EDIT: found these pages, hopefully I can figure this out. But anyone's testing-related advice will be greatly appreciated!
http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=1298584
http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1454303/220/240/260/280/1981_242_dl_voltage_regulator_questions.html

I'm sure this has been covered here in BB before so I'm sorry to bring up a new posting. I (1986 245) am trying to figure out why my battery has been dying lately.

There are two bare wires which run from the alternator's wiring harness to a lead on the alternator itself and something on the engine block. They have been known to short on me after an oil filter change and cause a battery warning light to come on, but that light hasn't come on in years.

Now I can't exactly recall that it was lighting up during key-in/ignition these recent weeks, but I'm pretty sure that it was not. When I jostled and separated both these bare wires from the alternator casing and the oil filter, afterward the battery dash light definitely lit with the key turned on. It also happens to be the last light to go out when I remove the key from ignition.

I measured the static draw between the (-) battery post and the (-) cable to around 5-10mA, if I am reading that correct (with the radio disconnected). The voltage of the static draw is at around 11.8 with a reasonably charged battery (12.4+ volts).

Haynes Manual doesn't indicate quantifying current for the static drain test, just using a test light, which I don't have. Bently says that up to 500mA is an acceptable draw from the battery (at least with the clock/radio/etc. connected). A test Haynes recommends if there IS current between the (-) battery post and the car's (-) terminal is to disconnect the alternator's wiring harness and check for a change in the current ('if the light goes out, the alternator is bad. If the light stays on, check each fuse' as part of the test).

QUESTION 1: Is the Haynes static draw test analogous to Bently's? I imagine so but I'm not sure of what kind of current a test light requires. Is 5-10mA OK or is that a legit battery drain?
QUESTION 2: What contacts of the alternator's wiring harness should be removed for the rest of this test? There are three separate contacts on the back of the thing, and only the bare one with the removable electrode clip is easily accessible. Do I remove all three contacts at once for the test, or one at a time, or just one? They all seem to flow into the general wiring harness.

THANKS GUYS!