"Viperdoc" writes:

Yes, I switch the voltage regulator on every flight. The concerns that I
voiced regarding the alternator load came from an article in the American
Bonanza Society magazine, where another Baron owner saw similar behavior.
This article suggested that it might be a bad diode in the weaker
alternator.

As a matter of fact, I called the ABS today, and they suggested that the
observed difference could be due to a poor ground, and suggested
investigation of the same. I hope to do this in the near future.

Could be bad grounds. Could be bad diodes.

But unless the two voltage regulators EXACTLY track {and they never
do} one will work harder than the other. That's life.

You can test for bad diodes with a fair degree of success as follows.
With one alternator on line at idle, load it down, say the landing
lights. Listen carefully in your headset for whine, dependent on
RPM. Then swap to the other alternator. If one is missing a diode,
it likely will have far more audible whine than the other.

(I'm having a hard time picturing how you swap regulators. Does
this aircraft use one regulator for both alternators???)

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