Air horns vs cold weather

[Venturing Sole]

Wondering if anyone has experienced weak airhorn performance in cold weather? I have two stebel nautilus compact airhorns on my 2006 RSV. One replaced the stock horn on the right side in front of the passenger floor board. The other is in the front fairing to the left of the radio frame support tubing wherein the wires were run from the stock front left lower cowling horn (still functional). I used relays for each. When the temperature is above 40 degrees F (my garage maintains 50-60 in winter), the horns sound fine. When the temp is below 40 (bike parked outside at work all day), the horns give off a weak whine until I hold the button long enough for the horn compressor to move enough air to warm up (or at least that is what I surmise). I also note that my voltmeter drops significantly when I hold the horn button down (from about 13.5 volts to 11.5 volts). Wondering if this is common for air horns or if I have a problem that needs fixing? I imagine the compressors are sealed, but might there be some sort of seal lubrication needed?

 

Thanks for any insights.

[djh3]

Yup I have noticed a simular issue. Seem to get "warmed up". Also if my bike has sit for a few days and horn not used it sometimes needs to be woke up.

[Flyinfool]

I have the Bad Boys horns which are supposed to be the same as the Stebels, just not as pretty. There is no warm up required, even at 15F they blast immediately and at full volume.

 

My guess would be that you have a bearing going out in the compressor motor. a stiff bearing will make the motor pull more amps to get it going and will also take longer to get going.

 

I never looked at the horns close enough to see if they can be disassembled for cleaning and/or maintenance.

[djh3]

I have on occasion thought about a shot of wd 40 or something. But dont want them to get gummy either. Its sort of like they have to get spinning. They look all press fit together, so not sure you could get it separated and back together again.

[Flyinfool]

True, I can get anything apart.........

[djh3]

Oh the apart thing is easy......... Getting it back together and functioning, now thats a different can of worms. I did buy some generic knock off ones for substantially less. And they seem to work fine. I bought 2, one for a second on the bike and one to replace the dual trumpet one the blown front tire on the truck took out. Got both installed on bike and the truck fixed. A couple weeks later the dual trumpet on the wifes car sounded like Kermit D frog. I thinks the compressor died, so swapped on from the bike over to it.