Loose wire? Alternator?

[ablank135]

Just opened the hood to try to diagnose a newly, dimly illuminated alternator light. Poking around, I see this loose blue wire ending with a spade connector. I assume it needs to terminate somewhere, and I wonder if it's the source of the alternator fault. Is that likely? Can someone ID the wire for me, and the location of its mate? Thanks in advance...

 

[ablank135]

Here's a larger image...

 

[HB Chris]

Looks like you have a modern single wire Alt with internal regulator, hard to tell from photo. If so, the old regulator was bypassed and the blue wire would have connected from Alt to harness next to battery. Without that wire there is no warning light and it wont charge either.

Just saw latest photo, spade on back of Alt is where you connect that wire.

 

[ablank135]

Thanks, Chris. Must have popped off going over a Chicago pothole. Would that have explained the dim alt light, too?

 

[HB Chris]

Yes