Cordless drill - Improving the battery

Step 2: Assemble the new pack of batteries

Aquire a new set of identically sized batteries. In my case the size is called 'Sub-C'. I got them at BatterySpace.com for $24.00. They come with tabs attached. Carefully assemble the new cells into the same arrangement as the original, and solder the tabs appropriately. Be careful not to short out a cell while assembling it - even briefly! You will also need to scratch the surface of the leads before soldering and put a thin coat of solder on each tab before assembly (called tinning). Re-assemble and test. Be sure to re-use the fusable link that came with the original battery pack

Comments

[dcobrien2000]

I have a set of 18V Coleman tools that came with 2 batteries. A while ago one became hard to charge and finally the other failed. I could not find replacements anywhere so I was faced with buying new tools (lots of $$). I found this post and then the link about reviving rechargeable batteries, it said that crystals can build up in the batteries and short them out. As a fix it suggested hitting them with a blunt object. I opened up the batteries like this post suggests and then whacked the cluster of batteries firmly with a rubber mallet. To my surprise it worked, they now hold a charge and work great, no new tools!

[solaralternatives]

I wonder if that physical shock breaks the crystals like electrically shocking does. Anyone try this with an unprotected Li-ON cell?

[snet]

I recently ran a cross a Makita 6343D with 2 18v NI_CD batteries and a charger on one of the free auction sites. When I received the drill one of the batteries worked fine but the other wouldn't work at all, even though the charger showed it "charging".

I wasn't too concerned since this whole lot was FREE but after reading this I simply tried cleaning the metal contacts with rubbing alcohol and lightly wacking the bottom of the battery with the rubber handle of a hammer and POOF it started working again and holds a charge.

Thanks again for the great advice! =)

[fromjim]

I was about to trash a good Craftsman cordless drill because the batteries would not accept a charge, I was in the process of trying to find good replacement batteries at a reasonable price when I came upon this site, I tried the above tactic, whacking the battery pack hard several times on a block of hard wood, I then placed it in the charger and it began to charge, an hour later I had a fully charged battery, even the weak battery that would take a small charge benifited from this procedure.

Thanks a lot guys,

God bless

Jim

[crazyg]

i will try that:-)

[wupme]

Its always surprising how many technical stuff you can fix with whacking it. A wack actually fixed my digital preamp on wich an amp technican gave up... Its also a cool way to fix something.

[-max-]

LOL! i once fixed a camera with "lens error" by trowing it at a wall!

[jeff-o]

I'm delighted when the fix for a problem is "hit it with a hammer." :D

[Unkel]

In electronics, as well as many other fields of maintenance, when we whack on something to make it work, we refer to this as "Percussive Maintenance...!"  It is and has been a tried and true method for getting things to work!

[wolfpro]

Check out this link. http://www.hamradioindia.com/HRI-THEOR/Funda-DC/nicad.htm
This guy talks about bringing back NiCad batteries fron the dead.