Expert: Dr. Henry Boyter, Jr. - 10/10/2004

Question
Hi! I really don't know if this is the correct place I should be asking this...but I'll try anyways....

Do you have any idea as to what the manufacture date of a battery is as compared to its expiration date? What I mean is, if I have the expiration date of a battery, when was it maufactured? It's really confusing figuring out how to word this, but I guess I'm looking for the lifespan of a battery.
Is it relative to battery size or is it the same for all batteries?  I'm looking specifically for household batteries, like AAA to D and the such.
Thanks SO much for any help you can give me!

ps. This is for a project I'm doing in Archaeology class. The battery I have has an expiration date of March 2005. I just need to find out how old the battery is.
and sorry for kind of rambling on...it's hard to figure out what I'm asking...lol...

THANKS!!!
-Jamie  

Answer
Manufacture and expiration dates probably have little to do with each other.  It will probably depend on the manufacturer.  The expiration date is usually the date past which the manufacturer will not guaruntee full life is left.  It is probably a conservative date, so most batteries will have full life after that time.  Better batteries will show a later expiration date.  Battery life is so dependent on how they are used, there are no standards.

http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/battery.html

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/eng99/eng99298.htm

http://www.climber.org/gear/batteries.html

Websites found by searching at www.google.com