Why is my battery being drained while I'm driving?
What is your question?
It puttered a little at first but never died. I was sitting at a light a day or 2 after I bought the car(drove it to work for the first time) & my battery light came on & I lost power then it kicked back in. So i changed the alternator, stopped puttering but wasnt holding charge. So changed the battery still wouldnt hold charge light was still on so got another alternator. The light is still on & went to drive it to get it checked & the radio cut in & out, dash lights dimmed, rpms went real high so parked it & turned it off & it wouldnt turn back on so jumped it & had drive 40 because it wouldnt shift. I've even had people check all grounds & wires with a tester & they say they're all live. Help .. lol
What makes this problem better or worse?
Worse when moving & using radio
How long has your 2004 Dodge Stratus had this problem?
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There certainly could be multiple concerns here with an unknown vehicle. As far as charging system concerns go, if an alternator does not solve the battery light being illuminated, check all electrical connections and the connector at the alternator itself. Naturally, measuring output of the charging system is important. The battery light on the dash will typically only come on if the charging system is not working or a wiring concern is present.
I had 2 people check every single wire on that damn thing & theres a lot lol. My boyfriend & our mechanic friend have made sure everything is securely connected. He has checked it with a voltage reader & I think he said it was around 11 or 12 volts.
Well, that's not terribly scientific, unfortunately.
The wire connector at the alternator can have damaged terminals or melted plastic. This should be carefully checked.
As far as voltage -- you should have over 13.8 volts at 2,000 RPM engine speed and amperage should be well above 60 amps. Probably more, but usually it's hit or miss -- you'll have ample amperage or none at all.
I had 2 people check every single wire on that damn thing & theres a lot lol. My boyfriend & our mechanic friend have made sure everything is securely connected. He has checked it with a voltage reader & I think he said it was around 11 or 12 volts.
Well, that's not terribly scientific, unfortunately. The wire connector at the alternator can have damaged terminals or melted plastic. This should be carefully checked. As far as voltage -- you should have over 13.8 volts at 2,000 RPM engine speed and amperage should be well above 60 amps. Probably more, but usually it's hit or miss -- you'll have ample amperage or none at all.