Fiamm 125db horns for $5

[raygun]

Fiamms for $5.09. I bought 5, one for each of the bikes and one for my pickup. And got free shipping. check em out here.
http://www.amazon.com/FIAMM-72012-Note-Universal-Bracket/dp/B000DN7T3A/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1211853809&sr=1-12

[nhmaf]

HEy, that is a good deal - though the price for the high note horn is $15.    Still, for a pair for just over $20 that is a good price - gotta shop for a relay now to go with them..

[raygun]

HEy, that is a good deal - though the price for the high note horn is $15.    Still, for a pair for just over $20 that is a good price - gotta shop for a relay now to go with them..

Couple of questions. 1) why would you want both horns? and 2) Won't the original relay run the Fiamm horn?

[raygun]

HEy, that is a good deal - though the price for the high note horn is $15.    Still, for a pair for just over $20 that is a good price - gotta shop for a relay now to go with them..

These high note Fiamms are only $5.65
http://www.amazon.com/FIAMM-40310-Term-Universal-Bracket/dp/B000FKIMAA/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1211853809&sr=1-8

[nhmaf]

raygun,

The dual (hi/low) Fiamm setups sounds very nice, as well as loud.  The modulation of the 2 frequencies is unmistakable.
I had them on my 1988 R100RT and they were great - there was NO DOUBT that even cagers locked in their cars with the
windows rolled up, AC blasting, and 500W stereo bouncing their suspension that they couldn't still hear me if I held that button down.  
The dual pitch horns make a nice "euro" kind of horn sound, like what you'd expect to hear on a Rolls Royce or something.

If your bike already has a relay on the horn circuit, it may be OK as is.  But, my 82 R65LS (and I think most/all US models from 81-84 anyway)
did not come with a horn relay.  Additionally, rather than grounding the horn through the horn button as many Japanese bikes did, these models
actually run the power wire for the horn THROUGH the switch, which can make matters a bit worse.   The stock little round beep-beep horn on my
LS will only pull about 3 Amperes or so, which the stock setup can handle.   Unless they have radically changed their design, many of the FIAMM
horns I am familiar with can draw up to 8 or 10 AMPS !!! This is more than what should be used with the horn switch and stock wiring on my bike.  

You might get away without a relay with just (1) FIAMM horn, but it would be better to use a relay, and it is  MUST HAVE if you go
with dual horns - part of the reason those horns are so loud / powerful is that they take alot of power ( electric current ) to
make that sound.   The current for one horn is probably more than what your horn button switch should handle frequently, though it would
probably be OK if it wasn't used alot/frequently.  Two horns is well over what the switch should be asked to handle, and the stock wiring
isn't that heavy either.  As an engineer, I would recommend using a relay with one FIAMM horn for better longevity, but would strongly recommend
using a relay with dual FIAMMs.

[raygun]

I was just planning on installing one low note horn. I'm not sure of the schematics of my 79'R65. But I should be able to use the original horn wire to operate the coil of say a 15Amp relay and run a battery wire to the switch of relay to horn. Does this sound right?

[nhmaf]

Yes, you can use the existing horn wire and button to run the coil on a relay, and run a power line from the battery (ideally with an inline fuse, just to
avoid potential fire-causing shorts) to the relay input, and then connect the  switched relay output to the +V on the horn.   I'd recommend using at least
16 AWG wire (14 AWG best), for the power line from the battery ->relay->horn.

If you don't want to deal with heatshrink tubing, etc. there are companies, such as Eastern Beaver, that make good pre-made wiring kits
with compact relays, inline fuses, wire taps, and installation directions for this sort of thing, too.  Their prices are a little bit higher than I think they could be, but
the convenience factor is a MAJOR plus.  Here is a link, if you are interested:
http://easternbeaver.com/Main/main.html

and look under "Horn Kits".

[raygun]

What relay are you gonna use? I'd just asoon wire it up myself.

[nhmaf]

I thought that I had an industrial Aromat relay around here somewhere, but cannot seem to find it - I may delay my horn purchasing until next month,
just got back from the Nissan garage and am $1027 poorer...  the truck needed some regular maintenance, and, of all things, the OIL pan was rusted out
and starting to leak.   Of course, replacing the oil pan required lifting the engine...

First time I ever heard of an oil pan rusting out on a truck that gets used every week.. but it was.

[raygun]

Seems like everything rusts on my Toyota. But it has seen a lot of river bottoms and river crossings. I'll probably just go down to the parts store for mine. Although the site you posted sells them reasonable. Just asoon buy local and avoid shipping costs.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I bought my horn relay at radio shack.

The ones on that website, though, are small, and as you say, his individual prices for components are not as high (I want to say outrageous, but it is his business what he charges...).  Anyway, I would buy one of his.

Looking at the page closer, I see the small relay is rated at 20 amp, while the standard size he sells (for more than Radio Shack) is rated at 40 amp.  
I'm not sure I would want these two horns on a 20 amp relay.
Here is the relay I bought.  It splits the difference at 30 amp, and save a couple of bucks.

And Ray, do yourself a favor and get the higher tones, as well.  The 2 different frequencies is just as important as pure decibels.  And really, the lower tone is going to be the more easily ignored.

Put your fuse as close to the battery as possible.


Here is mine:

[montmil]

...As an engineer, I would recommend using a relay with one FIAMM horn for better longevity, but would strongly recommend using a relay with dual FIAMMs... ideally with an inline fuse...

What's your take on fusible links?  On many of my automotive/scooter mods, I'll use a fusible link - rather than a inline fuse - and build a second "spare" alongside as an emergency roadside fix. (I've never had a link fail, but that's just plain ol' luck.) I have seen a number of installed inline fuses melt their end caps due to high resistance. But I'm no engineer...

[nhmaf]

One can certainly use fusable links instead of inline fuses in a holder, though the links are generally more expensive.
They can be harder to troubleshoot (visually) and (depending on rating) might occupy a bit more space.
One thing that is important for me is ease of replacement when on the road, and I know that I can generally find
standard automotive style fuses in many gas stations, hardware stores, or Walmart.  Fusible links are usually
not nearly so readily available..  this is what tips things favorably toward the "fuse" choice for me.   The fusible
links might have a bit higher reliability rating, but a quality inline fuse in a well made fuse holder is just as reliable,
I think.  There are cheaply made fuse holders though, that could result in the failure that you observed.

Generally fusible links are used in higher current situations, like starter motor circuits on autos, where there is
generally no net savings in cost as the inline fuse/holder to handle the amperage would be as much or more $$.

[raygun]

Thanks Rob for the advice and the link to the Radio Shack relay.