way audible waves work or something.
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