So I went to the scrap yard and found a small case 3G alternator for my '68. I wasn't sure if it was a 95 or 130 Amp but I didn't really care as even 95 is more than enough.

I brought it home and took it apart. The slip rings were too worn and I actually started going through them when trying to smooth them out.

Went back the next day and grabbed another that looked exactly the same except I know this one is 130 A because it is marked on the back.

Long story short, I dropped the second one and cracked the case so I go back to first case and polish it up nice. It wasn't until I mostly had it back together and thought I should check the diodes that I realized the rectifier I cleaned up contained less diodes (6 vs 8) than the other and that they were opposite polarity.

Now I am wondering why and if I should go to the trouble of cleaning up the one with more diodes? or perhaps there is no difference in that the one with less diodes uses higher power diodes?

Mike

 

I'm not sure if it applies but try using the color codes for the diodes to determine if they are the same TOTAL value... http://www.csgnetwork.com/diodecolorstable.html