This is a follow up question to my previous post about not being able to shut my engine off.

The side terminal on my starter switch is hot all the time. Shouldn't it only be hot when the starter is depressed?

Also, several have mentioned putting a 12 volt lamp in the line running from the ignition switch to the alternator. Can someone explain the purpose of that "resistance" and is this in addition to the ballast resistor on the line running from the ignition switch to the coil.

Thanks