Stebel Air Horn Help

[Rev]

I installed a Stebel air horn last year and worked fine up until last November. All of a sudden, it quit working. It will work if I direct connect it to the battery to test it. Rechecked connections and replaced air horn relay. Still nothing when I hit the horn button. The front horn still works. Any suggestions?

[bongobobny]

Sounds like you are just going to have to get your trusty voltmeter out and start troubleshooting! Start with the relay primary. You should see 12 volts on both sides of theprimary until you press the horn button. Then you will only see 12 volts on one side of the primary as the other side wiull then be connected to ground thru the horn switch. The contacts will act the exact opposite, 12 volts on only one side of the relay untill you press the horn button, then 12 volts will appear on both sides...

[twigg]

I installed a Stebel air horn last year and worked fine up until last November. All of a sudden, it quit working. It will work if I direct connect it to the battery to test it. Rechecked connections and replaced air horn relay. Still nothing when I hit the horn button. The front horn still works. Any suggestions?

 

If the switch is the type that grounds to the frame when you press it, then that would be the first thing to check. A good clean of the contact areas can work wonders.

[Carbon_One]

Don't overlook the stock horn fuse either as it may have tripped with the bad relay. If that's good then you have to dao as BongoBob says. Start rechecking for power and ground at the various points the wires connect to.

Larry

[wes0778]

I installed a Stebel air horn last year and worked fine up until last November. All of a sudden, it quit working. It will work if I direct connect it to the battery to test it. Rechecked connections and replaced air horn relay. Still nothing when I hit the horn button. The front horn still works. Any suggestions?

 

If the switch is the type that grounds to the frame when you press it, then that would be the first thing to check. A good clean of the contact areas can work wonders.

 

Could be wrong, but that tells me the "button" is working.

Does the relay click when you push the the button? If not, there may be an "open" between it and the button on the handlebar, or in the supply wire to the control circuit pin. Is there 12V at the control circuit pin on the relay? # 85 or #86, I think.

Do you have 12V to the #30 pin on the relay? If not, check the fuse (you should have) between the battery and the #30 pin. If there is voltage there, jumper that wire to the wire leading to the horn, to test that circuit.

Just rambling, but check the simple stuff 1st!

[twigg]

You're probably right about the button. I missed the bit about the front horn still working.

 

My bad.

[Carbon_One]

You're probably right about the button. I missed the bit about the front horn still working.

 

My bad.

Me too since the front works then the stock fuse for that circuit should be good. Back to the testing.

Larry

[jemorrisonjr]

Has to be either the relay or maybe an inline fuse.....if those check out might have a fried wire....

 

Otherwise it sounds like the rest of the curcuit works

[Old Miner]

Hi there.

I had the exact same problem with a set of air horns. Only the front horn worked and the relay for the compressor would not even pick in. Each of the two fitted horns worked solo from a battery as did the air horn compressor.

 

After many hours of trial and error I found it was the horn button connections on the handlebar switch. I stripped the switch down and found the contacts very slightly blackened. I cleaned the two contacts with a contact cleaner to remove the black deposit on them. I think these contacts may be silver or silver coated. It is only a little bit of a deposit so clean gently. I now I have twin electric and twin air horns all working together in earshattering harmony.

 

Be warned though it is a very fiddley job and it doesnt hurt to lubricate and clean the indicator mechanism etc as it seems that the design of the switch harbours water after you wash the bike.

 

Neil.

Old Miner.