I didn't think alternators were so sensitive. I just recently purchased a correct "694" alternator for my car to replace the installed incorrect one. The incorrect one had been running fine. The last trip I made was a 100 miler and the car ran great. After the trip the car was parked and the battery switch turned to off. The car has been sitting quietly in its parking spot for 2 weeks until yesterday, I decided to crank her up and go for a spin. When I turned the battery cut-off switch to on, smoke started pouring out of the engine compartment. I turned off the battery switch and went to investigate. The 12R wire from the horn relay to the alternator fried! It appears to be the only wire in the bundle affected. It must have dead shorted somewhere, but I can't see where. The only determination I can find is that the alternator is the culprit. The alternator shows going to ground when hooking the meter leads to the 12R post and casing. But, I'm not sure if this caused the 12R wire to fry or is the result of the 12R wire short circuiting.
Has anybody had an alternator go "bad" like this from just sitting? If so, I'm sure glad I had the battery switch in the off position while the car was sitting. It could have been much worse. Burned car and house!
Any suggestions on how to proceed from here would be great. I do have an extra "good" replacement alternator to install.
The wiring harness is fairly new so, would digging out and replacing only the fried 12R wire be adequate?
Is there anything else I need to check?

Has anybody had an alternator go "bad" like this from just sitting? If so, I'm sure glad I had the battery switch in the off position while the car was sitting. It could have been much worse. Burned car and house!
Any suggestions on how to proceed from here would be great. I do have an extra "good" replacement alternator to install.
The wiring harness is fairly new so, would digging out and replacing only the fried 12R wire be adequate?
Is there anything else I need to check?


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