Need Help getting a horn to work on my minis .. Electrical knowledge needed!

[Sixpac440]

I have 2 identical minis with H50 lighted motors.
Out put is AC.
I bought 2 of these AC horns from India, $20 delivered.
Saio 12 Volt AC Horn Black for Vespa VBB VBA VLB Chetak High Quality | eBay
The H50 does not put out enough power to make them near loud enough.
They both do the same thing so I'm ASSUMING it's a power issue.

Now I'm thinking about adding a SMALL DC battery and using a motorcycle horn.
What about this 12V 8 Ah battery?
12-Volt Prong-Top Rechargeable Battery : Cabela's
Will it work with this horn?
Chris Products 12V Horn 4in. 3 amp - 90-115 Decibal 0936MC

Would that be loud enough?
Would it work?
Any better ideas?
Smaller batteries?
Better horns?

I tried bicycle horns and they sound like car alarms, chirping, I want a real, functional-in-traffic horn.

Thanks
Kevin

 

[markus]

Is there a screw under the "tested" sticker? that usually how you can adjust them and might get a little more out of it, but you should probably be using a 6volt horn for that application. I have a couple of CEV ones from the 70's off Benelli's want me to send you one to try?

 

[Sixpac440]

Hi markus, we meet again!

I have some mini bike work to do today and will test the screw adjustment and see where it goes ...

Why a 6v? wouldn't that break the horn with too much voltage?

 

[capguncowboy]

I thought Tecumseh lighting coils put out 6 volts, not 12 ?

 

[creia]

I thought Tecumseh lighting coils put out 6 volts, not 12 ?

They generate 12 volts.
Michael

 

[the beekeeper]

If you want to operate a horn in traffic that you will need those around you to hear you will likely need a good high tone horn and use a 12V onboard battery, I would wire in a relay so you can still use a single wire button to activate it.................Tom.

 

[markus]

We used to leave the 6v horns on old cars we converted to 12v, wasnt really an issue, a bit louder usually. I should have looked before I spoke though, I could only find one horn left, and it smashed a little from some moron :anon.sml: dropping and engine in the box on top of it. I tried it out and it just buzzes funny because the diaphragm is probably up against the cage. I tried it on 6 and 12v, got the same thing....just at a different pitch :laugh:

 

[Sixpac440]

Morning Markus ...
Well I went with my annoying older brother beekeeper (Tom) and will be adding a battery. I bought this stuff ....

Batteries:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007PT81P0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The batteries are the real question mark here ... "12 Volt 5 AMP Hours"
The size is nice .. L3.54" x W2.76" x H3.98" but the front says don't heat above 25 degrees Celsius, that's 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
The front also says "Standby Use 0.75A" and "Cyclic Use 1.5A" .... I assume this will power the 1.5A horn.
Is it durable enough to take a beating in a mini bike?

Horns:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HGAKNAO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They are 105dB and require 1.5A

Relays:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0082HVJ2Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Will these even be needed with a 1.5A draw?

Horn button with Kill button:
2X Universal Switch Horn Turn Signal on Off Button for 7 8'' ATV Bike Motorcycle | eBay
Maybe I'll find a use for the L/R switch?

The Horn is the last piece of the puzzle that I hope will make my Hilltoppers pass for Mopeds.
And a function horn is needed if I'm going to ride on the street.

Any thoughts on a battery box?

Kevin

 

[Bumblebee2]

The lighting coil puts out AC. If you add a diode you'll have DC. If you simply add a single diode it will work enough to charge a battery slowly, but if you put in a bridge rectifier it will work better, perhaps so much better you'll need a regulator to keep from overcharging the battery and popping light bulbs.

Horns as a general rule work much better on DC. Light bulbs don't care.

So, come out of the lighting coil, run the two wires to the regilator. Run one of the wires (the black one) to the frame of the minibike, the other one to the + terminal of the battery or battery elmininator. Run the - terminal to the frame too. Be sure that you scrape the paint and get a good connection. There, now you have 12 volts availalbe.

Here's a regulator:

https://www.amazon.com/CS1226-Universal-Motorcycle-Regulator-Rectifier/dp/B0152XRUSE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1468340937&sr=8-6&keywords=Universal+rectifier+regulators

It's cheap. Might even work.

- The bee.

 

[Sixpac440]

Bumblebee ...

"So, come out of the lighting coil, run the two wires to the regilator. Run one of the wires (the black one) to the frame of the minibike, the other one to the + terminal of the battery or battery elmininator. Run the - terminal to the frame too."

No diode needed with a regulator?

 

[BBQJOE]

I like using a .44mag to let people know I'm coming, or that they're in my way.:biggrin:

 

[Bumblebee2]

Bumblebee ...

"So, come out of the lighting coil, run the two wires to the regilator. Run one of the wires (the black one) to the frame of the minibike, the other one to the + terminal of the battery or battery elmininator. Run the - terminal to the frame too."

No diode needed with a regulator?

The regulator I posted also has a full wave rectifier built in. Easy to install. I bought one of these and that's what I found.

- Bee

 

[Sixpac440]

I may go with the regulator/rectifier mentioned above a bit later but for now I just bought a small battery,12v DC Horn and made a battery box.
The horn is loud enough.