What would cause my 1996 Town and Country battery to drain

What are the symptoms when it doesn't start? Do the dash lights, heater fan, power windows, etc. Work? Do you hear a single rather loud clunk each time you turn the ignition switch to "crank"? Do you have a digital voltmeter or test light and know how to use them?

It is very common for the little silver Nippendenso alternators to be intermittent. Removing them for testing is a waste of time because it will usually work fine on the test bench. That can happen to any brand, but the Nippendenso is easier to fix than most others. First of all you have to pay particular attention to the "Volts" gauge on the dash. If it drops lower than normal, that's when you have to measure battery voltage with the digital voltmeter with the engine still running. The voltage must be between 13.75 and 14.75 volts. If it is low, the battery will not be recharged while driving. Measure the two voltages on the two smaller wires on the back of he alternator to start the diagnosis.

Measure the voltage even if no charging problem is suspected so we know what normal is.

Another common problem is a loose connection at the under-hood fuse box. Everything will work fine sometimes and at other times everything can be dead. Follow the smaller red positive cable from the battery to the fuse box and check that nut for tightness.

Don't go nuts on a new switch. Head to the nearest salvage yard. This is normally such a low failure item that they won't have much call for it. You'll probably get one for a buck or two. Look for one of the little salvage yards. The big professional operations sometimes have something like a five-dollar minimum. That's fine for expensive parts but not for a dinky switch.

Also, since this is such a low failure item, I don't even remember what it looks like. If it looks like the photo I posted here from rockauto. Com, it is self-adjusted and it may just be over-adjusted from being squeezed too tightly. Replacement is not necessary. It has to be removed and reset, then reinstalled.

Look at the plunger, (blue arrow), and check if it's moving in and out properly. The hood light will turn off when you press it if it's working. If it is, see how many ribs are showing on the switch body, (red arrow). That's the section that will slide down into the white ring to self-adjust as necessary when you close the hood. If no ribs are showing, the switch just needs to be reset.

Did you check to see if the switch needs to be reset? It's easier to do that than to describe it. If your switch is damaged from being squeezed, I'm sure I can find some in a salvage yard here. You can also reach underneath and just unplug it.