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[–] 52 points 5 months ago* (6 children)

Not to be a bummer, but the loudness of the horn will be limited by the max amperage of the relays. If the horn relay maxes out at 15 amps for 12 volts, you get about 180 watts of energy to the horn. Most horns are just a coil that vibrates at a set frequency to move the rubber or vinyl diaphragm inside the horn. That's the noise.

Short version, you can put really any horn in there, but the total amount of watts will be the limiting factor. A more efficient horn (aka a new one) will make more sound for equal input wattage.

The other option is to make an array of junkyard horns and set them up with more relays to lift the limit. You'd need to have multiple fused connections unless you just want to be a hillbilly and run them right off the battery with a giant ass relay.

You might start a fire but it will be loud as shit for a few minutes before it burns down.

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  • [–] 17 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    giant ass relay

    It's a bunch of really tall dudes all having butt sex, but that's not important right now.

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  • [–] 26 points 5 months ago (3 children)

    Find one that goes like

    AWOOOGA!

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  • [–] 15 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Ask at the desk if they have any train horns.

    The next person that cuts you off is gonna pee their pants.

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  • [–] 14 points 5 months ago

    Find one that plays “La Cucaracha”!

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  • [–] 11 points 5 months ago

    Amateur. Install an air tank system so you can sound like a big rig, scare the shit outta people, get them looking around frantically for the source, and ultimately cause accidents. That's where the fun's at!

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  • [–] 10 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Don't do a train horn. As someone with ptsd and a heart condition, those things are an absolute menace.

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  • [–] 9 points 5 months ago (5 children)
  • [–] [S] 6 points 5 months ago (4 children)

    For $3?

    Sure, I'll meet you behind the Waffle House...

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago (3 children)

    Nah, its 6000 miles from here

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  • [–] 6 points 5 months ago

    The cars that I've owned with loud horns in order of loudest:

    1970 Chevrolet Impala / 1969 Chevelle. I think any late 60's to 70's GM car will have a loud horn.

    2003 Acura TL. This car's horn actually surprised me. It was very nearly as loud as Chevys'.

    2019 Toyota Camry XLE Hybrid: My current car and it has a surprisingly effective horn. It's a lot louder than my previous car which was a 2014 Camry LE.

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

    Look for a large luxury car or a full size truck. Crown Vic/Grand Marquis. F150. As mentioned elsewhere, decibels are limited by power, so look for something with a lower pitch. Lower pitch carries farther, so it will sound louder even if it isn't louder, if that makes any sense. Low pitch also means "big vehicle" so there's that mental effect at play.

    Take both horns, the semi-dissonance will also help.

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago

    I've seen a hidden camera clip where they installed first a truck horn, and later a large train's horn on the underside of a very small car, something like Mercedes A class or Smart.

    Two innocent looking Japanese ladies drove that car, creeped up behind a car stopping at a traffic light, and HOOOOOOONK!!! all while looking completely unconcerned.

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago*

    They all about the same, but I like your energy.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago

    You could probably wire up an airbag to the horn relay. It would be very loud for you once.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago

    In the UK it’s illegal to have a car horn that operates at more than a single pitch/tone, but there didn’t seem to be a limit on volume… laws be wild.

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago
    [–] 0 points 5 months ago