In article .com,
wrote:
A dead battery will damage an alternator as will a battery with a bad
cell. It is a matter of time and chance when and how hot the alternator,
regulator, or rectifier get and when they will fail.

"An alternator was never designed to charge a completely dead battery"
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/02/02jun17h.cfm

Says nothing about damaging the alternator, though.

It's true an alternator won't charge a *totally* flat battery. I had this
once after leaving the car at an airport long stay carpark while on
holiday. Still don't know what caused it. Got a jump start and drove the
50 or so miles home. At the end of the journey the battery was still
*totally* dead. Put it on trickle charge for a week using an ancient non
regulated charger. After it was fully charged I checked the capacity by
discharging into a load and timing it. Only a rough test. And it would
start the car ok. Dunno if this shortened the life as it was not new and
I'd bought a replacement. ;-)

--
*Who are these kids and why are they calling me Mom?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.