New alternator still not charging battery-but at least it's running!

[hoping2retire35]

ugh. Was hoping to say how I was able to rectify the day this weekend by replacing the alternator in my van! Only 16-18 inches of work room and most of that taken up by a fan cover; I digress.

Story;
2003 Econoline bought earlier this year to save depreciating newer minivan. ( Ill do a write up later about the economics later, just help me fix for now).
pretty great overall, a few things don't work like power windows and computer above the rearview mirror (having trouble finding the right diagram for the fuse box) but I did fix the power seat with a fuse change!
always starts well. Only other issue was last weekend (10 days ago) I was trying to jumpstart (older family truck, will write up in DIY later), anyways turned off van tried to restart and barely turned over. then jumpstarted van using my commuter car. may have been beginning of end for alternator

ok, this past saturday. on an errand it won't start back up. someone tried to jumpstart me twice but cut off less than 30 seconds.
bought a new battery and alternator. installed the battery and was able to start and drive home(5 miles).
got home, installed alternator in the van(yay for me!) and kept driving over the weekend(60 miles or so).
running an errand with my daughter, when we go to leave it is dead.
wife meets us and jumpstarts after charging for several minutes, drive home, leave running for almost 20 minutes with lights and air on and it never dies. turned off and and it won't even turn over-nothing.
Now, can jump start and it will run, turn off and nothing. there was some corrosion around the posts but I cleaned those pretty good and tightened the connection-doesn't really explain what the problem could be since it worked most of the weekend though.

Theory-
1.Alternator went out and took something with it( no idea what this could be, a fuse?)

2.Brand new battery is now worthless, doubtful since it got us home the first time and ran throughout the weekend.

3. Ghosts? idk I am at a loss.

any ideas

[sisto]

It's likely that you got a bad battery. I'm not even sure you needed a new alternator. If the battery is serviceable you could easily tell by checking the voltage between cells. You generally have 6 cells each producing ~=2 volts. A 12V battery should read nearly 13V when fully charged. So overall voltage will be low and usually 1 cell is bad and causing it. So the bad cell will show nearly 0V. You may also have something draining the battery when it's not running, so that's something else to check if the battery checks out ok.

[hoping2retire35]

Took it too advanced auto(where I got the new alternator and battery) alternator was charging fine, 14.34 V, but battery was dead. Gave me a another free new one.

Still not sure why a new battery would die that fast

[sisto]

Took it too advanced auto(where I got the new alternator and battery) alternator was charging fine, 14.34 V, but battery was dead. Gave me a another free new one.

Still not sure why a new battery would die that fast

Because most of the batteries sold by those types of chain stores are crap. It happens all the time which is why I suspected a bad battery even though you said you just replaced it.

[hoping2retire35]

Took it too advanced auto(where I got the new alternator and battery) alternator was charging fine, 14.34 V, but battery was dead. Gave me a another free new one.

Still not sure why a new battery would die that fast

Because most of the batteries sold by those types of chain stores are crap. It happens all the time which is why I suspected a bad battery even though you said you just replaced it.

hope that is all that it is. Still have the old one which i believe is still ok, so Ill keep it charged and in the back for a few weeks.

[HipGnosis]

It's a long shot, but it could be your starter.
Starters can go bad where they still start the engine, but take a WHOLE lot more juice to do it and it kills the battery, but not on the first few starts. 
Most parts places will test the starter for free - but you gotta take the starter to them.

Also, realize that a new battery you get from a parts store isn't fully charged, because it's been sitting in a warehouse and then shelf for who-knows how long.

[hoping2retire35]

Battery dead again. Lucky for me our fridge is getting replaced since our current one is a lemon so im out of work today trying to manage the chaos.

[Midwest]

Hoping -

Do you have a voltameter on your dash and/or are you monitoring it?  We had an alternator which bench tested fine but had a failing voltage regulator.  The alternator wasn't producing voltage until the engine hit a certain RPM and got the alternator going. 

Also, is battery dead or just incapable of turning the engine over?  How long did vehicle sit  before battery died?

[hoping2retire35]

Bad connection. Guess it just came lose before. Thanks everyone.

[HipGnosis]

Bad connection. Guess it just came lose before. Thanks everyone.

Where?  We'd like to know.

[hoping2retire35]

the battery posts.

sorry that last one was from my phone. wanted to update before I forgot.

There was a little corrosion on the terminals and I had to use one of those sleive things to make it fit properly(terminals are too big for the posts). I guess it just came lose at some point during that last trip. Also guessing when advanced auto tested it they were simply on the outside of the terminals, which were not conducting from the battery. I was really discouraged Thursday morning and looking for any signs of corrosion, loose, or frayed wires and when I put the terminals back on I took some channel locks and really squeezed some of the loose metal against the posts, then made sure the bolts were good and tight. After that decided to give it one last shot at starting and it did! Right up and no problems, drove it a couple of times after that too. I might buy some better fitting terminals to just replace the current jacked up ones.

I guess now that some are emotionally connected to the van I should finally do a numbers right up on it!