question about horn?

[chmorro]

The horn went south on my wifes Vulcan 800 Classic and it's not working at all. Any suggestions where to start looking for problem? I'm not to good with the electrical side of the bike. I've heard in another thread to just replace the horn itself.. but don't want to spend the money if the problem is elsewhere. Any suggestions would be great!! The wifes feeling unsafe riding with no horn.

[Idaho]

Do you have a voltmeter?

[chmorro]

sure don't... I think I know what your getting at though. As I mentioned earlier, I'm not to sure on the electrical side of the bike. But I would just use the voltmeter to check to see if the two leads at the horn mount are providing current, correct? If they are then it's just the horn correct? What if the leads aren't providing current, then what do I check/change? Is there a fuse that might have popped that runs to the horn or is there not since the current to the horn is always live.
Thanks for answering my 100 question quiz about horns :)

[dan]

Hey, I did not post the question about the Horn this time..........................................Did twice before though. LOL

[dank]

sure don't... I think I know what your getting at though. As I mentioned earlier, I'm not to sure on the electrical side of the bike. But I would just use the voltmeter to check to see if the two leads at the horn mount are providing current, correct? If they are then it's just the horn correct? What if the leads aren't providing current, then what do I check/change? Is there a fuse that might have popped that runs to the horn or is there not since the current to the horn is always live.
Thanks for answering my 100 question quiz about horns :)

You have to turn the bike on, but not start the motor, in order to check. Set your volt meter to a range that includes 12 volts. Ground the black lead on the volt meter to the frame and touch the red one to the leads on the back of your horn, one at a time. One will register current, the other will not. If neither do, then you may have a blown fuse, broken wire, etc. on the positive side of the circuit. If you have current, but no sound, then the horn may be bad, your switch may have failed, or you may have a bad ground. (I am not sure how it is grounded through the switch.) I did this in putting the relay in when I replaced my horn with a Stebel Nautilus. Just pick up a volt meter and this is an easy test to run.

[Idaho]

Dank is correct. Terminology is a litte off but that is okay. On the Vulcans, and I can only assume that your 800 Classic horn circuit is the same, when the key is on one side of the horn is "hot" all the time with positive battery voltage. You should read +12 volts on one of the two leads on the horn. The horn button actually supplies the ground to the other side of the horn. So, if you have 12 volts on one lead, leave that one connected to the horn tab, take a piece of wire and touch one end to the frame and the other end to the other horn tab. The horn should blow, if it does not then you have a bad horn. If it does then you have a bad connection back to the horn button.

[chmorro]

Thanks a lot guys.. I started taking it apart just to examine the leads. I thought, "let me just clean it up and re-install and check.. sure enough I cleaned up the leads, re-installed and walla!! Something as easy as checking a connection never ceases to amaze me. Thanks alot guys, this site is great isn't it?