Phantasm

Situation: Car battery dies when parked for more than a day.
2 days elapse sitting idle; car kinda cranks but doesn't start
3 days idle; car just clicks the relay
4 days idle; I'm lucky if the FOB unlocks the doors

Vehicle spec:
2002 SE 6 Speed with Factory alarm, no aftermarket radios, speakers, or other electronics plugged in to lighter ports etc. basically OEM.

Battery: New as of AUG 2014, 800 CCAs, no name battery purchased at Air Force Base Exchange. Replaced weakening Positive terminal a month ago. Neg is clean and tight.

My Trickle charger/maintainer will recharge battery in 24-48 hrs to operating status.
Car jump starts just fine.
No dash lights -none.

If I drive every day the car treats me just fine. If it sits, the battery drains exceptionally fast.
I'm tempted to put a battery disconnect switch like you find on boats to keep the battery alive for when I need it.

Any ideas what the vampire is leaching my battery out so fast?

Child_uv_KoRn

iTrader: (7)

start testing loss across the fuses and relays

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

disconnect the negative battery terminal and put a incandescent test light inbetween the disconnected terminal and the battery negative post. wait 15 minutes for the PCM to go to sleep, light should be bright if you have a parasitic drain. remove your fuses one at a time, whichever fuse you pull that makes your test light go dim is the circuit that has the drain on it

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

It could also be that you have a bad battery. If you know that you won't be driving the car for a day or 2, disconnect a battery cable. Then when you go to drive it, check the battery voltage before you reconnect the cable. It should be 12.5 volts. If the voltage is down below 12 volts, you have a bad battery.

nestorlugo

iTrader: (11)

I've had the exact same issue,my battery had a bad cell....always started but if i had the car off radio on I'll just click and needed a jump

I'm poor so i always buy recondition batteries for $57 with one year warranty

Usually last about 3years

Phantasm

Thanks guys,
I did run a voltage drop test across all the fuses inside and out with the car in sleep mode -hood and door sensors were clamped shut. Couldn't find anything there. The Battery read 20 mA when in sleep mode on the Amp meter (similar to light bulb test but with a meter). From what I've read anything under 50 is good and 20 seems very good.
So now I am suspicious I have a bad battery even though it's 8 months old from purchase (built DEC 2013) -again. This is the second one in 1.5 years. That's why I can't believe it's a battery issue, but maybe I'm just having a run of bad luck... I'll get it tested if I can find a place to do it here in Germany.

FanaticMadMax

you need to get the battery tested to get a load test if the battery is indeed bad. I wouldnt be surprise a two year old battery go bad, depends on the type of battery, cheapo battery will not last since they are not thick plated. number one killer of battery is heat and vibration

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

A few years back I bought an Excide battery. 6 months later it died. Got a warranty replacement and 7 months later that one died. Got another warranty replacement and that one died in about 6 months. 18 months and 3 batteries! Didn't bother with another warranty replacement, I just made sure that the battery wasn't made by Excide.

Child_uv_KoRn

iTrader: (7)

No problem with both of mine from Advance.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

Just wanted to make the point that any battery can fail, regardless of how new it can be. The fact that I had a name brand name doesn't guarantee that you will not have a bad product.

michaelliv

yeah i work at advance and even we have bad batteries, go get a load test done on it, and while your at it have them test the alternator too just for piece of mind and to see if it isn't going bad as well and not charging the battery like it should

george__

iTrader: (1)

Had same issue. It was a sh8t battery

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

Check your connections and altenator(Loaded) output while you're at it!