Debasis ASME / AWS may not have a standard to specify the period for a batch of electrodes which had already expired date. Coated electrodes have a shelf life - given by each manufacturer - according to batch production certification. All the same, hermetically sealed batch product may still be usable to a large extent - even if the Code does not specify or strictly as per code this may not be permitted. One has to strike a balance as user to decide on usage instead of going purely by academic needs of a code specification or standard. To ensure that the hermetically sealed batch product electrode, usual practice is to pre-heat and bake the sealed electrode pack before use. You cannot be guaranteed of the same quality of weld metal composition due to possibility of coating metal composition might have degraded due to moisture entry inspite of hermetical sealing . Due to this, some loss in mech. proerties and some small changes in weld metal composition is likely. Weld metal composition may not be the same as originally certified by the manufactuer. One way to ascertain or check this : Take a sample test after baking and pre-heat of the batch of selaed electrodes and test weld metal composition and also mechanical tests while qualifying for PQR/WPS to meet Code needs. If you have large stock of sealed batch product electrodes of common use at your warehouse, the second option is to use the same in non-critical welding like structural or regular maintenance jobs of non-critical nature in a process plant. If you still wish to use for critical application, i suggest that you can ascertain by proper baking and pre-heat and ascertain weld metal composition and mechanical properties are near the same as specified in code by PQR/WPS of the particular batch which has been kept in warehouse for too long. We have successfully re-used such batch electrodes of long warehouse storage and with expiry dates printed already crossed the time limit without compromising on quality of weld even in critical applications. ASME or AWS code may not give any standard to specify this. Trust this is of help to you. C.V.Srinivasan Nishi Engineers Pvt Ltd India Feb 02, 2006 E-mail:nishi@vsnl.com >As per ASME and/or AWS is there any standard expiration >period of Ferrous electrodes like E 6010, 6013, E 7018 ? How >to ensure that the hermatically seal status is OK if >electrodes pack for long duration in store ? >Pl. comment >DM