Thread: 18v Ryobi Lithium battery

I contacted Ryobi Australia via their web site on the weekend with the same question and their customer service replied today with:
"At this stage there has been no confirmation that the lithium batteries will be released onto the Australian market.
If eventually they are released there will be new charger release with it to charge the new batteries and also to charge
the older batteries."

A web search revealed the following:
http://www.ibuynow.com.au/batteries....+ryobi+battery
This lists NiMH and Lithium Ion batteries for the Ryobi cordless tools (after-market brands presumably), but would not a special charger be required for the L ion batteries?

Chris

Thanks, Chris, wonder what the hold up is. Maybe Ryobi want us to use up their stock of NiCad batteries which would be a good money earner for them given that they barely last a year or so.

Originally Posted by 330p4

... but would not a special charger be required for the L ion batteries?

Chris

Yup.

they have them in the usa on ebay and in online hardware stores etc and some post to au
cheers rileyp

Yes, but they are not cheap! One offer I saw on eBay was $US199 (buy it now) for two batteries and a 110V charger, plus about $US50 postage. Not very enticing at that level. Maybe we should just wait and see how much they are when Ryobi finally get around to selling them here. I did see an advert on a UK hardware shop website for a Ryobi LIon 18V charger at 34GBP ex VAT - it wasn't clear if they would send one to Australia though. I have a couple of the One+ 2Ah batteries that were claimed to contain Panasonic batteries (came with the drill), and they are still going OK after a couple of years of light use, but the ones generally for sale at Bunnings and elsewhere are 1.7Ah - would they be as good (apart from the reduced capacity)? There are also some after-market options with sellers offering third party units, some NiMH as well as NiCads.

Originally Posted by rileyp

they have them in the usa on ebay and in online hardware stores etc and some post to au
cheers rileyp

You can get a new ryobi kit from the US for us$265 and delivery of us$113 quoted from this seller.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:RTQ:US:1123
Which would end up at au$400 + a transformer.
I was looking at it.
The ryobi 18v lithium batteries alone are us$69 plus post.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...%3D4%26ps%3D42
but then you would need a charger.

Well, the Ryobi Lithium Ion tools have arrived in Oz.
I dropped into Bunnings at Fyshwick ACT yesterday on my way home from work and they had the 18V Lithium Ion cordless drill kit, with 2 batteries (2.4Ah), an 18V torch, charger and fabric carry case for $299.
No sign of any separate batteries or L-Ion charger yet, though - soon maybe?

ryobi now have the lithium 18 VOLT small kit range with charger tools which fit all one + from Bunnings. I got ont today and it works good "it's about time.
Jim

[quote=aaccjim;791198]ryobi now have the lithium 18 VOLT small kit range with charger tools which fit all one + from Bunnings. I got ont today and it works with all the 18 Volt tools I have good "it's about time.
Jim

Originally Posted by aaccjim

ryobi now have the lithium 18 VOLT small kit range with charger tools which fit all one + from Bunnings. I got ont today and it works good "it's about time.
Jim

Jim,

How much was it for battery and charger??

Mark

was at bunnies(oxley) last week and they had the new Makita lith-ion drill for $369. so grabbed one. 20% more than the Ryobi, but up there with the panosonic in terms of quality and lightness. weighs the same as my old 12 volt, but will drive batten screws

Mark.
You have to buy the kit
1/ drill
2/ 2 batteries 18 Volt lithium
3/ 1 torch
4/ 1 charger
Cost $299.00 as a kit

I purchased 2 lithium batteries from another supplier in sydney (not original Ryobi)
they need to have a charger which I also purchased at same time cost about $200.00 but don't work with all one + tools.

The new ryobi works with all of the range and I have just about all the Ryobi range so I think the price from Bunnings at $299.00 is good value.
Jim.

So are the Lithium batteries available in Australia now?

They are here in the UK. My Ryobi 18 volt tools are ones that I purchased when in Australia. I think they will fit the Lithium batteries ok........

I am very tempted to give them a try as my current stock of 18volters have started to show the signs of turning up their toes. I have rebuilt all of my current batteries 3 times now and will probably do it again anyway but the Lithium option seems attractive.

I trawled the net and read an article on Lithium battery care and it said that lithium batteries perform better in cooler climates. In hot countries they fail a lot quicker, leaving them in a hot vehicle is a bad idea and significantly shortens their life.

Maybe that's why Ryobi have been slow to introduce then to Oz?

All the Best

Dave

HI' Dave.
I have now been using these batteries lithium for 6 months and they work so much better and last longer, they also charge in an hour. So far I have not have any problems with the hot weather and now I am looking to buy another set, best to buy a drill kit at A$299.00 with 1, drill,1 torch. 1 charger & 2 batteries as if I but just 2 batteries it cost A$290.00.

keep in contact Jim.