Introduction: Cheap Cordless Drill Upgrade !
This time, I'm gonna share how to upgrade cheap Cordless drill battery.
The only thing we gonna upgrade is just the battery itself, since cheap drill has small battery capacity.
We gonna add some function on the battery!
Added features :
- Charge the battery with USB
- Use the battery as 12v power supply
- Volt Meter
- Increasing battery capacity
What you waiting for? Just jump in into next step or watch the video once it available!
Step 1: The Plan and What You Need
Before we start, PLEASE TAKE A NOTE !! PLAYING WITH BATTERY ARE DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY LITHIUM BATTERIES. DO WITH CAUTION, RISK BURNING OR EXPLOSION OF THE BATTERY. I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING HAPPEN WITH YOU !!
BEFORE START CONNECTING ALL BATTERIES TOGETHER, BETTER YOU CHARGE AND CHECKS ALL BATTERY VOLTAGES INDIVIDUALLY !! ANY UNEQUAL VOLTAGES WILL DAMAGING THE BATTERIES !!!
Test all battery capacity and group it if you want.
What kind you need :
- Read the schematic first!
- Micro USB Step Up DC - DC Boost converter, or just use type C PD Trigger board (Set to 15v and you need some resistor) but I use boost converter.
- DC Barrel power connector
- smol 2 wire volt meter
- small Push button for volt meter
- one Diode, any diode will work, better use 1 Amp or above for DC Barrel socket (prevent charging the battery over DC Barrel connector unprotected, it's optional)
- Spare battery from cordless drill, if you don't get one skip this.
- Some 18650 Li-Ion batteries for adding more capacity
- Project box (11.5 X 5.5 X 4 CM) no, I don't use imperial. You can use any size you want. bigger is better if you want to deal with it. or just 3D print yourself.
- ZIP ties or whatever it is
- some flat head screws for project box lid, i don't know what type it is.
Step 2: Connect All Batteries Together to Gain More Capacity!
Before we start, PLEASE TAKE A NOTE !! PLAYING WITH BATTERY ARE DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY LITHIUM BATTERIES. DO WITH CAUTION, RISK BURNING OR EXPLOSION OF THE BATTERY. I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING HAPPEN WITH YOU !!
BEFORE START CONNECTING ALL BATTERIES TOGETHER, BETTER YOU CHARGE AND CHECKS ALL BATTERY VOLTAGES INDIVIDUALLY !! ANY UNEQUAL VOLTAGES WILL DAMAGING THE BATTERIES !!! Test all battery capacity and group it if you want.
Please Solder and make connection between batteries like schematic above. Make sure you are connect it correctly.
The connection between batteries is 2 Parallel, 3 Series (for me, if you want to add more maybe 3P3S, keep series connection 3 batteries, since it's 12v rated battery)
Step 3: Solder All Accessories
For the boost converter, make sure you set it into 12.5 - 12.7v, make sure you not set to higher voltage that I recommended. You might damage the BMS board if you apply above recommended voltage.
Better use 2A or above Step Up Boost converter, it's cheap tho.
And if you know what you doing, maybe additional protection diode for DC Barrel socket unnecessary.
You can make your own charging dock if you want, I will not tell you how to do that.
You must play with your own imagination since I do not have a plan to make charging dock.
Step 4: Done!
Before use the drill, make sure you charge it until fully charged.
Thanks for reading this project, consider to support me on Patreon, YouTube or my Instructables profile!