Alpex horn rebuild questions

[formosa64]

Hi,
I am looking for any experience with rebuilding the original Alpex Italian horns. Mine are originals on my 1995 48 CPMY. I know I can get new horns - but these are already fitted to my boat and I hate just to chuck em and have to make new holes in my boat and refit etc. The compressors are fine - as we put another horn on them and the horn blows well.

Mine don't blow any sound or horn tone - all the air must be escaping around the diagram housing. My diaphrams are metallic and appear to be in good shape. However, there is no gasket what so ever - so I don't know what is supposed to be there to keep the air from escaping.

Do you use sealant or liquid gasket? And if so what surfaces? I do have some minor pitting around one of the surfaces but liquid gasket should easily take care of that.

To ask a different way - is there one gasket or two in these horns?

As always - thanks for any info ...

25672 25673

[formosa64]

25675

A look at both sides of the internals...

[Hat52MY]

I tried to do something similar a year or so back. I was able to get them working but could not find the appropriate gasket material to mate the ends with the diaphragm together. They make good sound but the decibels I want. Hopefully, someone on the forum will know the trick. Good luck!

[jjgar's54]

I'm in the same spot ... I took mine apart and found two gaskets. One on either side of the diaphragm. They were warped and broken so I made gaskets out of some packaging material which was about the thickness of a matchbook. Ultimately, mine still didn't work and I'm thinking that the surface where the diaphragm meets the tube (the part where the vibration occurs) is corroded so badly and no sound can be made.
I'm looking to replace with originals for the same reason ....... I hate making new holes and plugging old ones. Mine are on the tuna tower and can't be seen so I don't mind ones that are not perfect aesthetically.
Good luck and if you find any outlet for Alpex horns, I'd love to know about it.

JJG

[Hat52MY]

formosa64 were you able to come to any resolution with the horns?

[formosa64]

I haven't had a chance to make new gaskets. Hopefully once I get a break from the real world I can work on this and will report it.

I did contact a horn company who has 2nds for a very reasonable price and it seems this company is going to stay in business and will rebuild their horns.

I am going to give mine the best try I can - but if that doesn't work then sadly I'll have to go with new horns. I hate to do it but at some point of diminishing return.

Kahlenberg Industries