Craig,

I recently asked a similar question elsewhere about this, from a marine
electronics expert, and received this reply (I hope he won't mind me quoting
him):

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Will hours and hours of full-alternator charging output damage the
alternator? I know an alternator rebuilder around here who says yes, but I
have heard "experts" up and down the dock with every opinion from here to
Sunday.

REPLY
The short answer is YES!
If the litle alternator gets over heated then the wires will scorch and once
you loose the insulation, they short out.

The rectifier diodes will also suffer damage if subjected to too much heat.
How much is too much? Maximum case temp should not exceed 180F

Beyond that and you can expect permanent damage to something inside the
alternator.

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Charles T. Low
www.boatdocking.com

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"Craig Stuart" wrote in message
nk.net...
I have a Balmar alternator and when it is charging the temp of the
alternator is around 230 degrees. Is this normal ?

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Craig & Marcia Stuart