please can anyone tell me how horn wire works.

[AmadeusCharger500]

I know it is just one black wire coming out of the steering column, but how does pressing the button cause the horn to work.
Is the black wire a ground wire or is it 12 volt. If it is a ground then where do the wires connected to the horn get the 12 volts from.

Needless to say mine does not work by pressing the steering button, but they do blare if I jump from the battery.

Also, there is a little bulb below the flasher switch. I replaced it but it does not shine. When does this come on and what is it for?

[Plumcrazy]

There is a relay that provides power to the horns.  The wire to the steering wheel supplies ground for the relay coil which turns it on.

The bulb by the key is there to illuminate the ignition switch for a short time after you open the door.   It's controlled by a timer wired into the dome light circuit.

[Nacho-RT74]

There is a relay that provides power to the horns.  The wire to the steering wheel supplies ground for the relay coil which turns it on.

As stated the horn close ground circuit to the horn relay feeded by chassis. Don't remember your year car but stating about the hazzard button at a side of key courtesy light, I must suposse is a 70 or later. If is 3rd gen, the horn relay mounted on top of fusebox what is also the key in buzer, gets a constant positive source and switched ground coming from horn. When circuit is closed with horn button, then relay sends positive source to horn on engine bay.

The bulb by the key is there to illuminate the ignition switch for a short time after you open the door.   It's controlled by a timer wired into the dome light circuit.

Is a separated yellow wire coming from column what feeds the bulb with positive. Negative is chassis. Is controlled by this 3 prongs flasher:


Turns on with doors and dome light turned on. Turns off in about 8 seconds depending how much time you left the door opened, untill flasher gets cold

[mikepmcs]

hijack alert!

so if I want to use my dixie horns via the button on the wheel vice having to push a separate button(hooked up under the dash), do I need a relay of some kind.  I tried to hook my power wire up to what I thought was the right wire coming out of the ribbon cable but all it did was constantly make the motor/compressor turn on my horn.  button on wheel had no effect.  It was hot all the time to the horn motor.

v/r
Mike

[Nacho-RT74]

obviouslly you hooked up the wrong wire since is not a Hot wire

Allways will need a relay since horns use lots of power, specially air horns. On Original equippment is used a relay to switch it by negative, not really by positive and save from in and out wiring.

The dixie horns ( or any kind )can be switched on on the way you wants, by positive or negative. Of course using same assembly logic, if you use negative will save from run extra wires, because you can use ground signal existing on chassis to feed the switch in and turn horns on by the output wire up to relay.

You can use also a switch to change from original horn to dixie horn using the original wheel button. In that way you can choose what do you want to  heard out on wheel button

let me know what exactly you want and will post a diagram

[mikepmcs]

Ignacio

I have one wire coming from the horn button on the wheel.  It appears to be black.  I want to hit that button on my new wheel and make it sound the horn.  Currently, there is an auxiliary button(under the dash) hooked to the dixie horn and I have to push that. 
power comes in to the button on one end underneath the dash and then there is another wire on that button that goes to chassis ground.  simple enough right? hit the button, completes the loop and bammo dixie is playin like a mofo.

I guess I just don't know what wire is actually the horn wire coming off the ribbon cable on my 69.  I though it was black, but guess I was wrong.  No relays in my horn system anymore by the way. 

power in and ground it out and it works, but I would like to have it work from the wheel if I can get away with it.

v/r
Mike