Charging vs. instrument panel.

Hi all,

My K11 let me down for the first time in 7 years this morning and I am hoping your expertise will get me going again. It was even on the way to the airport and I was late already!
I had the dashboard instrument cluster out yesterday for a different matter. I put everything back together yesterday evening and didn't more about it.
This morning the car started as normal but the only info in the instrument panel was the digital ODO reading and the time. ODO didn't change as I drove but the lights came on in the panel. No speedo, oil temp, fuel indications. I continued my journey and played around with the plug as I went. No change. I ended up disconnection the cluster completely. 15min later the radio died and shortly after the car - no electric power.
Question is: does the plug have to be connected to close the loop to the alternator light for the alternator to work???
Could I somehow have damaged the instrument cluster by simply disconnecting the plug and put it back in? Any tricks?

Btw.
I left the car in the 'ditch' and hiked to the airport just in time for my flight.

Have a great weekend out there!
 
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