DeTomaso Mailing List: December 98, Message #36

You know, maybe my current method of keeping my battery charged is just the easiest - I take the battery out of my car and take it to my apartment on the 6th floor every night to put it on the charger to put more smoke in it (no power in the garage). It doubles as a VERY effective anti-theft device as well, but I wish the battery had handles. 

Charlie McCall
1972 Pre-L
#3847
Still in France, not Pantera-less anymore!

>>> Dan Jones <djones2@mdc.com> 12/01/98 08:06PM >>>
>I tried this method, the problem is, my slow leak of smoke (???) is not
>on a path that goes through the fuse box.  
>
>With ALL fuses pulled, I put the battery cable on (engine off) and there
>is a small spark.  The kind of spark that drains the battery over about
>two weeks.

The alternator may be shorting internally.  I had an alternator that
worked well enough to keep a battery charged if driven daily but
would drain the battery over a period of a few days.  I put an ammeter
inline with the battery and, one by one, pulled the fuses and the
circuit breakers (don't forget about those).  I pulled them all and still
there was a 1.5 amp draw.  The next step was to go to the starter
relay and pull the leads (I think there were three) off one by one.  
When I pulled the lead off that goes to the alternator, the drain 
went away.  Turns out it had a partial internal short.