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Any history of the lifespan on these?
95K on mine, no concerns to date. just be sure alt. belt is in good condition. should get changed out about every 35K (factory used to say 25K, but collected experience indicates the longer interval is reasonable).
If you are really concerned, stop by a automotive electric repair shop. They can easily load test the alternator for you for a nominal fee.
For about the same money, he can buy a 500A carbon pile load tester at Harbor Freight that can be used not only to test an alternator, but to load test a battery. They are about $50 when they are on sale.
Also, a load test tells you what is happening now, not down the road. Even though it load tests fine, the brushes and/or slip rings may almost be at the end of their life.
Not necessarily, Taking it to full load and getting it good and hot will sometimes show any potential issues
As in a rectifier diode, but getting it "good and hot" will not tell you that the brushes are almost at the end of their life.
The only way to tell is to take it apart and do a visual inspection (or replace it with a new unit), otherwise we are just guessing...and I can take it to shop for that.