Staff Answer
May 05, 2026 - 10:20 AM
If a battery switch is accidentally turned off while the engine is running the voltage spike generated can fry your alternator's diodes. The best way to avoid this is to never disconnect the alternator output. Accidents sometimes happen however and by putting in a protection device you build a more bullet proof system to help avoid alternator damage. The old way of doing this was with the Balmar TSP (Transient Spike Protector) but its replacement is more sophisticated, works more than once, and has a built-in monitor to check its own performance. The 12 volt version is the Balmar APM-12 Alternator Protection Module for 12 volt systems and there are equivalent models for 24 and 48 volt systems.
