Need help installing hella horns

MrTuckers

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Some people here say they hooked up Hella horns directly to existing connections using the converting wire harness sold by College Hills Honda. I bought a pair of Hella's (Supertones) plus a pair of wire harness coverters. What I'm scared about is not having a relay in between. I'm not sure how much power these things generate or how much current they draw.
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latole

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Some people here say they hooked up Hella horns directly to existing connections using the converting wire harness sold by College Hills Honda. I bought a pair of Hella's (Supertones) plus a pair of wire harness coverters. What I'm scared about is not having a relay in between. I'm not sure how much power these things generate or how much current they draw.

Thers are many Supertone. M28, S70, B133
Unless there is specific technical information from someone who knows these horns very well, I would always install the relay. It is so easy.
Without relay, yes it can work for a while, while the original contacts burn out = $$$



https://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=294838

....the horns draw 12 amps (144 watts at 12 VDC)
Don't use the stock wiring. Use the relay that came with the horns

Using the relay is the proper thing to do. Especially since you can read all over these forums about people getting into trouble having warrentee work done. I would hate to have someone toast their wiring then get charged tons of money by a dealer to have them rewire the circuit. To me it's worth the extra 10 mins it takes to install a relay you don't even have to pay for and have the piece of mind it brings.
 

MrTuckers

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Thers are many Supertone. M28, S70, B133
Unless there is specific technical information from someone who knows these horns very well, I would always install the relay. It is so easy.
Without relay, yes it can work for a while, while the original contacts burn out = $$$



https://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=294838

....the horns draw 12 amps (144 watts at 12 VDC)
Don't use the stock wiring. Use the relay that came with the horns

Using the relay is the proper thing to do. Especially since you can read all over these forums about people getting into trouble having warrentee work done. I would hate to have someone toast their wiring then get charged tons of money by a dealer to have them rewire the circuit. To me it's worth the extra 10 mins it takes to install a relay you don't even have to pay for and have the piece of mind it brings.
Thank you for the information. Greatly appreciate it!
 

bcrichster

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Go with the relay, it's safer that way..
 


bcrichster

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MrTuckers

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Easier: Just connect #85 & #86 to the original horn wires that went to the stock horn.. I advise using the aftermarket OEM horn connector for future purposes and avoids cutting any stock wires
Thanks @bcrichster & @latole - my 2nd wiring harness that I got from College Hills Honda arrived yesterday. It's a harness that connects existing OEM and breaks it out to 2 spade lugs. I may be able to use some positaps or crimp them somehow to the new circuitry. I had to study the schematic and now I understand that the purpose of the relay is to isolate the high current from having to pass through the horn switch on the steering wheel and to let the relay do all the work. The switch on the steering wheel just activates the relay to turn on/off while the relay takes all the current load- genius!

I guess I still need to find an in-line 16A fuse (is that the same one I think I used for upgrading my stereo system in my 9th Gen Honda but not that high of a current rating). I might still have some spare parts lying around.
 

latole

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Thanks @bcrichster & @latole -

I understand that the purpose of the relay is to isolate the high current from having to pass through the horn switch on the steering wheel and to let the relay do all the work. The switch on the steering wheel just activates the relay to turn on/off while the relay takes all the current load- genius!

You have understood everything ; The relay is just a powerful remote controlled switch.
 

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I'm still peeking inside through the window in this thread. But the 16 amps is raising a red flag with me. Is 16 amps going through *any* factory wiring (or the CHH adapter) in this scenario?
 

bcrichster

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Thanks @bcrichster & @latole - my 2nd wiring harness that I got from College Hills Honda arrived yesterday. It's a harness that connects existing OEM and breaks it out to 2 spade lugs. I may be able to use some positaps or crimp them somehow to the new circuitry. I had to study the schematic and now I understand that the purpose of the relay is to isolate the high current from having to pass through the horn switch on the steering wheel and to let the relay do all the work. The switch on the steering wheel just activates the relay to turn on/off while the relay takes all the current load- genius!

I guess I still need to find an in-line 16A fuse (is that the same one I think I used for upgrading my stereo system in my 9th Gen Honda but not that high of a current rating). I might still have some spare parts lying around.
Nah.. Just use a 20A link with a 10A fuse. If you're pulling more than that with the HellaHorns pair (like 3.6A each, maybe 7.5A total), there's a significant problem in that circuit that needs checked. ? But yes, been running a 10A fuse without any issues for at least the last 4mo. The reason ya have to go above a 7.5A fuse is that the horn circuit is considered a "branch circuit", which electrically are only allowed 80% pwr capacity so ya need the 10A as the next one up from 7.5A. so make sure ur wires are at least 18awg to 16awg.. I recommend 16awg myself for Just-In-Case ya wanna add more horns in the future. FUTURE-PROOF it while you're there, Lol. ?
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