Trying to use a power
tool without power is frustrating. There's nothing worse than cutting a job
short because the tool designed to speed up the process is dragging behind.
Over time, battery packs lose their juice. It's inevitable. Every battery, even
rechargeable batteries, run their course and eventually fade into inadequacy.
There are, however, some simple steps that can be taken to extend the life of
your cordless tool battery packs for years, and avoid the steep prices of
replacements.
Knowing the limits of your power tool battery is the first step in proper maintenance. Standard battery packs are usually good for about 700-1000 charge/discharge cycles, if properly maintained. Each type of battery—whether NiCad, NiMH, or Li-Ion—has a different susceptibility to harmful environmental factors that can slowly decrease its long-term usage. NiMH and Li-Ion batteries usually have the most run time, measured in milliamp hours (mAh), but are more vulnerable to extreme weather conditions and heat than NiCad batteries. Although, as a general rule of thumb, it's best to avoid extreme hot or cold environments with any battery pack.
Knowing the limits of your power tool battery is the first step in proper maintenance. Standard battery packs are usually good for about 700-1000 charge/discharge cycles, if properly maintained. Each type of battery—whether NiCad, NiMH, or Li-Ion—has a different susceptibility to harmful environmental factors that can slowly decrease its long-term usage. NiMH and Li-Ion batteries usually have the most run time, measured in milliamp hours (mAh), but are more vulnerable to extreme weather conditions and heat than NiCad batteries. Although, as a general rule of thumb, it's best to avoid extreme hot or cold environments with any battery pack.
Be sure to recharge your battery
pack after each use, and never store your battery packs without a proper
charge. If you’re storing your batteries for an extended period of time, a loss
of voltage and capacity due to self-discharge is almost unavoidable, especially
concerning the NiMH and NiCad batteries. Even if you are not using the tool,
it’s best to charge the battery at least once every two months.
Ironically, the charger itself can
also be a potential cause of battery deterioration, so it’s important to be
mindful of how long your batteries are connected to the charger. Prolonged
charging can easily destroy the battery’s potential. Some modern systems charge
the battery to its maximum capacity and then cut power, but even these chargers
have a tendency to overheat the batteries and destroy the battery internally. Just
be mindful of how long you leave your battery on a charger and remove it when
fully charged.
Finally, it’s important to be
careful with the battery pack itself, as the internal connections can be easily
damaged. Power tool batteries are made up of a collection of smaller cell
batteries, usually spot-welded together to complete a circuit at a certain
voltage. When a pack is jostled around, dropped, or hit with significant force,
that welding can be loosened or broken. Sometimes these can be repaired, but
the best way to avoid this: don’t bang your tool around!
If your power tool battery has run
its course and no longer holds a charge, rebuilding the pack by replacing the
cells is a cost effective option, costing up to 50% cheaper than a new battery.
A local battery store, like Battery Joe, can take care of this for
you in just a couple of days. Usually the process is very simple and easy, they
can even increase the run time of your battery and still be cheaper than a new
battery. If, however, the pack is not rebuild-able then be sure to recycle your
old batteries and be kind to the environment.
Miles Adams
Technician, Battery Joe
