Still not starting in the morning!

Any help gents?

Man 2.2 tc. (presumably 18acr)Charge battery up on charger (battery 5 months old) till battery charger indicating fully charged. Battery condition indicator says normal. CCA test as expected. Install, car spins starter fast (well it should do brand new starter using only lucus parts) and it starts straight away. Parasitic drain test done 23 milliamps (would expect that from alarm and clock) battery negative and positive terminals cleaned, new battery positive terminal fitted to wire terminating at drivers floor insulator , new engine earth strap fitted, starter relay resistance tested all good. Next day although after only a start two mile drive with headlights and restart 2 mile drive home with headlights, the starter is turning slowly again, same drive and the next day the starter is so slow it just starts. Time for another charge! I am getting bored of this. I have previously used a faulty multi meter reporting a voltage across battery terminals when running of 14.4 volts so did not suspect the alternator. Having replaced the meter although the ignition (charging) light works exactly as it should ie illuminated on positon 2 out on 3 when car starts stays out at all other times I now have following readings

Tickover nothing drawing 13.6
Revving 2500 nothing drawing 13.8
Tickover headlights on 13.2
Revving 2500 headlights on 13.6

IS THIS SUPPLY SUFFICIENT TO PROVOKE A NON START AFTER 2 DAYS UNDER THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED CONDITIONS.

Questions

Where does the thick wire from the alternator 3 pin plug terminate
Where does the thick wire coming from the floor insulator and passing through the bulkhead go to
Should I buy a new alternator?

Many thanks in advance regarding this very frustrating issue

3 hours after charging the battery charge says its fully charged again and the car starts well??
 
I'f you're starting from cold and then driving for 2 miles with the headlights on, and then the same again on the way back, then you won't be putting anywhere near enough back into the battery to keep it fully charged. We always used to work on a15 mile run to put back in what starting up had taken out, so it won't take long until there's not enough to get you going in the morning. I'd expect it to last a bit longer than you're getting but that may be because you've got other problems.

You should have 2 thick wires from the alternator that go directly (through a multiplug) to the main permanently live terminal on the starter solenoid. You haven't got your one on the other side of the solenoid have you?
 
Simple test
Charge battery, disconnect earth lead from car.
Next day connect earth drive to work, disconnect earth whilst at work.
Connect earth drive home, disconnect earth...... etc etc

In other words start with a full charge, do the short commute and see how long it lasts disconnecting the battery every time you get out. If it holds up a lot longer then you have a big drain on the battery that you need to find.
 
Thanks for your replies gents, ISSUE NOW HOPEFULLY FIXED! HOPE MY SORRY TALE MIGHT HELP OTHERS!
Battery was not draining, only leaving after everything else, alternator, despite reasonable VOLTAGE charging readings. Whipped it off (we all know that is a whimsical turn of phrase, for struggling like hell both under the bonnet and car, praying your prized possession will eventually relinquish to you your prize) and took it down to my electrical man who only fixes things with genuine parts manufactured by the "prince of darkness". I was given this alternator many years ago by a fellow enthusiast and as my original alternator stopped charging eighteen months ago decided to give this one a go. Despite looking like an 18 acr it transpires that this particular alternator has been previously rebuilt by someone else who in their wisdom decided to replace all the internals with 15/16 acr parts. Due to the state of the windings after bench testing the output of this alternator had its its maximum measly output of 28amps reduced to just over 22! This issue had gone undetected over the last 18 months as I have always had the car on trickle charge and only recently presented itself as I have been using the car a lot more since April when it became tax free. Having restored the fake 18 acr to a real one with a tested output of 48 amps I am now hopeful after installing the new alternator and terminal block this issue is successfully concluded. MORAL OF THE STORY, just because a part is labelled/appears to be one thing, it might actually be something else!
 
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