Chrysler Repair: dead battery, dodge aspen, alligator clips

Question
Hi
I have a 1979 Dodge Aspen Wagon. Something is draining my battery while driving. Have replaced starter motor,starter motor relay, Voltage regulator, batteries, negative cable and conections. On old negative was a small wire to the fender and a wire going to front of car. I usally maybe get a week out of a fully charged battery; this morning I put the lights on and a few blocks I was dead. Is that wire of any significance as there wasn't one on new negative cable. Also spliced a fuseable link. Being going through this for 19 months. Help. Car only has 37000 org miles. Deryck

Answer
Hi Deryck.
Does the battery drain down when the car is just sitting, not in use? Or is it seeming to discharge when you drive it only?
If it drains when it is sitting, then you should be able to find the drain source by putting a ammeter in the + or - cable line (just remove either cable from its post and then bridge the ammeter across the gap from the clamp to the post using alligator clips). See how much current is being drawn at "rest". It should be way under 1 amp. If not, start removing fuses and observing how much current is dropping with each fuse withdrawn. Then consider what items are serviced by the fuse(s) that seem to be drawing the larger currents and decide whether the items would be expected to draw the amount that they are.
If it drains while driving then take a look at the ammeter or voltmeter on the dash (whichever you have). What is it reading at rest, and when you are driving (it should read higher voltage when driving that when at rest because the alternator is putting out voltage higher than that of the battery if it is good. Are you sure the alternator is working? If it isn't then that would explain why the battery runs down when you drive it (and not when it is sitting at rest). Is there a light on the dash for non-charging of the alternator? It should be "on" when you are in the run postition with the ignition key but the engine hasn't been started yet. Measuring the current when you are driving has to be done with a little care: you have to start the motor, then put the ammeter in the battery circuit as above described, while the engine is running, because if you have the ammeter in the circuit at the time you try and start the car the ammeter will be overloaded because of the high current going thru it when the starter motor is presssed into action.  I doubt that the missing ground wire is too important, but you could always splice it onto the new cable just in case the items that were serviced by the wire don't have a good return path to the battery.
Let me know if this is not responsive to your question?
Roland
You can write me at rfinston@hotmail.com if I'm 'maxed out'.