problem with van Starter/Battery???

[RoseS]

I have a problem with my 89 Ford Aerostar. The other day I was driving upon arriving at the store, I noticed that I couldn't roll down the windows and my back up beeper didn't come on, when I looked at the battery light it was very low. After turning it off, it would not start again. I got a jump and made it home, but after turning it off, it would not start. I had the battery checked out and was told it was a good battery and they also charged it for me. Although the next day, I'm still having the problem, it will stay running after the jump but the volts on the meter are very low near the red(almost like it could die at any second) and my battery light is on. After checking the battery out at auto zone and getting it charged, putting it in, my battery light was still on. Today still the same problem, although the volts were almost zero, if I took my foot of the gas it would die and would need a jump to start.

I thought maybe it could be the alternator, but I have had bad ones in other cars, and I've never had a car do this to me. So it kind of makes me think maybe its not the alternator.

I have previously with in the last 4-5 months had a couple other starting problems. Like when it was warm out, I had the problem tre2004 was having were every once in a while it wouldn't start only click. Like I would drive in to work, and it would be fine, at lunch time about 4 hours later, it would not start, only click,(it would start if I got a jump), then at the end of the day to go home it would start right up. This was not an everyday think, here and there couple times a week. I have not had this problem for at least a month. I did nothing to fix this
Another problem I would have, is sometimes when I was slowing for a stop sign or to turn a corner it would just die in the middle of driving, so I would hurry up and pop it in neutral and start it up and it would be fine. I've even had it do it to me while driving on the highway, I would see the battery light come on and know that the car died, and would just restart it while still rolling. This went on off and on for about a month or so. I also haven't had this problem for about a month. I did nothing to fix this.
I wasn't sure it these previous two starting/running problems would help or not, but thought I would just add it just in case. Both of the previous things I mentioned haven't happened with in the last month but with in the last 4 months, and I did nothing to fix the problems, I just dealt with it, because I didn't have the money to have it fixed or looked at.

I would appreciate any help/advise that anyone could give me, I don't have a lot of money to have it looked at. Even if someone halfway knows what it could be, I could most likely fix it myself. Taking a bus with my kids right now, the sooner the better...
Taking much in advance,
Rose

[truckdude239]

sounds like an bad alternater if the volt needle low take it to an parts store they can check the alternator on the van or you can take it off and take it to them if an alt is bad and the battery is low the car will die because there is nothing recharging the battery and thats all the car is running off of

[occupant]

If your battery is dead, you should be able to drive off the alternator after a jump start. If your alternator is dead then you won't get far. So it sounds like your alternator is not charging. Could be the alternator itself, or the voltage regulator.