Battery losing charge overnight

[TwistedD85]

Anyone know what it could be? The problematic no-charging alternator has been replaced long ago, now I have another battery and it's still doing the same. I turn everything off and it still sucks the energy out of it. Any thoughts?

 

[1slickRED89]

if you have a voltmeter you can charge it up, let it set for a while, and then measure the voltage. if it's below 11 odd volts it's probable bad. or autozone/whatever local chain parts store could do the same thing, in the car or out of the car. battery problems suck!!

 

[TwistedD85]

Well, either I've had two bad batteries (Pretty unlikely, this one was in my 70 beetle for a long while, totally hooked up and everything and it never drained down) or something's leeching power, I can't imagine what. My dad said a bad ground. Where are all the grounds that could cause this kinda um.. suckage?

 

[SHOtimer]

You had it in a '70 Bettle? Is it the correct battery for a Taurus? That might have something to do with it....

Doug

 

[Ishodu]

What you need to do its get a multimeter and use the amp function. Set it up and see what your getting for a draw. With nothing on it should be very little IIRC 25 Milli amps. If its high start pulling fuses till it goes low check to see what fuse you pulled and it will be a good start on checking out what is draining all the power.

 

[TwistedD85]

Really good idea, I'll try that in the morning, I have a great multimeter, oughta work fine. And yea, I had to get it so I'd have a battery with enough charge on it, the terminals are backwards, but it doesn't matter, it's the same size and all. The same thing happened to the old battery, too scared to switch them back while the car is running to charge the old one. I think it's the original battery even, but the exact same thing happened to it.

 

[ohfosho]

if you had alternator problems, its a good chance that that killed your battary too. happens all the time. but check your major parts store. most of them can test battaries and let you know in 5 mins if they are good or bad.

 

[93MTXSHO_STUD]

mines doing the same thing. I checked the current and its pulling .5amps and i pulled all the fuses and it still pulls the same .5amps. I've been through two batteries and its either the voltage regulator or the Rectifier bridge. Im going for voltage regulator though. These components are located inside the alternator.

 

[captinsho]

Don't know if this helps, but I had the same problem with my 93 ATX. It ended up being the unit mounted to the top of the trunk lid (don't know the technical name) that is supposed to sense when the trunk is open to turn the trunk light on. Mine was bad and it made the trunk light stay on all night and drain the battery. Like I said I don't know if this helps, but sometimes it's stupid stuff like this that is so hard to find!

 

[TankII]

FYI - Make sure you maintenance your battery. Fill it with Distilled water periodically!

Also, make sure you put grease or some other anti-oxidant on the terminals after you clean them before assembly.

TankII