When is a new battery old?

[GlennT]

I was at our local NAPA store today and noticed that a "new" battery being offered for sale had a small label on one end reading "May 2000." To my way of thinking, that battery is already two years old before it is pressed into service. Many years ago batteries were sold dry and the purchaser or more likely the dealer would add water and bring the battery up to full charge. Now a new battery sits on the dealer's shelf with water and a full charge--ready for use. Naturally some time will elapse between the manufacture of a battery and its sale, but isn't two years excessive? Hasn't a significant amount of degradation already occurred? What is a reasonable amount of time to expect between manufacture and sale?

 

[poorboy]

I got to thinking the same thing when my dad came home with a four wheeler battery for me and I went out to pop it in. I found that I had to fill it and put a charge on it first. Haven't got around to it yet. I guess I am prolonging the life of the new one by holding off.

Patrick

 

[Rowski]

Usually when you purchase the battery they will punch out the month and year the battery was purchased. They are the little circular "punch out tabs" usually but not always located on top of the battery. The tag that you saw was when the battery was produced. I will say that 2 years is a little long. It may and it may not have an effect on the battery's over all life. But the warranty on the battery (84 months, 75 month etc.) should be started by the punch out dates. So even if the battery is 2 years old your warranty period will start when you purchase it. Do not buy the battery if those dates are punched out already. Aslo on lawn mower, atv, etc. come with a one year warranty only so I would ask for the freshest possible. I beleive the 84 month batteries have a 2 year free replacement, the 75 month have a 18 month free replacement. After that the warranty is pro rated.

For the long haul, the fresher the better.

Hope this helps and didn't confuse.

 

[GlennT]

Thanks. My impression, too, was that two years was an overly long "shelf life."

 

[bgott]

One shop I worked at stocked Interstate batteries. Interstate would rotate their stock and they used the build date for warranty purposes. We didn't even use the punch outs.