Date Codes Unmasked ESA

ESA Consulting Associates, Inc.
Date Codes Unmasked 2015 Edition

Page 1
Stationary Battery Information
SM
ESA
DATE CODES UNMASKED

Developed 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
MWM 2005, 2007-15
FOREWORD
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ESA
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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MWM 2005, 2007-15

ESA Consulting Associates, Inc. Date Codes Unmasked 2015 Edition
Page 2
ESA
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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
3 MWM 2005, 2007-15
ESA
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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
5 MWM 2005, 2007-15
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DATE CODES (continued)
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
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WHY IS KNOWING THE DATE CODE
IMPORTANT?
ESA
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
7 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE 1 C&D VENTED CELLS

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ESA
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

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ESA
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)
9 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE 1 C&D LIBERTY 1000s

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ESA
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

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ESA
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

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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

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nameplate
The code is MM/YYYY

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DATE CODE 1 C&D DYNASTY

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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
The warranty date code is normally January to December
at least one month after the date of
manufacture
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DATE CODE 2 C&D DYNASTY

TELECOM
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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)
15 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE 1 ENERSYS VENTED

CELLS
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ESA
The date code is in the first

four characters of the cells
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)
*In some instances the date code may be a

EnerSys uses A to L,
three or four character code located above including I for the months
a bar coded serial number for the cell, with
the last two characters being the date code The year starts back at A
once Z is used (i.e., 2001)
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DATE CODE 2 ENERSYS VENTED

CELLS
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The date code is the first

six characters of the
cells 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)
*In some instances the date code may be a The next two are the
three or four character code located above shift and factory where
the bar coded serial number for the cell, with
the last two characters being the date code the cell was
YM, following the code on the previous slide
manufactured
17 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE 3
ENERSYS VENTED CELLS
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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
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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
19 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE 1 ENERSYS VRLA CELLS

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ESA
The date code is in the first

four characters of the cells
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
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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)
21 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE ENERSYS POWER SAFE V

VRLA BATTERY
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The date code is on a

separate sticker on
top of the jar near the
cell positive terminal
MMYYYY (December
2009 for this battery)
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DATE CODE ENERSYS POWER SAFE

Vb VRLA BATTERY
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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
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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
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separate sticker near
the cell positive terminal
MMYYYY (September
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DATE CODE ENERSYS TYPE HX VRLA

BATTERY FRONT CONNECTED
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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

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ESA
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)
27 MWM 2005, 2007-15

SM
ESA
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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Page 15

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ESA
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
29 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE GNB VENTED CELLS

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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
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

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ESA
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 date code is a stamp or label on
letters A to Z, excluding O, Q
the side of the steel module
& V starts back at A once Z
is used (i.e., 1997 & 2020)
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DATE CODE GNB SPRINTER

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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,
With a single digit for the year one may need
to verify the installation date to determine the
followed by numbers
year (e.g., 1 could be 1991 or 2001) representing MM-Y
33 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE GNB MARATHON

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ESA
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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Page 18
DATE CODE BAE

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ESA
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

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ESA
The date code is on

the nameplate on the
battery container
The code is YYMM

(February 2003 for this
cell)
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Page 19
DATE CODE EAST PENN UNIGY II

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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)
37 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE EAST PENN TELECOM

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nameplate on the
battery container
The code is MMYY

(September 2004 for
this cell)
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Page 20
DATE CODE EAST PENN FRONT

CONNECTED
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label beneath the
nameplate on the
battery container
The code is MMYYYY

(May 2009 for this
battery)
39 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE 1 FIAMM/ALCAD/SAFT

VENTED CELLS
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ESA
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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Page 21

VENTED CELLS
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The date code is on a label on the

year (T is 2011, 204th day; U is
2012, 73rd day)
which does not use the letters J,
K, W, X and Y and starts back
at A once Z is used (i.e., 2014)
on
41 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE FIAMM/ALCAD/SAFT

MONOLITE VRLA BATTERY
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ESA
The date code using a dot matrix

printer is placed on the cell cover
and consists of a letter followed by
three numbers
year (O is 2006, 124th day)
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
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Page 22

MONOLITE VRLA BATTERY
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The date code is on a label on the

year (T is 2011, 295th day)
which does not use the letters
J, K, W, X and Y and starts
back at A once Z is used (i.e.,
2014)
on
43 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE HOPPECKE

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ESA

label on the cell cover,
separate from the cell
nameplate
The code is MM/YY

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Page 23
DATE CODE HBL VRLA CELLS

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sticker affixed to the
side of the steel
module and is
DD.MM.YY (October
2, 2006 for this
battery)
45 MWM 2005, 2007-15
INTERSTATE VRLA BATTERY TOP

CONNECTED
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separate sticker near
the cell positive
terminal and is
straightforward
MMYYYY (February
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Page 24
MIDAC/ALCAD/SAFT ETERNACELL
VENTED CELLS
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ESA
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)
47 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE 1 NORTHSTAR

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label on the side of the
plastic container
The code is
straightforward and is
MMYYYY (August
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Page 25
DATE CODE 2 NORTHSTAR

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label on the side of the
plastic container
The code is
straightforward and is
DDMYY (11 August
49 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE 1 TAB BATTERY (MTI

TECHNOLOGIES OR ALPHA)
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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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Page 26
DATE CODE 2 TAB BATTERY (MTI

TECHNOLOGIES)
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The date code is heat

stamped as YYMDD or
YYMMDD on the cell
cover.
For this cell the date

code is June 18, 2001
51 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE TYCO

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nameplate on the steel
module
The code is YYMM (June

2002 for this module)
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Page 27
DATE CODE WERKER

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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)
53 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE 1 ALCAD NiCd

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The date code is on

the cell container
The code is MM/YY

(July 2003 for this cell)
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Page 28
DATE CODE 2 ALCAD NiCd

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The date code is on

the cell container
The code is YYMM

55 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE 1 SAFT NiCd

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cell container
The code is MM/YY

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Page 29
DATE CODE 2 SAFT NiCd

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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)
57 MWM 2005, 2007-15
DATE CODE VARTA NiCd

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ESA
The date code is

located on the
bottom of cell
container
The code is YYMM

(February 2002 for
this cell)
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Page 30
DATE CODE 1 NIFE NiCd

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The date code is on the cell container

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
59 MWM 2005, 2007-15
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Date Codes Unmasked ESA

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ESA Consulting Associates, Inc.

Date Codes Unmasked 2015 Edition

DATE CODES UNMASKED

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

visit: stationarybatterytraining.com for updates

MWM 2005, 2007-15

This presentation has been developed as a aid to those

MWM 2005, 2007-15

Upon completion of this training, the participant will

An overview of the typical methods used by battery

3 MWM 2005, 2007-15

MWM 2005, 2007-15

DATE CODES (continued)

Date codes may be located on the cell (or monobloc)

DATE CODES (continued)

In the presentation, the letters M, D, W and Y, are used to

6 MWM 2005, 2007-15

MWM 2005, 2007-15

It is important to know how old the battery is when

DATE CODE 1 C&D VENTED CELLS

The date code is located

The code is MM/YY

The letter that follows

8 MWM 2005, 2007-15

MWM 2005, 2007-15

DATE CODE 2 C&D VENTED CELLS

The date code is located

The code is MM/YY

The letter that follows

9 MWM 2005, 2007-15

DATE CODE 1 C&D LIBERTY 1000s

The date code is on the

The code is MM-YY

10 MWM 2005, 2007-15

MWM 2005, 2007-15

DATE CODE 2 C&D LIBERTY 1000s

The date code is on

The code is MM-YY

11 MWM 2005, 2007-15

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

12 MWM 2005, 2007-15

MWM 2005, 2007-15

DATE CODE 2 C&D LIBERTY AT

The date code is on the

The code is MM/YYYY

13 MWM 2005, 2007-15

DATE CODE 1 C&D DYNASTY

There are two date codes on

14 MWM 2005, 2007-15

MWM 2005, 2007-15

DATE CODE 2 C&D DYNASTY

The warranty date code is

The date code is MMYY

15 MWM 2005, 2007-15

DATE CODE 1 ENERSYS VENTED

The date code is in the first

*In some instances the date code may be a

16 MWM 2005, 2007-15

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DATE CODE 2 ENERSYS VENTED

The date code is the first

17 MWM 2005, 2007-15