cordless drill batteries

[Christien]

I've got a Craftsman cordless drill from Sears, nothing fancy, had it a few years now. I went to swap batteries recently and the one in the charger was dead. So I put the dead one on the charger, and the light didn't come on. I figured the charger was dead, so I ordered a new one. Cheap, $15. But now the lights still not coming on. What are the chances both batteries gave up the ghost at the exact same time?

[phoenix_iii]

Simple stuff first. Check the contacts on the battery (and charger(s) ). Getting a click? Firm contact? Any contact? Any hums/sounds?

[Christien]

Done, yes, yes, yes and no

[myamoto1]

check your breaker panel?

[Christien]

Yeah, I tried it in multiple plugs around the house, all known to be working.

[1979 930]

clean copper on batterys with a small screwdriver sometimes they do not make good contract

[Jagshund]

Weird!!! Had the same thing happened (except B&D cordless) last week- battery ran low so I swapped it for the one in the charger; 'new' one did not work at all. Put prior batt back in drill and nothing happened (though it had been merely slow minutes earlier, not dead). Then I noticed the charger light was out when the batts were in it- not sure what the chances are of all four pieces (2 batts, drill and charger) dying at the same time but I have tried every possible combination and testing the charger and it's all dead.

edit: I think the light would still work even if the batteries were not accepting a charge- it just picks up current flow across the contacts.

[Joe Ricard]

I have sworn off of cordless tools.

Good really long extension cords works lots more consistently that dead, dying, or running low on power batteries.

[Christien]

Originally Posted by 1968Cayman

edit: I think the light would still work even if the batteries were not accepting a charge- it just picks up current flow across the contacts.

My thoughts exactly.

Originally Posted by Joe Ricard

I have sworn off of cordless tools.

Good really long extension cords works lots more consistently that dead, dying, or running low on power batteries.

Well, I did get 6 years out of it. If the convenience of cordless-ness costs $150 every 6 years ($25/year) then I'd say it's worth it. Even if it were just at the track changing wheels.

[fastfredracing]

Are you sure that you bought the right charger. It seems as if every 2-3 years, my craftsman cordless charger dies, and when I go to buy new, it is outdated, and batteries are nla. I just buy a new drill. they are cheap. Could not live without one

[legion]

I have Craftsman C3 stuff.

The batteries seem to last around 2-3 years of occasional use.

First of all, don't leave the batteries on the charger, the chargers will keep feeding them current when they are fully charged, and this will reduce their lifespan. The take about 2 hours to charge, after which I pull them from the chargers.

Second, don't leave the charger plugged into the wall. The transformers in them run whether or not they have a battery in them. Unplugging them will extend the life of the charger.

[kanadary]

i have all dewalt tools and the batteries last, no problem. i use to buy craftsman cordless but found they were pos. you pay for what you get.

[legion]

DeWalt is simply a Black & Decker with a new label slapped on it.

Kobalt, DeWalt, Craftsman....they are all made in the same factories in China.

[Joe Ricard]

I do have a Milwaukee impact for changing tires on the kart at the track. standard NiCad batteries. getting weak, might consider replacing them with the Li-on packs soon.

Milwaukee and Dewalt seem to keep the same battery design for awhile. Unlike other brands.
Friend of mine has a Snap-on impact it is just as good but no better than my Milwaukee.

[mikester]

Originally Posted by Christien

My thoughts exactly.



Well, I did get 6 years out of it. If the convenience of cordless-ness costs $150 every 6 years ($25/year) then I'd say it's worth it. Even if it were just at the track changing wheels.

6 years for nicads is a good run but both at the same time? I suspect that the diode or whatever that is between the charger and the cells in the battery has fried somehow. It happened on one of my Craftsman batteries (19.2v) and I went in and bypassed it. Works fine now.

[vash]

Originally Posted by legion

DeWalt is simply a Black & Decker with a new label slapped on it.

Kobalt, DeWalt, Craftsman....they are all made in the same factories in China.

i thought i was smart as hell. i bought a black/decker 18v battery to run my dewalt drill (at target - $40 vs $90) . all was great for about 4 months, then it took a quick dump. that thing went bad quick. i am now down to one good dewalt batt..i will need to get 2 more soon.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by legion

DeWalt is simply a Black & Decker with a new label slapped on it.

Kobalt, DeWalt, Craftsman....they are all made in the same factories in China.

Craftsman contracts change from time to time, but for now Craftsman is made under contract by Ryobi - a division of Techtronic Industries. They also own the AEG and Milwaukee brands.

The tools used to be made at the Ryobi plant in Pickens, South Carolina, but that may have changed. (About 15 years ago I dated a girl who worked at the plant and received cordless tools as presents for every birthday, Christmas, etc.) Interestingly, that plant used to be a Singer plant (Ever seen a Singer brand power tool?)


Dewalt is a division of Stanley Black & Decker.
SB&D also owns Porter Cable, Delta Machinery, Bostich, and of course Black & Decker. They used to have some of their B&D cordless tools made under contract at the Ryobi plant.


Rigid is a brand of Emerson Electric, but I have bought Rigid power tools at the Ryobi factory outlet, so I know that some of them were also being made under contract there.

[Rusty Heap]

The new Makita Li-Ion 4 pole motors in their drills are amazing...........plus you get a impact hammer, saws-all, skill saw, and tons of other add-on tools.

[on2wheels52]

"Kobalt, DeWalt, Craftsman....they are all made in the same factories in China."

I want you to retract that statement Chris. I just checked three of my DeWalts, and they were all made in Mexico.
On a more serious note, saying "DeWalt is simply a Black & Decker with a new label slapped on it" isn't so either. I see all kinds of power tools come in the pawn shop. B&D is happy homeowner stuff, DeWalt's are on the job site.
Jim

[Schumi]

Our race team has had two DeWalt cordlesses- a 14v and an 18v- for 6 years now.

They have been tortured in every way possible. Dropped off of high places, ran over, sat outside and rained on, been ridiculously overheated... etc etc.

They still work great and we are still using the original batteries (2 per drill).

They definitely sold me.