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Caring for Power Tool Batteries
By Bobby George
Chances are, most of you
have at least one or two power tools around your home. They are
great for both small and large projects and make many tasks much
easier due to their power and portability. However, a power tool
without power is really no tool at all and will be of little use to
anyone. Yet many
power tool batteries lose their power due to
improper care and the somewhat costliness of replacement power tool
batteries causes a lot of power tools to lie dormant. That being
said, here are some useful tips for keeping your power tool
batteries in the best possible condition to ensure that you're not
left scratching your head next time you need to use your power tool.
First off, most power
tool batteries are made up of several smaller cells packed inside
the battery casing. These cells are predominantly NiCD, meaning that
the same rules for all NiCD batteries apply here as well. These
batteries have a tendency to develop a memory effect. For more
information on this effect, see our article entitled "What
should I know about Memory Effect?". In order to ensure that
your power tool battery doesn't lose a significant amount of its
runtime, it is important to practice smart charging behavior. Power
tool batteries should be power cycled (fully discharged and fully
charged) at least once every few weeks to guard against the memory
effect.
Have you ever stored a
car or lawnmower for the winter and tried to start it a few months
later only to find that the battery is dead? The same will happen to
a power tool battery if not properly maintained. This is probably
the number one killer of power tool batteries today, especially for
those that only use their tools for odd and end jobs every now and
then. If the battery is not taken from storage and
charged/discharged occasionally, it will certainly fail to function
when you need it. When you do store power tool batteries, make sure
to store them in a dry, cool, clean place away from metal and heat.
Never store power tool batteries on the charger, as this will
overcharge the battery and also diminish its runtime.
Many people use power
tools in some pretty rough places, such as construction sites,
mechanic shops, and landscaping areas. This means that power tool
batteries often become dirty and should be cleaned to keep them
working correctly. To ensure that dirt doesn't interfere with the
battery connections and cause the tool not to function normally,
clean the battery contacts with some alcohol and cotton swabs.
If you do have a power
tool battery that no longer takes a full charge or simply will not
function at all, it may be time to consider having the battery
rebuilt. The rebuilding process involves opening the battery casing
and replacing the smaller individual cells inside with new
rechargeable cells. This process often costs much less than the
price of a new battery and most batteries can even be improved by
using higher capacity cells which allow the battery to last longer
in between charges. If you have a power tool battery your are
interested in having rebuilt, email us the brand, model, and voltage
of the battery at
info@lowcostbatteries.com. Please include "battery rebuild" in
the subject line. Once we receive your email, we will send you a
reply with a price quote for having the battery rebuilt.
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