Have a project to get some low note air horns installed on a boat.
Not even sure where to start, but here’s what I’m working with;
There is an installed Viair compressor and tank, (it’s an 88p that’s been hard wired into a 1.5 gal tank/switch) but can upgrade depending on required cfm. 20amp 12v is about the limit, may be able to wire in 25-30ish max. 10gauge wire over about 15ft is what we’re working with from the 30 amp breaker.
It’s on a hard top, so there’s about 6 feet in length available for the horn and up to 3 feet wide.
Needs to be corrosion resistant, salt water application. Plastic or non-metal horns seem like a good way to go, although there is concern about UV degredation, south Florida.
Welcome to the forum. I mostly help with questions about our Oasis air compressors. My knowledge of horns is limited but I know they’re air hungry and 1.5 gallons is only good for short blasts.
If the guys here can’t help try the horn & whistle board.
Dan@Oasis; what would it take to feed this bad boy?
Specs show:
Air Consumption
84C.F.M. @ 100 p.s.i., 39.6 l/s @ 7 bar
Air Pressure Required
100 to 250 p.s.i., 7 to 17 bar
Yes, these were originally meant to be used on marine vessels up to 250 feet long. Many Ohio river towboats use F3’s T4’s and Q4’s.
My last quote from Kahlenberg for an F3 with spun brass projectors and polished brass, no chrome was close to $9000. They offered to build me an F4 for $12,500, the F4 being special order only. Kahlenberg makes the finest quality air horns in the world. I plan to build an F3 on the low bracket, but Kahlenberg has agreed to let me come to their Two Rivers plant and design/tune the projectors myself. I liked the old F3, it did not sound like their current recording of it, instead of the intervals of: major third, minor third, minor third, full note, mine and the old one sounded: major third, major third, full note, full note. This was an eerie sounding half major/half minor chord and I loved it.
I have a Nathan-made 5-chime tugboat horn from a C&O tugboat. I’ll try and attach photos here. It is old skool Nathan castings. It sounds rather funny to me. Here is a link to it on my soundcloud account:
well, if you want some low tone horns I recommend shockers. I had mine since 2011, they have been beaten to death and they are still loud as (You know what) still today! They are made from PVC plastic (Wont corrode) and if you wanna make them really low tone its simple “Dis connect the two smaller horns and leave the other 2 longer ones hooked up and wala!” I do reccomend you upgrade the tank to at least a 3 gallon, when I installed them in my dads Honda I used a 5 Gallon (Auto Part Store Tank) that I plumed about 5 T fittings onto to make it happen. also used a Vi-Air 380-C.
You could sell that clip to horror-movie producers I reckon… sounds like the ominous orchestral build-up just before something jumps out of the screen to scare the living daylights out of you.
That is one of the coolest horns I’ve heard. Indeed an ominous sound that could be used in an intense movie scene.
Is there a way to “test” the sounds of horns in different combinations to create your own? I would like to play around with different notes to create the exact sound I want. Short of buying them all and hooking them up in different combinations, any suggestions?
My sig has links to my Kahlenberg Chimetone D-1 horn installation and A/V clip, my Kahlenberg 117 whistle installation and A/V clip and my custom Oasis XD3000 compressor system.
Ended up with the two tug horns, 33 and 37 from hornblasters. Also have a pair of Klein 102’s that may get paired up with the tugs or installed on my truck depending on how they sound. Using electric solenoids, I can switch between combinations of horns which seems kinda fun.
Working on where to put a bigger air tank and what kind of compressor… Tempted to use a 7 gallon “air pig” tank, otherwise will have two separate tanks in different compartments. Steel tanks are heavy, but the aluminum tanks are expensive…
