The Ford Barn

Colonel Biggs · 10-23-2018, 08:47 PM

Les Andrews' Mechaniccs Handbook says that each of the field coils consists of 20-guage insulated copper with 48 turns, or windings. The horn that I have disassembled has maybe five turns on each side, but the armature does spin. From appearance, it had to have been wound many, many decades ago, but that doesn't make it original. Is there enough space to get 48 turns of wire? Or, am I missing something? Regrettably, I don't have another horn at this location to tear down for comparison.

Tom Wesenberg · 10-24-2018, 12:38 AM

Are you sure you aren't just looking at the top layer, as there are more layers of wire below that. Only 5 turns wouldn't give much magnetism and would draw pretty high amps.

Badpuppy · 10-24-2018, 10:14 AM

If the armature spins well under power, let the dog sleep. If not, problem is nearly always commutator and/or brushes. Field coils should never burn out.

Colonel Biggs · 10-26-2018, 04:13 PM

Tom raised a good point. The oil and dirt on the field coil windings is pretty thick. Because some of the wire casing has worn away in spots, and because the casing is also very soft in spots, I did not want to do too much digging. Having said that, there does appear to be further windings below the layer of grime, so I guess that I can assume the coils are full windings. (I suppose that I would have to go to The Henry Ford to obtain info on the number of turns used, wire gauge, etc., but for now I will assume that Les Andrews is correct in his description.)

I used some CRC red coating on the windings to assist in the insulation of the cable. I also resoldered the connections at the connector bar. Cleaned up the armature, and then put it to the test with a battery charger. It blared away. As said earlier, let the sleeping dog lie.

Thanks for the inputs. Sorry for the delayed response.

Mike V. Florida · 10-28-2018, 01:20 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Colonel Biggs

I suppose that I would have to go to The Henry Ford to obtain info on the number of turns used, wire gauge, etc., .

You don't have to go but it's always a great trip. You can always just do what others have done after reverse engineering the horn they had.

10-23-2018, 08:47 PM	#1
Colonel Biggs Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 156	Sparton Horn Field Coils Les Andrews' Mechaniccs Handbook says that each of the field coils consists of 20-guage insulated copper with 48 turns, or windings. The horn that I have disassembled has maybe five turns on each side, but the armature does spin. From appearance, it had to have been wound many, many decades ago, but that doesn't make it original. Is there enough space to get 48 turns of wire? Or, am I missing something? Regrettably, I don't have another horn at this location to tear down for comparison.

10-24-2018, 12:38 AM	#2
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Sparton Horn Field Coils Are you sure you aren't just looking at the top layer, as there are more layers of wire below that. Only 5 turns wouldn't give much magnetism and would draw pretty high amps.

10-24-2018, 10:14 AM	#3
Badpuppy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Guthrie, OK Posts: 1,145	Re: Sparton Horn Field Coils If the armature spins well under power, let the dog sleep. If not, problem is nearly always commutator and/or brushes. Field coils should never burn out.

10-26-2018, 04:13 PM	#4
Colonel Biggs Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 156	Re: Sparton Horn Field Coils Tom raised a good point. The oil and dirt on the field coil windings is pretty thick. Because some of the wire casing has worn away in spots, and because the casing is also very soft in spots, I did not want to do too much digging. Having said that, there does appear to be further windings below the layer of grime, so I guess that I can assume the coils are full windings. (I suppose that I would have to go to The Henry Ford to obtain info on the number of turns used, wire gauge, etc., but for now I will assume that Les Andrews is correct in his description.) I used some CRC red coating on the windings to assist in the insulation of the cable. I also resoldered the connections at the connector bar. Cleaned up the armature, and then put it to the test with a battery charger. It blared away. As said earlier, let the sleeping dog lie. Thanks for the inputs. Sorry for the delayed response.