Battery draining

[sshec152]

I have 96 Cherokee 4.0 auto manual windows and locks. A few weeks ago when I went to start my car for school my engine would barely turn over and the door buzzer was barely audible. I used a jump pack to start it and all was good. Then when I went to leave school to go to votec it wouldn't turn over. So I took the bus and later I took the battery to pepboys to have it tested and they said it was no good, so I replaced it and it still wouldn't turn over, no clicking nothing. So I replaced the starter and it started right up and I drove it home. It sat for a few days and when I went to start it, it was dead. So I put it on the charger and took the bus. Started up great after school. The next day it started right up. Then it sat for a week (didn't have money for gas, yes I'm broke) went to start it up and again it was dead. So I did some research and did the thing where you hook up the multimeter between the - cable and the - terminal. It read about 39 mA. I was pulling fuses and when I pulled the radio, glovebox, etc. fuse it went to either 0.2 or 3 mA but i can't remember. I also have fog lights installed, interior lights installed (because the factory one doesn't work) and the putco light harness upgrade. What could be causing my battery to drain? Any insight would be helpful.
Thank you, Steven and sorry for the long paragraph.

[Brasscatz]

I'm sure you've checked to make sure all dome lights are off? Is it an aftermarket radio or stock?

[prerunner1982]

Just to make sure, do you have an under hood light that comes on when you lift the hood? I don't know if Cherokees even had those and if so on what years. Also when you were pulling the fuses was the door closed or at least the door pin deactivated? Though you overhead light might not work the door pin could still activate the circuit.

Just making sure as I have had to do the test light and pull fuses method before on other vehicles. A split "hot" wire making a contact though may not activate anything it would be discharging the battery.

Find out everything that is on that particular circuit for the fuse that you pulled and start checking each item and chasing wires.

Electrical issues can be tricky. A good example that I like to use is on a 97 S10 Blazer my wife had. You would be driving it and the interior lights would come on and go off randomly. After pulling fuses and chasing wires and circuits it ended up being the lumbar support switch in the drivers seat was grounding out. It was on the same fuse as the interior lights and while it did not activate the lumbar it was activating the lights.

[sshec152]

I'm sure you've checked to make sure all dome lights are off? Is it an aftermarket radio or stock?

All of the light were off, and it is after market.

[sshec152]

Just to make sure, do you have an under hood light that comes on when you lift the hood? I don't know if Cherokees even had those and if so on what years. Also when you were pulling the fuses was the door closed or at least the door pin deactivated? Though you overhead light might not work the door pin could still activate the circuit.

Just making sure as I have had to do the test light and pull fuses method before on other vehicles. A split "hot" wire making a contact though may not activate anything it would be discharging the battery.

Find out everything that is on that particular circuit for the fuse that you pulled and start checking each item and chasing wires.

Electrical issues can be tricky. A good example that I like to use is on a 97 S10 Blazer my wife had. You would be driving it and the interior lights would come on and go off randomly. After pulling fuses and chasing wires and circuits it ended up being the lumbar support switch in the drivers seat was grounding out. It was on the same fuse as the interior lights and while it did not activate the lumbar it was activating the lights.

hood light was off, and now that i think about it the pins weren't deactivated lol thanks.

[oderdene]

check the glovebox, if it not fully closed, lamp will not go off, it will drain battery. 0.39A by 12V = 5W approx, not so big usage but enough to drain after a while.

better way is to disconnect them one by one and check the current drain. 0.013A is normal drain when key off.

[4.3LXJ]

New radios pull current all the time to maintain their memory, like push buttons etc

[sshec152]

New radios pull current all the time to maintain their memory, like push buttons etc

So is the reading im getting too high?

[sshec152]

check the glovebox, if it not fully closed, lamp will not go off, it will drain battery. 0.39A by 12V = 5W approx, not so big usage but enough to drain after a while.

better way is to disconnect them one by one and check the current drain. 0.013A is normal drain when key off.

How can i tell if it off whens its closed?

[4.3LXJ]

39ma is not very much

[Rayburne]

Just wondering if you checked the alternator. Soo tired im off to bed. Night all

[XJ Wheeler]

I had the same thought as Tom here. Alternator might not be pumping out enough juice, thus when you park it the battery doesn't have the power to start it. But with that reading you got, seems more likely a drain. Wouldn't hurt to check though.

[sshec152]

So what exactly should i be checking for?

[4.3LXJ]

You can start by checking it for voltage before and after starting. It also seems as though you can check amps. If so do that on the lead out of the back immediately after starting

[oderdene]

How can i tell if it off whens its closed?

see in dark or just pull our little bulb behind latch, then check/measure current

maybe alternator, disconnect all wires from alt and measure current, once read - faulty rectifier on alternator was reason of battery drain

[sshec152]

You can start by checking it for voltage before and after starting. It also seems as though you can check amps. If so do that on the lead out of the back immediately after starting

I know the voltage is good because the volt gauge is steady almost right at 14. And am i checking amps out of the back of the alternator, if so, which cable nd what amps should i get?

[4.3LXJ]

Use the heavy wire. It is the one that feeds the system. If you crank on it for awhile, it should read close to capacity as soon as it starts and then taper off as the battery recharges to about say 30 amps