speaking of alternators failing due to fluids getting into alternators. i was changing a timing belt recently, power steering fluid found its way to slip rings, created conducting surface and shorted the brushes which caught on fire. here's what it looks like:

in case you were still thinking about building your own external regulator, here's a vid how to do it including links and brief description:Output voltage depends on which zener diode you use. Use a 12 or 13 V zener for charging (1) 12v lead acid battery, and use a 25-27V zener for charging...

i'll have to read more and figure out how exactly the neutral point increases output rather than protect the stator from grounding. the section 2.1 talks about "other auxiliary diodes connected BETWEEN the neutral point and the main rectifier":however, section 4.2.1 talks about winding...

great find! it would appear that the neutral voltage is used to protect the alternator/generator stator winding from stator earth fault, according to this link:https://www.electrical4u.net/alternator/neutral-voltage-protection-59gn-95-stator-earth-fault-protection/needless to say, i am not...

good catch with the "twisted pair" wires!! check out the unit below... single wire, three phase stator and rectifier with 4 terminals.... it definitely has to do something with the amp output. i vaguely remember that voltage/ampere output had to do something with how much copper is on each...

i was thinking the same thing once i noticed vendors were selling alternators which looked physically the same but were marketed with different ratings (see my reply to @We're on Boost above). i'll have to figure out how to bench test this theory.

i was going to speculate if perhaps the extra (4th) phase is the difference b/w various alternator amp outputs and it would appear that @steve in the post above is also entertaining the same theory. i have not read up on it yet and i do not know how it actually works but when i looked for...

the interesting thing is that the FSM shows how to test the original mitsu rectifier which has three terminals yet when i just opened my old original mitsubishi alternator while i was scavenging for useful parts to refurbish the alternator in question, what i found inside was a rectifier with...

would you be able to guesstimate what temps you're dealing with in your particular application? i'm asking bc the claim is that diodes start dying around 325F:i guess your reasoning was that since the front of the alternator is facing the strut tower and inhaling air which is cooler, you...

that's a very ingenious heat shield you put on the alternator!!have you tried to check the actual temperature with and without the heat shield on? if yes, what was the delta? i am asking because i would think that the direct heat radiation from the exhaust manifold may not be as critical...

given that the main cause for alternator failures in 1g cars is heat and fluids getting into the alternator and compromising the electronics inside, the idea of external rectifier/regulator, as proposed by @We're on Boost in one of his posts above, is a pretty good idea. there actually...

i am speculating here ...i wonder if the reason for failing regulators in 4g63 applications is the actual location of the alternator in 4g63 setups rather than the regulator itself... the electronics in the alternator are exposed to high temperatures around the exhaust manifold and turbo...

it's a voltage regulator and you would know if it's failing by either overcharging your battery (most cases) or 'no charge' (less likely). from reading about alternators, it appears that voltage regulators are least likely to fail... brushes or diodes are likely to go before voltage regulators...