HornBlasters Shocker XL Train Horn Instruction Manual

: June 5, 2024
: HORNBLASTERS

Table of Contents

HornBlasters Shocker XL Train Horn
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
INSTALLING YOUR TRAIN HORN KIT
MAINTENANCE & TIPS
TROUBLESHOOTING
2 GALLON SHOCKER INSTALLATION DIAGRAM
Wiring Instructions
Documents / Resources

HornBlasters Shocker XL Train Horn

KIT CONTENTS

HornBlasters Shocker Horns
HornBlasters Air Source Kit (2MC)
1/2” Electric Solenoid Valve
17’ 1/2” Airline
10’ 5/16” Airline
1 x 1/2” PTC to 1/2” NPT Fitting
4 x 5/16” PTC to 1/8“ NPT Elbow Fittings
1 x 1/2” NPT to 4x 5/16” PTC Fitting
22’ 10 Gauge Red Wire
22’ 18 Gauge Grey Wire
22′ 18 Gauge Blue Wire
40-Amp 4-Pin Relay
5 x 18-22 Gauge Butt Connector
3 x 10-12 Gauge Butt Connector
2 x 18-22 Gauge Ring Terminal
1 x 10-22 Gauge Ring Terminal
1 x 10-22 Gauge Male Quick Disconnect
1 x 18-22 Gauge Male Quick Disconnect
1 x 10-12 Gauge Scotch Lock
1 x 18-22 Gauge Scotch Lock
1 x 35 Amp Fuse
1 x Inline Fuse Holder
1 x Toggle Switch
1 x Air Filter Relocation Kit

BEFORE GETTING STARTED

Read over the entire instruction guide before you begin your installation.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

Do not disassemble any electrical components of this horn kit (air compressor, air valve, pressure switch).
Do not attempt repairs or modifications of any component. Please refer to qualified service agencies for all service and repairs.
Do not operate any component where it can fall or be submerged into water or any kind of liquid.
Do not reach for any component that has fallen or been submerged into water or any kind of liquid.
Use the included components with 12 volt DC systems only.
Do not leave the air system unattended during use.

WARNING: To prevent injury:

Never allow children to operate the compressor or air horn. Use close supervision when operating this equipment near children.
The air compressor will become very HOT during and immediately after operation. Do not touch any part of the compressor with your bare hands during or immediately after use.
Do not use this product near open flames or explosive materials or where aerosol products are being used.
Do not operate this product where oxygen is being administered.
Do not pump anything other than atmospheric air.
Never use this product while sleepy or drowsy.
Do not use any tools or attachments with the supplied air source unit without first determining maximum air pressure for that tool or attachment.
Never point any air nozzle or air sprayer toward another person or any part of your body.
The included compressor is equipped with an automatic reset thermal protector and can automatically restart after the thermal protector resets. Always cut off power source when thermal protector becomes activated.
Use only in well ventilated areas.
Do not sound the air horn(s) in close proximity to another person’s or your own ear(s).
Do not fill the included air tank above 150 PSI. Doing so may result in death or serious injury

SAFETY DURING INSTALLATION

Disconnect the ground of your battery before beginning your installation.
Use eye protection when operating drills.
Take your time and do not rush your installation.

INSTALLING YOUR TRAIN HORN KIT

PLANNING YOUR INSTALLATION

This is the most important step in your installation.
Plan out the location of each component before starting your installation.
Make sure you have enough air line and wire to install the system before beginning the installation.
Make sure mounting locations are secure and void of debris.
Try to keep the supply wire to the compressor as short as possible. Wires lose voltage over distance therefore shorter wires will result in better performance.
Mount your air source unit in a location that is as cool as possible and away from heat sources. This will make your compressor run cooler and last longer.
Your air source unit must be mounted upright with the compressor above the tank. Failure to mount the unit in this position will allow any condensation buildup to drain back in to the compressor and harm its components, and also will disrupt the compressor’s ability to cool.
Teflon tape or a locking compound should be used on every fitting in your air system to prevent air leaks; unless a white or red PTFE paste is already applied.
Use the supplied 10 gauge wire or thicker (lower gauge #) wire to power your air compressor.

RECOMMENDED TOOLS

3/8” Long Socket (Horn Front Mount)
1/2” Long Socket (Horn Rear Mount)
1/2” Wrench
9/16” Wrench (1/4” NPT Fittings)
7/8” Wrench (1/2” Banjo)
10mm Wrench or Socket (Air Source Mounting)
12mm Wrench
Drill (3/16” & 7/16” Bits)
Wire Cutter/Stripper
Tubing Cutter/Razor
Eye and Ear Protection

INSTALLING YOUR HORNBLASTERS TRAIN HORNS

The horns can be mounted in any direction and still be heard from all around. The horns should not be mounted where they will be completely submerged or will receive any kind of impact. Horns may be mounted directly to your vehicle, on a medium such as grommet strips (plumber’s strap), sheet metal or any sort of custom bracket. Note that air line will be running to each horns rear mount.

Locate a secure, dry, and safe position for your horns.
Drill a 3/16” hole for the front mount of each horn and a 7/16” hole for each rear mount.
Secure the horn using the supplied mounting hardware.

INSTALLING YOUR AIR SOURCE KIT

Locate a flat and secure installation area that will remain free of dust, dirt, and debris (your compressor’s performance is directly affected by air quality). Try to keep the distance of the unit from the battery to a minimum to keep your compressor running at maximum performance.

Disconnect the ground cable from the vehicle’s battery.
Position the unit in the desired location and secure it using the supplied mounting hardware (10mm).
Remove the orange plug in the compressor’s air inlet.
Using the supplied hardware, mount the air filter somewhere dry and out of direct contact with moisture.Check the diagram on the next page.

Air Filter Relocation

Your air compressor came with two barbed fittings and an air filter housing.
Let’s start by taking the fitting on the left with the male thread and inserting it into the compressor inlet. The other fitting (female end) can be threaded onto the filter housing directly. Your compressor/filter should look like the image below. At this point, you can use the supplied 3/8” air line to connect the compressor and filter together
Route the air filter up to a high and dry location where it will not get wet or exposed to the elements. The compressor itself is fully sealed but if your filter gets wet, the compressor can pull water into itself and this will lead to problems later on down the road. Your compressor will last much longer if the filter is relocated to a high and dry location. Be careful not to kink the air lin while routing the filter around.
If your compressor is mounted outside where it is exposed to the elements, the filter MUST be relocated.

INSTALLING YOUR AIR TUBING & AIR VALVE

Before cutting any air tubing make sure to double check your measurements. Make sure to cut equal lengths of air line to connect each horn to the manifold or the horns may sound at different times. We recommend cutting lengths with at least an extra inch per line just to be safe. Unlike compression fittings our push to connect fittings can be used multiple times. The air valve should connect to the center fitting of the banjo fitting. When threading any fittings make sure to use Teflon tape to prevent air leaks. The air valve may be mounted in any direction but it preferred that it is mounted vertically.

FITTING FLOW CHART

[Air Source] » [1/2” Line] » [1/2” to 1/2” NPT M Fitting] » [Air Valve] » [5/16” 4-point Banjo Fitting] » [5/16“ Line] » [5/16” to 1/8”NPT F Elbow Fitting] » [Rear Horn Mount]

Plan out the fittings placement before you begin and make sure you understand the correct order.
Make sure that your tank is empty of air and that the compressor is not running during installation.
Start by cutting equal lengths of 5/16” tubing to run from each horn to the 4-point banjo fitting.
The valve has a directional arrow on its body, the arrow starts with the inlet and points out to the outlet; the arrow should point towards your horns.
Next connect your air valve’s inlet port to your air source unit using 1/2” air line and 1/2” to 1/2” PTC fitting.

WIRING YOUR VALVE & AIR SOURCE UNIT

Your train horn kit will use two completely independent circuits. One circuit will connect your horn trigger (push-button intermittent switch, or toggled factory button) to your electric valve. The other circuit will connect your accessory trigger (ignition positive wire) to your air source kit.

VALVE WIRING FLOW CHART

[Factory Horn Wire] » [Toggle Switch] » [Air Valve] » [Ground] AIR SOURCE WIRING FLOW CHART [Remote Wire/Accessory Wire] » [Inline Fuse] » [Air Source Unit] » [Ground]

CIRCUIT 1

Begin by wiring your horn trigger.
- If you are intending to use your factory horn switch, start by locating the load wire of the horn button (positive when horn is depressedin a standard vehicle) and wiring it to the included toggle switch.
- If you are going to use a push button switch (intermittent toggle switch) wire a fused (5A) wire from any 12 volt source desired (battery) to your switch.
Next wire your switch to any pole of your air valve.
Wire the other side of the air valve to ground.
Test your circuit by activating your trigger and listening for a ‘click’ from the valve.

CIRCUIT 2

Locate an accessory line in your vehicle that is capable of a 16 amp load.
Wire your accessory line using an inline fuse (35A) to your air source unit (Red Wire).
Ground the other side of your air source unit (Black Wire) to ground.
Your air compressor system will not turn on automatically when power is on (Key is in ‘accessory’ or ‘on’ position) and automatically turn
itself o upon reaching destination.

YOU’RE DONE!

It’s time to test your horns! Share your install photos on our facebook at www.facebook.com/hornblasters or and don’t forget to check www.trainhornforums.com, the largest train horn community on the internet.

MAINTENANCE & TIPS

Disconnect electrical components and drain you air system before performing maintenance.

GENERAL AIR HORN SYSTEM MAINTENANCE

Check your air horns for debris when appropriate. You should check at least once a month and clean when necessary.
Drain your air system at least every other week, to remove any condensation buildup on the inside of you air tank.
Make sure you air compressor is clean and free from debris at all times.
Periodically change your two stage air filter on your compressor.

TIPS

Make sure your engine is running when you air compressors are in use to insure proper voltage and to prevent damage to your system.
Do not run your compressor above its maximum rated working pressure. Doing so will not only void you warranty, but may also damage your compressor.
The air horns are pre-tuned to a locomotive chord and to their loudest possible tone. Do not adjust the tuning screw on thehorns. Doing so will void your warranty and may damage the horns if improperly adjusted.

TROUBLESHOOTING

PROBLEM

CAN’T FIGURE IT OUT?
No problem! Give us a call at 813-783-8058, or email at [email protected] and we’ll be more than happy to help you fix you system. Also feel free to visit our online horn community, www.trainhornforums.com, for more information.

PHOTOGRAPH & MEDIA SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Send in your installation photographs and any other media for a chance to be featured on our web site!

GENERAL PHOTOGRAPH SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Please submit clean, concise photographs. Make sure your subject is clearly visible and in focus.
You may submit and digital image format either via email at [email protected], or via digital media (CD, DVD, etc).
Make sure to include some kind of personal information with your submission. We would love to be able to contact you and thank you.

INSTALLATION GALLERY SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Please take at least one photo of each major components of your installation (horns, compressor, tank, valve, switches, etc).
Don’t forget to send us some shots of your vehicle too! If we can’t tell what the install is on, we probably won’t post it.
Include as much installation information as possible.
- Who installed the system and when was it installed?
- How long did the install take?
- What is the year, model, and style of your vehicle?
- If you took your system to a shop, would you recommend the shop to others?
- Do you have any comments or tips about the installation?
- Anything else you want to tell us, we always appreciate your feedback!
Optionally include a little personal information:
- Your name (if you would like your full name to be displayed, you have to let us know!)

GENERAL VIDEO SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

We accept all kinds of media. Please provide us with the highest quality media to prevent video degradation.
We can read all formats of video. We recommend using either the default your camera records with; or if you are compressingthe video, we recommend using AVI containers and Xvid, Divx, or a MPEG codec. We recommend AGAINST using any kind of Windows Media, Real Media, or Apple QuickTime* formats.
You may submit any digital image format either via email at [email protected], or via digital media (CD, DVD, etc).
Make sure to include some kind of personal information with your submission. We would love to be able to contact you and thank you!
Windows, Windows Media, Real, Real Media, Apple, and QuickTime are all registered trademarks and copyright of their respective owners.

GET INVOLVED IN THE TRAIN HORN COMMUNITY
No matter what your take is on your new train horn kit, it’s always good to have someone to share your stories with Trainhornforums.com is the largest train horn community online and provides a place to share photos of your ride, post videos catch up with other train horn and HornBlasters fans, meet other train horn enthusiasts, or even find help with a complicatedquestion. Go online to www.trainhornforums.com and sign up today

Make sure the 5/16″ lines are equal length! HornBlasters Shocker XL Train
Horn 5 Ensure each air line is fully seated over the compression fitting before tightening the nu down over it. If the line is not fully seated over the barb, it can slip off the fitting even with the nut in place. Hold the line in place and use a wrench to tighten the compression ferrule down. The compressor filter must be changed out every 2-3 months, otherwise the compressor will start to!pull in dirt/dust and wearprematurely. The filter!can be swapped out with three easy steps, as! shown below.
Use a flathead screwdriver to pry the filter housing apart. You can insert the flat end of the screwdriver into the seam, where the arrow is Remove the old filter element from the housing. Insert the new element into the center so that the white portion of the filter lines up with the plastic tags replace the cove back over the housing, lining the tabs up on the sides of the cover

2 GALLON SHOCKER INSTALLATION DIAGRAM

Wiring Instructions

Wiring the Relay

Pin 30: This pin will connect to the battery positive terminal. You MUST use the supplied 10-gauge RED wire for this connection. Use the supplied tan or green terminal to connect the red wire to this pin. Cut our fuse holder in half to make two ends, and place this in-between pin 30 and the battery positive terminal.
Pin 86: This pin will connect to a key-power source. This can be tricky if you’ve never installed our kits before. You are looking to connect this pin to any circuit that is ONLY ON WHEN THE VEHICLE IS ON. This will prevent your kit from running when the veh off. Common key-power sources include the cigarette lighter fuse, sunroof, radio, trailer running lights, daytime running lights, etc.
Pin 85: Route a lead from this pin to the frame of the vehicle as a ground point. You may use the suppliedBlue or Grey wire for this connection.
Pin 87: Take the red lead coming off the compressor/tank combo and connect it directly to this pin. Your relay is now wired and ready for use. You can use a small lead of wire to connect pins 30 & 86 together to test the relay. If you have this wired correctly, the relay should make a light ‘click’ sound when the two pins are connected. This means the relay is turning on and off properly. When you start the vehicle it will send power to pin 86 and turn the relay on, which will allow the compressor to run.

Key-Power-Source (Normal Method)

If you’re having trouble locating a fuse that is only hot when the vehicle is on, you can go online to https://fuse-box.info/. You can use a test light to check whether or not the fuses are hot with the key in the off position. Route the black probe/clip to the battery negative terminal (-) and use the red probe on the metal contacts of the fuse(s) you want to check. If the light comes on, your fuse is hot. If the light does not turnon, start the vehicle and check for current. The light should illuminate now that the vehicle is running.

Using A Toggle Switch Instead

You can use a toggle switch to ensure the compressor doesn’t run when the vehicle is off. To do this locate the supplied toggle switch that came with your horn kit. Wire one lead of the toggle switch to the output side of your inline fuse holder, and take the opposite lead of the toggle switch to pin 86 on the relay. When you flip the switch on, the relay will switch on and allow the compressor run. Wiring your kit this way unfortunately means that you MUST turn the switch off with the vehicle, otherwise the compressor coul run overnight and drain your battery.

Connecting the Train Horns to the Steering Wheel