Crazy Red Power New info

Re the system. It is not a good idea to run that wire that way.
Use a test light, and put the lead to ground. Put the probe on the Positive battery post (should be light)
Put the probe on the Starter relay where the battery connects (should be light!)
Put the probe in the terminal on that post where the wire attaches that goes to the dash (fat 10ga wire but not a cable) (should be light)
Put the probe on the other end of that wire at the amp gauge, wire terminal, not the amp gauge terminal bolt) (should be light)
Put the probe on the terminal where that wire connects (should be light)
Put the probe on the other amp gauge terminal, LOAD side. (should be light)
Put the probe on the wire going to the Ignition switch at the amp gauge (should be light)
Put the probe on the bat terminal of the ignition switch Should be light. (I'll bet this wire has a corroded terminal or bad connection) should be light.
The reason your gauge is going nuts is that the whole system is now partially through the amp gauge, and part way through the extra wire. Clean every terminal and check every wire in the Probing path and you will find the issue. Do not use that wire (it was an OK bypass test, but not a solution at all. JimN

AAARGH! Well, I'll get back at it after dinner or tomorrow. I have a tiller that decided to give me a headache today. Are the test procedures you gave me ment to be done without the bypass wire? Just want to make sure. - Mike

The bypass wire causes the tests to be invalid due to the voltage coming to the fault from both sides.
One other thing, if the bypass allowed the system to work some, and charge some, and discharge some, the fault may not actually show up as it could if the fault had not been stressed by the current going through it. I would definitely remove and clean each connection, then use a bit of silicone grease to reassemble the clean connections. But clean is a must. The jumper wire is like bypass surgery. Not as good as unclogged arteries, and might give a false sense of wellness. It (in this case) is possible to repair the original arteries. The worst case is that the bypass bypasses the amp gauge, and could result in runaway voltage from the alternator melting and burning the alternator and wiring as well. JimN