Thread: Charging an old G M C drill.

Lloyd

I suspect the simple answer is "no" as the charger will attempt to bring the batteries up to 18V or more before it gives up the attempt and in so doing will destroy them (not that that will worry you too much, I imagine.)

The old batteries were often comprised of a number of smaller 1.5V batteries connected in series to give the nominal voltage.

I think a more practical solution would be to prurchase a cheap drill from the low end of the market. It might suit your grandson.

Regards
Paul

A guy at work some years ago had 14V at home and new 18 V kit at work. Managed to swap the chargers around at some stage and cooked the 18V charger on the 14 V batteries, the batteries could handle the extra current when flat, but the non replaceable thermal fuse in the charger blew about 15 minutes into the charge, killing the charger.

14.4V suggests nicad/NIMH batteries, pack would be 12 x 1.2V cells. For 18V could be lithium (5 x 3.6V) or nicad/NIMH (15x1.2V).There are two forms of safe and reliable charger for Nicad/NIMH packs, slow chargers are current limited and not overly voltage dependant, and fast chargers are voltage dependant and check for a slight drop in cell voltage at the peak power point of the charge curve to stop fast charging. Most of the GMC chargers were fairly simple and rely on a thermal sensor in the pack to prevent overcharging.

If the unit has been on the shelf long enough to loose the charger, the battery packs would be shot, and it would be quicker and cheaper to get him a cheapy replacement unit than it would be to repack the batteries and find a suitable charger.

I agree with the guys, you would be better off with a new cheapy, gmc tools were built to get past the warranty period, yours is way over so if your luck is like everyone else, you will get a charger & then the switch or batteries will go costing you the price of a new one & an upset grandson, maybe combine it for a early Christmas present that he will cherish

Go to the BIG GREEN shed and buy him a not too expensive Ozito drill ,
it will last him for a couple of years and have a 2/3 year warranty to boot.


Jeff
vk4

Thanks for the advice guys will get a cheapy for him .

Lloyd.

I have 3 ozito drills and use them every day. One is a driver and I drive screws into logs to hold a ladder to logs. they seem to last a while.