Battery keeps draining

[kbarron]

First time poster, and new addition to AF as of last week.


The battery is suddenly draining on my 1996 Cherokee (4.0 Inline Six). I have recently had problems with the electric fan functioning erratically. I was searching the net last week for some help, came across the AF website, found a solution, implemented it(replaced relay), and it worked! The next day, the battery was dead! I jumped it and drove it around to recharge the battery. That did the trick...until the next day when my lovely wife tried to go to the grocery store. Dead again! I replaced the battery. That worked for about 4 days. Now, I am dead again! These two things I know for sure:

1. The battery terminals are not corroded.

2. The drive belt, although showing its age, is turning all appropriate devices.

My suspicions are that either the alternator is bad, or I have some kind of short draining the battery. But, I do not notice any other odd symptoms like dimming lights or AC pulling motor down excessively when I do get the jeep started.

What I have noticed twice though...once when I jumped it and the other time when I replaced the battery...is that when I started it, it ran really rough until I gave it some gas.

Can anyone out there point this wanna-be do-it-myself-er in the right direction? Thanks in advance!

[walterk]

Hello,

Check an alternator. It looks the one is the problem.

Use multimeter (Voltmeter). If the alternator is ok, the Vmeter will show 14,1 or higher. ( engine is running ).

Push the pedal till the metal.

[JDPascal]

Hey kbarron!!!

have you figured any thing out on this problem??

[ci5ic]

Once you get the jeep started, disconnect the battery, if it dies, then the alternator is bad...