93 taurus electrical issue

[daveablue]

i have a 93 taurus wagon my battery was dying overnight i checked the alternator adn it seems to be pumpiong out the right voltage so i replaced the battery and the next night it died again i cant find anything on in the car any ides what could be killing this thing so fast

[medicTA]

Usually your battery will be about 12 volts when the car isn't running, keep the meter on it and start the car, the voltage should now be in the 13-14V+ range.
Before you start the sometimes long painful procedure of tracking down a power drain, I would remove the alternator and take it in to your nearest large auto parts store and get a free test.
I have tested alternators that do produce voltage, sometimes, fluctuate at held RPM and at the same time produce little to no amperage, so if you get it bench tested you can rule out the alternator.

[daveablue]

would that work if i put my met er on and had someone rev it up fior a little bit to avoid pullin the alternator out i hate playin with belts when i dont have to lol and do you have an idea of what amperage rang ethe alternator shold be pushing. i can do pretty much any kind of work on my car but im not well versed with what evrything should draw .

[medicTA]

If you put the meter on and rev it a little you should see the voltage raise to the 14V range. However this does not tell you if the alternator is producing close to it's full 80-100 amps, it may be producing well below that.
If you turn your headlights and heater on high and start the car what does the meter read? It should still be 13V+
Another thing to consider is to phone around and find a shop that will give you a charging system check for free or for minimal cost.

[michelq]

i think your volt regolator stay on all the time
time to replace