American Bosch Magneto Horn - Need Help

I bought this horn yesterday at a yard sale for $1.00 It is brass so I figured even if it didn't work I had several pounds of brass. Well it does not work and I hope some one out there can help. The main reason is I found the exact model on feeBay for $475.00 I hooked it up to an 18V battery (Ryobi drill) and also a 6V 1000ma transformer and not even a noise like it wanted to do something.


Attachment 4846

Attachment 4847

It is really pretty simple. A relay opens and closes actuating an electromagnet.
Attachment 4848

A metal rod goes through the electromagnet moving the round disk and it creates a noise.
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Check the electricals with a multimeter or have someone do it for you ?

Maybe the electrical contacts are corroded ?

Check all the moving parts to make sure they aren't seized up with age & corrosion ?

Probably dates back to the 1920's ? That's close to 100 years old.

Probably 12 volt DC but it could be 6 volt DC ?

Hard to know which wire is the hot and which is the ground. It might work one way but not the other ?

Might need a car battery to run it if it draws something like ten of fifteen amps ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hills

Check the electricals with a multimeter or have someone do it for you ?

Maybe the electrical contacts are corroded ?

Check all the moving parts to make sure they aren't seized up with age & corrosion ?

Probably dates back to the 1920's ? That's close to 100 years old.

Probably 12 volt DC but it could be 6 volt DC ?

Hard to know which wire is the hot and which is the ground. It might work one way but not the other ?

Might need a car battery to run it if it draws something like ten of fifteen amps ?

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The only moving parts are the relay (it opens and close nicely) and that steel rod that gets inserted into the electromagnet. It came out nicely. But if I can't get power to the electro magnet I can't see if it vibrates.

I see no corrosion except external rust and tarnish. The inside looks fine.

I might just try selling on feeBay to someone that know more than I do about things like that.