horn upgrade

[wyly]

Besides being nearly invisible it seems my rides aren't loud enough either ...After being forced out of my lane on the expressway last week by a merging SUV I thought it might be time to upgrade the horns to Hella Sharptones, it's a nice wake up call announcing my presence to texters and the visually challenged...

the install looks like a simple switch but some ebay sellers and auto installers claim I need to buy a relay and relay harness as well? While others who have done the conversion claim no relay is required, that it's a straight plug and play. Has anyone here done anything similar, do I need a relay?

[NobleHops]

Definitely do a relay, that is a ton of current to pass through the teeny horn switch and wires. It may work, but it won't work as well, and you risk overheating the wires and connectors, especially if they are not spotless.

[herdygerdy]

+1 on installing a relay. Don't even think about not doing this.

On your relay, there will probably be four pins labelled 30, 85, 86 and 87.

Pin 30 is fused 12V direct from battery positive.

Pin 85 goes to earth.

Pin 86 is positive from your horn

Pin 87 goes to the input side of your new horn.

You may also need to fabricate an earth lead going from you horn to battery negative or an earth on the frame.

NOTE: The simplest way to connect a horn relay is to extend your existing two horn wires and connect them to pins 85 & 86. They are connected correctly when, with the key on you press the horn button, you hear a click as the relay is fired and a circuit is created between pin 30 (battery positive) and pin 87 and thence power heads off from battery straight to your new horn.

For electrical connectors and stuff, check out http://www.cycleterminal.com.

[wyly]

okay so I'll go with a relay now only need to wait until it arrives ...I try to check out the ebay sellers before I order, the seller seemed a bit odd but, they had a good rating and the price was good /free shipping so I made the purchase...only find it was in India and they ship it by boat!.... estimated 6-10 weeks wait ...I'll revisit this issue when it arrives, electrical problems are like witchcraft for me ...if the old horn doesn't need a relay why does the new horn require one???

https://www.amazon.ca/VSI-Hella-Superto ... ms?ie=UTF8

[herdygerdy]

I understand where you are coming from Wyly and it's a good question you ask.

First up, these are the relays I use on my ignition kits and they are bloody good. Fit and forget.

(The first one in the list with the bracket makes mounting easy as. And don't forget to order the relay base as well, makes it all nice and snug.

http://www.cycleterminal.com/accessory-relays.html

And why is the relay necessary? The stock horn draws lower power (hence less noise) and the wiring on CBXs were no doubt built down to a price and made simple. And over the years, there WILL be some voltage drop through our old switch gear and wiring looms.

To illustrate, on CBXs I have worked on, it is not uncommon to see 2-3 volts of less voltage going into the back of the coils compared to the reading taken across the battery. Connecting 12v power directly to the coils using a relay really 'wakes up' the ignition and performance is noticeably improved. (it's a popular mod over on the 1100 forum)

To make the maximum noise it is capable of, your new horn WILL simply need to pull more power. Yes, you could connect it using only the stock connectors, but don't be at all surprised if when you hit the button, you think "Meh.."

Good luck with this and we are stby to assist as needed.

Cheers...Tony

[wyly]

I understand where you are coming from Wyly and it's a good question you ask.

First up, these are the relays I use on my ignition kits and they are bloody good. Fit and forget.

(The first one in the list with the bracket makes mounting easy as. And don't forget to order the relay base as well, makes it all nice and snug.

http://www.cycleterminal.com/accessory-relays.html

And why is the relay necessary? The stock horn draws lower power (hence less noise) and the wiring on CBXs were no doubt built down to a price and made simple. And over the years, there WILL be some voltage drop through our old switch gear and wiring looms.

To illustrate, on CBXs I have worked on, it is not uncommon to see 2-3 volts of less voltage going into the back of the coils compared to the reading taken across the battery. Connecting 12v power directly to the coils using a relay really 'wakes up' the ignition and performance is noticeably improved. (it's a popular mod over on the 1100 forum)

To make the maximum noise it is capable of, your new horn WILL simply need to pull more power. Yes, you could connect it using only the stock connectors, but don't be at all surprised if when you hit the button, you think "Meh.."

Good luck with this and we are stby to assist as needed.

Cheers...Tony

got a parcel notice from post office, I thought it was my carb kit but it was the Hella horns, a month earlier than expected !...they came with a relay too which was also not expected...I tried to post a picture but for some reason I can't get into the proper folder...I'll post it when I find the problem...

12volt directly to the coils sounds interesting, something to look into...maybe above my skill level as most things electrical

[wyly]

I understand where you are coming from Wyly and it's a good question you ask.

First up, these are the relays I use on my ignition kits and they are bloody good. Fit and forget.

(The first one in the list with the bracket makes mounting easy as. And don't forget to order the relay base as well, makes it all nice and snug.

Cheers...Tony

I'm in search locally of a relay base...do I need an inline fuse unit or am I connecting to the existing fuse/wiring?

the blue works well enough with my new blue tank...the yellow not so much, I could take off the grill and paint it black or orange like the pin stripes and brake lines.

[Mouse]

You will need an inline fuse for the power wire coming from the battery to the relay then to the horn.
The existing horn wire that is connected to the activation side of the relay is already fused.
Inline Mini blade fuse units can be got at Crappy Tire.
Oh and paint that grill black

[wyly]

went to my favorite auto electronics installer and asked if he could supply what I was missing... and he gave me all this for free...said if I couldn't figure it out he'd install it for $60...

[wyly]

Inline Mini blade fuse units can be got at Crappy Tire.
Oh and paint that grill black

I haven't set foot in a Crappy Tire since they accused me of being a thief because I wore a backpack when I ride...shopping bags, diaper bags, purses bigger than my backpack are okay...that permanently ended 50yrs of shopping at Crappy Tire...

black is the easy safe choice...silver/chrome would also work...

[wyly]

+1 on installing a relay. Don't even think about not doing this.

On your relay, there will probably be four pins labelled 30, 85, 86 and 87.

Pin 30 is fused 12V direct from battery positive.

Pin 85 goes to earth.

Pin 86 is positive from your horn

Pin 87 goes to the input side of your new horn.

You may also need to fabricate an earth lead going from you horn to battery negative or an earth on the frame.

NOTE: The simplest way to connect a horn relay is to extend your existing two horn wires and connect them to pins 85 & 86. They are connected correctly when, with the key on you press the horn button, you hear a click as the relay is fired and a circuit is created between pin 30 (battery positive) and pin 87 and thence power heads off from battery straight to your new horn.

For electrical connectors and stuff, check out http://www.cycleterminal.com.

do you have a simple diagram to go along with that explanation ? ...I'm sure it's clear to someone who knows something about electrical circuits but it's confusing for me

[NobleHops]

This looks good:

[wyly]

This looks good:

thanks that helps ...I still have a couple stupid questions...

if I use dual horns do I run a single line from 87 to the first horn and on to the second or two lines from 87, one to each horn?

I have an in line fuse, does that go in front of the relay?

[herdygerdy]

Hi Wyly,

In line fuse goes between Battery positive and pin 30 on the relay.

Probably best to run dual wires from pin 87 on the relay.

Keep us posted on how you go.

Cheers...Tony

[wyly]

Hi Wyly,

In line fuse goes between Battery positive and pin 30 on the relay.

Probably best to run dual wires from pin 87 on the relay.

Keep us posted on how you go.

Cheers...Tony

I think I've followed the diagram but something is not right, horn sounds the moment I turn the key.

possible places where I may have messed up

-the power wires that initially ran to the horns from the switch I ran to 86 on the relay

-the oem ground wires to the horns I didn't connect to anything because they weren't in Nils diagram but I did run new ground to relay and battery as shown in diagram...should they have been connected to the new ground wires?

-suzuki wiring diagrams show color coded wires to horns but mine are all black.
-tried two different relays same result with both.

tried moving the connections (except 30) on the relay same result or nothing at all