At 11:21 AM 2/6/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Except that in a lot of standard marine alternators, the voltage
>regulator is built into the alternator directly, and only can monitor
>the alternator output voltage, not the battery voltage.
>

Yes and no. The regulator is built into many alternators, but that does not
mean it can't monitor the battery voltage.

I don't want to contradict you, but if you check with alternator
manufacturers, you will find that the alternator output wire is "never"
used for sensing the battery voltage. There is always another wire used to
sense the battery voltage, even if it does not appear that way, ie the
"idiot light" wire serves two purposes, both sensing(input) and
indicating(output)(Mercury Capri among others).

Alternators can be incorrectly connected, and monitor their output voltage
rather than the battery voltage, but no boat or automobile manufacturer
will do it that way. Mechanics and do-it-yourselfers, on the other hand,
will do whatever they want, whether it's right or not, and it might "work"
sort of.

Cheers, Bob