KNOWLEDGE BASE
Understanding Battery Codes
There's a manufacturer's shipping code on almost every automobile battery. Since the life you'll get from the battery is dependent on when it was made, not necessarily when it was put into service, you'll want to check this code so you can be sure the battery you buy is relatively "fresh" and hasn't been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years. The shipping code usually appears on a sticker on the battery or a stamp burned into the battery case itself.
| Batteries Shipping Code Chart | |||
| MONTHS | YEAR | ||
| January | A | 2001 | 1 |
| February | B | 2002 | 2 |
| March | C | 2003 | 3 |
| April | D | 2004 | 4 |
| May | E | 2005 | 5 |
| June | F | 2006 | 6 |
| July | G | 2007 | 7 |
| August | H | 2008 | 8 |
| September | J | 2009 | 9 |
| October | K | 2010 | 10 |
| November | L | 2011 | 11 |
| December | M | 2012 | 12 |
| EXAMPLE: D8 = APRIL 2008 | |||
Charging a Battery
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
A battery will only make use of recharging current at a level which depends closely on the amount of recharge it needs. Current passed through the battery in excess of the value it can use will do nothing to speedup the recharge and will be wasted in creating heat and gas generation.
Rising battery temperature and vigorous gassing are clear indications of excessive charging currents, which, if applied too long, will reduce battery life.