New horn not working with lights?

[Big Dogg]

I've wanted to upgrade the horn on the bike for a while now, but wanted something as close to plug-and-play as possible. I seen a Ring 'High Performance Horn' in Hellfrauds that looked like it would fit in place of the standard horn without any modification.

I bought the horn and managed to get it fitted with a little fiddling around and I had to lengthen the existing horn wires as the connectors were on the opposite side of the new horn.

All tested and working as it should, except the horn doesn't sound when I have the lights switched on (well it makes a very short sound), unless I hold the revs up on the bike. The neutral light dims way down too when I press the horn button while the lights are on.

Would a relay fix this issue or is the battery on its way out and unable to supply the current needed to the horn while the lights are on?

The only other aftermarket electrical item I have fitted to the bike is a USB charger and I wasn't using it to charge anything while this issue was occurring.

Thanks

[Val]

I've wanted to upgrade the horn on the bike for a while now, but wanted something as close to plug-and-play as possible. I seen a Ring 'High Performance Horn' in Hellfrauds that looked like it would fit in place of the standard horn without any modification.

I bought the horn and managed to get it fitted with a little fiddling around and I had to lengthen the existing horn wires as the connectors were on the opposite side of the new horn.

All tested and working as it should, except the horn doesn't sound when I have the lights switched on (well it makes a very short sound), unless I hold the revs up on the bike. The neutral light dims way down too when I press the horn button while the lights are on.

Would a relay fix this issue or is the battery on its way out and unable to supply the current needed to the horn while the lights are on?

The only other aftermarket electrical item I have fitted to the bike is a USB charger and I wasn't using it to charge anything while this issue was occurring.

Thanks

Yes new relay should fix that the new horn is probably too much watts, do you have any details from the new horn label somewhere how much watts or ampers is  the new horn? W or A  marking?

[Big Dogg]

I don't think it gives an Amp or Watts rating, but I'll have a look at it later and see. Thanks.

[Freck]

I seriously doubt that the new horn would be drawing too much current for the bikes electrical system to cope with, unless it's a ships horn!  :lol
The more likely explanation is that either the regulator or the battery/charging system is playing up and can't cope with the load required with the lights etc switched on.
I'd check to see what the battery voltage is with the engine off, then running, then with lights on at idle and while increasing the revs.

[celticdog]

Interesting . . . Was everything running ok electrically, before you fitted the horn? I'd unplug the horn and test the battery

[Ian-man]

Bad earth. Try running temp earth's for horn and lights circuit.

[Red Ceri]

I bought what sounds like the same horn and like you had no problems until running lights etc when the horn would sound like a constipated mouse.


Added a relay and everything works perfectly, definately miles better than the standard horn

[Big Dogg]

I fitted the relay last night.. Took me a while because I thought the brown wire was -ve and the red wire was +ve, but it turned out to be the other way round. All seemed to be working perfectly last night when I got it all fitted, but I'll hopefully get the bike out a run this evening & confirm that it's all working as it should be.


As for electrical faults, I do have another issue that I posted about before, where my pass light causes the dash to reset (oil light etc. comes on for a second like you've just turned the ignition on) - also sometimes happens when I turn my headlights on. I cleaned up the connectors under the front fairing, as suggested by other foccers, and it seems to have helped a little, but hasn't completely cured the problem. I don't think that's related to the issue I was having here with the horn though...