Thread: batteries ain't batteries....... a happy story

I have had a Bosch (blue) PA6-GF30 (?) impact driver for about 8 years now. It has been a fantastic tool and has manfully tackled every job I have put in front of it. It has happily driven 150mm bugle screws down to much more delicate and refined fasteners without complaint.
A few months ago I noticed it wasn't as 'willing' as it had been. I watched it carefully and noted that it's 'lack of willingness' varied depending on which of the 2 original 12V 2.6AhNiMH batteries was in use and so I reasoned (hoped?) that the problem was in fact the batteries.
New batteries from Bosch are EXPENSIVE so I decided for once in my life to do some economic research which, in my case, means ringing FenceFurniture!
He put me on to Power Batteries who are an on-line, undoubtedly Chinese, supplier of batteries for cordless tools.
I had NO IDEA that there are so many Bosch cordless tools let alone all of the other brands that are on their HUGE website!
I couldn't find 'my' impact driver on the list but took a punt that the 12V battery that looked like my battery WAS my battery?
However, now that I was exercising economic prudence (I thought FF might be watching ), I did exercise some caution. There were 4 batteries that looked like mine on offer.
There was
1500mAh Ni-Cd $41
2000mAh Ni-Cd $45
3000mAh Ni-MH $52 AND
4000mAh Li-ion $73

The Li-ion batteries spruiked "3.5 times the battery life" and "uses the existing 12V charger" .......
It seemed to me that the "patented design" that allowed the use of Li-ion technology at 12V might be a step too far so I ordered the $52 solution. After one mild chase up, it arrived on Friday and, being away still with my visitors, I didn't pick it up until today.

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Guess what, I got the 4.0Ah Li-ion for my $52! It is probably only 2/3 the weight AND my impact driver has regained its 'willingness'. It's like viagra for cordless power tools.
Ill do a proper comparison later.
fletty