Fried Alternator????????

[Bordo9]

OK guys here's a doozy! I just pulled out a parking lot and smelled a burning scent. I saw some smoke and my dash seemed dim. I check my battery gauge and I was way down. Pulled over and saw that my B+ terminal is totally fried and not even attached to the alternator anymmore. Bad alternator or something more serious with the electical system? I don't want to replace it and the same thing happen. I've heard of the alternators going bad, but frying the terminal so bad it isn't attached? Any help is great. Thanks.

 

[Opera House]

A current that high can only result from the diodes shorting. You can take an ohm meter and check resistance. I would think that is not worth doing because that much current, whatever the cause would have fried the diodes anyway. A new alternator comes with a new regulator so all your problems should be cured. Find the 15A alt fuse in the dist box under the hood. Remove it and inspect the contects for corrosion before putting it back.