Very well maintained car with 235K just completed 5K trip with no problems. Tonight was dropping by dad's house in major thunder/lightning storm. No trouble on way there. Stayed around 15 minutes until storm passed through. Lots of lightning nearby. Took a bit longer than usual quick start. Some radio signal blips, maybe engine blips, maybe headlight blips, and dash lighting (not warning ones) blips. I turned off AC and radio. Thought I might have seen soft glowing warning lights so after less than 1mile at 25mph, headed back to dad's. Soon all warning lights came on glowing very bright. Headlights may have dimmed--not sure because too focused on getting back. Did not experience drivability issues. Made it there. Grabbed dad's car and drove home.

If not for all the nearby lightning, I'd assume either broken alternator wire or maybe alternator bolt, and that's probably what I'll find when I return in day time. The way it came on so suddenly didn't act like it's voltage regulator/brushes. Any chance nearby lightning could have fried anything in alternator? Anything likely?
Thanks.

Resolution:

Got under car and looked up at wiring harness. Couldn't see anything odd, but reaching up and feeling harness where it disappears behind alternator mounting bracket I felt very frayed/broken wires. I assume with rain it had seriously grounded out. Towed to shop in attempt to save alternator. Mechanic called me and said he pulled alternator and said couldn't see anything wrong with wires. Wasn't sure what I was talking about in my note about frayed wires. I dropped by shop and even with alternator off, couldn't se anything. I reached up behind bracket and felt fraying. He said he would remove bracket to check it out, and I took off. When I returned to pick up fixed car, he said I was "100% correct", that wires not only frayed but broken, and he reconstructed a section of harness. Brushes low but alternator fine. I have 2 other 240s, and I'm going to be taking a very close look at that harness location, and if any sign of damage, repair while easy. This could have been a royal PITA had it happened at a different place and time. Suggest others might want to do same inspection.

Bill:

Look at the fuse block on the drivers panel. If any water got in there you may have corrosion causing this issue.

I would first disconnct neg battery cable, take out all fuses and nte the sequence and color to replace.

Take a small bronxe or brass wire brush and brush the fuse block connections on both sides and also brush the ends of all the fuses.

That should cure or prevent the problesm

Good luck

Al

Couldn't edit original so replying for update. Started car and all lights came on. Backed car into shade and bright warning lights went off--except for very softly glowing battery light. Sound like bad ground or red wire off back of alternator preventing any charging, then I was running offf battery for sho distance? Alternator belts also looser than should be.