Electrical question on horn on 36

[zoegrant]

I would like to hook up an auxiliary horn in place of my original horn.
Can I run a push style button from a power source directly to the horn wires.
Would I need a fuse ?

[JSeery]

Sure you can hook up an auxiliary horn, but there are a number of considerations. Is your car 6v or 12v for one. The original horn(s) were direct wired from the starter switch hot terminal. You could wire it similarly, but I would use a relay. It is going to depend on how you want it to look. Horns are normally wired hot all the time and a horn button to ground is used to activate them. Horn circuits are not normally fused.

[zoegrant]

my car is still 6v...what is the advantage of using a relay ?

[JSeery]

Just a better way to do it, same reason Ford started using them. BUT, it will work as well as the original 36 horns do wired direct.

[zoegrant]

Thanks for the info...this forum is great.

[Juergen]

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You did not specify the type of auxiliary horn (1 wire or 2 wire). Ford used a one wire grounded horn after 1937 with a relay. The relay sent power to the horn with the return through ground. The two wire horn had power constantly to one wire and was grounded with the second wire through the switch.

[zoegrant]

I am going to use my existing 36 horn which is two wire....the wires going to my 36 horn show power in both wires, both the yellow wire and the blue wire.
SHOULD THERE BE POWER IN BOTH WIRES ?

I have had the electrical switch which encapsulates to horn switch out so many times to see what the horn problem was but have been unable to locate the problem...All my lights work.
I even pulled the steering inner shaft out and removed the horn button but could not see anything wrong.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by zoegrant

I am going to use my existing 36 horn which is two wire....the wires going to my 36 horn show power in both wires, both the yellow wire and the blue wire.
SHOULD THERE BE POWER IN BOTH WIRES ?

I have had the electrical switch which encapsulates to horn switch out so many times to see what the horn problem was but have been unable to locate the problem...All my lights work.
I even pulled the steering inner shaft out and removed the horn button but could not see anything wrong.

Did you show power on that wire at the button? It should have power on that wire, and by grounding that wire (which pushing the button normally does), the horn should blow. DD

[zoegrant]

There was power on that wire under the horn button.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by zoegrant

There was power on that wire under the horn button.

If that wire shows to be powered like you say, and you push the button WITHOUT the horn sounding, it sounds like the horn button connection is not contacting the grounded surface for some reason. DD

[zoegrant]

I presume that the end of the horn wire in the light switch pod is supposed to hit the center post in the light switch, correct ?

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by zoegrant

I presume that the end of the horn wire in the light switch pod is supposed to hit the center post in the light switch, correct ?

Here are some pics of the internals of that switch so you can picture how it works down there. Remember, the disc with the wire bundles hanging from the other side is the bottom-most part, with the wires exiting towards their destinations around the vehicle, including a wire FROM the horns. The second disc is the upper that clearly shows the blue horn wire that continues up to the horn button. Note the center, spring-loaded pass-thru connection carries current from the horns themselves toward the horn button at top of column, waiting to be grounded. This help any? DD








This 1936 Ford wiring diagram, provided compliments of Mac VanPelt, shows that the two horns (toward the RIGHT side of drawing) are wired "HOT", directly from BATT power, continuing through the horns, and routed through the light switch assembly toward the horn button.







…...

[zoegrant]

DD...thanks for the great pictures. It appears that I have all wires hooked properly as all light work. When I removed the steering column shaft I tested for continuity in case a wire was broken and all appeared good.
I misspoke in a previous post where I stated that I tested for power when I actually tested for continuity in the horn wire. At that time I did remove the horn button and all looked as I thought it should. I am now leaning toward the problem being in the horn button. I think somehow it is not making contact when depressed.
When I put the button back on the light switch in the wheel I did not see where it had to be aligned in any certain way. I just straightened the tabs on the back of the button and pushed it in and then bent the tabs back over again.
DOES IT HAVE TO LINE UP IN A CERTAIN WAY ?

[Steve in Denver]

Just curious, when you removed the horn button AND LONG ROD, did you have to unbolt the steering column from the dash and push the steering column down to pull the rod out through the rear window?

[zoegrant]

Steve....Yes I did...
Does anyone know the answer to my question on posting #13 ????????