Hey Phil, hope you're doing well too.

About those pics; They really don't show disconnecting the diodes. I may not have any pictures doing that, because, perhaps, the last opportunity I had to suspect something amiss with the diodes, I connected an oscilloscope to the B+ terminal.

And yes, it shows up as a missing phase. Every third lump is missing or reduced in amplitude.

The pictures I show were taken when I beat my head over an intermittent alternator I installed on a wedding gift circa 2003, an 89 244. The alternator came from the local pick'n'pull, chosen because it sat high and shiny in a 740 newly brought into the yard.

So much easier to pull an alternator out of a 7/9 car than from a 240! Well, it turned out to be shiny from the reman job, and I suspect the last straw to cause the car to be recycled, because it was a mess inside, under that sandblasted housing.

After disconnecting the diode plate, I found the stator winding had a short to the iron core when it got warm. Figure the enamel insulation broke down, and the reman folks just didn't put it through its paces.

I refer to it as my "magpie" moment. Attracted to the shiny object. Posted about it over the years. Example from six years ago: https://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1646198/220/240/260/280/alternator_exciter_regulator_diagnosis.html

Enjoyed your story about the RV alternator, the Lester. My late friend had a similar story to tell when his died on a cross-country trip. Alternators in our Volvos have been a weak spot for getting in trouble on long trips for me, especially. Given me a lot of experience I would never have enjoyed as much in some other make of car.

What were they trying to do with the green paint?? Fix the stator short?
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise.
-Unknown