Horn Relay basics ???

[Flamewinger]

I'm installing a set of extra horns and I'm having problems with the wiring. I am connecting to the OEM horn top wire to trigger the relay with 20amp fused power. When I connect the ground wire from relay I hear the relay click. (with ignition off) When I turn ignition on the horn blasts.

Are the wires to the OEM horn + & - ?

What wires go to the Relay 30 87 86 & 85 ???

Thanks

 

[Explorer]

I have a 2014 ST-L.
I do not know if this will help, but on mine the horn button makes and breaks the ground.
Good luck!
Roger

 

[Flamewinger]

Kinda. I went out and checked and the OEM horn has a red and black wire to each terminal. Going to have to get the wiring diagram out. I need a trigger wire.

Thanks

 

[Explorer]

I am confused by 2 on each terminal. Mine only had 1 on each. I ran a wire from each terminal to the relay. Now the oem and Stibel both work. Is it possible that the extra wires are for some after market item? A 12 volt probe light would help.
Roger

 

[Flamewinger]

I guess I meant a red wire to one horn terminal and black to the other. I checked the relay diagram and think I need to use both OEM horn wires, one to each relay 86 & 85. I'm used to a Goldwing with one OEM horn wire and the horn is grounded to frame.

Thanks

 

[Bob Denman]

I think that GeoffCee posted his wiring diagram for the relay in the "How To" section...

 

[wyliec]

I'm installing a set of extra horns and I'm having problems with the wiring. I am connecting to the OEM horn top wire to trigger the relay with 20amp fused power. When I connect the ground wire from relay I hear the relay click. (with ignition off) When I turn ignition on the horn blasts.

Are the wires to the OEM horn + & - ?

What wires go to the Relay 30 87 86 & 85 ???

Thanks

This may help. Check out post #81 (on below link). I followed his instructions. I have the OEM and a Stebel horn. All the terminals are mentioned in the link.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?5753-Now-mine/page4

 

[bluestratos]

Disregard the notes, this is a typical 12 volt automotive relay. 86 takes power from your battery, 85 goes to the horn (the horn is triggered by ground wire from the horn button. 30 also comes from the battery but should have a fuse in line and
87 goes to the hot wire on your horn. The negative on the horn goes to chassis ground. When the horn button is pushed, the relay will click and allow the higher amperage required for the horn to power up and since it is ground to the chassis it will sound. Call if you have any problems: Randy 360 815-4232

 

[MarkLawson]

I disconnected the two wires from the OEM horn and connected them to the new relay for the new horns. It's pretty straight forward and works, plus it doesn't add any additional draw on the OEM circuit.

 

[Bob Denman]

Here's what Geoff posted about the wiring... :thumbup:

Wiring the Nautilus

Starting with the basics, the relay supplied with the Stebel Nautilus horn is a solenoid-activated switch. Typically, a relay uses a low power circuit to control a high power circuit. The two circuits are separate and are wired through the relay separately.

The low power circuit for the relay already exists on the Spyder - it is the circuit which operates the stock horn when the horn button is pressed. Using Positaps to break into this will provide the relay's switching circuit with power. In addition to the Positaps you will also need a pair of insulated push-on connectors at the relay end.

The high power circuit is the one you have to introduce yourself using wires which are capable of carrying 25 amps. The Nautilus horn consumes about 18 amps, so a 25 amp wire provides a necessary safety margin. (Pushing high amperage down a wire which is not capable of carrying it will heat up the wire, destroy the insulation and it becomes a potential fire risk).

You will need two lengths of wire for this, I suggest red to supply a circuit from the battery (+) to the relay and black to connect an earth wire from the Nautilus (-) connector to the earthing point. You will also need high amperage push-on connectors at the relay end and also for the Nautilus's connections, an in-line fuse rated at 20 amps and a pair of insulated ring terminals to connect to the battery (+) and the earthing stud (-). I would recommend soldering your connectors, crimping is a poor substitute for solder unless carried out with professional crimping tools.

The relay's terminals are numbered. The numbering system used derives from German auto construction practices introduced many decades ago, but as obscure as this may seem today it remains a recognised standard of identifying which relay connections are which.

Terminals #85 and #86 are the low power switching circuit. Connect the Spyder's stock horn switch wires here. Terminal #85 conventionally goes to earth (-) but it will work either way round. When you press the horn switch on the handlebar it will send power through a solenoid inside the relay and activate (close) the high-power circuit.

Terminals #87 and #30 are the high power connections. Connect the (red) battery lead, which carries an in-line 20 amp fuse, to terminal #30. Connect relay terminal #87 to the Nautilus (+) connector.

Connect the Nautilus (-) connector to the battery earthing point with (black) 25 amp wire.

That's it. Tidy up the wiring and the job is done!

 

[Flamewinger]

Thank You. Thank You. I will post pics when I get them working.

 

[Flamewinger]

It works! I'm a happy "horny" Spyder rider! :-D. The OEM horn was not beepy enough. Thanks. One of two horns mounted to highway mounts.

 

[Bob Denman]

:congrats: :clap: :2thumbs:

 

[wyliec]

It works! I'm a happy "horny" Spyder rider! :-D. The OEM horn was not beepy enough. Thanks. View attachment 99351 One of two horns mounted to highway mounts.

You're not concerned about water getting on the electrical connections? Maybe I am not viewing it correctly; but, they or it looks to be exposed to the elements. Don't get me wrong; it looks good, and they are louder out in the open, rather than underneath the plastics.

 

[Flamewinger]

My Goldwing's horns were just behind the front tire and worked ok. I've got the terminals taped for extra measure. I didn't get red horns to hide inside. I'll find out Friday when I do 260 miles to be in Xmas parade. Hope to get home before it pours.

 

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: Question:
Since I'm rather terrified of electrical stuff... pps:
Assuming that you're not going to lay a heavy thumb on the horn button and leave it there...
Could it be possible to just replace the original piece of crap horn with a Stebel, and call it a day? :dontknow:
I'm figuring that the extra load on the system would be a problem, if you were to make a practice of long and repeated "hornage"...
The short blast just once in while; could that work with the OEM wiring?

 

[wyliec]

:shocked: Question:
Since I'm rather terrified of electrical stuff... pps:
Assuming that you're not going to lay a heavy thumb on the horn button and leave it there...
Could it be possible to just replace the original piece of crap horn with a Stebel, and call it a day? :dontknow:
I'm figuring that the extra load on the system would be a problem, if you were to make a practice of long and repeated "hornage"...
The short blast just once in while; could that work with the OEM wiring?

I tried it with just the Stebel, and then with the stebel + OEM. The two horns together sounded much better. Also, I have a volt meter on my spyder and I can see the voltage drop (with engine operating) from 14.17 down around 1 1/2 volts or more when I hit the horn. As far as wiring, I used the instructions mentioned above in my previous post. The two horns I used are wired in parallel for the control circuit. I think (but can't remember for sure) that any wire req'd for the stebel, I used 10 gauge (good to 30 amps).

You should use whatever instructions you are comfortable with. I also would read any instructions that come with any horn that you install, regarding wire sizing.

 

[Bob Denman]

Thanks, Wylie! :thumbup: