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Air Horns - Electrical Problem https://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3700	Page 1 of 2

Author:	Rodney [ Wed Dec 29, 2004 5:19 pm ]
Post subject:	Air Horns - Electrical Problem
Hi all and all the best for the coming New Year Santa - in the guise of the misses gave me a new set of air horns for 'Ribena'. Went out the other day to wire them up and dispose of the old ones that had given up - followed the wiring diagram and so on but there's a problem. When the air compressor is bolted down, the fuse blows - replace the fuse and unbolt the compressor, hold it and push the button, yea, it works fine ( just very loud right near the old ears!!!!!) Anyway, it's working fine so I bolt the compressor back into place - try it again and the fuse blows again DOH!!!!!!!!! Unbolt it and replace the fuse - test it - great - more sore ear drums - bolt it back into place and try again - BUGGER - blown fuse again. OK - I've bolted in a piece of wood and mounted the compressor on that. No problems now but what the hell has happened. The compressor has +ve and -ve terminals both are wired correctly. Any thoughts anybody?????? What sort of metal could I use to make up a bracket that doesn't conduct electricity?????? Alluminium ???????

Author:	gafmo [ Wed Dec 29, 2004 5:34 pm ]
Post subject:
Okay why was your horn not working B4 Horn is working off the car and not and the fuse blowes... you have a short in the wires some where possible in the steering column or under the bash. Happy surching and hope you have a loverly New Years and no more ringing Ears

Author:	drmini in aust [ Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:10 pm ]
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You have a short to ground in the compressor motor. I'd take it back... Is it a Fiamm, or a no-name?

Author:	poeee [ Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:11 pm ]
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drmini in aust wrote: You have a short to ground in the compressor motor. I'd take it back... Ya, that makes sense! They don't call u the doc for no reason (tho I bet you called yourself that! )

Author:	aaron [ Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:46 pm ]
Post subject:
remember that the horn is a ground switch no a power switch. when you press the horn button it connects to earth. Are you running a relay, if not, you need to. Air horns pull alot of current and will melt the dicky little lucas horn switch in no time. Just follow the diagram keeping in mind that the horn is earth. Cheers Aaron PS all metals conduct electricty, that's what makes it metal by defination.

Author:	drmini in aust [ Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:48 pm ]
Post subject:
aaron wrote: remember that the horn is a ground switch no a power switch. when you press the horn button it connects to earth. Are you running a relay, if not, you need to. Air horns pull alot of current and will melt the dicky little lucas horn switch in no time. Just follow the diagram keeping in mind that the horn is earth. Cheers Aaron Air horns do normally come with a relay. As Aaron said, make sure to use it! Or poof! goes the switch...

Author:	Morris 1100 [ Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:48 pm ]
Post subject:
Does your car have a generator? Is your car positive earth?

Author:	Rodney [ Thu Dec 30, 2004 7:49 am ]
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Cheers and many thanks to you all. They are Italian manufactured, I have an alternator, the car is -ve earth, the previous owner installed the last air horns and put the compressor in a horizontal position; the instructions say to install it vertical - the old one still 'compresses' but not every time (maybe once out of every ten times) which is why they needed replacing, The horn button is not the one on the end of the indicator stalk. I'm running it through the relay that came in the package. I'll go and see the guy in the shop today and have a chat - let you know. Cheers and beers (hic)

Author:	IwannaMini [ Thu Dec 30, 2004 8:04 am ]
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Mo has air horns now too but no relay used. Worked a charm... existing horn still there.

Author:	drmini in aust [ Thu Dec 30, 2004 9:34 am ]
Post subject:
IwannaMini wrote: Mo has air horns now too but no relay used. Worked a charm... existing horn still there. Horn switch won't last long, with the current that air horns draw. Go get a relay, a few $$ at Supercrap.

Author:	Wombat [ Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:34 am ]
Post subject:
When I was young and stupid, my mate had one of the first Mini's in Oz. Melbourne had new "Blue Trains" which had air horns that were "too loud" so they were replaced (They were really loud - made you jump every time even if you were expecting it) Any way my mate got a set and fit they to the Mini. - trouble was he had to run the engine at nearly full revs to operate or the car stalled But you should have seen people get out of his way

Author:	Rodney [ Thu Dec 30, 2004 12:32 pm ]
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Wombat maaaaate, Those air horns from the old blue trains are/were massive lololol Anyway, think I've found the problem - the +ve terminal was not fixed in properly - when I pushed the connector and wire on, it went half way into the compressor. The guy in the shop is giving me a lend of another compressor so will see what happens.

Author:	IwannaMini [ Thu Dec 30, 2004 4:28 pm ]
Post subject:
drmini in aust wrote: IwannaMini wrote: Mo has air horns now too but no relay used. Worked a charm... existing horn still there. Horn switch won't last long, with the current that air horns draw. Go get a relay, a few $$ at Supercrap. Hmmm.. I have two sets of horns though. There is the existing car horn for the friendly Mini "beep beep" when someone is delaying me, and then there is a new seperate circuit on new higher rating wiring and switches for the air horns for when I wanna scare the crap out of someone. I know Makka will hate me but I use them for no reason when I have a truck behind me... people have no idea its coming from the Mini... LOL

Author:	Rodney [ Thu Dec 30, 2004 9:53 pm ]
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Man - am I good or am I good. lololol Friendly neighborhood dude at Autopro gave me a new compressor from another kit and told me not to worry about bringing back the one that was crook - BONUS Installled that one and all was ok - 'Till I drove along the road and gave them a blast. Good and loud for a second, then nothing. Awww CRAP!!!!!!! Ok, something somewhere is shorting out as the fuse blew again. Looking, looking testing, looking testing, testing - well bugger me, that must be it - the +ve lead running from the power supply to the relay, where it plugs in to the relay is less than a mm from an earth. I can only conclude that driving along, the normal vibrations and so on would be shaking the relay and causing the -ve terminal to short out when it becomes live. I pulled apart the compressor which came with the new horns and the +ve brush was also earthing out because the copper wire running from the terminal to the brush was touching the body of the compressor. All is now fixed and I also have a brand new spare compressor.

Author:	gafmo [ Thu Dec 30, 2004 9:58 pm ]
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Dont you just love it when thier is a happy ending. I'm getting all teiry now Great find thier Chez

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