Found Out Something Today

If you have a battery tool with Lithium batteries, they are not able to be rebuilt. I have a P.C drill that a battery failed on today in the middle of a job ( a year and a half old). It evidently shorted out according to the charger lights, I checked on having the battery repaired and was told that Lithium batteries can not be rebuilt because the cells are only available to manufacturers at this time. What a bummer!
Guess I will get that Bosch drill that I have had my eyes on for a while. Just goes to show you there is a silver lining in every gray cloud. Any excuse to get a new tool is a bright spot I guess
Charles.

Amen to that!

Enjoy your new tool.

Jim

Sorry to hear the news Charles. That's one of the reasons why I bought the dewalt Lithium. The old batteries (18volt) will work with the new drill and impact, not just the lithium. Nice to have a back up plan.

I use my tools for apt maintenance & hobby. I purchased the Ryobi 18V 1/2" Drill, circular saw, Impact driver & laminate trimmer pre-Lithium batteries & when the old batteries gave out I purchased the Lithium batteries & charger everything still works great & I can get more batteries anytime I want. I don't have to buy a whole new tool kit. I can also add tools if I need to.

Yeah Charles go for it There is another downside to this great new battery technology. It only lasts a specific number of charge discharge cycles. Then its done. At least they dont fade away like old Ni Cad.

I think it's likely Li ion cells will be more available soon, so it may make sense to hang on to the old batteries so they can be rebuilt. If you need the space more than that option, then maybe not.

How to Rebuild a Li-Ion Battery Pack

First page is basically the science of LI battery packs; second page has instructions/guide for rebuild. Looks pretty complicated!

A search on Google for "LI battery pack repair" brings up many articles on repair but I have no idea how good any are. I don't see any commercial repair facilities for these like are available for Nickle Cadmium and Nickle Metal Hydride cells, so?????

Jim

Well I found something out today

Happy to report that after five messages to De Walt customer service, that they are sending me two new batteries with a line that they hope that this will restore my confidence in the Porter Cable brand. They were nice about it and I am thankful for that. I am still in doubt about the overall quality of their products now, they are not the Porter Cable of the days when they were made in Tennessee that is for sure.
Chuck

Well, 2 new batteries is good customer service. What did you have to tell them to get them to send the batteries?

found something out today

Ken, I never requested replacements. I just told them that I felt that the drill batteries were not up up to the standards that they should have been. One battery shorted out and the other one would only drive about six or seven screws into pine before needing to be charged , they were only 1 1/2 years old and they have been used very little during that time, AND that I still have a PC12V cordless drill that is over six years old and is still working just fine, and this new one is that last PC tool that I would be getting. After a bit of back and forth they said that they were sending the new batteries, in hopes that It would restore my faith in Porter Cable. I think it was a nice thing for them to do. I own three #690 routers that I would hate to part with and they have been used hard, the newest is probably seven years old. so this is the reason I was questioning the quality of the new drill. Rant over.
Chuck