finally got my k-3 hooked up on my hummer but im having problems with my solonoid staying engaged for about 3 seconds at high pressure. My system is 200 pounds and when i hit the switch it stays blasting for about 3 seconds until my 5 gallon tank reaches about 100 pounds and then it closes. When im around 100 pds it works fine but anywhere from about 120 on up it hangs up. I took apart the valve and it is clean and operates good with no pressure and up to 120. I think the valve spring cant overcome the pressure till it gets low. Its a 1/2 valve i bought on ebay for 40 bucks, maybe im gonna need a stronger valve…
Yea it sounds like you’ve got a solenoid that’s not rated for that kind of pressure. 2 options for you… one is to put a regulator inline so you can drop the pressure to around 100 or so. The horns will still sound about the same anyway. They are a really unique design which gives them a fairly consistent tone throughout a wide pressure range.
The other option is to buy a high quality solenoid rated to over 200psi. You’ll get people telling you never to run the horns at that pressure to avoid damage, but I wouldn’t worry about it. As you’ll no doubt know, running from a 5 gallon tank means the pressure drops away very quickly to be within the optimum range for the K horns. Plus, the split between 3 horns means they are never actually subjected to 200 psi air flow anyway.
I’ve scoured the net and have yet to find any examples of damage to the diaphragms that can be directly attributed to 200 psi air. They are more likely to suffer in extreme cold which makes the metal more prone to cracking. Those horns are a damn sturdy design.
Anyway… just my 2 cents worth. You got any install pics or videos up yet?
No pics yet but i need to do that soon. I could just change out pressure switches to a lower pressure. But i tell u what at 100 from inside the cab u can here them loud but at 200 u can here and feel them… lol… there is alot of difference between the two… but thanks for the info…