by "Funktheduck" (funktheduck)
Published 03/30/2017 at 15:29
by "Funktheduck" (funktheduck)
Published 03/30/2017 at 15:29
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STARS: 1
As I’ve posted before, my horn is merely average. People either don’t here it or ignore it. The internet tells me these should help.
So my thoughts: I’m glad I was painting these anyway. The red had lots of visible bare spots where you could tell things bumped or brushed it while the paint was still wet. A few screws were harder to to remove than others because they had been tightened over the wet paint and the paint was glued to them. Overall for the price of $40 on Amazon they’re certainly not bad. Easy to take apart (just need a Phillips head screw driver (#2 size) and either a wrench or socket (I used 9/32 but it’s probably metric). There’s a paper gasket between the cage and horn part and another between the horn and back.
Ease of disassembly and relative few parts means it would be pretty easy to be creative with paint. Possibly even swap out screws to something shiny or painted as well if that’s your thing. I like how my car blends in so I went with flat black. I don’t want or need anything to make it stand out.
Part two will be installation. The one thing I’ve found specific to my car says I have to remove the front bumper cover/grille but hopefully I can get around that. I plan on replacing the current horn as opposed to running a separate switch for ease of installation and in the future removal when I get a new car. No need to splice into existing wires.
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
03/30/2017 at 15:34, STARS: 1
A while back I was researching the Hella and Bosch suptertone horns pretty intensively because I want my Ranchero to sound extremely loud, with presence. One thing I’m left wondering because I haven’t found an answer is whether the 24V low note supertones will actuate on 12V at roughly half the frequency. Because that would be awesome.
"Funktheduck" (funktheduck)
03/30/2017 at 15:36, STARS: 0
Only 1 way to find out....
"Takuro Spirit" (takurospirit)
03/30/2017 at 15:38, STARS: 0
Did you get a relay and wiring kit with yours?
Because they’re only going to sound their loudest when run at a direct 12v from a relay.
I could have spliced mine together and run them off the single factory horn wire, but didn’t. Because LOUD.
From meh:
To MEEP!
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
03/30/2017 at 15:47, STARS: 1
I mean, on the one hand it’s designed for 24V, so sustained undervoltage would probably burn it up. On the other hand, exactly how sustained is a horn? and it’s a freaking electric motor, so it should have at least a little voltage flexibility. Most hilarious possibility, the low voltage causing a “bark” as it starts and a rise to pitch over a second or two. I wonder if it would be better with a starter capacitor...
It would be possible to get a step-up for 12V to 24V if the 24V horns flat out wouldn’t work, and they wouldn’t be a return/wasted time hassle that way. Otherwise, might have to end up compromising on 19V if that would work instead - could test with a DeWalt battery or something.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06W5CMH95?psc=1
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
03/30/2017 at 15:55, STARS: 0
That red paint was total shit.
"Shoop" (shoopdawoop993)
03/30/2017 at 16:02, STARS: 0
How did you decide on these vs the sharptones?
"Funktheduck" (funktheduck)
03/30/2017 at 16:02, STARS: 0
Definitely not good but for $40 not really terrible. Although, I would expect better from a company like Hella
"Funktheduck" (funktheduck)
03/30/2017 at 16:03, STARS: 0
Originally I was gonna go with the sharptones. I liked the pitch a little better. But Amazon had the Super tones for a little cheaper. I still have Amazon gift cards from Christmas.
"Funktheduck" (funktheduck)
03/30/2017 at 16:06, STARS: 0
I’m thinking it would be more likely to be either a weak horn or not work at all at 12v
"Shoop" (shoopdawoop993)
03/30/2017 at 16:07, STARS: 0
Hmmmmmmmm.
I think the super tones will be too high pitched to go on a truck.
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
03/30/2017 at 16:07, STARS: 1
With a product like this where it’s all about showing off that red paint for many folks it is even more important.
"My X-type is too a real Jaguar" (TomSlick)
03/30/2017 at 16:07, STARS: 1
Hella Sweet
"Funktheduck" (funktheduck)
03/30/2017 at 16:09, STARS: 0
Good point. I meant to write it but forgot: the paint was really inconsistent as well. A few spots were bare metal after one light swipe with the sand paper.
"Funktheduck" (funktheduck)
03/30/2017 at 16:10, STARS: 0
Probably depends on the truck. If I remember correctly the older Tacos had a high pitched horn
"My X-type is too a real Jaguar" (TomSlick)
03/30/2017 at 16:10, STARS: 0
You need to go vintage
"Shoop" (shoopdawoop993)
03/30/2017 at 16:11, STARS: 0
It’s a chebby.
"Funktheduck" (funktheduck)
03/30/2017 at 16:13, STARS: 0
It came with a relay but I’m just going to run it off the stock wiring for now. If I get courageous I may run some wires. The only difference between relays is the stock is 15A and the Hella is 30A. But together they only draw 11A.
"Funktheduck" (funktheduck)
03/30/2017 at 16:14, STARS: 2
Need those giant air compressed horns then
"TysMagic" (twjeffery)
03/30/2017 at 16:22, STARS: 1
i loved my air horns
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
03/30/2017 at 16:23, STARS: 1
They look way better flat black.
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
03/30/2017 at 16:37, STARS: 1
The voltage determines the electric field strength, which can determine whethere there’s enough oomph to start. The horn also has to have sufficient current to turn over, and ideal peak current is based on the voltage divided by the impedance - with the impedance of the rotor determined by both static and dynamic loads and by internal resistance. With equal impedance, the motor turns over half as fast with half the current in steady state... but you wouldn’t see equal impedance exactly. Lower dynamic loads, for one. There is, however, a good reason for bigger wires, because if something else handicaps the current (non-ideal peak current)...
Because the pitch is based on the motor speed, *if it could start turning over* from 12V it would be both somewhat quieter and lower pitched. Which, I mean, obviously. It would not, however, be exactly the same as running the horn with sufficient voltage and insufficient current capacity. Some differences.
The whole starting impedance thing and whether the horn would start is hard to just guess.
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
03/30/2017 at 16:38, STARS: 0
See, I like multi-level “chord” horn setups, but I’m not so sure that matches as well as dual tone for what I want - also not a big fan of building an air setup. Would like to stay a little simpler.
"Funktheduck" (funktheduck)
03/30/2017 at 17:39, STARS: 0
You just took me back to high school physics
"Funktheduck" (funktheduck)
03/30/2017 at 17:40, STARS: 0
I did somewhat think about those but decided on the easy route. But.....my truck has a pretty pathetic horn
"TysMagic" (twjeffery)
03/31/2017 at 09:06, STARS: 0
I know they’re douche baggy, but so much fun! Loved having a set in my bronco. The compressor was just the right size for my center console. Found a great mount right under the front bumper. It was a lovely set up
"shawnababyyy" (shawnababyyy)
02/19/2019 at 17:48, STARS: 0
Can you paint the other part? The part that is black on the inside