Horn Inoperable

[willbaker13]

We had a day of ~80 degrees last week and I took the opportunity to start the boat and let it run for 10 min or so to keep the batteries charged. We're now back down into the low 60's. Anyway, I noticed the horn is not working. I ran out of time and had to leave but thinking of going up to the boat tomorrow to see if I can troubleshoot. Plan on starting with the fuse, if that looks good, will check the connections on the switch, then go to the bow and pull off the grill to check connections at the horn. If all looks good what is the best way to determine if the issue is the switch or the horn itself? Thanks!

 

[Denny]

Bypass the switch and hook it direct to the battery through a fuse for safety.

 

[Denny]

As horns get older and are subjected to weather conditions sometimes the contacts will get stuck. We would tap on the horn with something to see if that was the problem. Hard enough to shake it loose, but not too hard to brake it. Lol

 

[Iggy]

Bypass the switch and hook it direct to the battery through a fuse for safety.

I would bypass switch with a small jumper or needle nose pilers first. If no sound than break out your meter. Do you have voltage at the switch? If yes than fuse is good and no need to go directly to the battery. The next test would be do you have voltage at the horn when the switch is depressed? If yes the horn is bad.

If you have no voltage at the switch, than the fuse or breaker is bad/or tripped. Which should be the first thing to check! You could just have a bad connection at the switch.

That's how I would do it, but there is more than one way to do things.

 

[Denny]

Iggy's way is the educated and proper way to test electrical situations. I never was any good with meters, so I am a trial and error, hunt and peck mechanic. My 50 year claim to fame was body and paint work in the auto industry.

I did not need them then to do my work. But what I have learn in todays auto world, no matter which end of the auto trade you go into, you need to know it all, because of all the computers and what could happen if you unplug the wrong thing at the wrong time.

 

[willbaker13]

Finally got a chance to get up to the boat today. Everything looked good and there is power getting to the connections for the horn so it appears that the horn needs to be replaced. The horn looks to be a FIAMM - hopefully they are easy to come by...

 

[Denny]

Finally got a chance to get up to the boat today. Everything looked good and there is power getting to the connections for the horn so it appears that the horn needs to be replaced. The horn looks to be a FIAMM - hopefully they are easy to come by...

Give it a couple of light taps with a hammer, for grins and giggles to see if you can wake it up. Lol

 

[Denny]

Do your horns look like these, if so you can have them. I replaced them with air horns.

 

[willbaker13]

Give it a couple of light taps with a hammer, for grins and giggles to see if you can wake it up. Lol

Gave that a shot (a few times ) - the weatherproof membrane was all torn and I'm sure water has gone through the grille and down into the horn.

Took me a while but I found the FIAMM North America website and reached out to ask about a replacement as it appears the original horn model # is no longer made. They are shipping a new horn, updated part#, under warranty at no cost. They didn't even ask how old the original was. Love to see that customer service isn't dead and buried yet...

 

[willbaker13]

Do your horns look like these, if so you can have them. I replaced them with air horns.
View attachment 1954View attachment 1954

Great photo! Appreciate the offer but ours is cut into the bow by the docking lights.

 

[Denny]

Love to see that customer service isn't dead and buried yet... Nice to hear those words from the past.
Back when my girl was 9 years young on one of hydridic pistons on the trim tab broke at the upper hinge.
West Marine sold it as an unit for lots of money.
I called Bennett, to see if I could buy just the hinge that screwed onto the hydraulic cylinder and they sent me the unit for free.
Enjoy your free new horn.