- Posts: 857
- Thank you received: 13
Horn wiring ?
- kzdcw
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- 77' KZ1000A
Instead of using my existing wiring harness and plugging into a new horn, the consensus seem to run a separate relay for it ?
What relay would you use and how would you wire this new horn into the the existing wiring harness ?
I like to keep the aftermarket horn in the stock location if possible.
Would this be the right wiring diagram to use ? If it is, what size relay and fuse would you use ?
77' KZ1000A
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- 650ed
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 15344
- Thank you received: 2829
Here is the wiring diagram for my additional horn:
Here is what it sounds like (click on FiammHorn_2017-07-07-2.mov below):
Attachment FiammHorn_2017-07-07-2.mov not found
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Scirocco
- Offline
- Premium Member
- Never change a running system
- Posts: 4228
- Thank you received: 2087
A relay can connect higher ampere without burning or melting together the switch button or over heating the cables
In the horn circuit you have to use cables with a thicker (cross-sectional area) copper core to get the best current flow.
A little detailed over view of the electric circuit
Michael
My 1975 Z 1 B 900 Project
www.kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/605133...ears-deep-sleep-mode
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- kzdcw
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- 77' KZ1000A
- Posts: 857
- Thank you received: 13
And the biggest question, If I'm going to run just "one" upgraded louder horn, do I really need to run a relay ?
77' KZ1000A
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- 650ed
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 15344
- Thank you received: 2829
I use the relay from JEGS Performance Products #555-10556 (see www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance-Products/555/10556/10002/-1 ). It has 5 wires, but you only use 4 of them. The diagram below explains that you use the connection from either 87 or 87A but not both. Ed
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- kzdcw
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- 77' KZ1000A
- Posts: 857
- Thank you received: 13
77' KZ1000A
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- 650ed
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 15344
- Thank you received: 2829
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Patton
- Offline
- KZr Legend
- Posts: 18640
- Thank you received: 2098
I concur.650ed wrote: . . . Fiamm . . . If you use it in place of the stock horn I would still put it on a separate relay to ensure there was no overloading of the wiring or horn button switch. Ed
As known, a relay enables using a larger-than-stock wire to provide voltage from the battery positive terminal to the horn, and sometimes may also be used to provide a heavier-than-stock ground wire from the horn to the horn button.
In more youthful days, I used dual Fiamm horns on a 1973 Z1 for several years as replacement for the stock horn without noticing any wire-overheating issue and without blowing the 20 amp fuse. I used the Fiamms in typical horn manner for producing relatively short blasts. At the time it simply didn't occur to me any need to test for stock wiring and/or fuse limitations, or by keeping the horn continuously blowing for a prolonged period.
The Fiamms were the closest to a semi truck horn that I could find at the time, and the loudest available without using the more ear-piercing air-horn style. And this may still be true today.
According to various reviews on Amazon, owners are still installing Fiamms without a relay, while using the stock wiring, and without blowing fuses.
All that said, using a relay does seem to be the safer and better practice when installing the higher amperage Fiamm horn(s). However, lack of a relay with Fiamms should not necessarily result in fuse-blowing or over-heated stock wiring when the horn button is pressed in typical short-blast horn-blowing fashion (not for prolonged continuous horn blasting -- who does that anyhow??).
Just my 2¢. :kiss:
Good Fortune!
1973 Z1
KZ900 LTD
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- kzdcw
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- 77' KZ1000A
- Posts: 857
- Thank you received: 13
77' KZ1000A
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- 650ed
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 15344
- Thank you received: 2829
Attachment FiammHorn_2017-07-09.mov not found
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- kzdcw
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- 77' KZ1000A
- Posts: 857
- Thank you received: 13
Maybe just keep what I have or look for something else, but if this is what aftermarket horns sound like other than an air horn, then the search is over.
77' KZ1000A
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- 650ed
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 15344
- Thank you received: 2829
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.