# Battery drain

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-drain/55607>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** saab, 9000\
**Created:** [September 26, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-drain/55607 "2010-09-26T13:06:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![thumper35rocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@thumper35rocks](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thumper35rocks)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-drain/55607/1 "2010-09-26T13:06:48Z")

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my alternator was bad when i bought the car. the battery drains in about 2 days. how do i find the drain and will i burn up the alternator if i dont find it?

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**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 1:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-drain/55607/2 "2010-09-26T13:21:21Z")

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No it wont kill the alternator. GREAT Article [http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/repair/how-to-stop-car-battery-drains?click=main\_sr](http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/repair/how-to-stop-car-battery-drains?click=main_sr)

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**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-drain/55607/3 "2010-09-26T13:37:22Z")

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Many warnings have been issued about relying on the alternator to charge a dead battery. Opinions differ on whether it’s bad for the alternator. There is good evidence that the heat produced from an an alternator delivering its max amperage output for long periods of time isn’t good for it.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/battery-drain/55607/4 "2010-09-26T14:08:27Z")

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```
I would buy a small charger and do a slow charge on it.   

I suspect the alternator has not been giving you a good charge for some time. A weak battery may well drain in two days even if the rest of the system was fine. 

Before spending any real money, I would use the above noted charger first and then I would try to take the car to a auto parts store that will likely check both the battery and charging system for free.
```