Automotive Battery Part Numbers and Date Codes
In Australia, batteries and cars are imported from all around the world so we have a large mix of Japanese, European
and American part numbers and some only used in Australia.
Japanese Part Numbers
AH Terminal Battery Length (cm) Polarity
55D23L - 55 D 23 L
First numbers represent the amp hours: 55 = 55AH, 165 = 165AH etc.
Next the letter represents the terminal size: D = standard terminal, B = small terminal, E is for long batteries like an
N100, F & G is for terminals down one end like N120, N150 and N200.
Next numbers represent the battery length: 23 = 23cm long, 51 = 51cm long etc. This is the most important number
as it tells the physical size of the battery.
Last letter represents the battery polarity: R is for negative terminal on the right, L is for negative terminal on the
left, although it is an industry standard to ask which side of the battery is the positive terminal when both terminals
are closest to you.
Sometime the number may have an S at the end; this is for terminal size and is always a standard terminal, eg
S55B24LS. It seems the S at the end overrides the B in the middle; remember usually the B in the middle is for a
small terminal battery.
Other common numbers we use like these are: 40B20L, 95D31R, 165G51L.
American Part Numbers
American part numbers use battery group sizing, many are used here in Australia. Common numbers used are:
Group Size Common Equivalent
22NF N41/N43
22F NS50P
24 N50ZZ/M24
27 N70ZZ/M27
31 31-900/M31
4D N150
8D N200
European Part Numbers
The vast majority of European vehicle manufactures use DIN style batteries, these are usually a 5 digit number, the
larger the number the bigger the battery. Some common part numbers used in Australia are:
Part number Common equivalent
56220 DIN55
56030 DIN55 High case
57412 DIN66 High case
58515 DIN88
60038 DIN88 High case
Date Codes
All batteries should have a date the battery was manufactured; the hard part is deciphering how to read them. Most
battery companies will use a letter for the month and a number for the year.
Typically somewhere in the date stamp it will stand for:
A – January
B – February
C – March
D – April
And so on… Some manufacturers leave out the I to avoid confusion with 1.
9 – 2009
0 – 2010
1 – 2011
2 – 2012
And so on…
This is how we date all of our batteries; they are stamped into the top of the case on the edge of the battery close to
the positive terminal.
AC Delco Pre 2014 or batteries manufactured by Global
KS2K14, the bolded letters are the important ones, 2K is November 2012, ie 14/11/2012
KJ9D03, this is 03 April 2009, ie 03/04/2009
The last two numbers are the day of the month it was manufactured.
Delkor date code and AC Delco Post 2014
2CR22, the bolded letters are the important ones, 2C is 22
nd
April 2012, 22/04/2012
8AR13, 13
th
January 2008, 13/01/2008
The last two numbers are the day of the month it was manufactured.
Delkor skip using the “I” to avoid confusion with 1, so J = September, K = October.
Fullriver date code
Ignore the first letter, first two digits are the year, next two are the week of production and the last two the day of
month.
K120802 is 2
nd
day of the 8
th
week of 2012.
K104924 is 24
th
day of the 49
th
week in 2010.
Motobatt date codes
Motobatt date codes are the easiest, they are basically the date. First two are the day of the month, the next two
are the month and the last two are the year.
MB041011 04/10/2011
MB280114 28/01/2014
Optima Date Codes
First number is the year and the next three are the day of the year it was made.
4025 - 25
th
Jan 2014
7130 - 130
th
day of the year works out the be 10
th
May 2017
Challenge/Dong Ah
First number for the year, nest letter for the month and next two numbers are the day of the month.
2E09CH 09
th
May 2012
9J24CH 24
th
October 2009
Odyssey
For most sizes the 5 numbers after the first letter are the year and day of the year.
1280G121240087 124
th
day of 2012
