TERMINING AGE OF BATTERY

Battery manufacturers use codes to indicate the age of their
batteries. These codes consist of letters, figures, or combinations of
letters and figures, which are stamped on the inter-cell connectors or
on the nameplate. The codes may also be burned on the case.

The codes of the leading makes of batteries follow. In addition to
determining the age of a battery by means of the code, the owner
should be questioned as to the time the battery was installed on his
car. If the battery is the original one which came with the car, the
dealer's or car manufacturer's records will help determine the
battery's age. If a new battery has been installed to replace the one
that came with the car, the battery distributor's records will help
determine the age of the battery.

Familiarity with the different makes and types of battery will also
help in determining a battery's age. Manufacturers make improvements
in the construction of their batteries from time to time, and by
keeping up-to-date on battery constructions, it is often possible to
approximate the age of a battery by such changes.

If a battery was kept "dry" while in stock, its age should be figured
from the time it was prepared for service and placed on the car, since
batteries in dry storage do not deteriorate. Some batteries are
shipped from the factory "wet," i.e., filled with electrolyte and
fully charged and the age of such batteries should be figured from the
time they were shipped from the factory, because deterioration begins
as soon as a battery is filled with electrolyte. When batteries are
"dry" no chemical action can take place, and the battery does not
deteriorate, while in a "wet" battery, chemical action takes place
which gradually causes a battery to deteriorate.

Exide Age Code.

Since October, 1917, the date of shipment of Exide batteries from the
factory, or from Exide Deposts has been stamped on the top of the
first inter-cell connector from the negative end of the batter instead
of on the nameplate figures are used to indicate the dates, as
follows:

[Image: Exide and Philadelphia battery age code charts]

All Philadelphia batteries shipped prior to April 1, 1920 and all
batteries shipped from depot stock after this date carry double letter
branding. The first battery is the factory date and the second letter
in this code indicates latest month during which the guarantee may
begin.

Batteries sold direct from