Can an alternator overcharge a battery?

[mudnut]

If I understood the posts by the fellas here correctly, the answer to your last question should be 'yes'. Under the ohms law, voltage and amperage are connected. V= IR, V=Voltage, I=Amperage, R=Resistance.
So, if I understand correctly, even though the alternator constantly produce 60amp out put at around 20V or so, the regulator regulates the charging voltage to around 14.5V and whatever the amps based on battery's charging state, and even reduces the voltage to around float voltage which is around 13.5V, with minimum amps based on the 'feedback' from the battery. In other words I don't need to worry about battery getting overcharged in long non-stop drives, unless the regulator is faulty.
If I'm wrong, please somebody correct me.

I know you wish to fully understand the operation of an alternator, but please don't get yourself confused. The amount of amps drawn from the alternator varies between, say 5amps to its maximum output, depending on what load is connected. For example: battery charge, ignition lights, air conditioner, windscreen wiper and stereo, etc. The regulator is designed to keep the voltage constant, even with varied engine speeds. So the short answer is, no, a fully functioning regulator should not overcharge a battery.