Thanks for your replies, last night i checked the voltage with the car not running it was 12.25 then with it running 12.20 and dropping a 100th volt every ten seconds, so swapped the alternator with one off my mates engine in my garage and it now holds 13.89 volts when running so it's sorted. The battery light on the dash didn't come on but the blue wire is connected, i think it's the bulb knacered so i'll swap it with my now unneccesary power steering warning light and all should be ok thanks again.