The Ford Barn

Jwawhite · 09-17-2017, 04:40 PM

The 56 two door has Old and New (94) wiring. It looks like original wires to the horns and somewhere down the line is a modern relay and newer wires, under dash. The 30 amp fuse works for perhaps 10-15 honks and then the fuse goes. I might have an intermittent short or I was thinking the horns are on the way out but they still sound great. Should I try a larger? fuse or start tearing into the wires? New horns?

Dobie Gillis · 09-17-2017, 04:54 PM

I'd check out the wiring. A heavier fuse could mask a problem that needs fixing to avoid a possible future ummm, "thermal incident" as we say in the trade. You could try disconnecting one horn at a time and see if the fuse still pops.

40cpe · 09-17-2017, 05:22 PM

Dealing with auto electrics requires some basic equipment. A clamp/voltage/amp meter that reads DC volt and amps is essential. With this tool you can determine the total amps your horns draw and determine if one is drawing more than the other.
This is an example, there are others in all price ranges.

https://www.amazon.com/DMiotech-Digi...amp+volt+meter

rotorwrench · 09-17-2017, 05:42 PM

Vibrator coil operated horns use a fair amount of amperage to operate. Most Fords didn't use a fuse on them since it mas a momentary operating circuit. The OEM horn relay was always fairly close to the battery in the engine compartment. The hot wire to the relay generally comes from the battery side of the starter solenoid. One wire from the relay goes to the horns and the other to the switch up in the steering wheel. The switch is a ground path switch that simply grounds the relay to make it function the horn when the relay points close. Al lot of folks abandon the original horn switch when the wire shorts inside the steering column causing the horns to sound without the switch. A person has to make sure the wiring going up into the column is in good condition. Its common for problems to happen inside there.

I wouldn't use a fuse on the horns. If I was going to use a circuit protector, I'd use a circuit breaker that resets itself like Ford used for the lighting circuits for so many years.

Jwawhite · 09-17-2017, 07:25 PM

Thank you for responses. I've been sorting out the easy stuff first, a new horn wire was installed along with a new insulator pad on the back of the horn ring. When the issue first came up, I noticed the collar gone on the horn button and the insulator was never replaced, practicallly gone. I've installed relays before but never a resetting breaker, interesting. I am leaning towards horn failure, they "look" like the originals, main power wire enters the unit and it's "cloth"? covered. I'll take another look at the wires and try to figure out how to read an amp draw with my multimeter.

parklane · 09-18-2017, 09:23 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

In my younger days, we would use 6 volt horn on our 12 volt cars. Never used any type of fuse/breaker. They sure got peoples attention.

Daves55Sedan · 09-19-2017, 10:40 PM

The main enemy that plagues these old Spartan horns is corrosion especially at the mounting brackets both where the horns connect to the brackets and where the brackets connect to the radiator support frame. But the worst location to look for corrosion is at the horn-to-bracket connection. If those studs are badly rusted as mine were, they could not be brought back to life (restore electrical continuity) even with the use of a tap and die set. If you could get clean bare metal at some part of the horn mounting studs, you could ignore the mounting brackets altogether, by just running a ground wire and connecting the ground wire to one of the horn studs and the other end connected to the body ground screw located on the front wall panel in front of the car battery.
You might also inspect the horn innards, by popping off the top hats. If there appears to be corrosion there, a good cleaning with a wire wheel in a drill might freshen them up, but once the metal has been compromised, they won't stay clean for long.
Insufficient case ground at the horns might not be your specific problem but it could be.

Jwawhite · 09-19-2017, 10:47 PM

Dave55Sedan....I was thinking of a ground issue also at the radiator support, will look into that near future. Was out today and bought some 40 amp fuses for now, here in So Cal you need a horn especially with SOME drivers.

09-17-2017, 04:40 PM	#1
Jwawhite Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Now on the Land of Sun City West, AZ Posts: 405	Can Old Dual Horns draw to much Amps? The 56 two door has Old and New (94) wiring. It looks like original wires to the horns and somewhere down the line is a modern relay and newer wires, under dash. The 30 amp fuse works for perhaps 10-15 honks and then the fuse goes. I might have an intermittent short or I was thinking the horns are on the way out but they still sound great. Should I try a larger? fuse or start tearing into the wires? New horns?

09-17-2017, 04:54 PM	#2
Dobie Gillis Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Middle TN Posts: 1,060	Re: Can Old Dual Horns draw to much Amps? I'd check out the wiring. A heavier fuse could mask a problem that needs fixing to avoid a possible future ummm, "thermal incident" as we say in the trade. You could try disconnecting one horn at a time and see if the fuse still pops.

09-17-2017, 05:22 PM	#3
40cpe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Star, MS Posts: 4,024	Re: Can Old Dual Horns draw to much Amps? Dealing with auto electrics requires some basic equipment. A clamp/voltage/amp meter that reads DC volt and amps is essential. With this tool you can determine the total amps your horns draw and determine if one is drawing more than the other. This is an example, there are others in all price ranges. https://www.amazon.com/DMiotech-Digi...amp+volt+meter

09-17-2017, 05:42 PM	#4
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,431	Re: Can Old Dual Horns draw to much Amps? Vibrator coil operated horns use a fair amount of amperage to operate. Most Fords didn't use a fuse on them since it mas a momentary operating circuit. The OEM horn relay was always fairly close to the battery in the engine compartment. The hot wire to the relay generally comes from the battery side of the starter solenoid. One wire from the relay goes to the horns and the other to the switch up in the steering wheel. The switch is a ground path switch that simply grounds the relay to make it function the horn when the relay points close. Al lot of folks abandon the original horn switch when the wire shorts inside the steering column causing the horns to sound without the switch. A person has to make sure the wiring going up into the column is in good condition. Its common for problems to happen inside there. I wouldn't use a fuse on the horns. If I was going to use a circuit protector, I'd use a circuit breaker that resets itself like Ford used for the lighting circuits for so many years.

09-17-2017, 07:25 PM	#5
Jwawhite Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Now on the Land of Sun City West, AZ Posts: 405	Re: Can Old Dual Horns draw to much Amps? Thank you for responses. I've been sorting out the easy stuff first, a new horn wire was installed along with a new insulator pad on the back of the horn ring. When the issue first came up, I noticed the collar gone on the horn button and the insulator was never replaced, practicallly gone. I've installed relays before but never a resetting breaker, interesting. I am leaning towards horn failure, they "look" like the originals, main power wire enters the unit and it's "cloth"? covered. I'll take another look at the wires and try to figure out how to read an amp draw with my multimeter. Last edited by Jwawhite; 09-17-2017 at 11:25 PM. Reason: Horn

09-18-2017, 09:23 PM	#6
parklane Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: St.Thomas, ON Canada Posts: 598	Re: Can Old Dual Horns draw to much Amps? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) In my younger days, we would use 6 volt horn on our 12 volt cars. Never used any type of fuse/breaker. They sure got peoples attention. __________________ If brains were wire, some couldn't short circuit a firefly

09-19-2017, 10:40 PM	#7
Daves55Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Granite City, Illinois Posts: 3,008	Re: Can Old Dual Horns draw to much Amps? The main enemy that plagues these old Spartan horns is corrosion especially at the mounting brackets both where the horns connect to the brackets and where the brackets connect to the radiator support frame. But the worst location to look for corrosion is at the horn-to-bracket connection. If those studs are badly rusted as mine were, they could not be brought back to life (restore electrical continuity) even with the use of a tap and die set. If you could get clean bare metal at some part of the horn mounting studs, you could ignore the mounting brackets altogether, by just running a ground wire and connecting the ground wire to one of the horn studs and the other end connected to the body ground screw located on the front wall panel in front of the car battery. You might also inspect the horn innards, by popping off the top hats. If there appears to be corrosion there, a good cleaning with a wire wheel in a drill might freshen them up, but once the metal has been compromised, they won't stay clean for long. Insufficient case ground at the horns might not be your specific problem but it could be.

09-19-2017, 10:47 PM	#8
Jwawhite Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Now on the Land of Sun City West, AZ Posts: 405	Re: Can Old Dual Horns draw to much Amps? Dave55Sedan....I was thinking of a ground issue also at the radiator support, will look into that near future. Was out today and bought some 40 amp fuses for now, here in So Cal you need a horn especially with SOME drivers.