Technical ** fixed**Getting shocked when hitting the horn. 41 Ford

Freewheel diodes solve an issue, but they are polarity sensitive so you need to think how things get connected. A simple resistor or capacitor in parallell with the coil also dampen the voltage spikes by letting some current keep flowing after the supply is interrupted - doesn't take much to reduce the spike quite a bit.

 

For the heck of it try a different horn. If you have one.

 

Tried two different horns same outcome

 

Didn’t read all of the posts but if it’s still using the stock wire in the column I would switch it to the stock ground style as it’s better for the horn to honk vs shorting out IF the wire rubs through. Get an older metal cased relay for looks (4 wire insulated base) and have the horn wire ground the coil in the relay. Also make sure that there’s felt or plastic washers under the 3 bolts holding the rings together that way it grounds on the steering shaft/column and not the drivers arm. Not sure on the ‘41 but some cars even use plastic inserts that encomp*** the whole bolt shaft to insulate. Just make sure there isn’t a clear path from the steering shaft/column to the horn ring when pushed.

If the relay has numbers:
30 - power to the horn
85 - ground from steering wheel ****on
86 - power from 12v source (can branch off of #87)
87 - power from 12v fused source

 

Can you post a video of your test procedure LOL

 

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=199881

 

I lost the parking brake cable to a 12 volt ground and knew the body, frame, and engine were all grounded properly. They are a bi*ch to change out. I added another separate ground cable to body at the battery. So far so good.

 

Years ago, when my son was 3 years old was crying and ****ing his thumb when I returned from paying for gas. I asked him what happened and he show me his burnt thumb and pointed at the cigarette lighter socket!

 

I liked it at first but I just can’t
Dan

 

@wheeltramp brian ,

Have you checked the insulator washers, etc. yet?

 

These fly back diodes were used on auto a/c clutches, so when the a/c clutch magnetic coil was de-energized the spike didn't destroy the cars onboard computor. Later Fords used what they called a clamping diode on their starter relay for the same reasons

 

Yesterday I was sick with food poisoning But still at work just working half speed And couldn't get to the car as I'm waiting on other parts. Maybe today towards the end of the day

 

So a couple different relays just showed up from UPS and I popped the first one in that somebody had recommended and it fixed it. No more shock when touching anything. I do have new insulators coming for the horn ****on anyways.

 

Yep, it's got a diode in it, the missing magic. No solid-state diodes in 1941, so they had to do things differently.

 

I find this thread shockingly good
Dan

 

So where did you put it

 

With out rereading it all again, pretty sure it was a swap out.

 

So at first it had a three-prong regular horn relay that I swapped out for a four prong relay and then just swapped that out

 

I wasn't sure if it was like a diode that you wired into the horn wire or something, so in reality an easy fix at the fuse panel.

 

No it's not at the fuse panel. It's in the engine compartment by the horn

 

As a kid, probably around 6-7 yrs old I pushed the heated lighter into the door panel of my dad’s 66 Fairlane conv. lol!

 

Details of the relay with diode is discussed in post #24, on page 1.

 

As we're learning 3 pages in, there's always insulation between fingers and the grounding path. Packard is in a hardwood plug of sorts with the wire in the middle. The main body sits on heavy paper 2 hole washers between the horn ****on ***embly and mast in the center of the column. A relay has a coil. That coil momentarily spikes extra juice and wants all the ground it can get. Coils in the horns too.

 

The coils in the horns are the important ones... those are sending spikes while they're operating, the relay only sends one when you release the horn ring.

 

Man, I'd still be on the run.

 

I'm having the exact same problem with our '56 Pontiac. Arm out the window resting on the window garnish molding, hit the horn ring and bam, zapped through the elbow. Just ordered the same relay, thanks for posting this.

Just for clarification, you are only using the three terminals with your factory plug, the other two are hanging in the breeze unused, correct?

 

I'm using all four terminals. Hooked up how it's supposed to be except the hot in is also hooked to the accessory terminal. The ground is your horn wire and the device is your horn