SuzukiSavage.com - Electrical question:

arteacher

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Electrical question:
07/17/13 at 09:02:10

I am considering the purchase of the Rivco air horn, to replace the wimpy stock horn.
My question is, (and please pardon my ignorance here), the compressor draws 8 amps, but only when the horn is actually sounding. I know there is almost no "extra" amps available from the stator, so will this cause sufficient voltage drop to interfere with the ignition, or just drain the battery for a second or two? Huh

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Re: Electrical question:
Reply #1 - 07/17/13 at 09:13:00

The power to run the horn will almost certainly draw some power from the battery. I have no idea what the rating is for the stock horn.....or how many amps the horn push button or wiring can safely handle.

I would suggest that if you put on a horn with 8 amps draw....you connect the existing horn button to activate a relay....and have the relay send the power from the battery to the horn.

The existing wiring harness puts the 12V power to the horn, then the horn button completes the ground circuit.

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arteacher Serious Thumper Offline Ride as if your naked and invisable! Posts: 2581 London ontario Gender:	Re: Electrical question: Reply #2 - 07/17/13 at 09:28:57 The kit includes a relay to protect the switch.
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Electrical question: Reply #3 - 07/17/13 at 09:57:08 the stock horn will only scare school girls and make other motorists laugh
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Re: Electrical question:
Reply #4 - 07/17/13 at 10:04:04

verslagen1 wrote on 07/17/13 at 09:57:08:

the stock horn will only scare school girls

and make other motorists laugh

...an air horn, on the other hand, will startle drivers, and make them look frantically for some large vehicle... (they may well ignore you, or even swerve into you) as they don't expect such a sound to come from a bike...

Overkill,.. can be dangerous...

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PhantomII Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 96 Tampa, FL Gender:	Re: Electrical question: Reply #5 - 07/17/13 at 10:55:19 You guys are kidding about the usefulness of a horn right? Where I live people can't even hear a ambulance or a fire truck so I know a horn is pretty useless.
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youzguyz Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 2538 San Antonio, Texas Gender:	Re: Electrical question: Reply #6 - 07/17/13 at 11:14:43 While not a LOT better, these can be got at AutoZone and are a bolt on replacement for the stock horn: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Blazer-Horn/_/N-9citc?itemIdentifier=2... OR http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Blazer-Horn/_/N-9citc?itemIdentifier=3...
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oldNslow

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Re: Electrical question:
Reply #7 - 07/17/13 at 11:43:02

arteacher wrote on 07/17/13 at 09:02:10:

I am considering the purchase of the Rivco air horn, to replace the wimpy stock horn.
My question is, (and please pardon my ignorance here), the compressor draws 8 amps, but only when the horn is actually sounding. I know there is almost no "extra" amps available from the stator, so will this cause sufficient voltage drop to interfere with the ignition, or just drain the battery for a second or two? Huh

These? http://www.rivcoproducts.com/products/product.php?productid=3&cat=409&page=1

I looked at the wiring instructions for the horns I think you're talking about. As long as you hook them up using the supplied relay they shouldn't cause any problems IMO. The current they draw will come right out of the battery. Your charging system will replensh it as you ride.

I'm not going to get into the debate about the usefulness of horns on motorcycles except to say that mine gets blowed about once a year - when I take it in to get my inspection sticker

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arteacher

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Re: Electrical question:
Reply #8 - 07/17/13 at 12:01:48

oldNslow wrote on 07/17/13 at 11:43:02:

arteacher wrote on 07/17/13 at 09:02:10:

I am considering the purchase of the Rivco air horn, to replace the wimpy stock horn.
My question is, (and please pardon my ignorance here), the compressor draws 8 amps, but only when the horn is actually sounding. I know there is almost no "extra" amps available from the stator, so will this cause sufficient voltage drop to interfere with the ignition, or just drain the battery for a second or two? Huh

These? http://www.rivcoproducts.com/products/product.php?productid=3&cat=409&page=1

I looked at the wiring instructions for the horns I think you're talking about. As long as you hook them up using the supplied relay they shouldn't cause any problems IMO. The current they draw will come right out of the battery. Your charging system will replensh it as you ride.

I'm not going to get into the debate about the usefulness of horns on motorcycles except to say that mine gets blowed about once a year - when I take it in to get my inspection sticker

Thanks oldNslow. That is the horn I was looking at. And your answer agrees with my thinking. I agree that the horn is not used very much, but when you need it you may as well be heard.

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white '07, Raask exh, Corbin seat, slipstreamer shie, Raptor, Routy's fwd controls, Baron tach, Frisco bars, Isogrips, Headlight and taillight modulators, Dial-a- jet, AME 9 deg chop kit, K&N air flt

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justin_o_guy2

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Re: Electrical question:
Reply #9 - 07/17/13 at 12:09:07

I find it confusing to hear an "18 wheeler" horn & look & not see one.
A louder horn is a reasonable thing, IMO, but louder than a good car horn seems possibly counter productive. YOu blow something that sounds like an 18 wheeler, the people who havent seen you will be looking for,, what? They may scan right past you, looking for that big truck,

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apache snow-FSO Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 509 Gender:	Re: Electrical question: Reply #10 - 07/17/13 at 12:46:46 Air horns on passenger cars and trucks are illigal in Tennessee. I asume they are also on motorcycles. A few years ago a guy I worked with had one on his pick-up truck. He made the mistake of blowing it in front of a cop. He got a ticket and went to court and they made him remove it.
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paulmarshall Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1268 Carterton,New Zealand Gender:	Re: Electrical question: Reply #11 - 07/17/13 at 13:39:15 arteacher I have to take my hat off to ya. you have thrown some serious $$$ at your Savage. good for you. Good to know i'm not alone. Go for it and put that horn on.
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Gyrobob

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Re: Electrical question:
Reply #12 - 07/17/13 at 14:44:28

youzguyz wrote on 07/17/13 at 11:14:43:

While not a LOT better, these can be got at AutoZone and are a bolt on replacement for the stock horn:
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Blazer-Horn/_/N-9citc?itemIdentifier=2...
OR
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Blazer-Horn/_/N-9citc?itemIdentifier=3...

These horns will require a relay as well. The several amps they need are too much for the skinny wiring and dinky horn switch on a Savage. While the horn or horns might work, they will be a lot louder with a relay, and the horn switch won't burn out from the arcing.

apache snow-FSO wrote on 07/17/13 at 12:46:46:

Air horns on passenger cars and trucks are illigal in Tennessee. I asume they are also on motorcycles. A few years ago a guy I worked with had one on his pick-up truck. He made the mistake of blowing it in front of a cop. He got a ticket and went to court and they made him remove it.

The Tennessee law is for tank-driven horns that exceed a certain DB level,.. I don't know what that level is, but the little 12v compressor-driven 8" horns you buy at Autozone are not affected,.. they are legal. Lots of luxury cars and/or expensive sporty cars come with horns louder than these.

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 07/17/13 at 12:09:07:

I find it confusing to hear an "18 wheeler" horn & look & not see one.
A louder horn is a reasonable thing, IMO, but louder than a good car horn seems possibly counter productive. YOu blow something that sounds like an 18 wheeler, the people who havent seen you will be looking for,, what? They may scan right past you, looking for that big truck,

The little compressor-driven air horns bought at Autozone sound nothing like an 18-wheeler. The size of those midget trumpets (8" or so) means they have a very high-pitched noise,... nothing like the 24" trumpets on a huge truck. You'll not be confused with an 18-wheeler if you install a 12v compressor driven Autozone 8" plastic horn.

Since it is a lot louder than the pathetic stock horn (meep meep), it will go BEEP BEEP

The 18 wheeler horn will go HONNNKKK!! HONNNKKK!!!

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« Last Edit: 07/18/13 at 05:32:36 by Gyrobob »

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youzguyz

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Re: Electrical question:
Reply #13 - 07/17/13 at 15:32:33

Gyrobob wrote on 07/17/13 at 14:44:28:

youzguyz wrote on 07/17/13 at 11:14:43:

While not a LOT better, these can be got at AutoZone and are a bolt on replacement for the stock horn:
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Blazer-Horn/_/N-9citc?itemIdentifier=2...
OR
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Blazer-Horn/_/N-9citc?itemIdentifier=3...

These horns will require a relay as well. The several amps they need are too much for the skinny wiring and dinky horn switch on a Savage. While the horn or horns might work, they will be a lot louder with a relay, and the horn switch won't burn out from the arcing.

Really? I didn't see an amp figure on them. All I know is I've been running them for years, with no ill effects. Then again, I don't lean on the horn much..

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Gyrobob

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Re: Electrical question:
Reply #14 - 07/17/13 at 19:42:51

youzguyz wrote on 07/17/13 at 15:32:33:

Gyrobob wrote on 07/17/13 at 14:44:28:

youzguyz wrote on 07/17/13 at 11:14:43:

While not a LOT better, these can be got at AutoZone and are a bolt on replacement for the stock horn:
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Blazer-Horn/_/N-9citc?itemIdentifier=2...
OR
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Blazer-Horn/_/N-9citc?itemIdentifier=3...

These horns will require a relay as well. The several amps they need are too much for the skinny wiring and dinky horn switch on a Savage. While the horn or horns might work, they will be a lot louder with a relay, and the horn switch won't burn out from the arcing.

Really? I didn't see an amp figure on them. All I know is I've been running them for years, with no ill effects. Then again, I don't lean on the horn much..

If you are like most of us, you have probably used those horns just 10 times in those years. Add a relay (so the 12v for the horns comes directly from the battery, and with thicker wires) and those horns will be louder. If you just replaced the sickly stock meep meep horn with those larger horns (using the stock switch and wiring), you are getting maybe 10 volts at the horns. Use a relay, and you'll get a few more volts.

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« Last Edit: 07/18/13 at 05:29:28 by Gyrobob »

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