How old is my Bryant air conditioner?
Serial number age decoder for Bryant central air conditioners: 6 format eras, the decode rule in plain English, transcribed tables, and the official lookup.
Type the serial from the data plate, not the model number. Nothing is sent anywhere; the tables are in this page.
Format example: 4006A17330
- Bryant air conditioner serial numbers in the 1980 to present format encode the year as digits 3-4 (2-digit year; century by context, 1980+) and the week as digits 1-2 (01-53) (source: building-center.org).
- Example: serial 4006A17330 decodes to week 40 of 2006.
- Bryant air conditioner serial numbers in the 1980 to 1989 format encode the year as digits 1-2 and the month as digits 3-4 (source: building-center.org).
- Example: serial 850304091 decodes to March 1985.
- Bryant air conditioner serial numbers in the 1980 to 1984 format encode the year as digit 2 (table below) and the month as letter 1 via table (M-Z skipping O and U) (source: building-center.org).
- Example: serial W4D14008 decodes to September 1984.
- Bryant's official lookup at bryant.com returns general parts warranty period.
Format eras
- 1980 to present VERIFIED
####A#####digits 3-4 (2-digit year; century by context, 1980+) - 1980 to 1989 VERIFIED
#########digits 1-2 - 1980 to 1984 VERIFIED
A#A#####digit 2: 0=1980 1=1981 2=1982 3=1983 4=1984 - 1980 to 1984 VERIFIED
#AA#####digit 1: 0=1980 .. 4=1984 - 1969 to 1979 VERIFIED
A######digit 2 = last digit of year (1969-1979) - 1960 to 1979 VERIFIED
##A######first LETTER via table (L=1960 .. H=1979, cycles L-Z then A-H, skipping O, Q, Z)
How to read the serial
1980 to present formatVERIFIED
Shape ####A##### · example 4006A17330 · confidence high
- Year
- digits 3-4 (2-digit year; century by context, 1980+)
- Week or month
- week = digits 1-2 (01-53)
- Plant
- letter at position 5 (plant/line code; table not published)
Example: serial 4006A17330 decodes to week 40 of 2006.
Listed under Carrier in the source; Bryant is named in that format's family and the corporate link is an estimate, not a checked fact.
1980 to 1989 formatVERIFIED
Shape ######### · example 850304091 · confidence medium
- Year
- digits 1-2
- Week or month
- month = digits 3-4
Example: serial 850304091 decodes to March 1985.
Listed under Carrier in the source; Bryant is named in that format's family and the corporate link is an estimate, not a checked fact.
1980 to 1984 formatVERIFIED
Shape A#A##### · example W4D14008 · confidence high
- Year
- digit 2: 0=1980 1=1981 2=1982 3=1983 4=1984
- Week or month
- month = letter 1 via table (M-Z skipping O and U)
- Plant
- letter 3 = unknown code (not published)
| Year code | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1980 |
| 1 | 1981 |
| 2 | 1982 |
| 3 | 1983 |
| 4 | 1984 |
| Month code | Month |
|---|---|
| M | January |
| N | February |
| P | March |
| Q | April |
| R | May |
| S | June |
| T | July |
| V | August |
| W | September |
| X | October |
| Y | November |
| Z | December |
Example: serial W4D14008 decodes to September 1984.
1980 to 1984 formatVERIFIED
Shape #AA##### · example 4WD14008 · confidence medium
- Year
- digit 1: 0=1980 .. 4=1984
- Week or month
- month = letter 2 via table (M-Z skipping O and U)
| Year code | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1980 |
| 4 | 1984 |
| Month code | Month |
|---|---|
| M | January |
| N | February |
| P | March |
| Q | April |
| R | May |
| S | June |
| T | July |
| V | August |
| W | September |
| X | October |
| Y | November |
| Z | December |
Example: serial 4WD14008 decodes to September 1984.
1969 to 1979 formatVERIFIED
Shape A###### · example A167890 · confidence medium
- Year
- digit 2 = last digit of year (1969-1979)
- Week or month
- month = letter 1 (A=Jan..L=Dec)
| Month code | Month |
|---|---|
| A | January |
| B | February |
| C | March |
| D | April |
| E | May |
| F | June |
| G | July |
| H | August |
| I | September |
| J | October |
| K | November |
| L | December |
Example: serial A167890 decodes to January 1971.
Listed under Carrier in the source; Bryant is named in that format's family and the corporate link is an estimate, not a checked fact.
1960 to 1979 formatVERIFIED
Shape ##A###### · example 46U152456 · confidence high
- Year
- first LETTER via table (L=1960 .. H=1979, cycles L-Z then A-H, skipping O, Q, Z)
- Week or month
- week = leading 1-2 digits (1-52)
| Year code | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| L | 1960 |
| M | 1961 |
| N | 1962 |
| P | 1963 |
| R | 1964 |
| S | 1965 |
| T | 1966 |
| U | 1967 |
| V | 1968 |
| W | 1969 |
| X | 1970 |
| Y | 1971 |
| A | 1972 |
| B | 1973 |
| C | 1974 |
| D | 1975 |
| E | 1976 |
| F | 1977 |
| G | 1978 |
| H | 1979 |
Example: serial 46U152456 decodes to week 46 of 1967.
Listed under Carrier in the source; Bryant is named in that format's family and the corporate link is an estimate, not a checked fact.
Where the data plate is on an air conditioner
On the outdoor condenser: a metal or foil plate on the side or back of the cabinet, often near the refrigerant line connections. Some brands repeat it inside the electrical access panel.
General guidance, not brand-specific: the owner's manual or the installer can point to the exact spot. See the data plate guide.
For scale only: the InterNACHI Standard Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Homes lists Air Conditioner (central) at 7 to 15 years of expected service (nachi.org). That chart is a guideline, not a prediction for your unit.
Open the official Bryant lookup takes serial number + original-owner Y/N; returns general parts warranty period; URL verified live
This site is a reference built from published tables. The manufacturer's own lookup wins whenever the two disagree.
What we could not confirm
- Bryant is treated as sharing Carrier's format because the source lists it in that family; the corporate relationship itself is an estimate.
- Building-center Bryant page = Carrier styles 1-5 (0709G10932 WWYY-L-#####; 850304091 YYMM 1980s; W4D14008 1980-84 BDP; A167890 1970-79; 46U152456 1960-79). Warranty page has a serial-number lookup (curl 200, form text confirmed). BDP = Bryant/Day & Night/Payne, the Carrier subsidiary that built 1980s units.
