mad_pete Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 I have Bosch 14.4 v cordless drills with 2 battery packs. Both are preety much dead. Do I: a) ‘zap’ them with 24v from somewhere because doing things you see on the Internet is always a good idea b) Refurb company £70 for 2 c) New batteries from eBay £30 for 2 (too cheap ?) d) New battery from Bosch (£70 each ) ouch e) Take apart and look for dead cell - not sure I fancy this option f) New drill for Christmas with a battery that lasts longer If I get a new battery plan to set up a charger station with a timer plug to keep them topped up once a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 My understanding of bosch lithium batteries is that once a cell goes below a certain voltage, the electronics kick in and stop you ever using the pack again. This is pretty annoying when using a pack until empty, and it is nice and warm, then the temperature drops and so does cell voltage = dead pack. The refurb company is probably replacing this circuit with one that doesn't cut out, and checking the cells to see all is good. Lithium cells are not the bomb you hear on the internet, where everything is true, they burn, that's all, but only if really badly damaged. You can take one apart safely. It is one reason I went with the Milwaukee M18 setup, after my mates Bosch batteries just did not last at all. Personally I wouldn't give them 24V, that is asking for trouble Cheap packs are awful... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soren Frimodt Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 If, by the off chance, you can arrange a cheap enough way of collecting it in Denmark, I'll let you have one for free, Würth branded but directly from Bosch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
=jon= Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 Subscribing to this as I have a 24v Sealey impact driver that has a dead NiCd pack. I've read about zapping them with extra voltage, not tried it (or heard of anyone who has!) though. Possibly it was only for NiCd not other chemistries though.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_pete Posted November 20, 2017 Author Share Posted November 20, 2017 Sorry should have said this is nicd. Zapping seems dangerous and I understand lithium batteries may / will explode if zapped. The videos only do it with nicds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 I have a couple of power tools with dead NiMH batteries. I intend to rebuild the battery cases with 18650 Li-ion cells to equivalent voltages, and battery protection circuits. The latter prevent excess discharge, which is one thing that Li-ion doesn't like. There's a chap on YouTube who is successfully welding battery tabs with little more than a small car battery. https://youtu.be/tlm-C_fiGS8 I have a suitable charger from my father's collection of RC equipment. Another solution involves a bit of 3D printing, and creating an interface to adapt your existing tool to take a popular modern power pack from the likes of Makita or Bosch. Woodworking genius Matthias Wandel has a video on doing such things with Ryobi batteries https://youtu.be/NJx0dqtDNfE 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 g) Solder leads to the terminals with alligator clips and run from the nearest spare car battery kicking round the workshop - will run forever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 I have zapped nicad with no explosion, didn't fix it though.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 AvE did a video on battery resurrection I think. IIRC supply a steady current slightly above operating voltage, but not "zap" it. Just to bring the cells back into the range where the charging electronics recognise the battery again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve200TDi Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 I've gone down the route of buying a set of the single cell batteries that the radio controlled car people use, a set of bars, a hefty soldering iron and making up my own battery pack. I even went for higher amp hour batteries too! It works and I can still charge it off the existing charger, although I dare say having a special voltage sensing charger could prolong the life even further. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paintman Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 10 hours ago, FridgeFreezer said: g) Solder leads to the terminals with alligator clips and run from the nearest spare car battery kicking round the workshop - will run forever! Done something similar, just used push on terminals to attach the leads to the drill's terminals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 I've used a higher voltage battery to resurrect ones that wont charge anymore too, but it only works for a short while. In the end, i had so many good drills (three decent sized, nicely balanced black and decker drills) and so many knackered batteries that i bought new cells with tabs on on ebay and soldered new packs up in front of the TV in the evenings over a week last winter. Its worked a treat and i have five working batteries for my three drills now. Theyve lasted a year so far so I am quite happy with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 2 hours ago, elbekko said: AvE did a video on battery resurrection I think. IIRC supply a steady current slightly above operating voltage, but not "zap" it. Just to bring the cells back into the range where the charging electronics recognise the battery again. Does this work on car batteries too? I've got one from the Pug that's annoyingly died when the MOT lapsed and I didn't get round to putting the trickle charger on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 3 hours ago, landroversforever said: Does this work on car batteries too? I've got one from the Pug that's annoyingly died when the MOT lapsed and I didn't get round to putting the trickle charger on. I know Ctek chargers have a recondition mode that can revive a battery, so maybe. I think that's mainly pulsing to clean off the plates though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 lob it and buy a makita drill. makita are great they take serious abuse and come back begging for more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 Missus bought me a Makita angle grinder year before last, it's hardly run in yet the supplied battery and the unbranded one that I bought some months later are both refusing to charge now. No warnings, nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason110 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 Buy a makita 18v lxt Drill and battery set. I’ve got the angle grinder and sds drill on the same battery platform. It’s all great kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 I'e got a Makita drill and the batteries for that have been fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_pete Posted November 22, 2017 Author Share Posted November 22, 2017 16 hours ago, qwakers said: lob it and buy a makita drill. makita are great they take serious abuse and come back begging for more. I think this is looking likely, maybe impact driver drill set and see what Black Friday can provide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoSS Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 dont zap them, it wont do any good, and may burn them. I have some Ryobi stuff now - you can buy tools without batteries and vice versa, I have 3 batteries common to 4 tools. The batteries seem to have lasted way better the the Bosch and if i do need a new one easy to buy (not the bosch scam where battery is more than tool) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMB Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 Zapping can work, but generally only on single NiCd cells. I've used it as a short term measure but you have to limit the amount of power that you use. Loss of capacity can sometimes be restored on NiCds (and lead acid) using a pulsed charging conditioner. You are generally stuck with Lithium batteries as they tend to be protected with "smart" charging technology. Once they go better to either replace or re-cell the casing. Like HoSS I've been using Ryobi and been happy with the performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPendrey Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 Me too re. Ryobi... and, if you ever find yourself in the US you can buy batteries from Home Depot MUCH cheaper than here. I bought a pair of 4Ah Li batteries for $99. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMB Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 2 hours ago, SPendrey said: Me too re. Ryobi... and, if you ever find yourself in the US you can buy batteries from Home Depot MUCH cheaper than here. I bought a pair of 4Ah Li batteries for $99. Be careful re US purchase - some airlines can reject Li (and other) batteries in luggage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 They will if they're over a certain capacity... and I think they have to be in hand luggage rather than hold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPendrey Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 Yes, indeed. Hand luggage only, and wrapped in original packaging :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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