The Leech Monster

[fishquail]

For the past four years I have been fighting the infamous battery drain. I am about to lose it. I have bought three new batteries and taken my '92 Ford Exploder to several different shops who all just cleaned my battery posts or recommended a new battery. AM i taking freakin' crazy pills? The alternator seems to work fine, if I drive it everyday it doesn't go dead. But if I leave it sitting for a few days (as in the holidays) it dies. So hours later while I am waiting on my battery charger to recessitate my vehicle's heart..I am wondering:

Could it be my negative battery cable is too loose? The negative side just slipped right off. Could the battery be engaging on and off throughout the night?

The wires connecting the positive and negative terminals on the battery are clearly worn out could this cause a slow drain?

I am not even mildly skilled in automobiles so any advice anyone has for me is very welcome and greatly appreciated.

[exploded99]

[quote=fishquail]

When you shut off your key, a bunch of relays turn off to turn off various circuits. If a relay is stuck on, that circuit will drain the battery. Unfortunately, finding the bad one can be a time consuming job.

Troubleshooting requires a very good wiring diagram, a knowledge of what is on each circuit, an ammeter to measure current draw at the battery with the key off, and then you check each circuit to find the problem one. So a mechanic usually runs up a labor bill quickly.

In the interim, you may want to put new terminal ends on your battery cables, and on the positive cable install a battery switch type terminal. You can turn the switch to off when you park the car, which disconnects the battery. You will lose your radio presets when you do this.

If you look in the yellow pages, you will find repair shops that specialize in electrical issues. You might try one to see what the troubleshooting will cost. Most mechanics do not like detailed electrical troubleshooting work.

[fishquail]

Thank you very much for the info. Very helpful!