Technical 6 volt horn question

Hi I'm after some info I am wanting to use a old Indian motorcycle horn in my 33 Ford.
Thing is the car is now 12volt,do I need some sort of voltage reducer or can I just supply 12v to it.
It's not a cheap horn so I don't really want to destroy it.
Thanks Fnjunk

 

use a voltage reducer.....probably one of the vendors on here or speedway

 

An occasional short "beep" probably won't hurt it but, if you get aggravated at someone and really "lay" on it, there could be some damage.

 

I've never had issues using a 6V horn on 12V, but I use brakes more than the horn.

 

Put a pair of 40s Fomoco trumpets (6 volt) behind the grille of my '56 Victoria. They were LOUD! and I didn't have to lean on the horn button for long. They commanded attention. Although my installation was topped by a friend who installed an 18-wheeler air horn in his small Datsun pickup. Would charge up an air tank and then wait for some dork not paying attention to do something stupid, like read a paper and drink coffee while driving. A good blast on the air horn (the victim thinking he was about to be crushed to death by a charging 18-wheeler) encouraged a change of behavior - hot coffee spilled in the crotch - followed by a perplexed look when no semi was in sight. Of course my friend would do a perfect eyes-straight-ahead-it couldn't possibly be me routine. Go ahead and use it as is, and enjoy the results.

 

I used a 30's 6 volt horn for years with no problem with 12v. If the Indian horn is valuable I would probably go the reducer just to protects its value.

 

I had the original "Klaxon" horn on my Willys ran it on 12V never had a problem.

Pat

 

Use it as is, just follow the above advice. A 6 volt horn on 12 volts will be LOUDER!
I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

All of the above. I did it for years and didn't know any better. Now I know better and still have a 6V horn on a 12V system.

 

Make sure the relay is good.

 

Put a couple of 6 volt horns (Hi and Lo) on wife's 50 Chevy with 12 volts. Really loud!!! Had to step up from a 10 Amp to 20 Amp fuse. Short blasts is all that's needed.

 

I run my 6 V siren with a 12V battery. Spools up faster and much louder than with a 6V supply. Short bursts only, but works great!

 

You might have to tune the horn...yours should have some 'tuneability'...I have Schwarze "pilot" horn (a pancake horn similar to the Indian you're wanting to use), that needed a good cleaning and tune.

Can't speak for 12v operation (I'm staying 6 as God & Henry Ford intended), but there should be enough adjustability on the diaphragm to make it work with most voltage/amperage combinations.

 

As others have said short blasts,much louder same as 6v starters much faster but shorter periods they have heavyer windings done it many times, voltage reducers do work or they can be rewound for$$$

 

I am using the original 6 volt positive ground horns on my now 12 volt negative ground 47 Lincoln. Like said above, short bursts, and they are LOUD!!!! They are louder than the mosquito fart air horn on my 09 IH semi tractor!

 

That's good to know.. I've been tying to sell these with no luck.. Think I'll put them back on my 12V 38...

 

Ya keep um and use um I have a pair of stock similar to yours later model 52 gmc they work great to wake people up.

 

Thanks heaps for the heads up guys going to just run with it on the 12volt system.
Fnjunk

 

They will be twice as loud half as long.