Badassxj

So on my 96 cherokee sport 4x4 4.0l cherokee the battery went dead a new battery. I took it in and had it charged and its a good battery. but being left set for 3 days the battery went dead. So i had it checked and charged again and good battery. So then i checked for a parasitic draw and i got 0.24 which i think is good. Then i checked the altenator first test was 12.7 with jeep off and running 13.99 under load 13.7-13.84. An hour later tested it again and got parasitic draw again 0.24 and altenator was this time 12.4 off and again 13.99 running and load 13.7-13.84. Would bad diodes in a altenator do it?

jordan96xj

A small parasitic draw can come from many things. The first step is usually to determine which circuit it is occurring on, and then narrow down from there.

2 quick things to rule out are 1. leaving a scanner plugged into the obd2 port and 2. the possibility that the door switches are failing and allowing an interior light to remain on.

Under hood lights and glove box lights have also been known to have their switches fail or get something interfering with them such that their lamps don't turn off as they should.

Badassxj

So 0.24 parasitic draw is enough to kill my battery? Also could bad diodes cause a small parasitic draw?

jordan96xj

I assume that is amps you are referring to, so that would be 240 milliamps. Which is generally considered high. Yes, it could drain your battery to the point it can not support a successful start after 3+ days. Each vehicle is different, but 50-75 milliamps is the general rule of thumb for a vehicle that has been turned off for more than 30 minutes.

There are lots and lots of posts, videos, and articles on understanding and testing for parasitic draw on a battery.

The good news, is that the 96 has relatively few things to check compared to modern vehicles. (depending on what options yours came with).

Typically someone will set up an ammeter in line with the battery and open circuits by pulling fuses until they see one that has an effect on the battery draw (reducing the draw). That will help them isolate the circuit that the draw is occurring on. Then they will study up which components are on that circuit and start to disable them if they can until they find the component that is causing the draw.

Badassxj

So i found the fuse that the parasitic draw is coming from in my 96 cherokee sport. It is #9 fuse Radio/Clock & Memory, Courtesy Lights, Glove Box, Cargo, Dome light, and Telltales. The manual don't say it but my electric door locks are on that fuse also. First what are telltales? Second some one broke my key lock and only stold my work radio, but because the locks are on that fuse could of it did damage? So i think for now i will drive it without that fuse. I don't need a radio, glove box light, electric locks, or dome light. But what is telltales? because my tail lights work.

jordan96xj

Telltales are the buzzers/chimes that make sound when you open a door with the key in the ignition and/or seat belt not clicked in (seat belt reminders).

Any time something like a radio is ripped out, it could leave issues of exposed/shorting wires. If the amperage is higher than the circuit was designed for this would typically blow a fuse. But if they are low amperage, or on a circuit that allows for pretty high amperage, they may just drain the battery.

Badassxj

They did not rip out my car stereo they took my work walkie talkie. But if my electric locks are on that circuit by breaking out my key lock cause a short? MY lock are suppose to be on fuse #13 but when i pull fuse #9 to stop the draw my locks don't work. Can i drive without that fuse?

jordan96xj

The door lock/unlock relays are on fuse #13. But the door lock switches (the parts you actually touch with your finger) are on fuse #9. So pulling either of those fuses would probably render the door locks inoperative. I looked it up in the 96 FSM for you, because sometimes manuals don't list every component on a circuit. According to the FSM, the wires running to the switches are 14 gauge orange/white.

I don't think there is anything in the keylock itself that would cause the short, unless you have an factory alarm system that some how has a sensor on the keylock that voltage could be running through. But perhaps when they busted the keylock out, it might have tugged on something that brought the problem to the surface. I would begin by checking the rubber pass-through boot between the door and the body. This is a common pinch point where door lock, window, and speaker wires tend to get into trouble.

Badassxj

Thanks one more question, I remember plugging something into the cigarette lighter and it popped and blew a fuse could it be a bad cigarette lighter? And if the head light switch was bad could it cause a power draw even if the dome light is off? Thanks for your help every one. Would it be possible for you to look in the family and see what all runs off fuse #9 plus common grounds so I can trace it down?

jordan96xj

Yes, those things are possible, but they are not related to fuse #9.

Fuse 9:
Glove box lamp and switch
right and left courtesy lamps
radio
cargo lamp
power mirror switch
left and right door lock and power window switches
time delay relay
dome/reading lamp (police package)
left/right vanity mirror lamps
overhead console
remote keyless entry module cavity 1

Badassxj

My power windows still work without fuse #9 in. So what is the time delay relay and where is it? Sorry for asking, but I am trying to learn.

jordan96xj

My 96 doesn't have it, and the component wasn't described on the diagram. If I had to guess it is the relay that keeps the internal lights lights on for a period of time after shutting the doors and locking. But I don't really know. Nothing on the #9 circuit appeared to be headlight related, so I am guessing it is for internal lighting.