Drained Battery/SHORT?

[mikej2244]

I have been having battery troubles on my 00 5.9 L Durango for a few weeks now. It is sporadic, but this has happened three times now. I go out there on a morning to head to work and the battery is dead...and I mean DEAD. Not enough juice to light a dome light. The first couple of times this happened, I take out the battery, charge it up, put it back in and all is fine. For another week or two.

This time I have more problems. I am no electrician, and do not even understand the properties of current, but I am trying here. So here is what I do this time. I had a plan. I figured I would use an amp meter to see it pulling amps with the key off (or out) and then I could start pulling fuses until it stops pulling amps. That would find at least which circuit is the cause of the power drain right?

I charge my battery, it reads 14 volts. I put it in the car and connect the negative battery cable. Then I put my voltmeter lead on the positive battery cable and switch it to 250 ma, the highest amp setting for my voltmeter (I know a need a better meter). I touch the other lead to the + battery post and the needle jumps and then nothing. I assume I have blown the fuse in my voltmeter now because it will no longer move the needle for any battery on voltage settings nor does the needle move on OHM setting when you touch the ends together. So it is obviously drawing enough amperage to blow my fuse in my voltmeter right??? I am going to try to get a new fuse tomorrow and repair my voltmeter.

So just for grins I go ahead and put the positive battery cable on the battery, the light on the underside of my hood comes on…I watch it for about 30 seconds and it gets dimmer and dimmer and goes out. So again, whatever is pulling that amperage is pulling so hard it drained the battery in about 30 seconds. And this is all without the key in the ignition at all.

Now I am down to my next plan unless you guys can help me find a better one. Recharge the battery. Repeat my process with a better meter that can handle more amperage?

HELP??!?!

[mikej2244]

Well, so much for that idea. With every fuse in my panel removed, it still drains the battery in about 25 seconds. I am down to having it towed to the shop...please guys, other ideas before I do so?