At the end of June my wife's alternator went out in her 2003 ford focus se 2.0 split port. Easy fix after my father in-law and I figured out the best way of gettin the alternator out. Stupid me though unhooked a hose goin in to the antifreeze container... you can only take a guess what happened next, I forgot to reattach the hose and blew the head gasket. I didn't realize it was the gasket at first;so still havin issues I replace the plugs, plug wires, and the ignition coil. So stripped the head and replaced the gasket with no problems and in good time I might add. Fast forward 28 days and the next alternator gets fried... A week later the next alternator gets fried, replaced with a different brand of alternator from a different store... It lasted less then 24 hours before quitin on us. I'm at a loss, i'm not a mechanic but I follow directions pretty well so I don't have the foggiest idea as what could be fryin the alternators. Any help would be great full.

 

Could you be a little more specific by what you mean when you say the alt gets fried ?
Does it just stop charging, does it get so hot it quits?
I believe the PCM in the vehicle controls the alternator. There is a regulator in the alternator, but the regulator gets it instructions from the PCM (powertrain control module). Did any of the replacement alternators come from Ford? If not, that would be a good start. Rebuilders can't seem to get some of Ford's alternators right.
Something you can check and that is the wire from the alternator to the battery . They were known to cause problems due to corrosion. Check that wire thoroughly and carefully.

 

By saying fried they died, within a month, a week, less than 24 hours. Two were rebuilt (both from advanced autos), last one was brand new (oreilly), current one is a used one from a ford (motorcraft brand). All of the first three died, the most recent is showing the alternator light on first, second and third crank up. One of the alternators tested was putting voltage off in the 20's but the battery in the 12. range. The battery is new, like 3 weeks.

 

Unfortunately, a lot of auto parts we purchase these days are defective right out of the box. It's a sad situation, but the only thing I have seen that we can do to keep the problems to a minimum is stay with OEM supplied parts. Cost and price keep these suppliers of poor quality parts in business and after you get burned enough, you stick with OEM.
We learn to question everything and in this case I wonder about your battery.
Have you been able to check that wire from the alt to the battery?

 

We tested a lot of the wires and connectors. We did miss one so it could be the one we missed. We could have missed it. We will remedy that shortly. Our local dealership said it would be weeks to order one and I need my car for school now. The one in it now is an original...but used.

 

Voltage in the 20's will fry a battery.

 

The battery died shortly after...replaced it. Going back to Hank, that is the one wire we did not test.

 

You are in a tough spot with the holiday weekend and only certain supply stores remaining open.
Did the alternator come from the same model and year car as yours?
A lot of folks are not aware that they change specs year after year and If you obtained an alt that looked the same , it may not be the same. When Fords run right they're great, but when the newer ones act up it can make a bald headed gent pretty quick.

 

It was the cable comin off of the alt to the battery, I didn't notice all the electrical tape around the cable before but with y'alls suggestion I inspected it a little more. Turns out the cable was in pieces and was shortin out, new cable and the car runs like a champ. Tested the battery and alt and everything is workin great. Thanks everyone for all the help!