How to Find the Manufacture Date on Interstate Batteries
by James Stevens
Interstate Battery System International Inc. manufactures vehicle and other types of batteries. All Interstate batteries are stamped with a coded date, which Interstate refers to as the shipping date. Interstate distribution centers also put another date on the batteries because batteries get recharged if they remain in stock for more than three months. Finding the manufacture date on Interstate batteries is a fairly straightforward task, as long as you know what the codes mean.
Step 1
Look down at the top of your Interstate battery to find the manufacture date code. You can only see the code from directly above the battery.
Step 2
Check the corners of the battery and look for an alphanumeric four- or five-digit code. The code is engraved into the battery casing. If you can't find a code engraved on one of the corners, check the positive battery terminal, labeled with a "+" sign; some Interstate batteries have the code engraved on the terminal.
Step 3
Write down the code so you can work out the manufacture date of your Interstate battery.
Step 4
Look at the first digit you wrote down. It is a letter and represents the month of manufacture. For example, "C" indicates March and "F" stands for June. However, if the code is on the positive battery terminal, the letter for the month is preceded by a "U," so February appears as "UB."
Step 5
Look at the second digit or, if the code is on the positive battery terminal, the third. It is a number and represents the year of manufacture, so "4" stands for 2004, while "0" indicates 2010. The cycle runs for only 10 years and then repeats, so 2011 is the same as 2001 and has the number "1" as the second digit. The remaining two or three digits signify the place that the Interstate battery is manufactured.
Step 6
Check the top of the battery to see if there is another code. It may be engraved, or it may be a stick-on label. It has two digits and means that your battery was recharged at the distribution center.
Step 7
Write down the code, which is the same as the one for new batteries. The first digit is a letter, and the second is a number. For example, if the code is D7, your Interstate battery was recharged in April 2007.
References
Writer Bio
James Stevens has been writing articles for market research companies in the U.K. since 1990. He has written various country profiles for inclusion in comprehensive market reports including Vision One Research and Investzoom Market Research. Stevens holds a General Certificate of Education from Chelmsford College of Further Education.
