Decoding of the marking of batteries from different manufacturers

When buying a rechargeable battery, it is very important to know its characteristics, year of manufacture, capacity and other indicators. As a rule, all this information is shown by the battery label. Russian, American, European and Asian producers have their own recording standards. In the article, we will deal with the features of the marking of various types of battery and its decoding.

Marking options

The marking code will depend not only on the country of the manufacturer, but also on the type of battery. Different batteries are used for different purposes. There are starter batteries that are designed for use in automobiles. There are more powerful, dry-charged and others. All of these parameters must be specified for the purchaser.

As a rule, the marking should contain the following information:

• name and country of the manufacturer;
• battery capacity;
• rated voltage, cold cranking current;
• battery type;
• date and year of issue;
• the number of cells (cans) in the battery case;
• polarity of contacts;
• alphabetic characters that show parameters such as charging or maintenance.

Each standard has its common features, but also its own characteristics. For example, it is very important to be able to read the date of manufacture. After all, the battery must be stored under special conditions and at a certain temperature. Improper storage can affect the quality of the battery. Therefore, it is better to choose fresh batteries with a full charge.

Russian-made batteries

Russian-made rechargeable batteries are labeled in accordance with GOST 959-91. The meaning is conventionally divided into four categories that convey specific information.

1. The number of cells (cans) in the battery case is indicated. The standard amount is six. Each gives a voltage of just over 2V, which adds up to 12V.
2. The second letter indicates the type of battery. For automobiles, these are the letters "ST", which means "starter".
3. The following numbers show the battery capacity in ampere hours.
4. Further letters can indicate the material of the case and the condition of the battery.

Example. 6ST-75AZ. The number "6" indicates the number of cans. "ST" indicates that the battery is starter. The battery capacity is 75 A * h. "A" means that the body has a common cover for all elements. "Z" means the battery is filled with electrolyte and charged.

The last letters can mean the following:

• A - common battery cover.
• З - the battery is filled with electrolyte and is fully charged.
• T - the body is made of thermoplastic.
• M - the body is made of mineral plastic.
• E - ebonite body.
• P - separators made of polyethylene or microfiber.

The inrush current is not labeled, but can be found on other labels on the case. Each type of battery of different power has its own starting current strength, body dimensions and discharge duration. The values ​​are shown in the following table:

Battery type	Starter discharge mode		Battery overall dimensions, mm
Discharge current strength, A	Minimum discharge duration, min	Length	Width	Height
6ST-55	255	2,5	262	174	226
6ST-55A	255	2,5	242	175	210
6ST-60	180	3	283	182	237
6ST-66A	300	2,5	278	175	210
6ST-75	225	3	358	177	240
6ST-77A	350	2,5	340	175	210
6ST-90	270	3	421	186	240
6ST-110A	470	2,5	332	215	230

European-made battery

European manufacturers use two standards for marking:

1. ENT (European Typical Number) - considered international.
2. DIN (Deutsche Industri Normen) - used in Germany.

ENT standard

The code of the international European standard ENT consists of nine digits, which are conventionally divided into four parts.

1. The first number shows the approximate range of battery capacity:
   • "5" - range up to 99 A * h;
   • "6" - in the range from 100 to 199 A * h;
   • "7" - from 200 to 299 A * h.
2. The next two digits indicate the exact value of the battery capacity. For example, "75" corresponds to 75 A * h. You can also find out the capacity by subtracting 500 from the first three digits.
3. Three numbers after indicate design features. The numbers from 0-9 show the case materials, polarity, battery type, and more. More information about the values ​​can be found in the instruction manual.
4. The next three digits show the starting current value. But to find it out, you need to do some math. You need to multiply the last two digits by 10 or just add 0, and then you get the full value. For example, number 030 means that the starting current is 300A.

In addition to the main code, there may be other indicators on the battery case in the form of pictograms or pictures. They show the compatibility of the battery with different equipment, purpose, materials of manufacture, the presence of the "Start-Stop" system, and so on.

DIN standard

Popular German Bosch batteries comply with the DIN standard. There are five digits in its code, the designation of which is slightly different from the European ENT standard.

The numbers are conventionally divided into three groups:

1. The first digit indicates the battery capacity range:
   • "5" - up to 100 A * h;
   • "6" - up to 200 A * h;
   • “7” - over 200 A * h.
2. The second and third digits indicate the exact capacity of the battery. You need to make the same calculations as in the European standard - subtract 500 from the first three digits.
3. The fourth and fifth digits indicate the battery class in terms of size, polarity, housing type, cover fasteners and internal elements.

Inrush current information can also be found on the battery case, separate from the label.

American-made batteries

The American standard is designated SAE J537. The marking uses one letter and five numbers.

1. The letter indicates the destination. "A" stands for car battery.
2. The next two numbers indicate the dimensions of the battery as shown in the table. For example, "34" corresponds to dimensions of 260 × 173 × 205 mm. There are many groups and different sizes. Sometimes these numbers can be followed by the letter "R". It shows reverse polarity. If not, then the polarity is straight.
3. The next three digits show the starting current value.

Example. Marking A34R350 means that the car battery has dimensions of 260 × 173 × 205 mm, reverse polarity and delivers a current of 350A. The rest of the information is located on the battery case.

Asian made batteries

There is no single standard for the entire Asian region, but the most common is the JIS standard. The manufacturers tried to confuse the buyer as much as possible in decoding the code. The Asian type is the most difficult. To bring the indicators of the Asian marking to European values, you need to know certain nuances. The particular difference is in terms of capacity. For example, 110 A * h on a Korean or Japanese battery equals about 90 A * h on a European battery.

The JIS labeling standard includes six characters that represent four characteristics:

1. The first two digits indicate the capacity. You should know that the indicated value is the product of the capacity by a certain factor, depending on the starter power and other indicators.
2. The second character is a letter. The letter indicates the size and grade of the battery. There can be eight values ​​in total, which are listed in the following list:
   • A - 125 × 160 mm;
   • B - 129 × 203 mm;
   • C - 135 × 207 mm;
   • D - 173 × 204 mm;
   • E - 175 × 213 mm;
   • F - 182 × 213 mm;
   • G - 222 × 213 mm;
   • H - 278 × 220 mm.
3. The next two numbers show the size of the battery in centimeters, usually the length.
4. The last character of the letter R or L indicates polarity.

Also, at the beginning or at the end of the marking, various abbreviations may be indicated. They indicate the type of battery:

• SMF (Sealed Maintenance Free) - indicates that the battery is maintenance-free.
• MF (Maintenance Free) is a maintenance battery.
• AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) is a maintenance-free battery based on AGM technology.
• GEL is a maintenance-free GEL battery.
• VRLA is a maintenance-free battery with pressure regulating valves.

Marking date of release of batteries from different manufacturers

Knowing the release date of the battery is very important. The performance of the device largely depends on this. It's like with groceries in a store - the fresher the better.

Different manufacturers approach the indication of the production date differently. Sometimes, in order to recognize it, you need to be very familiar with the notation. Let's take a look at several popular brands and their date designations.

Berga, Bosch and Varta

These stamps have a uniform way of indicating dates and other information. For example, the value H0C753032 can be specified. In it, the first letter indicates the manufacturing plant, the second indicates the conveyor number, and the third indicates the type of order. The date is encrypted in the fourth, fifth and sixth characters. “7” is the last digit of the year. In our case, this is 2017. The next two correspond to a specific month. It can be:

• 17 - January;
• 18 - February;
• March 19;
• 20 - April;
• May 53;
• 54 - June;
• 55 - July;
• August 56;
• 57 - September;
• 58 - October;
• 59 - November;
• 60 - December.

In our example, the production date is May 2017.

A-mega, FireBull, EnergyBox, Plasma, Virbac

An example of marking is 0581 64-OS4 127/18. The date is encrypted in the last five digits. The first three digits indicate the exact day of the year. The 127th day is May 7th. The last two are a year. Production date - May 7, 2018.

Medalist, Delkor, Bost

An example of marking is 9А05ВМ. The production date is encrypted in the first two characters. The first digit means the last digit of the year - 2019. The letter indicates the month. A - January. B - February, respectively, and so on.

Center

An example is KL8E42. Date in the third and fourth characters. The number 8 shows the year - 2018, and the letter - the month in order. Here E is May.

Feon

An example of marking is 2936. The second number indicates the year - 2019. The last two are the number of the week of the year. In our case, this is the 36th week, which corresponds to September.

Fiamm

Example - 823411. The first digit indicates the year of manufacture. Here 2018. The next two digits also indicate the week number of the year. In our case, this is June. The fourth digit shows the day of the week according to the account - Thursday (4).

NordStar, Sznajder

An example of marking - 0555 3 3 205 9. The last digit shows the year, but to find it, you need to subtract one from this number. It turns out 8 - 2018. 205 in the cipher indicates the number of the day of the year.

Rocket

An example is KS7C28. The date is in the last four characters. “7” means 2017. Letter C is the month in alphabetical order. 28 is the day of the month. In our case, it turns out March 28, 2017.

Panasonic, Furukawa Battery

These manufacturers directly indicate the date without unnecessary ciphers and calculations on the bottom of the battery or on the side of the case. Format HH.MM.YY.

Russian manufacturers also often directly indicate the production date without unnecessary ciphers. The difference can only be in the sequence of indicating the month and year.

Battery terminal markings

The polarity of the terminals is often clearly indicated on the housing with "+" and "-" signs. Typically, the positive lead has a larger diameter than the negative lead. Moreover, the size in European and Asian batteries is different.

As you can see, different manufacturers use their own standards for marking and date designation. Sometimes it is difficult to understand them. But having prepared in advance, you can choose a high-quality battery with the required capacity parameters and characteristics. It is enough to correctly decipher the designations on the battery case.