Expensive lesson; alternator fried

When I had my engine out I also serviced the alternator; cleaned it inside and out, new bearings, new diode bridge, and when I first started the engine it worked great. Charged full amps as it should.
Now, several months later and after much fiddling with, in particular, the electrical system, I went out to have the car MOT-ed and, surprise, I arrived at my local garage with an empty battery.

On inspection, it turned out the stator had heated to the point of a short, causing the diode bridge to fail. According the local alternator repair shop, the reason for this is charging a car with a (near) empty battery without driving, typically while working on it. With the engine idling only there is insufficient cooling while it does pump out serious amps.

So the lesson here is: while working on the car's electrics, keep it on a charger!

Luckily the repair shop found the stator identical to one from a Volvo and also had a new diode plate around so the repair took him two hours and €45,- of materials. Could be much worse!
Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login