Where is the Date Code on OPTIMA Batteries?
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- Sponsor
- OPTIMA Batteries
- Location
- Glendale, WI
Where is the date code on OPTIMA Batteries? The easiest place for consumers to find the date code is on the white, 1"x3" "Non-Spillable" label, typically found on the side of the battery. That label has a ten-digit serial number and the first four digits indicate the year and day of production
That means every battery manufactured on March 27, 2026 will have a serial number that starts with 6086xxxxxx for the 86th day of 2026. Batteries produced on December 31, 2027 would start with 7365xxxxxx for the 365th day of 2027. You may also see round stickers on OPTIMA Batteries, similar to the ones in the photo above, that also suggest calendar dates. Those are inventory stickers and can easily be taken on and off and can have different meanings, depending on the retailer- when the battery was stocked, when voltage was last checked, etc... Those round stickers may have some relativity to the production date, but they may also differ by up to a year or more and are not indicative of when the battery was manufactured.
When buying batteries for an application that uses more than one battery, like a diesel truck or trolling motor, the recommended procedure is to purchase batteries that are as close to identical as you can get them in three different ways- type, size and age. The reason is that you want as close to identical charging and discharging conditions as possible.
Flooded batteries can have more internal resistance than AGM batteries. That means you may discharge an AGM battery more deeply than a flooded battery connected in string or overcharge an AGM battery, because it accepts current faster than a higher resistance flooded battery connected in string. The same is true for batteries of differing sizes. A small battery could be constantly overcharged, while a larger battery could be constantly undercharged, if the two were connected together. Age enters the equation, because as batteries age, their internal resistance can increase and make charge acceptance or delivery take longer than a new battery.
What does all that mean if you have a battery fail in a multi-battery bank? Ideally, you should replace all the batteries in that bank, to continue having a matched set. That doesn't mean all the batteries need to be recycled if the others are still good, but they should be used in other applications, where being matched with other batteries isn't a concern. You can shop for OPTIMA Batteries factory-direct here.
That means every battery manufactured on March 27, 2026 will have a serial number that starts with 6086xxxxxx for the 86th day of 2026. Batteries produced on December 31, 2027 would start with 7365xxxxxx for the 365th day of 2027. You may also see round stickers on OPTIMA Batteries, similar to the ones in the photo above, that also suggest calendar dates. Those are inventory stickers and can easily be taken on and off and can have different meanings, depending on the retailer- when the battery was stocked, when voltage was last checked, etc... Those round stickers may have some relativity to the production date, but they may also differ by up to a year or more and are not indicative of when the battery was manufactured.
When buying batteries for an application that uses more than one battery, like a diesel truck or trolling motor, the recommended procedure is to purchase batteries that are as close to identical as you can get them in three different ways- type, size and age. The reason is that you want as close to identical charging and discharging conditions as possible.
Flooded batteries can have more internal resistance than AGM batteries. That means you may discharge an AGM battery more deeply than a flooded battery connected in string or overcharge an AGM battery, because it accepts current faster than a higher resistance flooded battery connected in string. The same is true for batteries of differing sizes. A small battery could be constantly overcharged, while a larger battery could be constantly undercharged, if the two were connected together. Age enters the equation, because as batteries age, their internal resistance can increase and make charge acceptance or delivery take longer than a new battery.
What does all that mean if you have a battery fail in a multi-battery bank? Ideally, you should replace all the batteries in that bank, to continue having a matched set. That doesn't mean all the batteries need to be recycled if the others are still good, but they should be used in other applications, where being matched with other batteries isn't a concern. You can shop for OPTIMA Batteries factory-direct here.