ALTERNATOR OUTPUT

OK split the system (in your mind) into sections

No particular order

1...The field/ regulator circuit
2...The output circuit or "charge path" to the battery
3....The components, AKA, the VR and the alternator

1...You could have something wrong, bad VR, something in the field wiring, that is causing full battery power to be applied to the field, causing the alternator to go to full output. HOWEVER if it actually is outputting 26V to the battey and system, the battery should be boiling, hot, smelly, and puking acid, and you should be burning up lamps and other electric components.

2...The output circuit. In a stock wired car, the output comes off the big stud/ BLACK wire on the alternator, goes to and through the BULKHEAD CONNECTOR, goes in up by the dash cluster where there is a WELDED SPLICE in that black wire, and that splice feeds the ignition switch, the hot fuse buss, the headlight power to the headlight switch, and depending on year, a couple other things, and then goes a few more inches to the AMMETER

Through the AMMETER, out on the BIG RED, goes out through the BULKHEAD CONNECTOR, interfaces with the FUSE LINK, and goes to the BIG STUD on the STARTER RELAY where it junctions and feeds the BATTERY

SO IF YOU HAVE a broken connection in that black wire such as the alternator end eyelet connector, the bulkhead connector terminals, the eyelet terminals at the ammeter, or in the ammeter itself, THE ALTERNATOR OUTPUT will skyrocket, as it is now effectively disconnected from the battery

HOW TO TROUBLESHOOT.

Easy. Connect one lead of your multimeter to the battery + connector. Connect the other to the alternator output stud. Run the engine at high idle and verify that the ammeter shows overcharge. READ the meter. If the meter reads quite a bit of voltage, you have a break in the charge path. If the voltmeter reads quite low, "let's say" no more than 2V or so, then the trouble is in the field or VR