Please help figure out why I keep going through diodes

Centurion_guy

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Ok gents and lady gents,
My 95 7.3 started having issues a few weeks back when I was leaving Wichita to head back to Joplin. The volt gauge was jumping and was almost like ticking. The dash lights pulsated. If you opened the doors, the overhead centurion lighted part pulsated too. We turned back and I checked it with a volt meter. The alternator was putting out properly. So we pushed on. The next morning at work I tested the truck with our interstate battery and charging tester and it said the diodes were stuck open. I yanked the alternator and had the rectifier replace. Well it has been about 2-3 weeks and I am now having to go down stairs and pull the alternator again as it has begun to act up again. Of course I am supposed to be leaving for Austin this after noon. Thankfully the guys who rebuilt it the first time are being awesome and are fixing it under warranty and will have it done this afternoon. But has anyone else ever had an issue with their truck eating diodes? Any know where I should start testing to try and find the issue with it?
 

Centurion_guy

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Ok quick update. So I had the newley re built alternator on the truck for less then 20 minutes before leaving Joplin MO for Austin TX. The truck did great running 75 down there. It was great for the few days I was there. My return trip was smooth until I got off the highway in Joplin and started going across town. It began to smell kinda like a skunk similar to a kind of drug some of us may be familiar with. When the truck would idle it had the battery light on and it would go off as soon as the truck revved off of idle. I have been told that what I was probably smelling is burning wire. Anyone have an issue like this before?
 

Centurion_guy

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Yes both battery have been checked off the truck. Both are good. One is a red top optima and the other is a duralast gold. The guys who rebuilt the alternator said their amperages were close enough to not be an issue. After looking the alternator over they said that it burned the windings inside. They were a redish black color. Apperantly they had to get really hot to do that. They recommend that I just get a rebuilt from AutoZone with the lifetime warranty. So I slapped one on last night and the truck has been doing well since. I checked the grounds and only one is slightly suspicious. However it doesn't appear to have arched. I don't know what else other then they must have missed something while rebuilding the old one would cause this.
 

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