After reviewing Tom's 510 tech tip, this also came to mind:
The 'L' lamp wire serves two purposes: it tells the alternator to
turn on, AND it operates the 'idiot light'. If this wire is run
straight to a +12 source WITHOUT a lamp in the line, bad things
may happen. The terminal is pulled to ground during no-output,
which will cause an inline lamp to glow. That lamp also acts as
a current limiter! With a straight connection, the alternator will try
to pull a +12 line to ground and may toast itself. In fact, if it burns
'open' the ground path switching, it could conceivably 'float' at +12
and account for the run-on...
-- John
John F Sandhoff sandhoff@csus.edu Sacramento, CA
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