Re Packing Cordless Drill Battery Packs

[Fat Pat]

OK, so I have a borked cordless drill battery pack. Tried zapping it, but until I sort out my (probably related) charger issue I have no real sure way of knowing if it's any good.

What I am now considering is re-packing the pack with proper Sanyo sub-C cells and hoping that I get better usage than the crappy chinese-made ones that are in there currently.

The question is I see that altronics/jaycar also sell NiMH cells, which have a better shelf characteristic than NiCD sells, so was wondering if they would be appropriate for my general duty usage.

Has anyone out there replaced NiCD with NiMH's and been happy with the results? I need to get 15 of these things at $10 each, so I don't want to spend $150 to go the wrong way.

BatteryWorld have quoted me $195 to repack it themselves....

[Aphex]

You shouldn't have too many issues. Just bare in mind that depending on the type of charger, it may not fully charge the NiMHs. In some cases with rapid chargers, they may be over charged.

[Fat Pat]

Thanks A, what I am hoping to do is get an idea as to the usability of the NiMH's c/f the NiCD.

NiCD's have a great current delivery capability, but if the NiMH's arent far off the mark I can put up with it. BUT, if they are significantly less than the NiCD's then I'll stay with NICD's

[Aphex]

NiMH > NiCD for high current applications and they have a higher capacity.

[Charger]

Depends on usage, I have two high end battery drills for work. One NiMH and one NiCD. The NiMH holds a charge for a bit longer between uses but when in use runs out of guts too quickly compared to the NiCD. I use them every working day so I prefer the NiCD as i'm charging them that often that an extra couple of weeks charge life in a battery between use isn't that bigger advantage. For the home user who ony gets it out of the cupboard a couple of time a month NiMH is the way to go.

[Jamathi]

The connecting strips need to be spot welded as the high current and heat will melt solder, hence it is not a home job.
But please go ahead and try it and see if I am correct hehe!

[Taz]

now jamanthi why would you comment on something like this....it is not like you know anything about the results of applying electricity to things

[WIGARUS]

It'd want to be a fairly decent drill to want to spend an extra $150 on it surely...

Li-ion batteries shit on the nimh/nicd. Go for a splurge with some of ruddies money and get a decent new one, i think the 18v hitachi cordless is around $360 new...

[Fat Pat]

The problem is I have a perfectly serviceable B&D drill that does everything I need it to do - light domestic/home cabinetry/etc - for the past 4 years, and I REALLY HATE the throwaway mentality that our society has, and which manufacturers encourage. The drill itself is great, just the batteries have given up the ghost.

A decent set of batteries will last much betterer than the crappy chinese "no branders" that are installed already, and I would rather spend any money I get - of the $360 magnitude or similar - on stuff for my family, not on another drill. In this context $150 is small justifiable, but I do take your point....if I had my time over I would probably spend on a LI-ion whatsit.

[ranmar850]

Buy an 18V Ryobi--yes, you heard me --with the 12mm chuck, they are bloody indestructible, replacement batteries are $45 ea or two pack for $88. Drill will cost about $120 complete, all the components can be bought easily and separately from Bunnings. They call it the 1+1 range, or something like that--a role range of battery tools to match. You don't have to buy the whole shooting match when one component dies. I worked mine hard in the trade, and didn't get to see how long it would last, as someone stole it and the companion impact driver when it was 2 years old and still going strong. And it absolutley pisses on the 18v Hitachi drill--I know, because we have them as a store stock item new at work, and they are gutless, and also break rather easily. And a lot better value than B&d, too, I've had those as well.

[Melchior]

Buy an 18V Ryobi--yes, you heard me --with the 12mm chuck, they are bloody indestructible, replacement batteries are $45 ea or two pack for $88. Drill will cost about $120 complete, all the components can be bought easily and separately from Bunnings. They call it the 1+1 range, or something like that--a role range of battery tools to match. You don't have to buy the whole shooting match when one component dies. I worked mine hard in the trade, and didn't get to see how long it would last, as someone stole it and the companion impact driver when it was 2 years old and still going strong.

They are a rather good drill. They can die though...mine got full of water Will definitely get another one though...just bear in mind that Ryobi went from a replacement warranty to a repair warranty not too long ago, so even Bunnings probably won't give you a new one anymore (IF it breaks and I have seen it, usually it's morons though)

Li-Ion however, just so nice and light, allegedly no memory effect, but I havent tried it out. So expensive...

[WIGARUS]

I have makita LI-ION fuckin awesome, the hitachi LI-ION guns are awesome as well, and I think they are very reasonably priced. Just over twice the price of the Ryobi, GMC, Ozito, etc. but infinitely better. I don't know what their warranties are (makita or Hitachi), but it will definitely run out before the drill does.

I've used the Ryobi LI-ION and they are not bad, but you do get what you pay for. the +1 range of ryobi gear has shit batteries IMO I know they aren't LI-ION, but even for NiMH they are piss poor.


edit - and the ryobi LI-ION is not exactly light... its a bushpig

[Para045]

When I was cabinetmaking I always used Makita's with the stubby red battery pack, I have approximately 12 batteries for them (~4 drills/screwdrivers etc) and most of them I got re-celled at Batteries Plus in Ozzy Pk. Cost me around $70 each from memory whereas a new Makita battery was ~$135-$150

I had some re-celled with NiCd and some with NiMH and found that they performed similarly but the NiCD's would sit after being charged for weeks on end whereas the NiMH wold lose the charge after about a week