"Larry Dill" wrote:
> Lew and Others, > I have been following this thread very closely and do agree with > all that has been written... I do not post much and then there is a > question that I would like to pose to you... I had brain cramp and > turned off the batt switch before turning off the engine, I have a > Balmar 200 amp alternator, after I realized what I had done, I > quickly shut down the engine... I then proceeded to remove the > alternator and have it bench tested at the local alternator shop... > Which turned out to be nothing wrong with the alt., now how do you > see how this was the case, that no damage came to the alt.??? The silicon diode rectifiers used in alternator have two (2) ratings; the forward allowable current, and the PIV (Peak inverse voltage) rating. For years, the automotive alternator standard was a 25A diode with a 100PIV rating. Translation: The PIV rating protects the diode when you accidentally open the BATT switch. Sometimes it's enough, sometimes it isn't. You got lucky. To make it totally safe is simply not cost effective. Lew _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list [email protected] To adjust your membership settings over the web http://www.liveaboardnow.org/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] The archives are at http://www.liveaboardnow.org/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html
