Horn Help

Should I be getting constant power to the horn wire? Each time I hooked it up it sparks like I am getting power there....
 
JerMar said:
Should I be getting constant power to the horn wire? Each time I hooked it up it sparks like I am getting power there....
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Yes, see reply #3 first paragraph.

To be sure, you should have voltage available at both terminals until the horn button is pushed to supply the ground for the motor, but when you touch the power wire to the terminal you should NOT get a spark. If you get a spark then you have a short.
 
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Tom Wesenberg said:
Yes, see reply #3 first paragraph.

To be sure, you should have voltage available at both terminals until the horn button is pushed to supply the ground for the motor, but when you touch the power wire to the terminal you should NOT get a spark. If you get a spark then you have a short.
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Well it did spark when I touched the wire from cutout to the horn...So I must have a short right? I am not sure where this would be I have new light wiring harness, new battery cables (Negative grounded tot he frame), New wire going from terminal box to top of starter and to cutout. Not but a couple wires left...
 
JerMar said:
Well it did spark when I touched the wire from cutout to the horn...So I must have a short right? I am not sure where this would be I have new light wiring harness, new battery cables (Negative grounded tot he frame), New wire going from terminal box to top of starter and to cutout. Not but a couple wires left...
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It is somewhere in the horn.

Positive should be to the frame if 6 volt.

Bob
 
Ok the guy that rebuilt the horn received it back in the mail today and hooked it up (6V to left and neg to right and it began to spin and so he tightened the screw a couple of turns and it works perfectly...I am not sure what the deal is now...I tried wire from battery to horn and I got nothing...
 
JerMar said:
Ok the guy that rebuilt the horn received it back in the mail today and hooked it up (6V to left and neg to right and it began to spin and so he tightened the screw a couple of turns and it works perfectly...I am not sure what the deal is now...I tried wire from battery to horn and I got nothing...
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Did you have a + and - from the battery to the horn, you need both.

Bob
 
Now that I just read more information, I don't think the horn ever had a problem. When you earlier talked about getting a spark when connecting the horn, I thought you were connecting the terminal right at the horn. Now it sounds like you were touching the horn/lights terminal to the cutout and getting a spark. That one terminal feeds two circuits, and the light circuit is likely where your short is.

Sometimes it's shorted where the plug connects to the headlamp, or it might be the brake switch terminal shorted to ground. You'll have to trace the wires and locate the short. It's very easy to unplug each headlamp socket and see if the terminals are touching each other or ground.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
Now that I just read more information, I don't think the horn ever had a problem. When you earlier talked about getting a spark when connecting the horn, I thought you were connecting the terminal right at the horn. Now it sounds like you were touching the horn/lights terminal to the cutout and getting a spark. That one terminal feeds two circuits, and the light circuit is likely where your short is.

Sometimes it's shorted where the plug connects to the headlamp, or it might be the brake switch terminal shorted to ground. You'll have to trace the wires and locate the short. It's very easy to unplug each headlamp socket and see if the terminals are touching each other or ground.
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I het the spark when I take the wire from the cutout and touch the horn terminal no matter if the neg wire is hooked up or not...
 
Bob C said:
The negative goes to the starter switch and the positive goes to the frame.
The Model A is a positive ground system as were Fords up till 1956.

Bob
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Ok, then this is my problem right? I have positive cable going to starter and the negative going to the frame....
 
JerMar said:
Ok, then this is my problem right? I have positive cable going to starter and the negative going to the frame....
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That's only a problem if you have a diode cutout, but it should be corrected to be like original with positive ground anyway.
 
JerMar said:
I het the spark when I take the wire from the cutout and touch the horn terminal no matter if the neg wire is hooked up or not...
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This isn't telling me anything because it's not specific enough and I don't know what is connected at the ends of the light wire contacts and the horn wire contacts. With the horn not connected to any wires, does the horn/light wire terminal spark when you touch it to the cutout?

It's best when installing all new wires to leave the wire off the starter switch, then as you connect each new wire or harness, touch the wire to the starter switch and see if it sparks. If it sparks, then fix the short before connecting any more wires or harness.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
This isn't telling me anything because it's not specific enough and I don't know what is connected at the ends of the light wire contacts and the horn wire contacts. With the horn not connected to any wires, does the horn/light wire terminal spark when you touch it to the cutout?

It's best when installing all new wires to leave the wire off the starter switch, then as you connect each new wire or harness, touch the wire to the starter switch and see if it sparks. If it sparks, then fix the short before connecting any more wires or harness.
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Ok I put a brand new original style (w/o cowl light) light harness in. When I take the wire from the terminal box and hook it to the cut out I get spark. When I take the horn wire from the cutout to the horn terminal I get sparks while touching it there.

Ok I'll try your technique

Thanks again for all the help!
 
JerMar said:
Ok I put a brand new original style (w/o cowl light) light harness in. When I take the wire from the terminal box and hook it to the cut out I get spark. When I take the horn wire from the cutout to the horn terminal I get sparks while touching it there.

Ok I'll try your technique

Thanks again for all the help!
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OK, at this point you need to stop and see why you get a spark. If the horn/light harness wire isn't connected to the cutout, then the cutout or generator must be the problem. Make sure the cutout screws aren't too long and shorting something, and make sure the insulating washers are on the two cutout terminals.

The Model A parts houses sell the correct screws and insulators.
 
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