Battery keeps draining

I think I know what will be suggested to fix but just to be safe and also in an attempt to increase my low post count I figured I'd go ahead and ask the experts.

My eb doesn't have anything out of the norm added (winch, spotlights, etc). For the past while it had not had the heater ,radio, or small dash light bar lights (below switches) hooked up. I rebuilt the heater but held off installing last winter because I couldn't get it to work with the factory wiring although I did have current through the wires. At any rate, I installed a radio using a hotwire that's always hot. Regardless, the radio would lose power once the key was off. I also realized after replacing my battery and alternator that the radio caused my battery to drain. After unplugging the radio, no battery drain after several weeks.

Today, I finally got around to adding my new dash light bar led lights. I installed them at lunch after exercising the bronco. Around 5 I left in the bronco for Lowes and by the time I got back in to leave, my battery was dead again.

What do y'all think my issue could be knowing all facts above. Looks like a radio and these small dash lights would not be enough to drain my battery but seems its what is doing it. Any ideas what I can check or how I can fix without breaking the bank? Thanks in advance for your responses.

Remove the neg battery cable.

Connect your test light between the cable end and the neg post of the battery.

It should light if there is a draw.

Start pulling fuses until it goes out.

This will narrow it to a fuse. Then start removing the shared items to that fuse until the light goes out.

ground ground and more ground

How old is the battery and when was it last load tested?

Mine was draining with nothing on. It ended up being my voltage regulator.

Viperwolf1 said:

How old is the battery and when was it last load tested?

Click to expand...

Its brand new. Its been working fine once I unhooked the radio power source.

X2 on voltage regulator. Make sure wires are in tight. Remove battery table before you take off and put on, could burn out if not grounded. Mine use to die while driving it. Replaced regulator and vuala quick cheap fix at oreillys

The test 77BRONKOTN suggested will identify (or at least localize) the draw. If the test light stays on with all the fuses out, start disconnecting things that have constant power feeds, like the voltage regulator/radio capacitor, alternator, headlight & wiper switches. If the draw remains, it's happening thru some non-stock wiring.



Fuses 1 & 2 are key-switched.
Fuse 3 is hot with the park lights.
Fuses 4 & 5 are hot at all times.