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Air horns are a popular and attention-grabbing way to signify a goal or other important events at sporting events, concerts, or other gatherings. HornBlasters horns are commonly used on vehicles but can also be installed in arenas or buildings. This guide covers installing HornBlasters horns with a 110V power source, plus important setup and maintenance tips.
At the core of any horn system is the air source, which provides the air pressure needed to produce the loud sound. HornBlasters recommends choosing an air source that can deliver at least 110–120 PSI for maximum loudness, along with at least a 5–6 gallon air tank to ensure the horns have enough honk time. There are a variety of 110V air compressors and air systems available that can work well for this purpose.
Choosing the right horn is also important for achieving the desired sound and volume. HornBlasters offers a range of train horns to choose from, including the budget-friendly Shocker XL and the powerful K5LA. The K5LA is the loudest horn that HornBlasters offers and is commonly used in larger venues due to its output volume. In fact, it's even used in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. More info on that here.
Adapting our horns to air compressors is extremely easy and can be done with the aid of one fitting. A 1/4" NPT × 1/2" PTC fitting can be used to adapt from the tank's existing outlet port to the 1/2" line we use with our kits. Check it out here.
You can remove the 1/4" quick disconnect fitting from the compressor and replace it with our fitting instead. The quick disconnect on the compressor looks like this:
Unthread this fitting and thread ours in its place. Make sure to use some Teflon tape on the thread of the fitting so it doesn't leak constantly.
The horns can be set up with a 110V valve instead of the 12V valve we normally offer. This allows you to honk the horn with power from your venue without having to keep a car battery handy. Our Shocker XL can be purchased with a 110V valve here. If you don't need the horn set but need just the valve, we offer the valve separately here.
If you would rather honk the horns with a manual or hand-actuated valve, you can use our manual train horn valve to control the horns manually.
Setting up train horns in a building or arena isn't as hard as it would seem. There are a variety of air tanks and horns that can be paired together for the ultimate honk. If you have trouble picking out the best horn / air source, give our team a call at (877) 209-8179.
Electrical tips for HornBlasters installations — grounding, 12-volt wiring, and proper crimp connectors.
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