Hi all, I just got a 05 e350 and have had the battery light come on a couple times in the past couple days. What I have noticed is that the light will come on when I first start up and it will stay on for 3-5 minutes and then shut off. While the light is on, I watch the Voltmeter (the idiot dashboard OEM gauge) and it will be in the low range and then creep up to the upper area of "normal".
Any ideas on what this might be? I was thinking either the battery or alternator.
That is your charging gauge. And you're alternator charges. Bingo.
I'd get it tested just for the heck of it. Then you'll know for sure.
THEN I'd test both batteries too, separately (as in out of truck or with the wires not connected), otherwise it won't be a good reading. Hopefully you caught it before it dragged down one or both batteries.
I'm willing to bet a cold beverage that the voltage regulator/brush assy. in your alternator is shot, but check the connections on the back of your alternator for broken wires also. You might get out light with the batteries though.
My money is on the alternator, by what the OP describes. During cold engine startup, the glow plug control system draws a lot of current from the system, causing the low voltage indicated by the gauge. But if the voltage is low enough to cause the battery warning indicator to illuminate, the alternator is likely on its way out. The way to verify this, is with an AVR test, to see the amps output of the charging system. If replacement is the end result, I strongly suggest an OEM Ford/Motorcraft unit unless this vehicle is equipped with a lot of aftermarket add-on gadgets and accessories that draw a lot.
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