Air Horns

[markpierce]

I'm thinking of substituting an air horn in lieu of the builder-provided*electric horn.* I'm thinking Kahlenberg.* Got any thoughts or words-of-wisdom for me?* My primary boating area has periods of fog, so there could be extended periods of fog-horn use.* The lower-priced compressors seem quite limited in their capacity.

 

[Keith]

RE: Air horns

Those are some top of the line horns! I think Charles C. put a shop sized air compressor in his engine room to supply his, as well as other needs. I know some people use a compressed air tank, but you'd have to figure out how much capacity you need and how often you'd have to get a new one.

 

[RCook]

RE: Air horns

If you'd like a very satisfying and loud air horn that doesn't cost a mint, you might consider the Fultone II by Fiamm (also known as Signaltone).*

It has two horns at slightly different frequencies, and really gets your attention, at least if you wire it properly so the pump can get plenty of 12V current. I have one on my boat, and it's excellent. Search w/ Google or on eBay - about $134.

 

[Phil Fill]

RE: Air horns

A neighbor installed a 30W Loud Hailer with a*big horn speaker that includes horns, bells whistles and of course hailing that I think is the way to go?***

 

[skipperdude]

RE: Air horns

Yeah with the hailer you could just say

beep!! beep!!* Or AHHOOOOGA!!!

SD

 

[FF]

RE: Air horns

A nice big air horn is the way to go.

Use a discarded 20lb propane tank and the 12V unit that can pump camper tires , for the Po Boy set.

IN the fog with ferries running about,, LOUD!!! is the only thing they will heard aboard.

FF

 

[markpierce]

Air horns

FF wrote:

... IN the fog with ferries running about,, LOUD!!! is the only thing they will heard aboard.

Yeah!* There are a lot of 30-knot catamaran ferries around here.* In two minutes, they've traveled a mile.* Thinking I should toot every minute with a 26.4 CFM horn.


Later edit:* The AIS display just now showed the ferry Mare Island moving at 37 knots.*

http://www.boatingsf.com/ais_map.php

*


-- Edited by markpierce on Wednesday 29th of September 2010 02:21:52 PM

-- Edited by markpierce on Wednesday 29th of September 2010 03:16:57 PM

-- Edited by markpierce on Wednesday 29th of September 2010 03:22:31 PM

 

[Daddyo]

RE: Air horns

I just added a little set of air horns to supplement my elec horn. $20 from Harbour Freight with compressor. I painted them bright white and they are a lot louder then the elec horn, hey not yachty if you look really hard but cheap and loud!

 

[koliver]

RE: Air horns

"I just added a little set of air horns to supplement my elec horn. $20 from Harbour Freight with compressor"

Also available at Princess Auto for $30. CDN
I put a set in my dinghy.

 

[ralphyost]

Air horns

I bought a 12v marine horn from Defender last summer made by ONGO. All stainless steel. 118db single horn. End of the summer it wasnt working properly. Finally got around to removing it and trying to repair it. It has points inside. Cleaned the points contacts and it still doesnt work.

So, I contact ONGARO and ask if they will return it under warranty. Turns out I bought it in April 2009 so its now "out of warranty". The gal I was emailing with at Ongaro sends me a return authorization. I think I'm gonna get it replace, right? WRONG. The RA states to examine it and replace if "defective", otherwise perform a "cleaning" for a charge of $75 !!!! The cost at Defender is $81.


I'm done with this company. The commie-Babe who handled my case obviously doesnt understand the consumer.

Thanks for all the other suggestions in this thread. I really like the $20 solution from Harbor Freight. Add another $4 for a can of white enamel. Its a 135 db horn set !

R.

-- Edited by ralphyost on Thursday 30th of September 2010 06:26:17 PM

 

[Marin]

RE: Air horns

Our GB was fitted with a pair of FIAMM air horns when new (or commissioned, don't know which).* So they are now 37 years old and still sound (almost)*like a Washington State ferry albeit not so deep.* They are powered by a* small vane compressor under the flying bridge consol.* Don't know if FIAMM is still in business or what the quality of their horns is today, but based on what the original owner had put on our boat we've been real impressed with them.

 

[Brent Hodges]

RE: Air horns

My Albin came with the same Fiamm horn that Marin is talking about and I also thought it was a great, loud horn untill I was working on a boat with a set of "real" Buel horns. Wow! I went with the dual set, and like Charles am just using a Home Debit $100 ac compressor. MY inverter runs it just fine and I have air for my hooka, maintenance, blow up fenders, etc. I checked around and have just about $400 in the horns, plus the compressor. NO comparison to any electric or Fiamm set I've seen. VERY happy with the horns, and the Buel company. After I installed my set, my buddy with a single Buel, which we thought was loud until we heard my new ones, decided something was wrong with his. I called Buel and he sent me a rebuild kit (just a metal diaphram and gasket, along with tuning instructions) for no charge! We didn't know how old that horn was, or when it was bought new. He didn't seem to care. Great company to deal with!

 

[ralphyost]

Air horns

Check out this compressor, tank and assessories $70
http://tinyurl.com/3am7mna

R.

-- Edited by ralphyost on Saturday 2nd of October 2010 01:41:45 PM

 

[Bendit]

RE: Air horns

Also had problems with points failure in electric horns - I eventually fixed the problem by resealing the the whole assembly with silicon. Salt air was getting in.

Out of desperation, I bought a pair of truck airhorns, Chinese made very cheap, and a small Marco 24V compressor (Italian). Bypassed the solenoid valve and connected the air supply directly from the compressor.

These are very loud. So much so that I have*a switch to select*electric or both sets*of horns so when at*the fuel wharf so I don't cause others to have heart attacks or fall in the water when I give three blasts to reverse out!

 

[markpierce]

RE: Air horns

Bendit wrote:

... These are very loud. So much so that I have*a switch to select*electric or both sets*of horns so when at*the fuel wharf so I don't cause others to have heart attacks or fall in the water when I give three blasts to reverse out!

Isn't that part of the joy of boating?

*

 

[Bendit]

RE: Air horns

Coincidentally, I got*a load of fuel yesterday and*did not*select "electric horns" only.*I wanted to*wake up the particularly unhelpful fuel-wharf attendant.

The resulting three blasts, of all four, was very satisfying and no-one, other than the dozy attendant, appeared to suffer any ill-effects.

 

[ralphyost]

RE: Air horns

Bendit wrote:

Also had problems with points failure in electric horns - I eventually fixed the problem by resealing the the whole assembly with silicon. Salt air was getting in.

Out of desperation, I bought a pair of truck airhorns, Chinese made very cheap, and a small Marco 24V compressor (Italian). Bypassed the solenoid valve and connected the air supply directly from the compressor.

These are very loud. So much so that I have*a switch to select*electric or both sets*of horns so when at*the fuel wharf so I don't cause others to have heart attacks or fall in the water when I give three blasts to reverse out!

I fixed my one year old ONGARO horn this weekend. Yep it was the points inside. Appearantly the first time I had not used sufficient sandpaper on them so I redid it this weekend. Now they work fine. However, I am dismayed at the fact that a one year old marine product stopped working and requires a yearly cleaning. AND, we keep the boat on the northern Chesapeake Bay (Rock Hall) where the salt level is minimal. In the winter, however, I put the boat on the hard in NJ on the Cohansey River, so the salt air is more harsh there.
It still sucks that a one year old horn stops working. And they advertise is as "all stainless" until you take it apart and see its not inside.
R.


*

 

[markpierce]

The thing about compressors

It appears that about any compressor will be*adequate for the occasional maneuvering signal, but then how about continuous signals in limited visibility??* I'd think a capacity of 10 seconds of compressed air for each minute of operation should be sufficient for any circumstance, meaning that a 26.4 CFM horn would need a compressor capable of producing nearly 5 CFM a minute.* Do those "dime store" compressors measure up?

 

[markpierce]

RE: Air horns

Bendit wrote:

Coincidentally, I got*a load of fuel yesterday and*did not*select "electric horns" only.*I wanted to*wake up the particularly unhelpful fuel-wharf attendant.

The resulting three blasts, of all four, was very satisfying and no-one, other than the dozy attendant, appeared to suffer any ill-effects.

Good!* We're kindred souls.

*

 

[markpierce]

RE: Air horns

After a week's customs delay, and DHL figuring out to deliver the horns after two weeks, the Kahlenberg horns and accessories have finally been delivered to the boat builder.* I'm breathing easier now.

Getting ready to toot!