Man, that's wild. I read somewhere that those power bricks can hit 140 degrees if they're blocked, so yeah, carpet is basically toast.

Honestly, my buddy Dave had the exact same thing happen with a cheap reman alternator from Amazon on his 95 Accord. That thing lasted a month, then it started screaming like a jet engine and killed his battery. He pulled a used one from a junkyard in Mesa for 25 bucks and it's been going strong for over a year now. Ngl, those Amazon sellers are often just painting over old junk and hoping you don't notice. The Phoenix pull-a-part yards are gold in this heat, everything dries out and lasts longer anyway. I'd take a crusty OEM unit over that shiny mystery box any day.

Take that lesson and run with it, because it’s not just about the gap or the amps. It’s about learning why you do things instead of just doing what feels right. Most guys pick up habits from whoever trained them, and those habits get passed down like gospel even when they’re not the best way. That old timer probably watched a hundred guys burn through joints the same way you did, and he knew exactly what was coming before you even struck an arc. The real trick is to stop arguing and start asking questions, because every vet has a reason for what they tell you, even if it sounds backwards at first. Now you’ll second-guess your setup every time, and that’s a good thing, it means you’re actually thinking instead of just running on autopilot.