77 w/auto wiring has its problems; new battery and alternator - just replaced it becuz had bad diodde? Long of it is this: recently had some wires in door courtesy switches disconnected - seemed to solve the problem of having dead battery after a day or two of leaving car sit. Now "generator" ligt went on and remains on in varying intensity while voltage gauge indicates excessively HI readings +18 (yellow range HI) but car starts without any problem. Any suggestions that I can take back to the mechanic? Have order the positive and negative battery cables from Ecklers and some of te switches for courtesy light and door (hood, too) as par of restoring the baby. Am I barking up the wrong tree? Ron

Have him check the voltage coming out of the alternator. For a fully charged battery, with no drain, the voltage should read much lower. +18 volts is high, especially if the voltage isn't dropping after a minute or two. With my A/C on, lights on and anything else that draws current, the needle on my battery gauge is barely to the right of zero. From what you have said, it seems as if you may have a short that is causing this problem.