Why do car batteries always fail at midnight?

[cardaddy]

Well dontcha' just hate it when your fairly new car battery decides to check out at 11:00pm and nothing is open to get a new one?

Thought last night was going pretty well. My daughter (she's 24) has been dating her new boyfriend for some time now. Well last night she was at work when the wife stepped outside to take out the trash and the boyfriend was in the driveway. OK, that's cool maybe he wants to ask what she really wants for Christmas, or maybe what I want. (More AG stuff!)

The wife asks him in and he's like "I just thought I'd come by and talk to you guys". Uh oh, I'm thinking this might get uncomfortable. So we three sit down and start just talking general stuff, his work (he's a Ga Tech grad, Electrical Engineer btw), her work, friends, family, etc. Then he looks at me and says "Well, I want to know if it's OK with you that I ask her to Marry Me? I've been thinking about it for a couple of months now, and I just know that she's everything to me, everything I have ever wanted and I really want to ask her".

I look at my wife, she at me, both at him..... So my wife says "When do you want to ask her?" He replies "Well, I talked with my Mom about it a couple of months ago, and I asked her if she would help me get a ring." My wife says "Really?" "Yes mam, I've actually had it for a month or so now and had my mom put it up for me because I knew if I had it I would want to give it to her." (my daughter)

So I say "And when do you plan on actually asking her then?" Like I was going to be surprised when he said "Uh, Christmas".

We decided then that it's high time we got down to business and figured out what the heck is going on. Can't complain, he's a good kid, a smart kid, (builds micro circuits by hand for space / defense industry), loves music, plays in his church band, has a big supportive family AND most importantly, she really loves him.
Well there ya' go, looks like I'm gonna have a son in law!

He left the house around 9:00 and went to take her some late lunch as she wasn't getting off till 11:00.

About 11:10 my daughter calls when she gets off (she's a retail store manager) and her battery is dead! Are you freaking kidding me!!! It's an AC Delco, SEVEN YEAR battery that just turned 27 months old. I grabbed a jump box and jumped in the Denali to run get her. That darned thing was so dead I ended up borrowing a set of cables from Security to jump it. Arrrrrgggggghhhhh

Why does this always happen on a weekend night when the darned parts department is closed till Monday?!?! I mean, sure, Wally World is right across the street and has one, but this one wa $135 or so and IS still under the "free replacement warranty" so there is no way I'm gonna' buy something else at midnight on a Saturday night.

Fast forward and I get the car home, the wife is sleeping to my left, the daughter to my right, the Christmas tree is all lit up and I'm watching car programs on a 73" TV at 4:00am. All is good in the world.

[Bunky]

It is always when you want to go somewhere. It is usually in the morning for me.

I never get more than 5 years from a battery no matter what the warranty is and the sellers know it. They just you to come back get a small credit for unused time to get another one.

I did have a Walmart battery to die early but they refused to cover it claiming their tester said it just needed charging. It had some issue where it would lose the charge over time (several days). I checked the current drain on the car to be sure that was not the issue.

[BobbyG]

I think it's in the design.....

Congratulations on the news!

[57BORNTORUN]

Mine died last week right in front of a battery dealer!!!

[Eandras]

I agree that interstate batteries or even optimum batteries are good as well. As far as the engagement goes if he is good to her all you can do is hope the upbringing of your daughter will help her decide if he is rally the one. All you can do is show your support for your daughters decision. My Mother-in Law was real skeptical when I asked to Marry their daughter. I also remember that my wife's grandmother always told her parents that I was a good hard working guy. My In-Laws agree. It only took 23 years of marriage and three grand children.

Ed

[ScottB]

Murphy's Law I suppose ... be glad its only a battery !

[Crazy Diamond]

Anything from Walmart lasts around two days.

[DaytonaJae]

Because midnight/first thing in the morning is the coldest time of the day and batteries are at their lowest power when they are cold?

[Setec Astronomy]

Are you freaking kidding me!!! It's an AC Delco, SEVEN YEAR battery that just turned 27 months old.

I hate to be the one to break this to you, but Delco doesn't make batteries anymore. I have been a Delco man forever, but I think I have bought my last one. In what is becoming a new American tradition, companies with iconic names (Delco, GE, Honeywell, AT&T, etc.) find it is more profitable to simply license out their name to other companies (for certain products, not all), rather than make it themselves (because it's about the money rather than about making good products, right?).

So the AGM technology that Delco pioneered in automotive batteries in 1976 with their Freedom battery, featuring no filler caps, is no longer is used in Delco batteries, because Delco batteries are made by various other suppliers under license to use the name. You can find more about it if you search the internet.

[AeroCleanse]

Since I added a Battery Tender charger to my equipment, haven't had an issue like that. Keeps it charged to 100% and you can plug it in and forget about it. Odessy batteries look very good.