[reynb]

Yesterday I received a NEW DLi90 battery that I intend to use as a spare on a upcoming road trip. Purchase was from a well known, reputable, dealer here in Australia whom I have bought Pentax and other gear from over the last few years. The Battery has a number on the back( 201509) which I assumed, and a search on Pentax Forums reveals is the Build date. I immediately sent a text to the dealer stating the number, and that a almost 7 year old battery was unacceptable. He replied quickly and stated( That is not '' Build " date, that is the date batteries first went into production. They have only been in stock in our warehouse for 3 weeks). What do you guys think? Am I wrong assuming this is Build date? How OLD would you reasonably expect a Brand NEW battery to be?

[tduell]

Not sure about that explanation.
I have batteries here with the following 'dates'.
201503, 201602, 202007, 201507, 201512.
There have been a couple of queries re these batteries recently purchased in Australia.

Cheers,
Terry

[slartibartfast01]

Yesterday I received a NEW DLi90 battery that I intend to use as a spare on a upcoming road trip. Purchase was from a well known, reputable, dealer here in Australia whom I have bought Pentax and other gear from over the last few years. The Battery has a number on the back( 201509) which I assumed, and a search on Pentax Forums reveals is the Build date. I immediately sent a text to the dealer stating the number, and that a almost 7 year old battery was unacceptable. He replied quickly and stated( That is not '' Build " date, that is the date batteries first went into production. They have only been in stock in our warehouse for 3 weeks). What do you guys think? Am I wrong assuming this is Build date? How OLD would you reasonably expect a Brand NEW battery to be?

See this thread also in Australia. The dealer is lying to you but they have been sent old stock by Ricoh. These batteries were available long before 2015.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/22-pentax-camera-field-accessories/441534-shelf-life-pentax-battery-post5560675.html

[photogem]

Yesterday I received a NEW DLi90 battery that I intend to use as a spare on a upcoming road trip. Purchase was from a well known, reputable, dealer here in Australia whom I have bought Pentax and other gear from over the last few years. The Battery has a number on the back( 201509) which I assumed, and a search on Pentax Forums reveals is the Build date. I immediately sent a text to the dealer stating the number, and that a almost 7 year old battery was unacceptable. He replied quickly and stated (That is not '' Build " date, that is the date batteries first went into production. They have only been in stock in our warehouse for 3 weeks). What do you guys think? Am I wrong assuming this is Build date? How OLD would you reasonably expect a Brand NEW battery to be?

You are not at all wrong but right:
2015 is the year of manufacture, 09 the month.
It alway was like this and the dealer is maybe lying:
If an original Pentax then he is lying and cheating.
If a fake (which exists) then he didn't buy it from Ricoh but China and thus... unknowingly cheating.


Giving information of the exact date of manufacture started 2010 with Pentax and has been continued so until today.
The earliest I remember was with the D-LI90 for my K5: 2010 but there might be 2009's because the K7 was manufactured before and I didn't buy the K7 then, had one later for repair only.

The D-LI109 was introduced with the K-r and the K-30. Always with precise date of manufacture.

If you can upload a photo I can possibly tell you if it is a fake copy of the original or an original
We had the this discussion before!

[AfterPentax Mark II]

but there might be 2009's because the K7 was manufactured before and I didn't buy the K7 then

The DLi90's of the K7 have no date stamp, but they state that Pentax is a Hoya company... So it is recognizable how old it is.

[AstroDave]

Looks like Australia has been getting some old batteries! A bit of a bummer.

However, unless they've been mistreated, I wouldn't worry too much about their being "old" batteries. When I measured several DLi90s a year or so ago (Battery Capacity / Discharge Measurements - Pentax & Canon OEM versus Generic - PentaxForums.com), it was my oldest, from 2011, that was actually in the best shape!

Perhaps, think of them as "vintage." (Like a lot of Forum members! I'm one of them - 76 trips around the sun so far.)

[reh321]

You are not at all wrong but right:
2015 is the year of manufacture, 09 the month.
It alway was like this and the dealer is maybe lying:
If an original Pentax then he is lying and cheating.

The batteries could have been in a Pentax warehouse for multiple years,
then in the local warehouse for only three months.

[reh321]

I just now checked the batteries I use with my KP.

The “201210” battery came with the K-30 I purchased {used} 06/2015.
The “201707” battery came with the KP I purchased {new} 12/2018.

[Sakura]

Just recently bought 2 DLi90 batteries at the webshop of Ricoh europe. They date 202105 and 202111

[Not a Number]

I bought a new-old-stock Konica/Minolta battery for my K10D which was at least 8 years old (package still sealed) when I bought it. Charges in the times specified for new battery. Number of shots in line with a new battery. Very low self-discharge rate or just running the clock.The battery I replaced still hold a good charge but takes longer to charge and I don't get as many shots per charge.

I think the batteries have a long self-life and as long as they have 20% or more charge in them when you buy them they are essentially "new".

[photogem]

I think the batteries have a long self-life and as long as they have 20% or more charge in them when you buy them they are essentially "new".

The elapsed time since the moment of manufacture does play a role:
A battery will get older and a little weaker over time because the electrolyte, the anode and the cathode are exposed to chemical decomposition processes.
This pure aging process determines the calendar life of a Li-ion battery.

Otherwise:
Main culprit behind lithium metal battery failure -- ScienceDaily

[slartibartfast01]

The elapsed time since the moment of manufacture does play a role:
A battery will get older and a little weaker over time because the electrolyte, the anode and the cathode are exposed to chemical decomposition processes.
This pure aging process determines the calendar life of a Li-ion battery.

Otherwise:
Main culprit behind lithium metal battery failure -- ScienceDaily

That research is on a different type of battery. Lithium Metal not Lithium Ion.

[reynb]

Thank you all for your replies! I have decided to return the battery. It has been said for quite a while that Australia has been a dumping ground for the worlds leftover electronics!

[Paul the Sunman]

You won't get anything newer. I bought one from CRK a few months ago, who are the sole importers, and it was 2015 too. That IS a build date by the way.

It seems to be working alright though.

[zapp]

Well, you get full warranty that’s about it. It was manufactured in 2015.
Yes, this exact battery went into production in 2015, but it was als assembled, finished, and packaged in 2015 unless someone used old housings in recent time which sounds unlikely. Nobody is lying here, but honest and open communication is something different.
Considering Pentax pricing here, you want something newer. Whether they sell 2021 to you or not, I don’t know.