Subject: RE: Horn Trouble
Author: Pete Scheer
Date: Jul 9, 2001, 7:11 PM
Post ID: 1707428152
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Dennis,
I had the same problem with the stock horn. I could barely hear it over the
engine. I replaced it with a pair of Fiamms, one mounted on each crashbar.
Sounds like a Buick from the 60's.
I changed my setup to a Kawasaki switch from a local salvage yard. I added
a relay ( mounted in the frame pocket under the tank). I followed an
excellent tutorial on relays that was shared by another looper.
I suspect your problem is in the ground circuit. From what I remember ,
the stock switch closes the ground circuit allowing current to flow thru the
horn. The ground path is thru the cev cover and thru the mounting screws
to the handlebar. From the handlebar thru the clamps to the triple tree,
etc etc until it gets to the battery.
If there is any corrosion or a loose connection anywhere, you can have high
resistance in the ground path.
If you have a tester, check the continuity from the CEV housing to the neg
battery terminal.
It should show no resistance or the same reading as when you touch the 2
probes together. If you show resistance then you have to start tracking
down where the resistance is.
BL ( Before Loops ) I used to think only of the positive side of the DC
circuit wiring, kind of forgetting about the ground. Its exactly as
important as the positive current path. I learned ..
Good Luck
Pete
-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Jones [mailto:dbjo-@cobweb.net]
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2001 7:48 PM
To: Loopfram-@topica.com
Subject: Horn Trouble
============================================================
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Since we're havin' such fun with electrical woes on loopframes, here's
another. Ever since I got my Eldo in 1997 I have had horn troubles. It
came with the original horn, and the horn beeped weakly. I would fiddle
with cleaning the connections and then the horn adjustor nut to get it to
work, but it was an on again/off again thing. Sometimes it would work, and
sometimes it just squeaked or simply didn't sound at all. I shopped for a
replacement horn and, after trying two, I settled on a Fiamm as I recall.
It worked well and was pretty loud when I installed it over last winter.
When I took it to the NY Rally, I noticed that the horn would only sound
intermittently, and I would often have to massage the horn button to get it
to sound. Rode the bike this past weekend and the horn wouldn't work at
all. Removed the switchbox cover off the CEV switchgear and cleaned the
horn button contacts. It's a NOS switch (less than 2 years old), so it
doesn't have years of wear and doesn't see rain. Anyhow, upon re-assembly
it would make the horn beep weakly compared to the 130 decibels advertized,
and that it used to deliver. My question is......have others had nuisance
problems with horns on loopframes? Do you run a relay on your horn circuit,
and is that the solution? I would like to be able to get on my Eldo every
ride and know that my horn will work, and from the day I bought this bike, I
have never had that assurance from week to week. Any input would be
appreciated.
Dennis
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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=320072201-10072001>Dennis,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN class=320072201-10072001>I had the
same problem with the stock horn. I could barely hear it over the engine.
I replaced it with a pair of Fiamms, one mounted on each crashbar.
Sounds like a Buick from the 60's.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN class=320072201-10072001>I changed my
setup to a Kawasaki switch from a local salvage yard. I added a relay (
mounted in the frame pocket under the tank). I followed an excellent
tutorial on relays that was shared by another looper. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=320072201-10072001></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=320072201-10072001></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=320072201-10072001>I suspect your problem is in the ground
circuit. From what I remember , the stock switch closes the ground
circuit allowing current to flow thru the horn. The ground
path is thru the cev cover and thru the mounting screws to the handlebar.
From the handlebar thru the clamps to the triple tree, etc etc until
it gets to the battery. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN class=320072201-10072001> If
there is any corrosion or a loose connection anywhere, you can have high
resistance in the ground path.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN class=320072201-10072001>If you have a
tester, check the continuity from the CEV housing to the neg battery
terminal.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN class=320072201-10072001>It should
show no resistance or the same reading as when you touch the 2 probes
together. If you show resistance then you have to start tracking down
where the resistance is.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=320072201-10072001></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN class=320072201-10072001> BL (
Before Loops ) I used to think only of the positive side of
the DC circuit wiring, kind of forgetting about the ground. Its
exactly as important as the positive current path. I learned ..
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=320072201-10072001></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN class=320072201-10072001>Good
Luck</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=320072201-10072001>Pete</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial><SPAN
class=320072201-10072001></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Dennis Jones
[mailto:dbjo-@cobweb.net]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, July 09, 2001 7:48
PM<BR><B>To:</B> Loopfram-@topica.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> Horn
Trouble<BR><BR></DIV></FONT><PRE>============================================================
It's all about finding out what you need to know, when you
need to know it. At developerWorks, we're all about open
standards-based software development. Get the newsletter.
<A href="http://click.topica.com/caaacwIb1dfltb2DJrHb/developerWorks">http://click.topica.com/caaacwIb1dfltb2DJrHb/developerWorks</A>
============================================================</PRE>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Since we're havin' such fun with electrical woes
on loopframes, here's another. Ever since I got my Eldo in 1997 I have
had horn troubles. It came with the original horn, and the horn beeped
weakly. I would fiddle with cleaning the connections and then the horn
adjustor nut to get it to work, but it was an on again/off again thing.
Sometimes it would work, and sometimes it just squeaked or simply didn't sound
at all. I shopped for a replacement horn and, after trying two, I
settled on a Fiamm as I recall. It worked well and was pretty loud when
I installed it over last winter. When I took it to the NY Rally, I
noticed that the horn would only sound intermittently, and I would often have
to massage the horn button to get it to sound. Rode the bike this past
weekend and the horn wouldn't work at all. Removed the switchbox cover
off the CEV switchgear and cleaned the horn button contacts. It's a NOS
switch (less than 2 years old), so it doesn't have years of wear and doesn't
see rain. Anyhow, upon re-assembly it would make the horn beep weakly
compared to the 130 decibels advertized, and that it used to deliver. My
question is......have others had nuisance problems with horns on
loopframes? Do you run a relay on your horn circuit, and is that the
solution? I would like to be able to get on my Eldo every ride and know
that my horn will work, and from the day I bought this bike, I have never had
that assurance from week to week. Any input would be
appreciated.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dennis</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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