Check out of charging system

[DanEC]

I finally got a replacement heater valve yesterday and sealed the cooling system back up to restart the motor. Geez - took UPS over a week and half to deliver it. Upon restarting the charging light is showing red. I used Bob's electrical primer manual to test the alternator and regulator. With the motor running I'm only getting 12.4 volts at the battery - same as with the motor off. I pulled the plug off of the regulator and jumpered from the power wire to the ground with the key on - 0 volts. Same thing from the ground terminal to ground. Checked the fuse for the yellow/red striped power wire. It appears fine. I made a jumper wire to connect the power wire and ground wire together in the regulator plug and re-started the engine. I first glanced at the ammeter gage and it was pegged all the way over on the charge side and I immediately shut the motor down.

My battery was getting pretty weak by this time - maybe that's why the ammeter pegged (?) Sound like the regulator?

I plugged the regulator back in securely and restarted and it's still showing no charge. Because one of the turn signals was not working the other day I decided to try them before killing the engine. The driver side works fine and the ammeter showing an expected fluctuation as it operates. When I turned on the passenger side the ammeter went wide - charging, discharging, bouncing all over. I tried it twice with the same results. I haven't had time to trouble shoot the turn signals yet but I will according to Bob's manual.

Thoughts? Bad regulator? Did I miss something?

I'm just not the best electrical guy. When I last changed the ice/water filter in our refrigerator the service light that shows green when the filter is good and eventually changes to yellow and red when they want you to replace it - went out. That was months ago - I figured I can live without it. Today said something about it to my wife and she opened the door and a minute later said - "there, its fixed." I said, how's that? She said "I just pushed the reset button in and held it for 3 seconds." I said great - there is not hope for me and the Cobra.