Thread: rechargable batteries...............

yeah go buy the magazine its worth a read

Originally Posted by Tasman

i have a ryobi 18v rechargable drill and while the drill is not in use the batteries go flat and i saw it the woodies magazine on the net the following

hi there

I also have that same problem with my "ryobi 18v rechargable drill" my batteries go flat over night, really ***** me coz when u go and use them the next morning there dead... i'm thinking of taking my back and see if i can't claim them under warranty... it's just not good enough..

ps did u end up buy the mag ? .. if so what did it say?

thanks

Justin

No I didn't get the mag and i wont have a chance this week either as i am working away from any shops but if you can would be good but we will keep a look out,i wonder if it is a problem with all ryobi 18v drills.......... :confused:

Reguards Tasman............

take it back.
had same problem.

I have two Ryobi 12 volt battery drills and I consider them absoloutly crap and have tried charging them as recommended and they just go flat overnight and have just scrapped them and bought a DeWalt 18volt, and a battery will hold its charge for weeks and weeks if not used and will give me up to 3 weeks using them regularly.

Ahh batteries... Heat is badness, cold is goodness. Don't charge them when they're hot, try not to ever use a hot battery.

There are places that will rebuild batteries for you. If you get lucky they are *better* than new when they come back, as some rebuilders won't put cruddy cells in their work. If you can, try to find Panasonic cells, as they are (IMO) the best.

Start here: http://www.batpak.com.au/ , Google has a lot more, search on "battery rebuild australia".

Here is something I wrote a while ago, please respect it for what you paid for it. I am NOT a battery expert, I did some limited research the subject when my 7.2v Makita batteries died:
============================
Reference

The majority of the information here is sourced from Batterymaster, a company in Melbourne Australia, see:

http://www.batterymaster.com.au/faq.php

Note that the FAQ page is actually a glossary and the Specs tab is where the best info is.
Valuable comments have also been provided from "Phil", a knowledgeable lurker at the rec.woodworking newsgroup.

Best Batteries?

For tool use Sony and Panasonic are better than the rest, Sanyo probably gets a slight edge too. This recommendation is made in Apr 03 and will change.


General

Don't charge a warm battery.

Heat is a major problem for batteries. If the battery is warm from use, let it cool down first.

Charge your battery - then remove it from the charger, do not let it sit in the charger.

Depends on charger, most charges these days shut themselves off to a trickle. The trickle charge keeps the pack fully charged. Pulling it out allows the pack to discharge from battery internal resistance. Check to see if you have a trickle charger, if so, it is okay to leave the battery on charge.


Always fully discharge your battery before charging it.


This is not entirely true. Most important point is to Nicad's (most used in power tools) heat is their biggest enemy. By intentionally discharging to reach a full discharge you can shorten the life of the battery. Discharging causes heat, over discharging multicell packs can lead to cell reversal and heating. Wether nicad memory effect still exists is a is a hotly debated subject. Don't discharge them just to charge them!


Li-ion batteries are not living up to expectations. Their longevity is proving a disappointment although technology is improving them slowly.

Li-on batterys were created for lightweight energy density and higher capacity, not longevity.


Memory Effect

The memory effect STILL EXISTS but is greatly reduced from the early days.


Hotly debated, some mfgr's argue strongly it doesn't in the current day chemistry of the nicads.


Flatten the battery fully

A drill battery is not considered discharged when it can't drive a screw anymore. I've heard it recommended to put an elastic band around the trigger and letting it sit for up to an hour after it stops spinning.

DEAD WRONG!!! DON"T DO THIS UNLESS YOU WANT TO CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURES OF YOUR BATTERIES!!! Read section 5.4 of the Panasonic Nicad FAQ


Deep Cyclers.

Be careful where you get them. Some of them simply act like a dummy load and deplete the cell, others deplete the cell then recharge it. Perhaps best used in the hands of professionals.

Storage

Always store batteries fully charged, don't let your drill sit on the shelf with a partial charge for long periods.

Every two months or so, fully discharge then recharge your batteries. Even those fully charged in storage.

Cycling batteries is not a bad idea, but just turning on a drill for example till the motor doesn't turn is a BAD idea! Nicads should not be discharged below 1v per cell, if you don't have the equipment to propery terminate the discharge don't do it.

Storing New Batteries

Should a new battery be stored in the charged or un-charged condition? The battery should be okay for 15-18 months stored new and uncharged. However, as soon as it has been charged the first time, the clock starts ticking on its life.


Important point here, this only applies if the cell has no charge when delivered and you don't intend to use it for a period of time.

Other Batteries

The following statements depend on battery type, nicad, nimh, li-on ....

Video camera batteries should not be stored on the camera in the partially charged condition.

Laptop battery life is shortened by using it when the unit is plugged into the mains power. If you can, charge the laptop battery, then use the laptop on battery power until discharged then recharge etc.

Mobile phone batteries should be depleted as far as practicable before recharging, not "topped up" every night in the charger.

Telephone answering system batteries. Charge the battery then disconnect the charger or turn it off, don't leave it on all the time.

I've seen a lot of conflicting stories about rechargeable battery rules and while I'm not saying that anything from Groggy's post is wrong, the fact that so many experts disagree is an issue.

I believe the main reason we use cordless drills is for convenience (there are other reasons) and having to charge your battery in the morning tends to defeat the purpose - you may as well use a power drill.

While I'm normally not one to say that the cheap value tools are rubbish and you should only ever buy the best you can afford (I own a ryobi CMS, a GMC router, etc), I think this is the case with cordless drills. The main component is the battery and charger and if you buy a cheap cordless drill then the battery will be severely limited.

I have a panasonic and it cost me $450, which is a lot. But it is by far my most used tool and the one I rely on so it warrants the extra.

The Panasonic somes with 2x NiMH Batteries and a smart charger. It is always available as the smart charger will fully charge the spare in less time than it takes to run down the live battery.

The smart charger also deals with all of the issues that Groggy mentioned. It will not charge the battery if it is too hot, I can leave the battery on charge constantly and it is always ready, etc. I just ignore all of the battery issues as it makes very little difference on a decent battery.

I use my drill most weekends and the current battery has been in the drill for about 2 months since the last charge.

I suggest you spend the money and get a decent quality corless drill with a spare battery and a smart charger. I would rather have a good quality 12V cordless (and a $50 power drill for the off chance that it can't cope) as opposed to a 18v value cordless that is never charged and runs out after only 15 mins of use.

Simon

Originally Posted by simon c

I've seen a lot of conflicting stories about rechargeable battery rules and while I'm not saying that anything from Groggy's post is wrong, the fact that so many experts disagree is an issue.

I agree with you, and this is why I said "...please respect it for what you paid for it.... " which of course was nothing. Battery discussions are good for lively debate, debunking of myths and learning.

That said, I suggest you seriously consider whether you *need* battery power, or just want it. I weigh over 100kg and I have never had a battery tool spin me around like my old Kress 240v drill. I have also never noticed my 240v Makita drill get tired like my DeWalt 12v. I find myself going back to cheaper, better quality, 240v tools wherever I can nowadays.

Originally Posted by Groggy

That said, I suggest you seriously consider whether you *need* battery power, or just want it.

I agree with that, if you can only afford cheap battery tools, then you're probably better off with 240v.

Simon

PS Promise I won't edit this post! (aha)

Originally Posted by simon c

PS Promise I won't edit this post!

I'll be watching

Hey! I was watching! :eek: I saw that!

I took my ryobi drill back to mitre ten where i got it and they gave me a new drill no questiond asked so i was happy with that so hope i get more out of this one ..........very interesting comments about nicad batteries thanks for your info every one...............

Reguards Tasman

Hi, I have a 18V cordless drill from that other manufacturer of cheap tools- GMC, although its their "trade" Platinum model.I have trouble with the spare battery that is NOT on the drill going flat over a few days. The drill is not that old and the battery that is on the drill holds a charge fine but its very annoying when I go to put the spare(previously charged) battery on and its flat.
Anyone have any ideas why the battery won't hold charge on the bench but seems fine on the drill?

Thanks