What is this and could it be draining my battery?

[steve'62]

I have a battery problem. Is this a regulator, could it be fried? It's right by the horn. It's constantly warm which is a bad sign. If I was to replace it what would it be? Part number ect.
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[thunder71]

Looks like the horn relay
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[SCOTI]

If it's electrical, it can drain the battery. Put a volt meter on the batt & disconnect it from the circuit watching for a voltage change.

[steve'62]

You guys are awesome , it's the horn relay. PO tied a bunch of stud into this. I don't have the horn hooked up. There is an alarm hooked into it, can I bypass the relay?
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[tincan1966]

If the relay is constantly warm, then it either defective internally and staying in the "closed" or sctivated position, or with all the extra wiring, it is grounded.

I would get a new one(realitivly inexpensive) and connect it correctly.

Another thing to check, is under the steering column there will be a connector for the turn signals, etc. In that connector is a black wire that goes up to the horn button. Sounds to me like that circuit could be grounded. Disconnect that connector and see if relay cools down clicks if you plug it back in. If you plug the horn in, does it go off without pressing the button?

[steve'62]

Good info, thanks, I will do some trouble shooting when I get home. I think the relay is shot but also need to check if its grounding out. I wish I had a booklet for the alarm that the PO connected to see why it's run through the horn relay and if it has to be run through that relay. I don't want to ditch the alarm but I may have to if that is part of the issue.
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[tincan1966]

For some clarity- when I mentioned the relay might be grounding out, I meant activated. The relay has basically 3 wires- a red-12v battery+, a green-goes to horn, and a black, which goes to the horn button in steering column, which when the button is pushed, grounds the wire thru the steering shaft, and activates the relay(closes the connection internally) and sends power to the horn.

If I was to guess, I would say the PO used the relay as a power source for the larm(judging by the added small guage wire I saw in the picture connected to the battery+ wire)

If you can get to the control box of the alarm and let me know what type it is I MAY be able to help with a wiring diagram.

[steve'62]

I will see what I can find out about the alarm this evening. I'm following that the circuit may be closed due to a short in the column area, plug, ect. Thanks, ill post updates later
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[steve'62]

Looks like everything is working right now. There must have been a short in the column or the horn button somewhere. I unhooked the plug for the horn at the relay and the relay cooled down. It seems the battery has stopped being drained! Thanks guys for the help......
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[Gmforce]

Originally Posted by steve'62

Looks like everything is working right now. There must have been a short in the column or the horn button somewhere. I unhooked the plug for the horn at the relay and the relay cooled down. It seems the battery has stopped being drained! Thanks guys for the help......
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The alarm is connected to the horn because the alarm activates the horn when it gores off....