1996 ford contour alternator issue?

[charger_413]

okay i put a new alternator on my car after it went bad suposably the battery is brand new this was the problem i put it wouldnt charge so i found the wire were theres always conts 12 volts with key on or off so i ran a wire to the battery and my alternator works now my question is the igtion switch bad id like to fix it the right way

 

[eight_kinds_of_hell_454]

There is probably a fuse or fusible link in that line somewhere that is blown. The line that is 12v constantly should be coming from the starter solenoid, same terminal the battery cable connects to. The wire coming from the ignition switch is not hot all the time. Kinda sounds to me like youve got it wired the same way it was wired from the factory, you just bypassed a blown fuse or a shorted wire.