Car battery dies every night if I don't disconnect it.

[R_powell]

I've got a horrible problem concerning my Explorer.
My battery every single night dies if I do not disconnect it. I was wondering if anyone could help me out by pointing me in the right direction to configure maybe the fuse box, or find a relay that isn't turning off when I turn off my engine.

Thank you very much

 

[Lacky01]

sounds like a short-draw. maybe the alternator?
did you hook the battery up backwards recently?
could be a few things

 

[tgreene92]

make sure nothings hooked to a 12v constant wire or to the battery without a switch, also does it ever die out when your driving.

 

[R_powell]

Checked the alternator, it is fairly new.
It never dies on me when I drive. Only when I don't disconnect the battery after a long period of time, say 6-8 hours.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the stock 91-94 section. Test the current drain with an ammeter.

 

[Maniak]

Your best bet is going to be to put a DVM on it, and measure the current it is drawing while sitting. Put your meter on DC Amps and put the leads between the neg batter post and the negative terminal. DO NOT TRY TO START THE TRUCK. If you do it will at best burn your meter up.

Now, with the meter connected you should see current draw. Now pull the main fuses 1 at a time from the under hood fuse box. When you pull one of them you should see the current draw go away. No you know which circuit to look at. My best guess would be a sticking fuel pump relay as that is somewhat common (if you can call it that).

~Mark

 

[rhauf]

is the car completely stock, or are there modifications? i've found that often people hook up aftermarket stereos (among other things) and wire them wrong and have battery drain issues.

other than that.. i agree, hook it up through an ammeter, and start pullin' fuses until you find the problem

 

[johns77]

I had the same problem on mine and it turned out to be a bad relay switch. Replaced it and it solved the problem.

 

[shaggymane]

I had a bad voltage reg when mine was draining overnight and it was fairly new also. I guess you know they are on the back of the alt. Found a junkyard alt for 25$ no core. Woot. I put the volt reg in the Alt with the longest brushes.

And make sure the underhood bulb is out or off when you go chasing for a short.