air horn relay w/ pushbutton

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Relays
Forum Discription: Relay Diagrams, SPDT Relays, SPST Relays, DPDT Relays, Latching Relays, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=114525
Printed Date: May 04, 2025 at 2:16 AM

Topic: air horn relay w/ pushbutton

Posted By: w87will
Subject: air horn relay w/ pushbutton
Date Posted: June 17, 2009 at 7:25 PM

Ive been having problems with my horns working so I wired in a relay today, but still not working.

(This is only for the horns, the compressor is wired separately and wodking fine.)

Here's how I wired the relay.

87 - to the horn
86 - too the push button, other side of the botton is grounded
85 - Grounded to the chassis
30 - Straight to the battery unfused (for now)

Could not having the fuse between the battery and relay cause the horns to not work?

I'd appreciate anyone's help. I haven't been able to use my horns in along time :(

Thanks
-Will

Replies:

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: June 17, 2009 at 7:40 PM

85 needs to be connected to the battery. Or the other side of the push button needs power instead of ground. Only change one.

Posted By: w87will
Date Posted: June 17, 2009 at 7:51 PM

I guess it'd be easier for me to just run a power wire to the relay on 85.

So then it'll be:

87 - to the horn
86 - too the push button, other side of the botton is grounded
85 - Straight to the battery unfused
30 - Straight to the battery unfused

and this should work having 2 Power wires on the one relay?

Also with the fuse. Should it be a problem having them unfused only running about 5 feet from the battery or should I just suck it up and just fuse them? :)

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: June 17, 2009 at 8:05 PM

Any time you make any connection to your battery, you NEED to fuse that wire. The Unfused (for now) thing I did not catch. You should do it Now while you still can.

Posted By: w87will
Date Posted: June 17, 2009 at 8:35 PM

It will be done tomorrow once I run another power wire.

Thanks alot for your help! Ill post how everything is tomorrow.

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: June 17, 2009 at 8:39 PM

No need to run another wire. You can use the power wire you have to power both terminals of the relay.

Posted By: w87will
Date Posted: June 17, 2009 at 9:51 PM

Hmmmm. So just use sort of a jumper and splice it into the power wire going into pole 30 and have it loop over and plug into pole 85 also?

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: June 17, 2009 at 9:59 PM

Yup, the wire going to 85 can be small, it only has to handle 160 Milliamps of current.

Posted By: w87will
Date Posted: June 17, 2009 at 10:14 PM

Great. I really appreciate the help. You probably saved me alot of time and frustration lol.

Thanks again! Ill let you know if it works out.

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: June 17, 2009 at 10:23 PM

Let me know, because I too am curious to see if it is going to work.

Posted By: w87will
Date Posted: June 17, 2009 at 10:34 PM

Oh jeezz. That comment just threw all my reassurance out of the window. lol

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: June 17, 2009 at 11:05 PM

It'll be allright. I got the diagram out of a book.

Posted By: w87will
Date Posted: June 18, 2009 at 1:47 PM

Well it worked Great and was alot easier than running a new power wire!

Thanks alot! Now my horns work every time I go to use them, instead of only sometimes.. :)

Thanks again

Whooops forgot to add the fuse...Ill do that right now haha.