Cordless drill batteries.....

[Nusa]

I don't misrepresent them. But there's always someone willing to pay 10 bucks even with crap batteries. Maybe they're willing to rebuild the batteries. Maybe they'll tear the drill apart and use the motor in a robotics project.

[josephgranzier]

We have given up on the battery powered products for the most part,when considering the replacemnet cost of the battery, the constant recharging, the hassle of low speed , inconsistant power - it's just more efficient to get out the cord and have all the power you need. I bought two drills - both ryobi- 3/8 variable speed and 1/2'' hammer drill for undr $100. If they walk off the job, it doesn't kill me. Further my guys aren't pulling out and draging three chargers ,6-7 batteries and forgettin to replace the down batteries, what's charged etc etc.
Finally we had been working late one night ,it's 2:30 am we have been there since 2:00 pm - we had 2 more holes to drill through a block wall (monting security cameras) all the drills had died and we ended up going to the truck pulling the cords and setting up the 1/2 drill , climb the ladder and zipped right through the block. A lot of frayed nerves by that time , turns out I wasn't overseeing the 2 "knuckle heads " and they had been taking 10-15min per hole -changing a battery for each hole - aghhhhhhhh I was done w/ battery powered equipment.

[kyle4501]

I started with a 12v dewalt. Loved it. I now have 'standardized' on the 18v. When I need batteries, I'll buy a new tool with 2 bats & another charger.

I think the biggest problem with the batteries is the charger. I had a charger go bad & it ruined 2 batteries before we figgured out what was going on.

I read somewhere that the battery pac is made of a bunch of lower voltage cells seriesd & paralleled together. If the pack is discharged too far, a weak cell could reverse polarity & drain the rest of the pack just sitting on the shelf. I don't know if that is true.

I did read the boring details of the owners manual & it said to stop using the battery at the first sign of loosing power & recharge it. I also have the 'smart' charger - for whatever that means. It said to occasionally leave the batteries in the charger overnight to tune them up. I do & have had no problems. Occasionally I'll find a dud, so I began date marking all my batts when I get them. So far the date doesn't matter.

YMMV, so experiment & stick with what works for you.

[jjrbus]

Kyle, I hope you kept the battery pacs and charger. If you did take it too a Dewalt Store and if the charger is on  "the  list"  and it probobly is they will replace the batterys and charger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I gotta disagree with the DeWalt fans also. After many batteries (2 destroyed by defective charger) I gave up and went with 18 volt Ryobi. I am very satisfied, the only difference I see is the DeWalt gripped the bits better.  My best friend got tired of buying expesive Dewalt replacement batteries and went with the 19 volt cCraftsman, he is also glad he made the switch.

[Abajaba]

We have a shop here in town that sells all kinds of batteries from watch cells up to truck batteries.  They will rebuild battery packs VERY reasonably.  What they do is open the battery pack, weld on new jumper wires to new cells and then close the battery up.  Ihave had a battery pack rebuilt for a radio for little more than the cost of the cells.

You might want to look for a place like this where you are.  The name of the shop is BATTERIES PLUS.  I am not affiliated with them in any way.

[Nusa]

More recently, I took one of my dead 12V batteries, removed the guts, and wired in a nice long curly-cord with an automotive plug on the end (from a broken hand-held searchlight I had lying around). Now if I don't have a charged battery, I have an adapter that lets me plug my drill into my truck (there's a jack in the bed) or into a portable powersource/jump battery instead. Only a good idea if you have some 12V stuff lying around.

[belfert]

We have a shop here in town that sells all kinds of batteries from watch cells up to truck batteries.  They will rebuild battery packs VERY reasonably.  What they do is open the battery pack, weld on new jumper wires to new cells and then close the battery up.  Ihave had a battery pack rebuilt for a radio for little more than the cost of the cells.

You might want to look for a place like this where you are.  The name of the shop is BATTERIES PLUS.  I am not affiliated with them in any way.

My friend used to work at an Interstate Batteries retail store.  They also rebuilt cordless batteries, but he said the price wasn't cost effective unless the battery was no longer made.  He claimed it is cheaper to buy a new battery.  Maybe Interstate is just expensive.

Primecell (www.primecell.com) is huge in the cordless battery rebuilding business.  They charge $48 to rebuild an 18 volt battery or $72 to upgrade with high capacity cells.  12 volts are $33/$47.

Brian Elfert

Brian Elfert

[NewbeeMC9]

Interesting note,  I'm not sure about presently, but a few years ago, Dewalt, Craftsman, and Ryobi drills were all made at the Ryobi plant in nearby Pickens, SC  I new a buyer who was telling me that the Ryobi had metal gears at that time while the Dewalt had plastic gears and cost much more.  They weren't all made equally but similarly.

I have a Ryobi that came with two batteries and a Light.  I they stayed on there utilities and whe one died I would change out and put the dead one on the Charger.  They lasted about five years before crapping out.  Good drill & light though.

FWIW