Potentially silly question- Horn button wiring

[skamanfrank]

So, a stupid question I suspect but here goes...

Where does the wiring go for steering wheel buttons/horn buttons?!
Obviously, because the wiring starts off in the steering wheel boss, it's going to rotate as the steering wheel turns. Do you just make sure that the wiring is long enough to wrap around the column as it turns, or am I missing something?

I'm thinking about adding some steering wheel buttons and a horn push.

Regards
Frank

[ferny]

Depends on the car - what is it?

Some complete the circuit at the steering column. Others use it to switch relays.

[skamanfrank]

It's not the circuit wiring I'm worried about, it's the actual routing of the wires...

[shin2chin]

There are contacts on the steering column and on the base of the steering which make a circuit whilst still being able to rotate. If you have an aftermarket wheel and boss you can buy a horn ring like this -

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Horn-Ring-For-Mgb-Standard-Or-Pattern-Wheel-Bosd-/331082637457?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4d16102091

[composimmonite]

Depends on the car.
The older models have a single wire that went down a hollow steering column however this changed to a contact on the top of the column to a circular pick up disc on the underside of the steering wheel / boss.
Never seen a car that had a long wire which turned with the wheel as you suggest.
If you really want steering wheel switches look at what is available for disabled drivers and adapt that to your needs. Normally a small transmitter on the wheel with a pick up linked to all the devices such as lights, indicators, wipers, horn, etc.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LODGESONS-R109-9-FUNCTION-TRANSMITTER/231473037057?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D29316%26meid%3Df932df845f06440aa31fc3f2ca7f6342%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D380950658832


Universal radio remote controls that mount on the steering wheel can be bought for under £5 off eBay - could you adapt one of those ? There seems to be two basic designs that the Chinese make -
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Steering-Wheel-IR-Remote-Control-for-Automobile-Car-Audio-Video-CD-/281526307840?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item418c468c00

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Steering-Wheel-Universal-IR-Remote-Control-Car-Truck-GPS-DVD-Audio-/171646882629?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item27f6f39345

[skamanfrank]

Awesome, cheers for the help guys

[Good Scrap]

They have a slip ring, so a metal contact next to the column and a circular contact ring on the underside of the wheel, the horn is usually fed via a fuse with a live supply and the circuit returns to the column which provides the ground to the column itself.

Modern multi function wheels probably have many tracks or can-bus wizardry.....

Brian

[skamanfrank]

I'm thinking that LIN is probably the way forward... single wire comms.... I'm guessing that's how most modern manufacturers probably do it?