Yes. A defective battery can damage a perfectly good alternator.
The alternators function is to recharge the battery once it’s been used to start the engine. And to keep the battery charged when various electrical systems are used in the vehicle. The alternator determines how much to charge the battery by measuring the reference voltage from the battery. If there’s a problem with the battery where the reference voltage is very low, the alternator will try to recharge the battery. The alternator isn’t designed to recharge a dead battery. It’s intended to maintain the charge on a good battery. When this does happen, the alternator begins to run hot, and this is what kills the alternator.
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