DATE CODES UNMASKED - ESA Consulting Associates,...

ESA Consulting Associates, Inc.Stationary Battery Information

Date Codes Unmasked – 2015 Edition

©MWM 2005, 2007-15

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©MWM 2005, 2007-15

DATE CODES UNMASKEDDeveloped by

Marco W. Migliaro, PE, Life Fellow IEEE

Copyright © 2005, 2007-15 by Marco W. Migliaro.

All rights reserved.

Graphics by

CA Rhodes

visit: stationarybatterytraining.com for updates

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FOREWORD

This presentation has been developed as a aid to those wishing to determine the date of manufacture or warranty date for a cell or battery. Manufacturers sometimes code dates using letters and/or numbers that are not easily understood by those responsible for the battery system. This presentation attempts to provide those persons with a guide when needed to determine the date code. Date codes are sometimes changed by the battery manufacturer and there is no guaranty that the information needed is contained in the presentation; however, it may help in ultimately identifying a date code, either with help from the battery manufacturer or using the information presented to interpret what one observes. The information contained in this presentation does not include every battery type or manufacturer.



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TERMINAL OBJECTIVE

Upon completion of this training, the participant will obtain:

An overview of the typical methods used by battery manufacturers to identify the date of manufacture, warranty or both for stationary batteries

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DATE CODES

Are used by battery manufacturers to establish a date of manufacture for their products▬ Some manufacturers have two date codes one representing

the warranty date and the other the manufacturing date

Letters are sometimes used to represent the month or year in a date code▬ Manufacturers may omit the letters “I” and “O” from the dates

codes to avoid confusion with the numbers “1” and “0”▬ One manufacturer that omits the letter “I” for the month does

not omit it for the year, but does omit the letters “O”, “Q” & “V” for the year

Typically, a date code system should not allow the same characters to repeat for at least 10 years, based on industry standards related to date coding▬ If the battery is manufactured at more than one facility, the

date code should also identify the facility of manufacture



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DATE CODES (continued)

Date codes may be located on the cell (or monobloc) cover, cell (or monobloc) post, cell (or monobloc) nameplate or a sticker on the cell (or monobloc). For some cells (or monoblocs) the date code may be “heat stamped” or may be applied by a “dot matrix” printer on the side of the cell (or monobloc) cover

If a date code cannot be found, or if found, cannot be interpreted, one may always contact the battery manufacturer for guidance. Battery manufacturers may change their date coding system or may sometimes accidently reverse the date code, so if in doubt check with the battery manufacturer

Battery manufacturers will request the battery date code if a warranty claim is filed

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In the presentation, the letters M, D, W and Y, are used to represent month, day, week and year, respectively

▬ For example MMYYYY, would represent a date code with a two character month and a four character year and WWYY would represent a two character week and a two character year

DATE CODES (continued)



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WHY IS KNOWING THE DATE CODE IMPORTANT?

It is important to know how old the battery is when inspected, since some of the conditions that may be noted can be age related or related to a specific period of manufacturing and this information can be useful when evaluating the information gathered during the visual inspection▬ For example, a large quantity of sediment in a 15 year

old vented lead-acid battery may not be a concern, but the same amount of sediment in a 2 year old vented lead-acid battery would be of concern

▬ Similarly, a manufacturer may have had an issue with post leaks for cells manufactured between January 2002 and June 2003

It is also important to know the date code to determine if a warranty claim can be made

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DATE CODE 1 – C&D VENTED CELLS

The date code is located on the cell nameplate

The code is MM/YY (May 2011 for this cell)

The letter that follows represents the plant the cell was manufactured at (A=Attica, IN)



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DATE CODE 2 – C&D VENTED CELLS

The date code is located on the cell nameplate

The code is MM/YY(March 2005 for this cell)

The letter that follows represents the plant the cell was manufactured at (A=Attica, IN)

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DATE CODE 1 – C&D LIBERTY 1000s

The date code is on the nameplate

The code is MM-YY(January 2002 for this battery)



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DATE CODE 2 – C&D LIBERTY 1000s

The date code is on the nameplate following the word ship

The code is MM-YY(October 1999 for this battery)

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DATE CODE 1 – C&D LIBERTY AT

The date code is on a sticker on the cell cover

The code is YMMDD where the year is represented by the letters in the alphabet Y=2004 (December 8 and November 29, 2004 for these cells)



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DATE CODE 2 – C&D LIBERTY AT

The date code is on the nameplate

The code is MM/YYYY (March 2008 for this cell)

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DATE CODE 1 – C&D DYNASTY

There are two date codes on these batteries

The warranty date code is on a label the cover MMYY May 2012 for this battery

The date of manufacture is located on the side of the cover and is the first five characters (YYMDD) March 21, 2012 for this battery▬ A to M, excluding I, are

used for the months January to DecemberThe warranty date code is normally

at least one month after the date of manufacture



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DATE CODE 2 – C&D DYNASTY TELECOM

The warranty date code is under the bar code on a label located on the cover

The date code is MMYY(October 2007 for this battery)

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DATE CODE 1 – ENERSYS VENTED CELLS

The date code is in the first four characters of the cell’s serial number*

The first two are the plant the cell was manufactured at (O5=Sumter, SC)

The next two are the YM(W=1998, C=March)

EnerSys uses A to L, including I for the months

The year starts back at A once Z is used (i.e., 2001)

*In some instances the date code may be a three or four character code located above a bar coded serial number for the cell, with the last two characters being the date code



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DATE CODE 2 – ENERSYS VENTED CELLS

The date code is the first six characters of the cell’s serial number*

The first two are the year, the second two are the month and the last two are the day of the month (July 16, 2001 for this monobloc)

The next two are the shift and factory where the cell was manufactured

*In some instances the date code may be a three or four character code located above the bar coded serial number for the cell, with the last two characters being the date code YM, following the code on the previous slide

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DATE CODE 3 –ENERSYS VENTED CELLS

The date code is now on a separate sticker and is straightforward MM/YYYY

The first two are the month (February and November in these examples)

The next four are the year (2004 in these examples)



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DATE CODE 5 – ENERSYS - EU VENTED CELLS

The date code is located on the blue ring on the negative post

The ring has a large two-digit underlined number on it representing the year and the numbers 1 to 12 around the ring represent the months of the year

There is a “.” molded in the cover opposite the negative polarity mark and the month of manufacture is placed next it. In this instance the date code is November 2011

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DATE CODE 1 – ENERSYS VRLA CELLS

The date code is in the first four characters of the cell’s serial number located on the steel module frame

The first two are the plant the cell was manufactured at (O5=Sumter, SC)

The next two are the YM(W=1998, J=October)

EnerSys uses A to L, including I for the months

The year, represented by the letters A to Z, starts back at A once Z is used (i.e., 2001)



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DATE CODE 2 –ENERSYS VRLA CELLS

The date code is now on a separate sticker and is straightforward MM/YYYY

The number before the “/ or –” is the month (June and March in these examples)

The four after the “/ or –” are the year (2006 and 2007 in these examples)

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DATE CODE – ENERSYS POWER SAFE V VRLA BATTERY

The date code is on a separate sticker on top of the jar near the cell positive terminal and is straightforward MMYYYY (December 2009 for this battery)



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DATE CODE – ENERSYS POWER SAFE Vb VRLA BATTERY

The date code is on a separate sticker located on the battery nameplate label and is straightforward MM/YYYY (March 2012 for this battery)

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DATE CODE – ENERSYS TYPE SBS VRLA BATTERY – TOP CONNECTED

The date code is on a separate sticker between the cell terminals and is straightforward Month-YY (July 2007 for this battery)



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DATE CODE – ENERSYS TYPE HX VRLA BATTERY – TOP CONNECTED

The date code is on a separate sticker near the cell positive terminal and is straightforward MMYYYY (September 2006 for this battery)

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DATE CODE – ENERSYS TYPE HX VRLA BATTERY – FRONT CONNECTED

The date code is on a separate sticker near the cell positive terminal on the top of the battery and is straightforward MMYYYY(November 2009 for this battery)



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DATE CODE – ENERSYS CYCLON® 1

The date code is a group of 5 numbers located on the bottom of the cell container, the first two numbers are the year and the remaining three, the day of the year YYDDD (the 248th day of 2013 for this cell)

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The date code is on a sticker on the monobloc cover and is straightforward MMYYYY (September 2006 for this battery)

For individual cells the date code is located on the bottom of the cell container



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The date code is located on the side of the plastic container and is a group of 5 numbers, the first two numbers are the year and the remaining three, the day of the year YYDDD (the 22nd

day of 2013 for this battery)

For individual cells the date code is located on the bottom of the cell container

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DATE CODE – GNB VENTED CELLS

The date code is stamped on a positive post

The code is YYMM (May 2002 and January 2005 for these cells)



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DATE CODE 1 – GNB ABSOLYTE The date code is stamped on the

steel module and consists of a three letter code

▬ The second and third letters are MY (November 2000 and June 2006 for these modules)

▬ A to M, excluding I, are used for the months January to December; however, I is used for the year

▬ The first letter is the plant the module and cells in it were manufactured at

▬ The year, represented by the letters A to Z, excluding O, Q & V starts back at A once Z is used (i.e., 1997 & 2020)

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DATE CODE 2 – GNB ABSOLYTE The date code is on a label

placed on the steel module and consists of a three letter code

▬ The second and third letters are MY (March 2008 for this modules)

▬ A to M, excluding I, are used for the months January to December; however, I is used for the year

▬ The first letter is the plant the module and cells in it were manufactured at

▬ The year, represented by the letters A to Z, excluding O, Q & V starts back at A once Z is used (i.e., 1997 & 2020)

The date code is a stamp or label on the side of the steel module



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DATE CODE – GNB SPRINTER

The date code is on a label on the side of the plastic container

The code is shown two ways

▬ The first is a letter and number representing MY (December 2001 for this example), where A to M, excluding I, are used for the months January to December

▬ The second is the month, followed by numbers representing MM-Y

With a single digit for the year one may need to verify the installation date to determine the

year (e.g., 1 could be 1991 or 2001)

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DATE CODE – GNB MARATHON

The date code on this front connected battery is on a label on the rear of the plastic container

The code is shown two ways▬ The first is a letter and number representing MY (December 2001

for this example), where A to M, excluding I, are used for the months January to December

▬ The second is the month, followed by numbers representing YY▬ With a single digit for the year one may need to verify the installation

date to determine the year (e.g., 9 could be 1999 or 2009)



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DATE CODE – BAE

The date code is on a label located on the cell cover. The MMYY for the date code are punched on the label

For this battery the date code is December 2003

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DATE CODE – EAST PENN UNIGY I

The date code is on the nameplate on the battery container

The code is YYMM(February 2003 for this cell)



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DATE CODE – EAST PENN UNIGY II

The date code is on the nameplate on the steel module

The code is YYMM (June 2003 for this module)

There is also a date code on the side of the steel module (indicating when the module was manufactured)

The code is WW YY (week 22 of 2003 for this module)

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DATE CODE – EAST PENN TELECOM

The date code is on the nameplate on the battery container

The code is MMYY(September 2004 for this cell)



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DATE CODE – EAST PENN FRONT CONNECTED

The date code is on a label beneath the nameplate on the battery container

The code is MMYYYY(May 2009 for this battery)

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DATE CODE 1 – FIAMM/ALCAD/SAFT VENTED CELLS

The date code is stamped on the cell cover and consists of a letter followed by three numbers

▬ The first letter represents the year (H is 2001, 65th day)

▬ The letters used are based on the Italian alphabet, A to Z, which does not use the letters J, K, W, X and Y and starts back at A once Z is used (i.e., 2014)

▬ The three numbers represent the day of the year (i.e., 1 to 365, or 1 to 366 for leap years) that the cell was manufactured on

▬ The other letter(s) are the cell type and manufacturing plant



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DATE CODE 2 – FIAMM/ALCAD/SAFT VENTED CELLS

The date code is on a label on the cell cover and consists of a letter followed by three numbers

▬ The first letter represents the year (T is 2011, 204th day; U is 2012, 73rd day)




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DATE CODE – FIAMM/ALCAD/SAFT MONOLITE VRLA BATTERY

The date code using a dot matrix printer is placed on the cell cover and consists of a letter followed by three numbers

▬ The first letter represents the year (O is 2006, 124th day)






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DATE CODE 3 – FIAMM/ALCAD/SAFT MONOLITE VRLA BATTERY

The date code is on a label on the cell cover and consists of a letter followed by three numbers

▬ The first letter represents the year (T is 2011, 295th day)




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DATE CODE – HOPPECKE

The date code is on a label on the cell cover, separate from the cell nameplate

The code is MM/YY(May 2010 for this cell)



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DATE CODE – HBL VRLA CELLS

The date code is on a sticker affixed to the side of the steel module and is DD.MM.YY (October 2, 2006 for this battery)

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INTERSTATE VRLA BATTERY – TOP CONNECTED

The date code is on a separate sticker near the cell positive terminal and is straightforward MMYYYY (February 2014 for this battery)



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MIDAC/ALCAD/SAFT ETERNACELL VENTED CELLS

The date code is a four digit number on the side of the cell cover just above the jar-to-cover seal and is MMYY (June 2010 for this cell)

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DATE CODE 1 – NORTHSTAR


The code is straightforward and is MMYYYY (August 2005 for this battery)



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The code is straightforward and is DDMYY (11 August 2005 for this battery)

DATE CODE 2 – NORTHSTAR

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DATE CODE 1 – TAB BATTERY (MTI TECHNOLOGIES OR ALPHA)

The date code is on a label located on the cell cover. The DDMMYYYY for the date code are indicated (i.e., “blacked out”) on the label

For these cells the date code are December 15, 2003 and September 16, 2013



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DATE CODE 2 – TAB BATTERY (MTI TECHNOLOGIES)

The date code is heat stamped as YYMDD or YYMMDD on the cell cover.

For this cell the date code is June 18, 2001

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DATE CODE – TYCO

The date code is on the nameplate on the steel module

The code is YYMM (June 2002 for this module)



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DATE CODE – WERKER

The date code is on a label on the end of the plastic container

The date code consists of a letter and number representing MY (April 1999 and March 2000 for this example)

▬ With a single digit for the year one may need to verify the installation date to determine the year (e.g., 0 could be 1990 or 2000)

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DATE CODE 1 – ALCAD NiCd

The date code is on the cell container

The code is MM/YY(July 2003 for this cell)



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DATE CODE 2 – ALCAD NiCd


The code is YYMM(May 2005 for this cell)

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DATE CODE 1 – SAFT NiCd


The code is MM/YY (March 2002 for this cell)



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DATE CODE 2 – SAFT NiCd

The date code is on a label located on the side of the cell container

The code is YYMM(December 1994 and November 2008 for these cells)

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DATE CODE – VARTA NiCd

The date code is located on the bottom of cell container

The code is YYMM (February 2002 for this cell)



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DATE CODE 1 – NIFE NiCd


The code is YQ, where a random letter was used for the year and the letters N, I, F, E were used to represent the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters, respectively. The letter Y was used for 1998, so this cell was manufactured during the 3rd quarter of 1988. Since the letter representing the year is random, the manufacturer would have to be consulted in any case

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