Lighting it up! wiring help.
- Thread starter kitesrfun1
- Start date
Kitersfun1, there are a couple of ways to test out your horn. First, use one of your alligator clip, connect it to the positive terminal of the battery. Use the other end of the alligator clip, connect to the positive terminal of your horn. Now, use another alligator clip and connect it to the NEGATIVE terminal of your horn. Then momentary touch the other side of the second alligator clip to the NEGATIVE terminal of the battery and verify that the horn works first. The horn needs both positive and negative connections.
I don't know if you have a volt meter, but if you do, you can proceed to check continuity of the horn button.
Pretty much set the volt meter to the diode symbol (it'll beep if you touch the positive and negative lead of the volt meter together). Next connect the positive lead (red) of the voltmeter to the yellow wire of the switch, and the negative lead to the brown wire of the switch. Now press the horn button and the voltmeter should beep. If it doesn't, either you have a bad switch or the color code of your switch is wrong. You might need to press the switch hard. It might just be a sticky button.
If the switch works, and the horn work independently, then you should draw up what is currently wired to your system. That way it's easier for us to see.
I don't know if you have a volt meter, but if you do, you can proceed to check continuity of the horn button.
Pretty much set the volt meter to the diode symbol (it'll beep if you touch the positive and negative lead of the volt meter together). Next connect the positive lead (red) of the voltmeter to the yellow wire of the switch, and the negative lead to the brown wire of the switch. Now press the horn button and the voltmeter should beep. If it doesn't, either you have a bad switch or the color code of your switch is wrong. You might need to press the switch hard. It might just be a sticky button.
If the switch works, and the horn work independently, then you should draw up what is currently wired to your system. That way it's easier for us to see.
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Thanks Magna, I know the Horn works its just a matter of the control switch working with the horn. We know the control switch works with my rear and front turn signals, but for some reason the turn signal switch only seem to work. I know every light and horn component works when I test them directly to my battery or a seperate switch.
Unfortunately I don't have a voltmeter but when I opened up the control switch everything looks soldered and intact.
Anyone have any other ideas?
Unfortunately I don't have a voltmeter but when I opened up the control switch everything looks soldered and intact.
Anyone have any other ideas?
If your wiring is correct for your horn switch then maybe the switch has a very sticky button. I had a really sticky horn button on my. I had to pressed it real hard to get it to work. You might have to open it up and check the contact on the switch. Make sure that it is making contact when you press the button.
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Hey manga, so it wasn't a sticky button issue, but possibly a faulty or damaged wire. I tried connecting my wires directly to my switches terminal after I opened up the controller housing. Once I did that i noticed a very faint beep sound after I pushed its button. Does this mean it's not trying enough power?
My two 15a amps are connected and I also tried a combo of a 20a amp but no success.
Any thoughts guys?
My two 15a amps are connected and I also tried a combo of a 20a amp but no success.
Any thoughts guys?
You only hear a faint beep on the horn or the voltmeter?
Do you have pics or drawing of your connections from the battery to the terminal and to the horn button?
Do you have pics or drawing of your connections from the battery to the terminal and to the horn button?
Kitersfun,
Here's a typical push button setup
I did not include the fuse nor the mainswitch in the drawing, and if you connected a + wire straight to your horn switch, and the other side of the horn switch to the horn terminal, and only get a faint beep? Then either the push button is not making full contact with the brown or the yellow wire, or a loose connection.
If you check the contact points on both side and make sure it's making contact between the brown and yellow and retest and it works, then connect your fuse, retest, then your main switch and retest. This is to rule out any loose connections in the loop, and I"m also assuming your battery is in good shape and the horn works when you connect your battery straight to the horn.
Here's a typical push button setup
I did not include the fuse nor the mainswitch in the drawing, and if you connected a + wire straight to your horn switch, and the other side of the horn switch to the horn terminal, and only get a faint beep? Then either the push button is not making full contact with the brown or the yellow wire, or a loose connection.
If you check the contact points on both side and make sure it's making contact between the brown and yellow and retest and it works, then connect your fuse, retest, then your main switch and retest. This is to rule out any loose connections in the loop, and I"m also assuming your battery is in good shape and the horn works when you connect your battery straight to the horn.
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hello, just wanted to put in my 2cents, i have turn signals front and rear, two truck spotter lights for head lights, a tail light/break light combo from a lowboy trailer, and air horns with a compressor, running off a 12volt batt. it works great, allso have a little led head band light in front for around town, head lights to bright freaks drivers out, lol, i have ground to bike, and hot to the switch's , 1 for turn sigs 1 for head light 1 for tail light, mounted on a dashboard i made on the handle bars, horn button on bars near thumb and my kill switch is my break light, it works for me,, if this can help anyone out,,
bill
bill
Thanks Magna! Ya I'm assuming its a faulty wire because because the horn only makes a sound when I connect my wires directly to the horn switchs terminals and not to the wires. I know that the horn works when I use a seperate on/off toggle switch from radio shack- which also confirms the battery works too.
While I'm guessing the issue is faulty wires; the controller concerns me further because it's headlight swith doesn't seem to power up my headlight. The only switch I can confirm that works on the controller is the turn signal switchs. Does that strike up any thoughts for anyone?
I'm pretty fed up and was thinking I should order up a new controller. (my motorcycle handlebar controller can be seen in the first or second page of this thread)
Thanks guys
While I'm guessing the issue is faulty wires; the controller concerns me further because it's headlight swith doesn't seem to power up my headlight. The only switch I can confirm that works on the controller is the turn signal switchs. Does that strike up any thoughts for anyone?
I'm pretty fed up and was thinking I should order up a new controller. (my motorcycle handlebar controller can be seen in the first or second page of this thread)
Thanks guys
Hey bill do you have a link to your setup? It sounds cool. And do you have a wiring diagram by any chance?
Thanks
Kitersfun,
If you want, you can send me your controller. I'll look into it and see if I can fix it for you. Let me know.
If you want, you can send me your controller. I'll look into it and see if I can fix it for you. Let me know.
Thanks Magna I really appreciate that. I'm going to give it just one more try by pulling my controller off the handle bar and really dissect and inspect it. It's just going to be a pain to pull it out of the inside of my handle bars and unsolder my turn signals. If I fail once again I'll defintely send the little punk to you.
But before I do any of this,should I just get a voltmeter like you mentioned before, to really get number proof? I'm hoping it's not going to cost too much.
But before I do any of this,should I just get a voltmeter like you mentioned before, to really get number proof? I'm hoping it's not going to cost too much.
Harbor Freight sells them dirt cheap. They work fairly well too.
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-multimeter-98025.html
If you get their advertisement flyers in the mail check it out. Often they give these meters away for free with another purchase. Buy a $1.00 screwdriver and get a $5.50 meter for free.
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-multimeter-98025.html
If you get their advertisement flyers in the mail check it out. Often they give these meters away for free with another purchase. Buy a $1.00 screwdriver and get a $5.50 meter for free.
You can print this coupon out
for the same voltmeter.
If you zoom in on the link Gearnut provided, you'll see the diode symbol just above the word ON. If you do get it, first turn the selector to the diode symbol and touch the red and black lead together. It should beep indicating a solid connection. You can then connect the red lead from the volt meter to one of the horn button terminal, and the black lead to the other side of the horn button, then press the horn button to see if you will hear a the same beep. If you do, then move the lead to the red lead to the brown wire and black lead to the yellow wire and push the horn button again. It could be a really bad solder at the switch or they could be wired to the wrong switch.
.
for the same voltmeter.
If you zoom in on the link Gearnut provided, you'll see the diode symbol just above the word ON. If you do get it, first turn the selector to the diode symbol and touch the red and black lead together. It should beep indicating a solid connection. You can then connect the red lead from the volt meter to one of the horn button terminal, and the black lead to the other side of the horn button, then press the horn button to see if you will hear a the same beep. If you do, then move the lead to the red lead to the brown wire and black lead to the yellow wire and push the horn button again. It could be a really bad solder at the switch or they could be wired to the wrong switch.
.
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Of the 10 or so of those meters I have had in the past, none of them had the beeping feature. I look for a reading of "o.ooo" on the screen to indicate a direct short or in the case of checking a switch, the same reading to show perfect continuity through the switch's contacts. If you get a reading of o.oo2 that is good enough for a switch as well.
Gearnut,
Thanks for the correction. I used a lot of meter over the years, and never have that specific meter from HF. The beeping feature is pretty nice when I only need to verify continuity. Specially when i have to check a cable with a 50pins connector, or when we have a 20ft equipment that needed 2 people to verify a connection.
Thanks for the correction. I used a lot of meter over the years, and never have that specific meter from HF. The beeping feature is pretty nice when I only need to verify continuity. Specially when i have to check a cable with a 50pins connector, or when we have a 20ft equipment that needed 2 people to verify a connection.
Hope everyone is doing well and tuning in. I've finally got a voltmeter in the mail and followed Magna's instructuons.
here are my results:
Note: the readings fluctuate.
Brown & yellow wires from the switch -578 to -993
Horn: 002
Direct horn button terminals: nothing
I'll upload some pics too
here are my results:
Note: the readings fluctuate.
Brown & yellow wires from the switch -578 to -993
Horn: 002
Direct horn button terminals: nothing
I'll upload some pics too
here are some snaps of the voltmeter batt and amps. Does anyone think the amp wiring is faulty? haha
