You start off saying this is a "wierd" problem, however, in my 1 year experience on this site I have seen this complaint many times, and there were always many helpful replies from many people who had the same problem. Since you have more posts than me I assume you have abserved the same thing. So it is a common problem. And a search should also reveal this. And most of the threads go the same way, with lots of specific advice given and most of it ignored completely. The problem is most responders assume the person is looking for instructions on how to troubleshoot their car when they are actually looking for the "Psychic Hotline". Well, the psychics have chimed in with the ususal listing of: Alarms, lights, and radios. I have learned a couple of things from this thread: Check the trunk light to see if it is warm, check the alternator to see if it is warm, and Steve's very good (as usual) advice about hooking up the ammeter before disconnecting the battery.

There are 2 ways you can go with this thing: Try to learn about it and fix it yourself, OR: get someone else to fix it for you. So far it looks like you are going with plan "B". The problem with plan "B" and the reason I would rather get my teeth drilled without novacaine than use plan "B" is just what you are experiencing, "Everyone is baffled". Well I believe that if you drove to Steve B's shop that he would have it figured out in no time. Basically if you are going to use plan "B" then you need to find better help. It is my observation that many professional mechanics are not experts on electricity. You need to find one that is, or at least one who will follow the instructions given here.

If you want to try plan "A" then go get a meter and do the tests spelled out in these posts. Otherwise find another mechanic or, Plan "C": Drive to Florida. I recommend Plan C.

__________________
1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra