Does horn wiring have capacitor?

wakeup 19

Member
Nov 14, 2008
671
(Medford)Boston Harbor to Cape Ann to Cape Cod and
Boat Info
1992 300 Sundancer, Quicksilver ding w/ 6hp merc 4 stroke, anchorlift windlass, extended swim platfo
Engines
t/ 350 merc's (carburated) alpha drives gen II
I put a new Ongaro horn in my boat and all it does now is click but I noticed looking underneath the panel there is a capacitor that doesn’t seem to be connected to anything on one side one of 2 wires. I played around with it and got a couple of good blasts but it’s hard to get it I was wondering if on my 1992 Sundancer 30 foot does it have a capacitor in the horn or is that capacitor for something else I believe it’s a capacitor it’s a round cylinder about 1” x 3/8’s with thin wires coming out of it. If so what does it connect too. If I hold switch in too many times it will blow curcuit
Thanks Rob
 
2C356D3E-7536-4228-8F52-8F30B51165E5.jpeg
A horn wiring uses a relay with light gauge wires that run to the switch. Then heavy power wiring from the power bus to the relay and out to the horn. The horn uses a lot of power.

I installed an Ongaro dual trumpet on my arch. I left the oem horn in place but used a new separate relay for the Ongaro. New power wiring to the new relay and new horn. Same switch operates both relays and both horns.

That Ongaro set is very loud.
 
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Sorry, did not answer your question. There is no capacitor. But you cannot wire the horn direct to the switch. It must get power from heavy wire and a horn relay. The relay is operated by the switch, not the horn. Here is the best simple diagram I could find:
mWz9g.png
 
View attachment 74787 A horn wiring uses a relay with light gauge wires that run to the switch. Then heavy power wiring from the power bus to the relay and out to the horn. The horn uses a lot of power.

I installed an Ongaro dual trumpet on my arch. I left the oem horn in place but used a new separate relay for the Ongaro. New power wiring to the new relay and new horn. Same switch operates both relays and both horns.

That Ongaro set is very loud.
I guess my question is I see a capacitor under dash with wire fell off one side. Does anyone no if that should be tied into curcuit. Or is it for something else. I just retired old horn to new horn. Works sporadically
 
I guess my question is I see a capacitor under dash with wire fell off one side. Does anyone no if that should be tied into curcuit. Or is it for something else. I just retired old horn to new horn. Works sporadically

Are you sure it is a capacitor? Is it maybe a relay? take a picture and post it here and we can try to help. Like I said in my earlier post, if your new horn is getting its power directly from your dash switch (and not via a relay) you will pop breakers and the horn probably wont be able to get enough power to sound.
 
Post a picture of it... I should be able to identify it.
 
Ok won’t be down till Sunday. It is cylinder shape 1” long x 3/8 diameter with thin wires coming off it

Whatever it is, I doubt it has anything to do with the horn. Its not a relay at that size. The relays look just like an automotive horn relay:
Horn relay.jpg
 
I am sorry I fell off thread had some other issues.
I will try to take picture soon. where would relay be located on this model?
what I was referencing as capacitor is half inch round not what is pictured asrelay above.
Thanks again.
 
I think capacitor under dash is for lighting on dash. I looked for horn relay for electric horn and I don’t see one.
if I bypass switch or push switch I get light noise at new Ongaro horn. If I wire 2 wires direct from battery I get full horns. If I hold button on dash too long I blow breaker. If I bypass breaker same as bypassing horn.
Sometimes when running at sea on plane horn will work fine. Sometimes not
Thinking wire maybe too small of gauge. Tough to rewrite on deck.
frstrating
Could I add relay? I may call ongaro Schmitt tomorrow.
 
I think capacitor under dash is for lighting on dash. I looked for horn relay for electric horn and I don’t see one.
if I bypass switch or push switch I get light noise at new Ongaro horn. If I wire 2 wires direct from battery I get full horns. If I hold button on dash too long I blow breaker. If I bypass breaker same as bypassing horn.
Sometimes when running at sea on plane horn will work fine. Sometimes not
Thinking wire maybe too small of gauge. Tough to rewrite on deck.
frstrating
Could I add relay? I may call ongaro Schmitt tomorrow.

Yup. Add a relay. Look at my post #5 above.
 

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