Horn Is Not Loud Enough

I have a double trumpet type horn on my boat. It looks like an air horn, but it sounds like the electric type. The trouble is, it sounds like it came out of a VW Bug, and is not loud at all. If I was underway, and wanted to pass someone that was 25 yards away, there is no way the other boat would hear it. And if I was in fog, forget about it! I can barely hear it. Is there any way to make the horn louder?

Re: Horn Is Not Loud Enough

Other than replacing it with an air horn, not really...I have those twin trumpet horns on my runabout and they are fairly loud, but not like an air horn...

Re: Horn Is Not Loud Enough

sometimes they will come apart and you can clean and adjust the brass diaphrams, if it wont come apart it's toast

Re: Horn Is Not Loud Enough

walmart has the back up compressed air horns. keep one on board, batteries do die. dirty connections could be the cause, horn not getting full power.

Re: Horn Is Not Loud Enough

You need to check if both trumpets are blowing check wiring to both and as mentioned above some of them can be taken apart at the back of the horn, check for screws, if you can there is an adjustment (usually allen screw) for the diaphram, no harm in trying before buying!

Re: Horn Is Not Loud Enough

I had the same problem on my boat. Very low volume and sometimes would not make a sound. Checked the horn button and it was working good. Took the horn apart and found lots of rust up inside but with some WD40 it got louder. Also adjusted and got louder still.

Decided to check the price of a new one if I could find the same style that would mount in the same holes. Found them at West Marine and got a set of the same style Dual Trumpeter. When got home found only one of the new horns was working. Taking it back found the other horns they had looked the same but mounted different so went to a different West marine and they also had one of the old style left. Both worked but one very week. Combined the two new ones to make one good horn where both worked and very loud.

I did all the work in the garage and tested with a small alarm system battery. Then I took it out to the boat and hooked up. Both still worked but not near as loud so I tried to tune each but did not make much difference. I figured just seemed a lot louder inside the garage. Still did some further checks. This horn did not come standard on the boat when I bought it so had the dealer order it. Found that when he installed it he put it on a inline fuse with 18 guage wire also made very poor quality connections.

I got a different inline fuse holder with 14 guage wire to match what was on the boat up to the horn switch. Then out on the water where would not disturb anyone tuned the horns again. At this point it is so loud it hurts your ears inside the cap even though the horns mounted on the front deck pointed foward.

Even when I am pushing the horn buttom still makes me jump. You would swere it a full size ship.

Main reason I started working on the horn is we fish Ocean a lot and the commerical Salmon guys fish alone with the boat on auto pilot. When their working a fish or gear or just bored they offten do no look where their going and my horn would hardly get their attention. Now they jump up and see me then you see them looking for the ship.

The new horn all stainless so will not rust inside like the old unit.

Anyway check your connections and voltage, check your wire size and then check your horns.

Re: Horn Is Not Loud Enough

Good point about the wiring. It is a little hard to find the current draw, but I found a trumpet horn that draws 20 amps.

18 ga is just not enough, and with 20amps you want to run 12 ga. or better.

Re: Horn Is Not Loud Enough

Well I took off the backs of the horns, and found a screw adjustment. I was able to adjust the sound to get two different tones,, and is "a little" louder,, but still not enough to be heard on the water with the engine running, and the wind blowing. Guess I'll have to ask Santa for a new Air Horn. Thanks for all your input.