Feb 13, 2015, 01:41 PM
Last edit by: IB Advertising
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The Everything Breakout Thread
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 310
From: "Old Hangtown" Placerville Ca.
Ok, this is getting weird.
At church today, a friend suggested trying to reverse the terminal connections on the horn. He says since the polarity is not obviously marked, I may have connected it "+" to "-" and he insists it makes a difference.
But at this point, I am thinking I'll just return the horn. I don't need more mysteries in my life, especially on a safety item.
Jim G
At church today, a friend suggested trying to reverse the terminal connections on the horn. He says since the polarity is not obviously marked, I may have connected it "+" to "-" and he insists it makes a difference.
But at this point, I am thinking I'll just return the horn. I don't need more mysteries in my life, especially on a safety item.
Jim G
Last edited by Rocker B; Jun 5, 2016 at 03:15 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,710
Likes: 528
From: Lethbridge, Alberta Canada
If it's convenient, try reversing the terminals on the horn first. I can't get back to my bike today to try it myself.
Jim G
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 310
From: "Old Hangtown" Placerville Ca.
It's not that doing it is difficult. It is the mess it creates: more wiring strung along the chassis, and another set of connectors to the battery terminals that already have too many connections on my bike. I don't like the idea of yet more non-factory wiring.
If it's convenient, try reversing the terminals on the horn first. I can't get back to my bike today to try it myself.
Jim G
If it's convenient, try reversing the terminals on the horn first. I can't get back to my bike today to try it myself.
Jim G
Last edited by Rocker B; Jun 5, 2016 at 04:18 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,710
Likes: 528
From: Lethbridge, Alberta Canada
I'll need to remove the horn to get to and reverse the connection, (you know how tight it is) but I'll try to get to it in a bit, and let you know....but, if I do run a new wire it will actually look better!!! I would come from the top, under the tank and down, to hide it... and would remove the more noticeable, stock wire and covering..
It's disheartening how much of the srtock stuff on modern bikes and car is simply crap. Footpegs, mirrors, and horns are prime examples. I think the reason the stock horn is so wimpy is because the wimpy wiring that HD used can't handle the current needed to feed a truly audible horn that also has suitably masculine low frequency tones (low freqeuncy tones require much more power to produce). Yeah, I'd love to replace that wimpy wiring with something more substantial, but not if it means hanging more wiring from the horn location all the way back to the battery and adding yet another direct battery connection. Instead, I want a much higher quality horn that makes more sound, and a more PLEASING sound, with not much more power than the stock horn uses to produce its pathetic wimper.
I guess I have to keep looking - unless my friend at church is right about the polarity making a difference. He MIGHT be right because the bike uses chassis grounding.
Jim G
Last edited by JimGnitecki; Jun 5, 2016 at 04:51 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 310
From: "Old Hangtown" Placerville Ca.
Unfortunately, I don't think so. From the Ness instructions that came with the wiring harness included in my Ness horn kit, you insert their harness BETWEEN the stock horn wiring and the horn, and then also run the Ness wiring back to the battery. This is because you need that stock wiring to get the power released by pressing the horn pushbutton to the Ness relay. This leaves a LOT of additional wiring on the bike, even if you cutout the excess provided in the Ness wiring bundle. Turns me off. I like clean and simple.
Jim G
Jim G
Last edited by Rocker B; Jun 5, 2016 at 05:28 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,710
Likes: 528
From: Lethbridge, Alberta Canada
Oh ok, I guess I could install the harness up high by the horn, and still run the wiring back under the tank, where at least nothing new would be visible?? If not, I'll probably just leave it as is, I get 2-4 honks per ride, and I don't think I've honked it 3 times in 8 months...LOL
Jim G
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 27
Likes: 2
From: Houston, TX
Thanks,
Last edited by Mencho; Jun 5, 2016 at 06:33 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 310
From: "Old Hangtown" Placerville Ca.
Not sure, that is strange, maybe Ness changed something, might be louder now, drawing more ????...but I did just try reversing the connectors with about the same result, I get about three (on average) 2-3 second bursts before it quits. Shut it off, start it back up and it does the same....
Last edited by Rocker B; Jun 5, 2016 at 06:36 PM.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,710
Likes: 528
From: Lethbridge, Alberta Canada
Not sure, that is strange, maybe Ness changed something, might be louder now, drawing more ????...but I did just try reversing the connectors with about the same result, I get about three (on average) 2-3 second bursts before it quits. Shut it off, start it back up and it does the same....
Thanks for doing the test, Rocker B.
Jim G
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,710
Likes: 528
From: Lethbridge, Alberta Canada
Actually Rocker B, there IS one more thing you can try. Try the following "learn" process for the ECM, which I am basing pourely on the learn process used when LED lighting is installed in place of incandescent lamps on our bikes:
- Turn the ignition to "on"
- Turn on the Hazard lights (puts the ECM into "learn" mode)
- Press the horn button (once, or multiple times?? Maybe multiple times, but not sufficient number of times, or sufficient duraiton, to trigger "shutoff" of the horn)
- Turn off the ignition
This is really just a last desperate thing to try before either adding the Ness wiring harness or returning the horn. it is based on the idea that the ECM might be able to "learn" that the new current amperage for the horn is "ok" in the same way that it learns that the new lower current amperage for LEDs is ok.
Jim G
- Turn the ignition to "on"
- Turn on the Hazard lights (puts the ECM into "learn" mode)
- Press the horn button (once, or multiple times?? Maybe multiple times, but not sufficient number of times, or sufficient duraiton, to trigger "shutoff" of the horn)
- Turn off the ignition
This is really just a last desperate thing to try before either adding the Ness wiring harness or returning the horn. it is based on the idea that the ECM might be able to "learn" that the new current amperage for the horn is "ok" in the same way that it learns that the new lower current amperage for LEDs is ok.
Jim G