So here's what I have been experiencing.

a few months ago, my battery light would go on and then go off randomly when it felt like it.

Last month, I purchased a brand new high end battery since we get cold winters here and figured I'll drop in a good high cold crank bat.

the lights still came on and off as they pleased.

today I bought a new alternator, since I was hearing a wining noise coming from it, figured the alternator might be losing a phase or something and the bearing was shot.

After the job was done, I started the van. The battery light is now on Steady.

With a volt meter plugged in, I am getting 14.25v to 14.60v while engine is running, yet he battery light is on. Took it for a 20 or so minute drive, killed the engine and re-checked the voltage with the engine off. 12.24v, up and down a few points.

So.. it seems like the alternator is doing its job, keeping the battery charged. The batter is showing good signs of a full charge.

I don't know what I'm missing here. any thoughts??

 

I think I would get a wiring diagram of the charging system and the instrument panel. My guess is that the light is beeing controlled through the PCM or BCM. So maybe a wire connecting to these modules has a voltage drop and hence gives the warning light.
It's just a guess.

 

Today, drove to a customer's house. After I finished my job, went to start, no start, tick, nothing. The dash lights up, but nothing. Got it towed to my mechanic. They spent hours testing things. They tell me my anti theft kicked in?????

is there any chance all of this is somehow interconnected? I'm puzzled here. This van has been nothing but great to me and now all these problems at the same time. I'm not too impressed, but sounds like wiring faults somewhere.

How much should I expect to pay when I bring this to the dealership to have them at least diagnose it?

 

First question, where did you purchase the replacement alternator?
Fords are notorious for alternator problems when aftermarket alts are used.
You can either have the present alt checked out and chances are there is a diode problem in there or have someone else check it out for you.

 

I got it at Part Source.