What is this resistor for?

[Kate FitchGerald]

I got my alternator working.  WOOHOO!!!  Thanks
everyone for your help :)

I have a question about a resistor I found while I was
fixing my alternator.

On the voltage regulator assembly, there was a blue
body (fairly big, not sure what wattage) 82 ohm
resistor that was electrically connected across the
the copper connector (the copper connector that links
one of the brushes to the blue wire) and ground.  What
is the resistor for?

I found one of the resistor's terminal leads was
broken when I took my regulator assembly off.  I
couldn't resolder that one, so I found a 5W 100ohms
resistor and resolder back on.  My alternator works,
but, what is the resistor in there for anyways?  What
will happen if I removed it?  





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