DEF supply shortage

[jagpot]

Does anyone know the shelf life of a box of DEF? Was thinking of loading up just in case they don’t let us into the truckstops but I don’t know if the boxes will expire.

 

[Rich W.]

There is a lot of info about DEF out there, much of it imbedded in adds for various things, but I like this chart. Most info out there is very close to this so it’s a useful standard.

 

[Rich W.]

This obviously necessitates knowing how old the DEF is and how it was stored. Because of this you need to understand the date code (below) and buy DEF that was stored in known conditions and/or is as new as possible. Note the author states 2 years at 75 degrees - obviously using a different chart/spec but the extrapolation is close enough. For my purposes I dont want any DEF more than one year old, but thats just me.

This is as good an explanation of the date code as any:
The date code on the BlueDEF box in my picture is
GA153590089
Lets break this down into 4 groups of numbers:
GA: The designator of the plant that manufactured the DEF
15: The year of manufacture plus 1, so this DEF was made in 2014
359: 365-359 = 6, so the 6th day of the year, or January 6th.
0089: The batch code.
So this box of DEF was made January 6th, 2014.

Specification life for DEF is 2 years at 75F or so. Stored properly, this DEF is good thru January 6th, 2016 (and probably longer).

 

[Rich W.]

Lately Ive seen DEF with both the date clearly marked so you dont have to break a code to figure out how old it is, and also DEF with no date at all so you no way of knowing. Also DEF I purchased from Canada had no date code, so ….?

 

[Jim]

This obviously necessitates knowing how old the DEF is and how it was stored. Because of this you need to understand the date code (below) and buy DEF that was stored in known conditions and/or is as new as possible. Note the author states 2 years at 75 degrees - obviously using a different chart/spec but the extrapolation is close enough. For my purposes I dont want any DEF more than one year old, but thats just me.

This is as good an explanation of the date code as any:
The date code on the BlueDEF box in my picture is
GA153590089
Lets break this down into 4 groups of numbers:
GA: The designator of the plant that manufactured the DEF
15: The year of manufacture plus 1, so this DEF was made in 2014
359: 365-359 = 6, so the 6th day of the year, or January 6th.
0089: The batch code.
So this box of DEF was made January 6th, 2014.

Specification life for DEF is 2 years at 75F or so. Stored properly, this DEF is good thru January 6th, 2016 (and probably longer).

Wow! Really? They couldn't just print January 6th, 2014 on the box?

 

[Rich W.]

Wow! Really? They couldn't just print January 6th, 2014 on the box?

No, its a secret. Really I have no idea why but it sure makes it difficult when you are standing in line at a truck stop. This year I bought six boxes from a local known source that I will take with me and fill my tank at my convenience rather than hope I can get it at fuel stops, and then deal with it while fueling.

 

["EZ"]

Heat is a killer for DEF. DO NOT buy a box of DEF if it is in a window display at a parts store or truck stop. The sun coming through the window will suck the life right out of the DEF in the box or jug. It needs to be stored in a cool dry place. Best place for that? In the ground in a tank. At a truck stop because it's also fresh due to the volume of DEF they sell. I really think the DEF scare will be short lived and I don't think truck stops or anywhere else will prohibit you from buying it.

 

[Neal]

Yup, I buy truck stop DEF, it's constant cool temp as it's stored underground, out of sunlight, tested and high turnover.

 

[jagpot]

This obviously necessitates knowing how old the DEF is and how it was stored. Because of this you need to understand the date code (below) and buy DEF that was stored in known conditions and/or is as new as possible. Note the author states 2 years at 75 degrees - obviously using a different chart/spec but the extrapolation is close enough. For my purposes I dont want any DEF more than one year old, but thats just me.

This is as good an explanation of the date code as any:
The date code on the BlueDEF box in my picture is
GA153590089
Lets break this down into 4 groups of numbers:
GA: The designator of the plant that manufactured the DEF
15: The year of manufacture plus 1, so this DEF was made in 2014
359: 365-359 = 6, so the 6th day of the year, or January 6th.
0089: The batch code.
So this box of DEF was made January 6th, 2014.

Specification life for DEF is 2 years at 75F or so. Stored properly, this DEF is good thru January 6th, 2016 (and probably longer).

If this box is only good until 2016 why do you still have it? Am I totally confused? All of this is so disconcerting!

 

[Rich W.]

That is just an example of how the date code works from an older (probably around 2015) article on the subject.