Well it turns out that I have had a FEW idiot lights staying on my 83 240. Only noticed it now when it was getting dark; the other days it was very bright when I drove and I only payed attention to the battery light. The car runs perfectly and the battery is charging fine. All lights and accessories work beautifully. HOWEVER, ever since swapping the alternator the following idiot lights now stay on: battery, parking brake, brake failure, and bulb out lights. Interestingly enough, the parking brake light gets brighter when I put the brake on, but it is always there, even when the brake is off. I checked all the fuses in the strip by the drivers door and they look OK at a quick glance. I must have blown a fuse or tripped something when I swapped out the alternator - any ideas?

Thanks for all the help so far.