Bovine Scatology! An alternator is self-regulating and cannot overload diodes by recharging a low battery! The internal resistance of the stator windings determines how much maximum current the alternator can produce, and the diodes will have at least some overload capacity- - - -sometimes a lot of it! What an alternator won't do is recharge a sulfated battery, one that needs more voltage than the alternator can produce before the regulator kicks in to get the charge started. For instance, a badly sulfated battery might need 16 volts or more just to get a trickle charge going and get the charging process under way. A battery that has been sitting for weeks or months with no cycling has probably become sulfated at least a little- - - -OK for one or two starts, but little or no reserve capacity. The fix is a full discharge, recharge, drain again, recharge, repeat as required.
Jerry
