Help Alternator ? Options

[bdog_v]

Hello I have a 94 celica gt while idling at night with the lights on heater on and rear defroster the lights will dim and the battery warning light will come on.
I believe the alternator is dieing. It only happens at idle and it comes and goes. I'd like to get it fixed before it leaves me stranded somewhere.
I am wondering?
-Is there a voltage regulator somewhere outside of the alternator or is it internal? I don't want to replace the alternator when it could be something else that regulates voltage.

-Also where is the best place to get an alternator for this beast? Usually these foriegn alternators go for over $100 bones yikes....


Thanks guys...

[Galcobar]

Getting rid of ground wires is not the best strategy for improving electrical flow. Without a path to ground, electricity goes nowhere.

What you actually want to do is improve/upgrade those grounds, with heavier guage wiring and clean metal-to-metal connections. The typical connections are battery-chassis, transmission/starter-chassis, alternator-chassis. You can also improve flow by replacing or augmenting the alternator-battery connection, though you'd want to fuse this wire.