Horn button

[PBJ]

Took the bike to get it inspected. I had worked the horn button a few times and got it working. But at the dealer I couldn't get it to work. I leave the dealer and I can get it to work when the bike is running. I decide to take the bike home and clean the contact points in hopes to get the horn working better. I take the switch control apart and find a lot of dirt in it I clean it with Q tips sprayed with a like windex. I try working the control trying to make the contacts touch but still can't get the switch to . I finish the cleaning and put it all back together all the other controls work fine but the Horn button. I know theres no fuse in the system are there any suggestions as to what i can do next. I can"t figure out why its not working . I know that its a constant feed to the switch and the button simply closes the circuit, If the contacts are touching why wouldn't it be working?

[Trader]

Might be a stupid question....but did you check that you have power on one side and that the other side is grounded?

 

Maybe one side or the other does not complete the circuit. That's the only thing it can be!

[PBJ]

well i tried not to effect the wires in any way and it was working somewhat before. the solder looked intact to the switch. not sure what i might have over looked. I even used an exacto blade to scrap the faces of the contacts to insure they were clean.

[Venturous Randy]

Do you have an ohm/volt meter?

RandyA

[PBJ]

no but I think my son may have one. I can get him to bring it over. what should i do?

[dingy]

The switch closes the ground side of the circuit.

 

There is 12V+ running straight to the horns via a switched fused circuit on the stock bikes.

 

Sort of backwards of what you might expect.

 

Gary

[bkuhr]

Might be a stupid question....but did you check that you have power on one side and that the other side is grounded?

 

Maybe one side or the other does not complete the circuit. That's the only thing it can be!

 

The switch closes the ground side of the circuit.

 

There is 12V+ running straight to the horns via a switched fused circuit on the stock bikes.

 

Sort of backwards of what you might expect.

 

Gary

 

To expand on this, battery plus +, runs through the key switch in ON position only. Then it runs thru the 'signal fuse'. Then it runs to one side of each stock horn(assuming OE wiring and horns-if some had done an upgrade, may run thru a relay). The battary + then runs thru the coils of the horns and up the wire going to the horn button. With a volt meter set on a scale to read 12vdc, and the meter black lead (com)on battery or frame - (NEG), the red lead of the meter should be able to read 12v at any and all these locations all the way up to one of the horn button switch contacts. The other contact should be ground, and can be read with the red lead of the meter, but meter set for OHMS, lowest x1 scale, should read less than 2 ohms(black lead sill on battery - or frame).

[bongobobny]

Phil, on each horn you will find a pink and a brown wire. With the horn connected you will see 12 volts on both wires with the ignition on. Disconnect the wires on both horns and you will find 12 volts on only one wire, the brown one I think. Reconnect just that wire and jumper the other horn terminal to ground, the horn should blow. If it does then the switch is your problem. If the horn does not blow then the horn is bad...

[PBJ]

Thanks guys i'll start trouble shooting it today i appreciate the good advice. SUCH A LITTLE THING BUT WHAT A PAIN IN THE A$$.

[PBJ]

Before i headed off to work today i disassembled the switch again this time with a voltage detector i was able to determine that power is getting to the switch. When i touched the power point the detector lit up. the ground got nothing But press the points together nothing!

 

So, now i know I've got power to the switch now i have to find out if power is getting to the horns and if so why they aren't working. My theory is that, this bike has a mysterious layer of fine light colored dust inside every where. The previous owner told me a story able how the couple that had owned this bike had travelled to Alaska on a Venture. But he didn't say specifically that it was this one. He only said mine was the third one they had owned. The bike only has 35k on it. Could it have gone to Alaska and back?

 

Has anyone ridden the TransAlaska Higway? I here its pretty rough in spots could this fine dust have come from miles of riding that road or others similar to it?

 

Next week I'll remove the horns to see it they"re caked with the stuff. I'll keep you posted.

[bkuhr]

Before i headed off to work today i disassembled the switch again this time with a voltage detector i was able to determine that power is getting to the switch. When i touched the power point the detector lit up. the ground got nothing But press the points together nothing!

 

So, now i know I've got power to the switch now i have to find out if power is getting to the horns and if so why they aren't working. My theory is that, this bike has a mysterious layer of fine light colored dust inside every where. The previous owner told me a story able how the couple that had owned this bike had travelled to Alaska on a Venture. But he didn't say specifically that it was this one. He only said mine was the third one they had owned. The bike only has 35k on it. Could it have gone to Alaska and back?

 

Has anyone ridden the TransAlaska Higway? I here its pretty rough in spots could this fine dust have come from miles of riding that road or others similar to it?

 

Next week I'll remove the horns to see it they"re caked with the stuff. I'll keep you posted.

 

If you have power at the switch contacts, then you DO have power at the horns, no need to check. The problem is 1, you do not have ground on the other switch contact, or 2- the diaphrams of the horns are jammed(they are working but cant blow)

 

To test 1-, apply a jumper wire from frame ground or battery minus to the switch contact that had power. Horns should blow. Y-bad ground wire to the other switch contact. N-jammed horns, try to blow/shake them out

[bongobobny]

I've got spare stock horns if you need them Phil, but you would be better served with air horns...

[PBJ]

Brian, i'll check the ground when i can get back to the switch. Should me detector be lighting up on both contact points or just the power? I thought the power line was a constant feed and simply by closing the circuit to the ground activated the horn. (I apologize for being near totally electronic ignorant) First I'm going to remove the horns and check them and the wiring to them as best I can.

 

Bob, I love the sound of the Stiebel's you and Tom have, but I also have a set of horns still on the old 85. If I need to I can pull those. But thanks for the offer.

 

Further progress reports to follow.

[bkuhr]

Brian, i'll check the ground when i can get back to the switch. Should me detector be lighting up on both contact points or just the power? .

Just the contact with power will light up the test light. The other contact is ground.

 

I thought the power line was a constant feed and simply by closing the circuit to the ground activated the horn.

This IS correct. This is what the horn button contacts are supposed to be doing, but it appears you may have a problem with the ground contact or wiring.

[PBJ]

These horns were packed with Dirt! Hard encrusted dirt enough to barely let them vibrate I loosened the face bolt gave it a few wraps on the work bench and dirt came flying out. i broke out the air and kept blowing air into them until stuff stopped coming out. I reattached the horns (after cleaning the contacts and taking the opportunity to clean off some rust with Neverdull) adjusted the nut on the face and they both work great.

 

I still want to go for the air horns though!!!

 

Thanks again for all the help.

[bongobobny]

Hey, Wolo "Bad Boy's" can be found for as low as $30! I have one from last year that

I just replaced due to problems with it that can be fixed I'll give you, I'll even try to fix it!!!