You need a meter that will read amps, not just milliamps.
(yours doesn't go high enough.)
The other setting is Alternating Current, Volts.

This is why I suggested a cheap test light.
It will glow brightly if there is a real load and only very faintly if the load is something like the radio memory.

I'm not picturing the "little plate/bracket" that you describe.
The battery cable should have a simple eyelet on the end like all the rest of the wires.

The key cylinder only locks the steering column and moves the actuator.
That in turn actuates the electrical switch which is farther down on the right side of the steering column.

Without knowing exactly what wire is causing the draw it's impossible to say why your battery is going dead.
It could be something as simple as a shorted door switch.
There are not many circuits that are always powered and not fuse protected.
Do you have cruise control?
If so, is it functioning?

 

Ill try to post a pic of the bracket tomorow. No Cruise. The switch COULD very well be the problem. The one I have on my 85 5.0 Mustang has been replaced at least 5 or 6 times but it never drained my battery that I can remember. When it failed last time it fell apart in my hand while removing it. Ill check it tomorow also,the key still dont feel quite right.
Im still looking for that test light! I hate buying anything I KNOW I already have. Esp. right now. $$$ Really Jim, Thank You for all your help When you have time ,fill me in on the Blue Max Frat. That was my favorite Funnycar when I was a kid.

 

Breaking News...I found what I thought was a test light. It look like a screwdriver with a probe/point on one end a clip on the other and a light in the handle. I dont know if it will handle the job or not but Ill try it...T

 

That should be perfect for the job!

At first, connect it from one terminal of a fully charged battery to the other.
Then you know how bright it glows when you have a dead short at 12.5V.

You will see that computer & radio memory will only cause it to glow dimly.

Let us know which wire is causing the drain and we can figure it out.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...ry-cables.html
Heres a link I borrowed to a pic of the little bracket touching both sides of the solenoid. Its the one with the red cable on the bottom. Mine is metallic gold/bronze but very similar. Would it need to be unhooked on the out side to get a true read? What is the small wire on the top for? Ground? Leave it on? Thanks...T

 

Okay.
Sorry, I keep forgetting to differentiate between the fender mounted "solenoid" and the starter solenoid.

That little wire on the top is the 'trigger' wire that comes from the actual ignition switch on the column and tells the fender mounted relay to crank the starter.
No need to disconnect it.

Which of the fusible links under the rubber cap on the right is making it light up?

If it's the one going to the alternator, the rectifier diode I pictured in post #7 is shot.
...Whether or not the alternator is warm.

You can test for this by setting your meter to 'Ohms', 'Continuity', or best of all 'Diode Test' if you have a symbol something like this ->|-

With the alternator wire disconnected touch one tester lead to that wire and the other to the alternator case.
Now reverse the red and black test leads and try it again.
If you get continuity both ways the rectifier (diodes) inside the alternator has failed.

Hope this helps.

I'm linking Subford's image so we can all be on the same page.

(Beginning to hate these little thumbnail views)

 

when you take the alternator to be tested, you must specify that the alternator charges fine, but you want the diodes tested.

most places just test to see if it is charging. they do not test the diodes in it.

 

Pretty obviously this is the case, as he states 14V charging and 13V drain.
...13V, as the battery drops to a six cell fully charged state of +/- 12.25V.


Many people don't understand electron flow, battery chemistry, potential difference, resistance, current, or Faraday's law.
They don't need to in their everyday lives.

All they need to know is that the light comes on when they flip the switch. (Or the truck starts when they turn the key)
Not how the power is generated, where it is coming from, or how much emf is being used for the work.

 

Ok. I tested with a light. The drain is on the larger wire marked with tape,I hope the pic posts for me. I had a new solenoid and ignition switch bought and ready,as I didnt want to make another trip out this weekend.
I finally got to work on it late this afternoon as I was helping my dad on building a Trailer,hes 73...

I may have learned what the problem is or at least most of it. The wire pictured runs to the front and comes back around to the other fender.It ties on to alot of stuff along the way. To try and shorten this story...I retested with the keyswitch and ignition switch removed and still the light glows Brightly.

So just to try I removed the bulb from the Hoodlight. The drain is reduced to a flicker an does not stay on constantly. Is that normal or should it not even blink?Where do I go from here? Ill re-install the other parts tomorrow while its raining/sleeting. At least Ill be in the cab.
As Always... Thank You to Jim+Everyone for your help and patience.

 

I never thought about a hood light!
My 'Custom' doesn't have all these fancy features...
I don't understand why it would be flickering though.

There must be some reason for the battery to be going dead, and I would imagine you would have noticed the hood or interior light left on at night. (if it were the cause)

I don't have a manual in front of me that goes up to '96 so I'm not certain what other circuits are constantly hot in your truck.

Perhaps Tom will chime back in.
He deals with this era truck more often than I do.

 

actually i skip this era. 91 and older, and 99 to 93 7.3 is my range.

if you un mount the hood light and roll it does the mercury switch shut the light and the power draw off ?
if it does, the problem is not with the hood light.

with the hood light out of the circuit, there should be a very faint draw, somewhere in the area of 50 milliamps. this will be your computer and radio memory. try removing the radio and see if the draw goes away. on the 99 and newer vehicles the radio memory circuit sometimes shorts out and can kill the battery in as little as 2 days.
it took me almost 2 years to figure out the radio was bad in my crown vic.
my battery would be dead if i let the car sit for more that 3-4 days.
i changed my radio, and 3 days later my father called with a dead battery after the car sat for a 3 days.

then last year the radio in my 02 pickup did the same thing.
the only good thing about the pickup was it took 5-6 days to kill the dual group 65 1025 cca batteries i had in it.

 

So heres what I got now. The Hood light works fine. Im thinking the guy got a false short due to the hood being open during his test. With the Hood light down and off I only have a tiny drain,just enough to make a faint glow. I went to the Fusebox and removed a yellow wire that the previous owner had installed in the dome light fuse. With that removed there is no drain at all. Im pretty sure this is for the Radio memory but the radio dont work at all with it unhooked. Its a aftermarket JVC I installed years ago as the SONY that was in was JUNK. Im thinking the previous owner must of had the problem you described with the OE Radio as all the factory wires were used except the Memory-Yellow wire. FYI all the JVC wires are the same color and placement as the factory Ford stuff===easy install.
Now I thinking the problem was the Keyswitch or the Big Alt I swapped out,probably the key. I may swap them back in later just to see,now that I understand the Testlight process...Thanks JIM.

Everything is back in place with a fully charged battery and Im hopeing the battery will still be full tomorrow. Just a couple of Questions...
How long would it take the ALT to recharge the Battery after 1 or 2 starts?
I do alot of short trips around town,starting, driving 1 to 4 miles, cutting the motor off for a few minutes,then restarting again. 3 to 5 times. I know that is not enough time for a recharge,but would the ride home be enough? It seems when I do this and check the battery when I get home its not fully charged but far from dead. Ive heard a strong battery will come back up by itself. I never checked the battery for this before just since these problems started,so that could be normal and I never noticed.
Im hopeing everything is good now,well see. I just wish I had a definate cause.
Thanks all...T

 

Yes, do check your upgraded alternator for blown diodes as I described in post #21.
It's really easy if it is already out.
Then you will know for sure if it was at fault.

You should have plenty of reserve capacity for multiple starts.
Offhand, do you know how many CCA your new Northstate battery has? (or the group #?)

I think you'll be fine with that routine as long as once in a while it gets driven for a half hour or so.
Remember, the alternator output goes up with rpm's, so letting it sit and idle is not the same...

Yes, a lead acid battery will have some 'rebound' or self recovery ability.

 

I ran into a similar problem with my 93 F-150 last year. After replacing alternator and battery, it still drained down the battery. No start, but the horn worked. After much investigation it turns out to be my under hood service light switch was open (broken)and that was the draw on the battery. Removed the bulb for a test and that fixed the problem. Good luck.

 

Glove box lights will do that too.